Faith No More Biography

The rock band Faith No More was established in 1981, founded by remaining members Mike Bordin, Billy Gould, Roddy Bottum and Matt Wallace, who eventually left the band. Initially recording in Wallace’s parent’s garage, Faith No more recorded their debut song “Quiet in Heaven/Song of Liberty,” which was released in 1982. The song garnered moderate attention, and Faith No More began work on We Care a Lot, which featured five songs. We Care a Lot garnered the attention of the newly formed label Mordam Records, which signed the band.

We Care a Lot was reworked and released, becoming not only a debut for Faith No More, but a debut for the label, upon its release in 1985. The album performed well, as did it follow-up, Introduce Yourself (1987) but it was Faith No More’s next effort, The Real Thing, that rocketed the band to fame after its release in 1989. The Real Thing featured the hit single “Epic,” which rose into the top ten on multiple charts, and the additional hits “From Out of Nowhere,” “Falling to Pieces,” and “Edge of the World.” The albums Angel Dust (1992), King for a Day… Fool for a Lifetime (1995), and Album of the Year (1997) followed, giving audiences the hits: “Midlife Crisis,” “A Small Victory,” “Easy,” “Digging the Grave,” “Evidence,” “Ashes to Ashes,” and “Last Cup of Sorrow.”

Faith No More disbanded after Album of the Year in 1997, but recently reunited for an extensive tour, known as the Second Coming Tour, in 2009. The band now continues to perform with the current lineup of Mike Patton, Jon Hudson, Roddy Bottum, Billy Gould, and Mike Bordin, and has announced plans for future work together. As a legacy, Faith No More has been credited with the band that invented the alternative metal genre and ultimately influenced such notable acts as Nirvana, Metallica, and Guns N’ Roses.