Mr. Bungle has lost control! Check out the video above featuring the avant-garde metal group including singer Mike Patton (Faith No More), guitarist Scott Ian (Anthrax) and drummer Dave Lombardo (Slayer) performing a killer cover of Van Halen’s “Tora! Tora!/Loss Of Control”.
The performance is part of Mr. Bungle’s Halloween 2020 streaming special ‘The Night They Came Home’, which will be streamed on June 11th through Ipecac Recordings. You can pre-order the show HERE.
The cover of “Loss Of Control” was the last of the Mr. Bungle’s 12-song set on October 31st. The band was promoting the release of its first album in 21 years, ‘The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo’. The band performed the song in tribute to Eddie Van Halen who had passed away on October 6th. Ian can be seen playing the song’s riff on a replica Eddie Van Halen signature “Shark” axe. Mr. Bungle features Patton and fellow original members Trey Spruance (guitar) and Trevor Dunn (bass), along with Ian and Lombardo.
“Mr. Bungle tried to play this song in the ’90s and we scrapped it because we sucked at it,” explains Spruance on Ipecac Recordings YouTube channel. “I think it worked this time for a lot of reasons. My own is that, thanks to the new Raging Wrath era, I’ve had to re-approach the guitar like I did when I was 13 and 14. It was all about Eddie Van Halen for me back then, so circling back at this moment felt really natural. Those riffs and lead parts at least are super fun! I’m just glad Scott took the palm-mute breaks. Jesus!” Scott Ian adds, “I generally don’t get nervous about learning someone else’s riffs. When it’s an EVH riff it’s a whole different story! I was terrified! With ‘Loss of Control’ I did my best to just hold on and go for the ride. What a riff!!! As a fan I’d have to say it’s a PERFECT SONG for Mr. Bungle to cover. I hope you enjoy listening as much as I did getting to play it.”
“Tora Tora/”Loss Of Control” from 1980’s ‘Women and Children First’: