Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst got it yesterday. Today, Faith No More and Mr. Bungle’s Mike Patton talks about what it’s like to suddenly become seriously ill as a world-renowned and usually multi-agile rocker.
In the fall of 2021, Faith No More and Mr. Bungle had to cancel numerous US shows that were scheduled for September and October. Their frontman – who is active in both bands – has been struggling with psychological problems for a long time. Now he has spoken to the American ROLLING STONE in detail for the first time.
In the interview, Patton talks about the mental roller coaster ride that makes it difficult to do “your thing” consistently. Especially if, like him, you are active a lot. For example, with the supergroup Dead Cross, who are about to release their new album “Dead Cross II”.
“It’s not gone, but it’s gotten better,” Patton said. It’s too easy for me to blame everything on the pandemic. At the start of Covid I was like, damn great. Stay home and record. I like home recording!”
But then it suddenly “CLICK” – and Patton went through a roller coaster ride of moods and feelings. The world was getting darker and darker for him. Therapists’ diagnosis is agoraphobia: a type of severe anxiety disorder in which one fears and avoids places or situations. Panic attacks that make you feel trapped, helpless, or completely lost.
One state of anxiety chased the next. When Faith No More’s big fall tour came up, he completely freaked out: “I must have lost my mind. It was ugly and certainly not cool. I just said to the guys, ‘Guys, I don’t think I can do this. My confidence was gone. I didn’t want to be in front of an audience. It’s really weird because that’s what I’ve been doing for more than half my life,” Patton recalls. “It was VERY difficult to explain. This in turn led to injuries on both sides. But I had to act like this: otherwise something really bad could have happened.”
He was sure that if he had kept pushing himself, it would have been catastrophic.
Patton isn’t sure Faith No More will make up for the canceled shows, adding that things are “a little confusing and complicated” between them. Thankfully, Patton has sought professional help to deal with his agoraphobia, and he has assured that he is feeling better and more confident again.
“My dogs leave me completely alone. And my garden, that really helps. And also the help I get like psychotherapy, psychiatrists, all that stuff. Even though it can be difficult, I know that it helps me. And Alcoholics Anonymous, I have to admit, is really helpful,” he says, describing his cure.