Then one week later, on May 30, 2006, Ipecac Recordings will release the highly anticipated debut album from Peeping Tom.

May will be a good month for Mike Patton fans.

The prolific singer lends his askew aesthetic to a true-life indie murder-drama.

Imagine a murder in a small town. A body is found buried in a shed, and the neighborhood is in shock. The person you thought you knew slowly becomes someone you never knew at all. This is the world of Firecracker, a new film from writer/director Steve Balderson that takes its inspiration from actual events in the town of Wamego, Kansas. A true tragedy, Firecracker is an unflinching study of a broken home and the emotional fallout it creates.

Firecracker also marks the film debut of Mike Patton, the creative dynamo better known in the music world as the ex-frontman of Faith No More and Mr. Bungle, and the current frontman of Tomahawk and Fantomas. Along with B-movie goddess Karen Black (Easy Rider, Trilogy of Terror, House of 1000 Corpses), Patton handled two roles as David, the abusive alcoholic older brother, and Frank, the festival owner. We had a chance to speak with the new screen star after Firecracker’s premiere at last month’s Chicago Underground Film Festival.

How were you first approached for this project?
Steve Balderson was a friend of a friend and he asked me to star in it. At first I was more interested in writing the score, but that was already taken care of, so I read the script, liked it, and figured I would give it a try.

How did you get yourself into the state-of-mind of a violent alcoholic?
I really didn’t have to do much. I think anger is one of the easiest emotions to conjure up. But I did spend some time hanging around the town of Wamego, trying to pick up their patterns of speech.

Why were you and Karen Black both cast in dual roles?
I think it helped show two perspectives of the same story. Seeing the same faces helps draw a connection between similar story lines. Karen Black was great. It was humbling to see her prepare for some of her more intense scenes. It’s always cool seeing someone doing their art well.

Do you feel bitten by the acting bug now? Any future acting plans?
Maybe if I was approached about something and it felt right, sure, but it’s not like you’ll see me turning up on sitcoms. I have no more acting jobs lined up right now, and Firecracker is still shopping for a distributor, so we’ll see what happens. What I really want to get into is doing scores for movies. I’m actually working on one now for this movie Pinion that’s in pre-production.

Can you clue us in on any future Patton-related music releases?
I have about three albums worth of material for this new project I’ve been working on called Peeping Tom. I just need to get it wrapped up. Also, Tomahawk will be working on a new album sometime next year.

Is there any chance we’ll ever see another Mr. Bungle show before we die?
It could happen, but I won’t be singing. Some bridges have definitely been burned. It was a fun time and sometimes you just have to move on. I’ve got a lot on my plate now.

Source: Giant Magazine
Submitted By: Don Walheim

Here are the dates so far:

• October 11th — Boston
  Kendall Square Cinema
  One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02139
  (617) 499-1996
• October 20th — Atlanta
  Midtown Art Cinema
  931 Monroe Drive, Atlanta, GA 30308
  (678) 495-1424
• October 25th — Detroit
  Main Art Theatre
  118 North Main Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067
  (248) 263-2111
• November 1st — Minneapolis
  Lagoon Cinema
  1320 Lagoon Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408
  (612) 825-6006
• November 8th — St. Louis
  Tivoli
  6350 Delmar in The Loop, St. Louis, MO 63130
  (314) 995-6270
• November 15th — Houston
  River Oaks Theatre
  2009 West Gray, Houston, TX 77019
  (713) 866-8881
• November 17th — Austin
  Dobie Theatre
  2025 Guadalupe Street in the Dobie Mall, Austin, TX 78705
  (512) 472-FILM
• December 6th — San Francisco
  Embarcadero Center Cinema (corner of Battery and Clay)
  One Embarcadero Center, Promenade Level, 94111
  (415) 267-4893
• December 8th — Seattle
  Metro Cinemas
  4500 9th Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98105
  (206) 781-5755

All showtimes are 7:30 PM. Advance tickets are available by visiting the specific Landmark Cinema in person.