By Brian Miller, June 1999

With all the musicians available across this vast planet, you'd think maybe one or two would actually have a huge impact on your listening experience. I'm talking about a musician that makes you think, listen, want more, want less, and basically have an explosion of emotion. I think I may have found that one particular musician, Trey Spruance.

Spruance, most commonly recognized as the guitarist for the great Mr. Bungle, is not only involved in that band, but heavily participates in two other bands and still has the time to produce his own solo works! Each of his projects, Mr. Bungle, Faxed Head, and Secret Chiefs 3 have different styles, feelings, and impacts. His ability to choose certain sounds at certain points within a song is indescribable. His musicianship is an experience, and his works need to be heard to fully understand the impact of his music.

Recently I was given the opportunity to have a brief conversation with Spruance about music, life, the latest Mr. Bungle album, and some other odds and ends.

First off, congrats on an awesome career, I have been a huge fan for quite some time now...
Thanks! I guess having fans means there is a career buried beneath all this madness somewhere. I never really thought about it that way.

What made you decided to follow a career in music?
When I was 13 I had to face a serious decision. I was giving equal time to three things, and decided that I'd better concentrate on just one. They were a) designing video games on my TRS-80, b) Akido Karate, and c) playing the guitar. Devo pushed me over the edge into music at that time.

And what did you initially plan on doing with your music, since each of your projects are so different from each other?
I wanted to have an impact, create an impression the way Stravinsky, Slayer, and Mingus did for me when I was 17, and the way Bernard Parmegiani, Meshuggah and Fanfare Ciocarlia do for me now (29 years old). Music can and should be powerful, motivating; at least MOVING in some way. You can't just do the same thing over and over and expect that experience to come to you or an audience again and again. It needs to be nurtured within. You need to grow all the time in order to have the capacity to receive a fresh influx, and then develop new skills to convey it.

I know that in a majority of your projects (Bungle, SC3, Faxed Head) you have a big say with what goes in the music. What was that like as compared to working collectively or even not being able to contribute when you were in Faith No More? Were they easy to work with?

Since I knew it was a Job, it was easy. And they were fine to work with.

Because honestly, I think that King for a day... was probably FNM's best album, both creatively and musically
It had some moments for sure. I don't think those moments are necessarily Guitar-Related, however.

Out of the literally hundreds of musicians you've worked with over the years, who do you get along with the most out of all your projects?
Either Danny Heifetz, Bar, (Both of Mr. Bungle) or Eyvind Kang. It's a toss up. If there's anything that I'm truly lucky for in this world, it's being able to work with those guys.

Why is Trevor Dunn the most underrated bassist ever?
Trevor is pretty well respected, actually. He's a gigging monster in New York and San Francisco. His star is definitely rising, as is his price! He is a fucking nut beneath it all, though, and a super nice person.

How do you get the ideas for your music? I know you are an accomplished guitarist/trumpeter/pianist, so I see there are huge possibilities for ideas, but is there one group or person that you can always fall back on for whatever?
No, it's always changing. I think I get my inspiration more from worldviews than from actual music. Like today, I watched "the Sacrifice" by Tarkovsky. I can appreciate the mood, hopelessness and truth of a film like that, and reflect it's essence later musically. It's the struggle between the world-weary and bitter cynic in me, and the naive idiot who can always move mountains. That struggle is very pregnant in creative terms. It's terrible in life, though.

About the new album? Where are you going with Bungle?
On tour. A long one.

Is there gonna be major touring for the new album, maybe even Colorado?
Yeah, you got fucked last time, huh? We'll make amends!!

Where do you see the group now as compared to something a little more “rough” from years ago, like 'The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny' (Mr. Bungle's first release, circa 1986.)?
About the same, but with better mikes and around a hundred more channels! And 14 hired musicians!!

What’s your most favorite/least favorite thing about touring?
Favorite: Seeing the world, of course. This time around I'll have a good set up for portable recording. Least favorite: Not having time to do anything but shit out music like a cyborg. And then the all day-long blue-collar labor that goes into a one-to-two hour music fiasco, then starting it all again the following day.

What is your alltime favorite Bungle/SC3/Faxed Head song?
Hmmm... Bungle, “Desert Search (For Techno Allah)” or “Violenza Domestica.” SC3, “White as They Come.” Faxed Head, “Don't Turn Out Like Me or 'Time To Re-tire.”

Favorite other bands?
Not really into any bands at the moment, but I AM going to see Meshuggah soon.

I know you probably get asked this all the time, but what's the deal with Mike Patton? Is he really as nuts as he seems?
Fuck no. He's about as straight arrow as they get. But people want him to be crazy, so they project it. He DOES deal with all kinds of situations that are strange because people already THINK he's so weird in the first place - THEY act weird - I think that's why he seems "crazy" to them.

Ok, to keep things interesting here are some random questions that I though might be useful someday, but probably not. Be prepared...
Oh shit.

What's your favorite color?
Green.

Food?
Poop. Oh wait, you said food...

Weekend activity?
Recording the SC3. Jeez, what a great and dynamic life I have.

Jazz musician?
I hate Jazz (no joke). But I like Sun Ra and Mingus, Dolphy, Ayler, sometimes Monk. There's quite a bit of good stuff I guess. Maybe it's that I especially hate the "new" jazz. And I am allowed to.

Cologne?
I like the one in Germany.

Here's one, your favorite mask worn on tour? (Mr. Bungle is notorious for wearing masks to hide their identity while performing live.)
The one I haven’t worn yet and never will.

Finally, since this interview is for musicians and music lovers in the local scene as well, What advice can you give for the young musicians out here in Colorado? Any do's or don'ts?
Care only about the music. Do your best to get the business end happening, and make all your connections and such, but don't rely on any of it. Really, you are a musician, and that means that even if you somehow get everything you want it will all eventually get shit-upon by some rat-fucker. You'd BETTER be into it for the love of it, because most of the time that's all there is.the time that's all there is. But do your best to not take any shit, either. Forget “artist sensitivity issues” for a moment, many of the industry people I've met don't even really have aclue how to run a business. They're just enjoying the jerk-off ride for a couple of years. Try to avoid letting people like that have power over you. And if they DO get you in a fucked position (they will), you must never let them spoil what you do, what's in your heart! That's what they are after; what they are inherently jealous of. Learn the business end as best you can, or hire somebody who's really good at it. Though it shouldn’t be, it's a fucking WAR out there.

Wow. That was fantastic. Well, I think I'm just about finished…
Hey, wait a minute - did I say "fuck" enough in this interview yet? fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuckfuck fuck. There, that's better.