New Tomahawk Bio
from ipecac.com
Anonymous
Tomahawk’s third release, Anonymous, links the outfit with the Native American culture that bore its name. A thirteen-track album that reverentially explores and reinterprets the darker, more recessed ancestral music created by North America’s indigenous people, the title reflects the countless individuals who contributed to these songs but went un-credited throughout history.
At the turn of the millennium, Duane Denison (U.S.S.A, ex-Jesus Lizard) toured with Hank Williams III, frequently finding himself on Indian Reservations. “I was somewhat disappointed by the Native bands.” Duane explains, “They were usually very conventional, kind of blues and country type stuff, or too much like ‘new age’ music. I figured there must be native music somewhere that was more aggressive, spookier, and more kinetic.” Duane began to research the culture’s music; about a year into his research he found books that were written around the time of Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency, a period in U.S. history when Indian culture and artifacts were in vogue. The books, dated to the early 20th century, recorded transcriptions of the songs contained herein. The titles: “Totem,” “Mescal Rite 1,” “Song of Victory” are all true to the names uncovered by the people who originally transcribed them, although Duane says “Red Fox” was altered to be more accessible. One song, “Long, Long Weary Day,” is a non-Native American “parlor song” song of the same time period, and also un-credited.
Now a three piece, Tomahawk recorded Anonymous in two-parts. Duane Denison and John Stanier (Battles, Ex-Helmet) recorded guitars and drums (respectively) in Nashville while Mike Patton (Peeping Tom, Fantômas, Ex-Faith No More) added vocals and samples at Vulcan Studios in San Francisco.
Release date: June 19, 2007
Editor’s Note: This was submitted a while back, I just didn’t get around to publishing it until today.
May 2nd, 2007 at 12:14 AM
So who’s been recording the bass guitar ?
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:52 AM
June 19, hell yeahhhh!!
May 2nd, 2007 at 9:05 AM
Duane Denison is playing bass, I heard Trevor Dunn was so I shot him a message over myspace…he said that it was lie that he was, and that Duane played bass on the album…also to kick my friend in the shins for telling me that.
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:08 AM
i hope they’ll tour sometime soon to support the album. as a friend proclaims about the new tomahawk, “it will massacre!!!!”
May 2nd, 2007 at 1:56 PM
Send Trev a msg and ask him if that bungle book/rarities thing is still going ahead.
May 2nd, 2007 at 4:27 PM
I’m a bit dissapointed with the new album. Although it’s an interesting idea, I just don’t think it suits Tomahawk best. It’s less rockier and a bit more noise, like a less agressive but more accessible Fantomas record. I don’t know, maybe it will take time to really get into it, but it just isn’t the Tomahawk record I was expecting/hoping to be.
May 2nd, 2007 at 4:55 PM
You’ve heard it?
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:07 PM
Yep.
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:18 PM
And???………..where can we get it???
May 2nd, 2007 at 5:30 PM
I downloaded it from some russian site, can’t quite remember which one. I can put a rapidshare link here tomorrow, if that is ok. Gotta go sleep now.
May 2nd, 2007 at 7:41 PM
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=TEE6LOB4
be sure to have your navajo translation book handy
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:04 PM
Shit man, Don’t leak the Album!
May 2nd, 2007 at 11:31 PM
They’ve probably had Rutmanis Killed now! They might have used this -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvUj8pL6iC8
Poof ol Kev, he WAS the only guy who could make Buzz Osbourne look cool Onstage.
2007 Tomahawk. Its been a while since I was this excited about a Record.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:47 AM
heresy! buzz always looks cool as fuck.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:51 AM
Trevor dunn on base would be sweet
May 3rd, 2007 at 1:11 PM
I love the one or two tracks I’ve heard. but I’d agree, it does weirdly sound more like fantomas than tomahawk.
May 3rd, 2007 at 2:56 PM
zira you suck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:04 PM
Wtf? Why is that?
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:04 PM
everyone who has heard the new album,should be a shame of themself!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:09 PM
at least buy the fucking album!!
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:13 PM
Maybe, but I’m not. Downloading is the only reasonable way for me to hear new albums since I live in a poor country and yet I managed to purchase somehow “Mit Gas” few days after its release. I support Tomahawk as much as I can.
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:24 PM
You’re Buzz Osbourne aren’t you Portly Jim!
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:26 PM
And you do SUCK Zira – Make some sense and get off the couch.
May 3rd, 2007 at 3:27 PM
Oh really? You don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about.
May 3rd, 2007 at 4:05 PM
maybe I am. maybe I’m not. I guess you’ll never know.
May 4th, 2007 at 4:05 AM
Jeez, do you want me to pick you up or something?
May 4th, 2007 at 5:14 AM
I downloaded it and i’m not ashamed of myself. I will be buying it the day it comes out. Its fantastic!
May 4th, 2007 at 5:26 AM
The Album is weak, naive and unnecessary.
Four years of waiting and now this….
Some of you like it, ok, but tell me which one of the three Tomahawk albums is the worst.
May 4th, 2007 at 6:00 AM
Anonymous = Tomahawk meets Fantomas.
Nice album, waiting for the western/horror movie to come out
Downloaded it, listened to it, gonna buy it !
Even if the album is not that great for all you “rockers” out there, I would buy it just for the artwork.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:27 PM
didnt tomahawk always have that faint scent of fantomas in there? but now that patton is howling and barking and the songs dont follow a normal format, its a little more apparent… shit, moonchild sounds more like fantomas than this and they’re compleeetetely different… i think the album is perfect for their direction.. naive and unnecessary? what an a**hole. this album speaks loud and conveys alot of emotion.. not that their others didnt.. but it sounds more expressive or something… its definetely different.. i think it puts the cap on the “Tomahawk” personality. i have no idea where they’re gonna go from here but i cant wait.. cant wait for the tour too!
May 5th, 2007 at 3:48 AM
If you want to hear proper interpretation of tradidional music, then you shoul listen to the Secret Chiefs 3. Their orchestrations are rich and properly done. The lack of acadamical background of the Tomahawk members is evident here.
There is total discrepancy between the form and the content.
“Mondo Cane” is the last chance for Patton to come-back.
May 5th, 2007 at 4:24 AM
azis, I don’t think they’re aiming for faithful interpretations – they’re just using the original material as a starting point. I absolutely love SC3, and a lot of the artists and musics they’re inspired by, but one of their weaknesses is that sometimes they are too faithful to their sources and fail to make the tunes their own, which begs the question – what’s the point?
what is this ‘proper’ interpretation you speak of? any interpretation is as valid as any other…there’s no need to be so restrictive and formalist about it. that way lies branford marsalis. and look what happened to him. (i.e. he became a boring, painfully conservative music bigot who’s loathed and reviled by adventurous people the world over.)
if you don’t like what tomahawk are doing, fine, but don’t make out that they’re just not doing it ‘properly’. to do so is to miss the point entirely.
May 5th, 2007 at 5:34 AM
By doing it ‘properly’ I don’t mean Tomahawk to grab some Indian istruments, but adopt it adequately to their ‘rock format’ – guitar, bass, drums and voice. By doing it properly I mean not to try to shot a sparrow with a cannon.
Duane has used a book with transcriptions of the songs, which is more than just a ‘starting point’.
Patton has the tallent to put almost anny lyrics in musical form, but this time, like in some of the Peeping Tom pieces he has failed.
Melody of the singing has nothing in common with the words he has ‘stucked’ there and so on and on…..
Don’t get me wrong.
I’m always awaiting his next work impatiently, but recently I’m always dissapointed.
The last thing that i liked was “Romances”, but I find “Music for Moviebikers” even better, despite the lack of Mike.
Regads to All of you,
Enjoy the Music
May 5th, 2007 at 6:07 PM
“By doing it ‘properly’ I don’t mean Tomahawk to grab some Indian istruments, but adopt it adequately to their ‘rock format’ – guitar, bass, drums and voice.”
I think that’s the point here.
May 5th, 2007 at 6:40 PM
Daammmmmnnnn it! I ain’t gonna like it as much as Mit Gas – I just know it – anything ya look foward to for a long time disappoints usually. Is it gonna be another Delerium Cordia? hope not.
May 5th, 2007 at 8:59 PM
question, do you like indian chanting in your music?
May 6th, 2007 at 2:00 AM
I haven’t heard the new Tomahawk yet, but when I saw the news on Blabbermouth it made me very excited. I’m looking forward to the official release. I couldn’t really get into Peeping Tom. I like most projects that Mike Patton is involved with, and I’m interested to hear music from the other members of Tomahawk.
I download music in the vein of ‘try before you buy’, since more than ever there are a lot of bands in the music industry who are not really serious about making good music and just put out half-assed albums so they can be glorified money whores. If I like the music I buy it, if not then it gets deleted, simple as that. Besides, I’m a real audiophile and can hear how these lower grade MP3 file shares are inferior to nice rich CD quality (not to mention DVD-A, we need more DVD-A !!!!!).
I’ve just been getting into this great metal band called Akercocke. Their music made me think of Tomahawk at times. No other band I’ve heard before sounds quite like Tomahawk, I’m really liking what I hear of Akercocke so far. You might like to give Akercocke a listen. I recommend the album Words That Go Unspoken, Deeds That Go Undone.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:53 AM
I’m glad to find another audiophile here.
Maybe I’m not the only one who has noticed how bad is the sound quality of the Peeping Tom record.
And to release music only in MP3 format as they did with the Mojo single
was absolute joke.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:16 PM
Peeping Tom was great…Anonymous…not so much.
May 6th, 2007 at 5:05 PM
You are all crazy!!! This album Kills!!!!
May 7th, 2007 at 1:35 AM
“we need more DVD-A”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVDA_%28band%29 ?
May 7th, 2007 at 7:36 PM
Whoever said that the album reminds them a bit of Fantomas is dead-on. That’s exactly what came to mind listening to it. However, the album (other than a few select tracks) is thus far not too good. I will give it a few more listens and perhaps it will grow on me like Peeping Tom did, but I’m not holding out hope.
And for the dude recommending Akercocke, Chronozon is where it’s at. The new one just seemed too flat.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:32 PM
Hey, What ever Happened to the tomahaw folder on Caca Volante Ftp site… I wanted to hear some live recordings did they move they are not in the bungle fever argives? If any one know send me an Email at NOFXSxWx311@msn.com thanx..ps I cant wait for the new album I just heard 4 new songs!!!!
May 10th, 2007 at 9:14 AM
I downloaded the new tomahawk album for free and i’m glad i did because now that I heard it I wouldn’t buy it. Hope the new fantomas and peeping tom come out better! Ipecac should release a fantomas dvd!!!
May 10th, 2007 at 7:59 PM
I agree with mm. I think. This is really good stuff. Furthermore, I don’t hear any resemblance to Fantomas. Further and furthermore, Mike Patton is a great vocalist but not a great lyricist; Peeping Tom has some seriously cringe inducing moments. That’s less of a problem here.
Now, I think Patton’s recent work with John Zorn (Moonchild, Astronome, and the new one I don’t have yet) is some of his very best. Just so you know where I’m coming from.
May 12th, 2007 at 2:57 PM
This album is great! I don’t know what all this negative buzz is about. If you’re a Patton fan, you have to expect this type of material. I love it. I think Ghost Dance is one of my favoite songs. Yes, I love Native American chanting in my music. I’m Partially Native American myself…BTW, where is the word that says the language is Navajo? I’m not sure I recognize the words. The pronounciation almost sounds Cherokee.
I also really like Cradle Song, Song of Victory (this is the ONLY Fantomas-ish one), Omaha Dances are both pretty rocking and very cool, and I love Crow Dance (probably my second favorite, powerful!). But all the songs are really great. This is the type of album that will really grow on you. Keep listening to it. I think this one may be my favorite yet.
May 13th, 2007 at 5:00 AM
The best thing about ANONYMOUS is War Song. If you can look someone in the eye the entire time they’re playing that song then the rest is yours. This is the best album in 50 years. Ya hate it ya programs inerrortreivable (I just made that up) Well, Forget It. AND BUY THE FUCKING RECORD!!!!
May 13th, 2007 at 5:41 AM
And for the record Patton has Always been an
Incredible Lyricist. Right Thourgh! That’s what sets him apart. Sorry you can’t see Debasement and (Simplicity) with Peeping Tom. Maybe You should get a Dictionary.
May 13th, 2007 at 9:02 AM
I agree, it almost seems like Patton wrote cheesy lyrics for the PT album just to piss off stupid people who take it seriously. The sarcasm is lost
May 14th, 2007 at 11:09 AM
There you go, a special pic of Patton (damn, am thankful that i wasn´t there to receive his “present” hehe)
http://reyporundia.phplibre.com.es/modules/myalbum/photo.php?lid=676
Enjoy
May 15th, 2007 at 1:10 AM
Fuck Me. Maybe I should get a Dictionary!
May 15th, 2007 at 2:16 AM
ha ha. i’ve seen that before. he has a big willy. what do you think girls?
May 15th, 2007 at 6:11 AM
Jeez – there’s his wiener. . I think he’s making it look bigger by the way he has his hand round it – that’s a pro that is! I’m guessing this was the London gig, I saw the Glasgow gig the night after that and the crowd were chanting something about peeing on them, which he never obliged.
New album – hit and miss. Some great elements, some that I think were a bit lazy or unconsidered. I will still buy it through devoted commodity fetishism. Last night I started loads of Indian chanting (I was out, drinky drinky, ya know?) got people singing the second song’s chant (hey hey waha wohwoh hey), the 5/4 one) and a ‘real’ chant from an album I’ve had for a good 12 years – it goes – “oh wacky daaaay, ooh wacky daay”. Try it folks, spread the native chant loving, it’s great!
May 15th, 2007 at 4:24 PM
This was not worth the wait. Don’t like it. Sorry. I don’t like native Indian music. There lies the problem. I don’t like something just because Patton takes a stab at it.
May 16th, 2007 at 12:35 AM
ahahaha, check out this parody of Mike’s music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CaCUyvP8yE&mode=related&search=
I love MP’s work, but this is fantastic.
May 16th, 2007 at 2:06 PM
I love the new Tomahawk,and appreciate the different direction they went with this album.There are some really catchy songs.I think it will be even better live.
May 17th, 2007 at 7:39 AM
I am looking forward to it. I will buy it!
May 17th, 2007 at 4:59 PM
While I admit some of the songs are good, I’m really not into native music, and can’t see myself actually listening to it that much…so I probably won’t buy it.
May 19th, 2007 at 1:01 AM
Thanks for that Matt
May 19th, 2007 at 7:28 AM
anytime brother…see you in church.
May 21st, 2007 at 3:06 PM
Will you be repenting for stealing?
May 21st, 2007 at 6:13 PM
no mate, I’ve deleted the songs.
May 22nd, 2007 at 9:45 PM
my one gripe with the album is that i wish they’d made it a bit longer, some of the songs feel like they could’ve been stretched out some, but then that’s the typical tomahawk way, keep em’ wanting more like ‘captain midnight’ 2 mellow sections sandwiching that great rock section in the middle. or god hates a coward, verse-chorus-bridge-verse-chorus DONE
but yeah anonymous is a great album, good mix of full on native sounding stuff (ghost dance) through to more traditional rock songs (cradle song, totem)
i do like native american music and art too and i definitely can’t wait to hear ‘song of victory’ live (if they ever tour… doesn’t seem like patton gives much of a shit about the band anymore)
May 27th, 2007 at 12:10 PM
I’m pissed mak no anpology 0 been to a kids party all afternoons.
abyway i got w=really uose
May 28th, 2007 at 9:40 PM
Agreed Mindbait,one of my few gripes with the album is the length.Maybe a couple of more interludes like Long Weary Day could’ve been added,or a song or two explored a little deeper.I think its just a product of recording an album through the mail.You do get the feeling sometimes,that recent Patton projects are just being spit out due to project overload.It seems like I would be seeing Tomahawk on the Rollins show instead of Peeping Tom.I could be wrong,still dig the album though and appreciate the different direction they take on this one.
May 30th, 2007 at 4:47 PM
I hope this isn’t the last Tomahawk album….I wouldn’t want them to end it on such a terrible note. Although if the rest of the albums are gonna be like this I hope they get into a big arguement and never record again! I will still buy the album but only for the packaging…I doubt the album makes it into my stereo for any other purpose than simply making sure it works.
May 30th, 2007 at 10:22 PM
“I think its just a product of recording an album through the mail.You do get the feeling sometimes,that recent Patton projects are just being spit out due to project overload.”
yeah i think one of things that’s really missing from some of the more recent patton projects is that human interaction, with Mr. Bungle and Faith no more he was able to put a bunch of his ideas into those bands but his ideas would get filtered through the rest of the band just as their ideas were filtered through him. and as a result he’d have to either make sure his ideas were better than everyone elses, or he’d have to really fight for them, in which case he’d probably only fight for his better ideas.
with most of his projects (except, maybe for the ones he’s guesting on) now it’s more a case of “what i say goes” even in tomahawk, the fact that he recorded his bits for this album seperate to Duane and John, he seems to be doing his own thing with noone saying “no don’t do it like that, try it like this…”.
that said, i think most of what he’s doing is still good and definitely i think fantomas works best with him writing everything, but i can’t help but wonder what some of his recent stuff would sound like if his ideas had had to compete with other strong songwriters (like billy gould and trey spruance)
June 3rd, 2007 at 10:12 AM
To those who have heard the new Tomahawk album; How many of the songs feature actual lyrics? I get the impression that the album resembles Fantomas. Are the vocals more musical than lyrical?
June 5th, 2007 at 1:32 AM
hmm lyrics
a lot of them sort of feature a mix of lyrics and chants, like “sun dance” has chanty verses with a rock vocal chorus with lyrics. cradle song and song of victory have lyrics, as does totem and mescal rite 2… it’s probably about 50/50
June 6th, 2007 at 3:57 PM
I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m actually a little pissed. I love Patton and his projects. He has been my favorite artist for the past 17 years. When FNM ended I was bummed because they really were one of my favorite of his bands, if not my favorite. So I was happy with the 1st two Tomahawk albums because they were the closest to FNM out of all his other bands. Now he pulls this shit out. Makes it, yet another “expiremental” album. Why would they do that? Save this for Fantomas. DOn’t make us dedicated fans wait around and then come out with this shit. Not proud of this album at all. THe next album better be more like the first two, otherwise why even have the band?????
June 6th, 2007 at 4:53 PM
well, ‘pissed off fan’ you do know that duane denison writes/arranges the music for tomahawk don’t you. patton has some input, putting his stamp on it but duane (and he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for it) is the creative force behind tomahawk. if it sounded at all like faith no more that’s probably because it’s patton singing with a rock band, i mean people have compared parts of peeping tom (particularly “we’re not alone”‘) with fnm too.
i think they’ve done a good job of mixing chants with lyrics/singing on the album.
why even have the band?! i don’t really think this album sounds that much like fantomas and definitely none of pattons projects really reference or intepret native american music.
it is nearly a decade since faith no more broke up, might be time to start looking for a new favourite band. have you checked out billy gould’s new band harmful?
June 9th, 2007 at 9:36 AM
Don’t forget that “we’re not alone”‘ is actualy a Dub Trio song. They had a list of singers for the song, Mike was #1 choice, he has agreed and the song is realy great but he is not the author.
June 9th, 2007 at 7:20 PM
where can I listen to the album on line?
June 17th, 2007 at 7:03 AM
At the bottom of this article, you’ll find 3 (oarts of) songs of Anonymous
http://www.boomkat.com/item.cfm?id=37796
June 18th, 2007 at 3:52 AM
Tomahawk lyrics: aaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeee
iiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaa
iiiiiiiieeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa…….
August 27th, 2007 at 1:08 PM
Kaila Yu Video…
I Googled for something completely different, but found your page…and have to say thanks. nice read….
November 3rd, 2007 at 3:30 PM
Downloaded it, deleted it. Tired of wasting money on Patton going AIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAIAYAWH.
July 22nd, 2010 at 11:17 PM
Indian Music is really cool and some of it are great dance music too.”~~