Singer/songwriter Mike Patton’s been on the music scene for awhile, and to say the man has made a name for himself is an understatement. Since first “breaking onto the scene” with Faith No More in the early 90s, Patton has consistently challenged and reinvented himself as a musician, with projects ranging from noise collaborations with avante-garde composer, John Zorn, to the “ghetto-tech” stylings of Peeping Tom.
To some, he’s reached an almost God-like status, with fans rabid enough to not only follow his work across a countless number of projects, but to discuss things like what hair gel the man uses. To others, he’s simply admired for his versatile and chameleon-like ability to manipulate his voice across a wide variety of vocal styles. No doubt, the guy’s got chops.
The developerofThe Darkness, Starbreeze Studios, seem to agree. For their upcoming title (set to hit shelves this month), the developer tapped Mike Patton to channel the voice of Mafia hitman Jackie Estacado’s inner demon, the Darkness. Destructoid had a chance to catch up with Patton to talk about his involvement with the project, his could-have-been involvement with Rockstar’sBully, zombie sounds, and Britney Spear’s secret ability.
(Photos credits:Frame26,Ipecac Recordings, and some guy named Nick Chester)
How did you get involved with doing voice over work forThe Darkness?
Wow! Really? No, I have not seen hardly anything. I have not even seen footage with my voice in. Good to hear. It seems to be building a buzz and getting some early press. I hope it turns out cool. The people that made it are very talented, so it should.
Right now I’m playing mostly sports games:NBA 2K7andMLB: The Show. Of course, I’m doing a lot on the PSP. I finally got a PlayStation 3.
Tried it a bit, but I’m not real good. My fingers can’t move that quick.
PaRappa the Rapper?Ahhhh yes, kind of where the genre started. It was fun in the day. [Editor’s note: Patton’s not a videogame historian, so let’s not correct him.OK, nerds?]
Dance Dance Revolution?Played it in an arcade, not really my thing. But it gets people off the couch, right?Britney’s Dance Beat?Anything she touches is gold! Like KFed.Elite Beat Agents?Have not tried.
Putting out a new Tomahawk record on June 19th calledAnonymouswhere we interpret Native American hymns and chants. Doing some zombie sounds, working on the next Peeping Tom. Same old. Keeping too busy.
Thankfully I got my PSP for the road and PS3 at home. The Wii looks really fun too. Gaming helps clear my mind. Can’t wait for the nextGTAandManhunt.AndThe Darkness, of course!
