What the hell is Fantomas?

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I finally tried to look it up and it appears to be a series of French novels, films and now a band featuring Mike Patton from Faith No More, King Buzzo from the Melvins and Dave Lombardo from Slayer with some other guy on bass that I didn't recognize.

what the hell? All the kids on the internet have been writing about fantomas all summer. Mike Patton's projects (Mr. Bungle, Faith No More) bore me. Anyone have info on Fantomas?

― Nude Spock, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If you don't like FNM or Bungle, I wouldn't bother with these, although the presence of Dave Lombardo should draw any musos, death- metalheads, jazzers and percussion nuts. I saw Fantomas and I didn't like them as much as FNM, Bungle OR Slayer, but that may be because Patton writes all the music note-for-note Beefheart stylee. For prog- metalheads, basically.

― dave q, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ugh, prog-metal; the worst of all possible worlds?

― Sean, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Haven't heard their new album, but the first one reminded me of several one-minute versions of the "Everyone I Knew in High School is Dead", from MB's Disco Volante. In other words, short (Naked City style) death metal tunes. I wasn't very interested.

N.S. said:
some other guy on bass that I didn't recognize.

That would be Trevor Dunn, who plays bass for Mr. Bungle, Junk Genius, and lots of SF-area jazz groups. He also did a stint in Masada. Incredible musician who also writes some of the coolest Bungle tunes.

― dleone, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Saw Lombardo play a gig w/Zorn, Fred Frith and Bill Laswell at the Barbican last year. The gig sucked - Laswell esp. - but Lombardo was AMAZING. When did he leave Slayer?

― Andrew L, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

FANTOMAS IS THE BEST BAND IN THE WORLD. I saw them last week at the LA Knitting Factory, place was sold out. The level of musicianship these men present onstage is mindblowing in itself, however it is the power of the tunes that REALLY kick your ass. Lombardo and Patton are looking at eachother in the eye the whole time. The new record is amazing. Pattons' take on old film scores, Godfather, Twin Peaks, Rosemary's Baby, etc. Really beautiful stuff.

― chaki, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Lombardo left Slayer after Seasons in the Abyss, which was their last good album (Divine Intervention was OK but formulaic and uninspired and the last one was garbage).

― Kris, Monday, 17 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Divine Intervention', yecchh, the production sounded like tin cans being dragged by a three-wheeled toy wagon.

― dave q, Tuesday, 18 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Music that sounds like like tin cans being dragged by a three-wheeled toy wagon = classic

Production that sounds like like tin cans being dragged by a three-wheeled toy wagon = dud

― Kris, Tuesday, 18 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three weeks pass...

"Prog-metal" is a deceptive description of Fantomas, though not untrue. This is due to the fact that 90% of all bands labelled so are fairly derivative clones of the Rush/Queensryche/Iron Maiden variety, while Fantomas is a truly progressive blend of extreme metal and avant-garde music. If you're a fan of the harsher Faith No More or Mr. Bungle's _Disco Volante_, you'll likely enjoy Fantomas's album "The Directors Cut," the one with actual lyrics. Their self-titled debut was _really_ great, but walk with caution, it's fairly "out there," making Bungle sound about as experimental Sum 41. There's no real songs, just 30 or so "pages," comprised of a dizzying array of thrashing riffs, bizarre vocal constructions, and all manner of pings, scrapes, scratches, and abrasive or otherwise interesting noises. It's one of those things that completely changes about every five or ten seconds, almost a "sound collage," though that term sounds way too dusty ("Number 9, number 9...") for this enjoyably disorienting rat's maze. It's a brilliantly constructed work, but not for everyone. It's not exactly accessible.

I know that five years ago _I_ probably would have considered it unlistenable, before I started to appreciate sonic structures that aren't bound by the traditional rules. Not that I'm a total bohemian; true avant heads think that Fantomas is just a watered down version of the Frith/Zorn school. While I would probably have a hard time accepting such weirdness without the heavy riffs anchoring it down.

― Jack Redelfs, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

three years pass...

FANTOMAS was a french movies a HUGE success, maybe one of the 1st real french 'blockbuster' it was a action movie with a bit of Sci-Fi it was familial. Not the kind of sex movies that only the french can make and understand. Actually it was looking really american (for a french movie). it was starring LOUIS DE FUNES & JEAN MARAIS 2 big stars of french cinema.

Based on the famous French pulp thrillers the FANTOMAS COLLECTION includes the trilogy of films that parodied the popular silent Fantomas serials of director Louis Feuillade, which followed the adventures of the titular master criminal created by writers Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain. This set includes the films: FANTOMAS (’64), FANTOMAS STRIKES BACK (’65), FANTOMAS AGAINST SCOTLAND YARD (’67). Each film is beautifully remastered and the limited DVDs include many extras.

FANTOMAS -1964 : After a daring jewelry heist signed "Fantomas," police commissioner Juve (Louis de Funès) goes on national television claiming that Fantomas doesn't exist and that there is no reason for public concern. Riding the wave of public interest, journalist Fandor (Jean Marais) publishes a bogus interview with the master criminal. Fantomas (also played by Jean Marais) doesn't appreciate the joke and kidnaps Fandor to teach him a lesson. A master of disguise, he pulls an even more daring robbery wearing the Fandor mask.

FANTOMAS STRIKES BACK - 1965; In the second installment of the parodic Fantomas series, the title arch criminal and master of disguise kidnaps prominent scientist Prof. Marchand in order to develop a new powerful weapon to threaten the world. Fantomas is also planning to kidnap another scientist, Prof. Lefebvre. Journalist Fandor (Jean Marais, who also plays Fantomas and Prof. Lefebvre) decides to set a trap for the elusive villain. He disguises himself as Lefebvre and attends a scientific conference in Rome expecting Fantomas to kidnap him. As always, Fandor's ingenious plan backfires due to the interference of the bumbling police commissioner Juve

FANTOMAS AGAINST SCOTLAND YARD -1967: In the third installment of the parodic Fantomas series, the eponymous arch criminal imposes the "right-to-live" tax on the rich, threatening to kill those who dare not to pay. Journalist Fandor (Jean Marais) and commissioner Juve (Louis de Funès) are invited to the Scottish castle of Lord McRashley (Jean-Roger Caussimon), one of Fantomas' potential victims, who has decided to set a trap for the elusive fiend.

― frogs are here to help yanks, Thursday, 23 December 2004 05:55 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fantomas are what you get when you cross Metal with ADD.

― Nancy Boy (Nancy Boy), Thursday, 23 December 2004 06:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I dont' get it. Anything with Mike Patton goes into the dud file for me right now. Overritding int he Buzzo = classic rule...

xpost to mystlfg.
Why is Shrpling a rerun last night.

― Nmikdixon, Thursday, 23 December 2004 06:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Anything with Mike Patton goes into the dud file for me right now.

even the live shows with rahzel?

― :| (....), Thursday, 23 December 2004 08:09 (twenty-one years ago)

i mean im not too fond of patton eihter but those are genius.

― :| (....), Thursday, 23 December 2004 08:09 (twenty-one years ago)

look how otm i am in 2001

― chaki in charge (chaki), Thursday, 23 December 2004 08:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Their newest album, which is one 70+ minute track, is good fer fucking to.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 23 December 2004 14:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I think it's track 23 or something on their first album, the ninja fight song, is sicker than a barrel of lepers.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 23 December 2004 14:52 (twenty-one years ago)

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