Trevor Dunn

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Trevor Dunn
Background information
Birth name	Trevor Roy Dunn
Born	January 30, 1968 (1968-01-30) (age 41) Eureka, California, U.S.
Genres	Experimental rock, avant-garde metal, jazz
Occupations	Musician
Instruments	Bass, double bass,guitar
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Ipecac
Associated acts	Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant Mr. Bungle Electric Masada Fantômas Secret Chiefs 3 Melvins Head
Website	www.trevordunn.net

Trevor Roy Dunn (born January 30, 1968) is an American composer, bass guitarist and double bassist.

Dunn came to prominence in the 1990s with the experimental heavy metal group Mr. Bungle. He has since worked in an array of musical styles, notably with singer and Mr. Bungle co-founder Mike Patton; with saxophonist/composer John Zorn; and with the group Secret Chiefs 3.

Biography

Early life and career

After four years of studying the clarinet, Dunn began playing electric bass at the age of 13.^[1] His earliest musical influences included the Beach Boys, Blondie, Cheap Trick, and Kiss.^[2]

Dunn studied double bass and music in college.

Mr. Bungle

In 1986, Dunn formed Mr. Bungle with vocalist Mike Patton and guitarist Trey Spruance. Mr. Bungle's early compositions mixed thrash metal, hard rock, and funk with an air of adolescent humor and vulgarity. With a background in metal, Dunn branched out his musical abilities playing jazz around San Francisco while immersing himself in different music.

Mr. Bungle released four demo tapes in the mid to late 1980s before being signed to Warner Bros. Records and releasing three full-length studio albums between 1991 and 1999.

Like the other members of Mr. Bungle, Trevor Dunn is reluctant to talk about what exactly caused their break-up in 2000 (Dunn is especially hesitant about the subject). For that matter, Dunn is reluctant to talk about Mr. Bungle in general, though he claims to have enough material for a book about the band (and enough unreleased songs for a companion album). He initially stated that he was going to release a book, but it has since fallen into obscurity ("That book concept is FAR from being a reality. It's just a hazy thought in my mind at this point. Part of that haze includes demos, rehearsals, prank phone calls, unused photos, etc. The amount of unseen/unheard material I have collected over the years is somewhat baffling. Believe me, it's not going to happen anytime soon").

Secret Chiefs 3

Trey Spruance formed Secret Chiefs 3 with fellow Mr. Bungle members Dunn and Danny Heifetz in the mid-nineties.

Fantômas

In 1999, Mike Patton formed the supergroup Fantômas with Dunn on bass, Buzz Osborne of the Melvins on guitar, and Dave Lombardo of Slayer on the drums. Fantômas has released several albums of ecletic avante-garde, ambient, and heavy metal compositions.

Trevor Dunn's trio-convulsant

In 1998, Dunn formed his trio-convulsant. Their first release, Debutantes & Centipedes, features Dunn on bass, Adam Levy on guitar, and Kenny Wollesen on drums.

Their most recent release, 2004's Sister Phantom Owl Fish on Ipecac, includes Ches Smith on percussion and Mary Halvorson on guitar.^[3]

MadLove

Citing his long hiatus from writing rock music, Dunn formed the band MadLove with Sunny Kim on lead vocals, Ches Smith on drums, Hilmar Jensson on guitar, and Erik Deutch on keyboard. They recorded their debut album, White With Foam, during 2008, and it was released on Ipecac Records on September 1, 2009.

Other Works

Dunn has participated in dozens of other recordings, both as a main collaborator and a guest musician.

Trevor Dunn live at Saalfelden Jazz Festival, in 2009

Band membership

• Mr. Bungle (Now defunct)
• Secret Chiefs 3
• Fantômas
• Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant
• David Krakauer's Klezmer Madness

He has also contributed to or played with:

• John Zorn's Electric Masada
• John Zorn's Naked City
• Suit of Lights
• Tipsy
• Tin Hat Trio
• The Melvins
• Matisyahu
• Rova Saxophone Quartet
• Ben Goldberg
• Junk Genius
• Sean Lennon
• Afro-Mystic
• The Rob Price Quartet
• Graham Connah's Sour Note Seven
• Jessica Jones Quartet aka Jess Jones Quartet
• Many other Bay Area and New York artists.

Gear

Bass Guitars^[4]

• 1975 Fender P-Bass (his primary electric bass, tuned to BEAD for Fantômas)
• 1950's Czech Contrabass (used with Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant and occasionally by Mr. Bungle)
• 1991 Alembic 5-string Europa
• Ken Lawrence 5-string fretless
• Guild Ashbory
• 1966 Guild Starfire

Effects

• Line 6 Delay Modeler
• Line 6 Distortion Modeler
• BOSS RV-3 Reverb/Delay
• BOSS FV-50 Volume
• Mid-Fi Glitch Computer
• Digitech Echo Plus 8 Sec. Delay

Amplifiers

• Gallien-Krueger 800RB
• Acoustic Image Focus 1

Selected discography

Solo Album

• 2008 - Four Films (Tzadik Records: USA)

with Mr. Bungle

Demo tapes

• 1986 - The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny (Ladd-Frith Productions: USA)
• 1987 - Bowel of Chiley (Playhouse Productions, Rastacore Records: USA)
• 1988 - Goddammit I Love America (The Works: USA)
• 1989 - OU818 ("B" Productions: USA)

Studio albums

• 1991 - Mr. Bungle (Warner Bros. Records: USA)
• 1995 - Disco Volante (Warner Bros. Records: USA)
• 1999 - California (Warner Bros. Records: USA)

with Trevor Dunn's Trio-Convulsant

• 1998 - Debutantes & Centipedes
• 2004 - Sister Phantom Owl Fish

with Shelley Burgon

• 2005 - no title - (metaphysically titled - How Far is Far?)
• 2006 - Baltimore

with Fantômas

• 1999 - Fantômas
• 2001 - The Director's Cut
• 2002 - Millennium Monsterwork 2000 (by The FantômasMelvins Big Band)
• 2003 - Masada Anniversary Edition Vol. 3: The Unknown Masada (by John Zorn, Fantômas perform Zemaraim)
• 2004 - Delìrium Còrdia
• 2005 - Suspended Animation
• 2005 - Who Is It/Where Is The Line Mixes 12" Vinyl (by Björk, Side B features a Fantômas remix of Where Is The Line)
• 2005 - Animali In Calore Surriscaldati Con Ipertermia Genitale/Cat in Red (Split 5" Vinyl / 3" CD with Melt-Banana)
• 2008 - Live From London 2006 DVD (by The FantômasMelvins Big Band)

with John Zorn

• 2001 - The Gift (by John Zorn)
• 2002 - John Zorn's Game Pieces Volume 2 (by Cobra)
• 2002 - Filmworks XII: Three Documentaries (by John Zorn)
• 2002 - Filmworks XIII: Invitation to a Suicide (by John Zorn)
• 2003 - Filmworks XIV: Hiding and Seeking (by John Zorn)
• 2004 - 50th Birthday Celebration Volume Four (by Electric Masada)
• 2005 - At the Mountains of Madness (by Electric Masada)
• 2006 - Moonchild (by John Zorn)
• 2006 - Astronome (by John Zorn)
• 2007 - Six Litanies for Heliogabalus (by John Zorn)
• 2007 - Asmodeus: Book of Angels Volume 7 (performing as part of a trio with Marc Ribot)
• 2008 - Dreamers (by John Zorn)
• 2008 - The Crucible (by John Zorn)

with Secret Chiefs 3

• 1996 - The Legendary Paper Project 7" (As The Secret Chiefs Trio)
• 1996 - First Grand Constitution and Bylaws
• 1998 - Second Grand Constitution and Bylaws

with The Rob Price Quartet

• 1999 - Pantychrist
• 2004 - At Sunset
• 2007 - I really do not see the Signal

Album collaborations

• 2004 - Phillip Greenlief/Trevor Dunn (with Phillip Greenlief)
• 2004 - Eucademix (by Yuka Honda)
• 2006 - A Live History of Gluttony and Lust (by The Melvins)

Guest appearances

• 2001 - Book M (by Secret Chiefs 3)
• 2008 - Save Me from Myself (by Head)
• 2008 – Terror Syndrome (by Terror Syndrome)

References

External links

• Official Site of Trevor Dunn - official site and comprehensive list of Trevor's live and recorded projects
• Trio Convulsant's page at record label Ipecac Records
• Interview
• audio interview with Trevor Dunn (Jekyll and Hyde, Israel)
• Suit of Lights website