I suspect that, save for the weirdos and closeted avant-jazz heads lurking among our readership, many of you are unaware of or oblivious to the work of Trevor Dunn. Of course, any Mr. Bungle fan will instantly recognize the name of that seminal band’s bassist. Produced by the influential and infamous John Zorn, its 1991 self-titled debut might be one of most bizarre albums in my collection of bizarre albums, blending bombastic hard rock, demented circus music, and freak jazz with thematic wit, irreverence, and depravity. In subsequent years, the Mike Patton-fronted group took a proverbial backseat to the vocalist’s work in the comparatively more successful Faith No More, leaving Dunn and his cohorts to pursue other musical ventures including Secret Chiefs 3. Though Mr. Bungle ultimately and mysteriously disbanded after the release of its third album California, Patton and Dunn would continue their musical partnership in the experimental metal supergroup Fantomas–a still technically active quartet that also includes Melvins’ esteemed axeman Buzz Osbourne and Slayer’s revered drummer Dave Lombardo–as well as the related Fantomas-Melvins Big Band and Zorn’s “Moonchild”. Separately, Dunn has spent much of this decade as a major player in New York’s avant-jazz community, featuring in countless groups and albums including his own Trio-Convulsant. MadLove, however, might be the most extraordinary (and frustrating) release of Dunn’s career given its curious straightforwardness and accessibility.

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Trevor Dunn has a new band called MadLove–and apparently it isn’t some freak jazz thing for a change. Just the idea of the legendary bassist making what he calls “straighter, more commercial” rock music should sound irresistible to fans of his heavy work in Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, and the Fantomas-Melvins Big Band. A regular in New York’s downtown avant-garde community, he can frequently be found playing artsy-fartsy venues like The Stone, supporting likeminded subversives such as John Zorn or even leading his own ensembles like PROOFReaders, an Ornette Coleman cover band. That might suit jazz aficionados, but for metalheads it just aint heavy enough. Judging by the video above, MadLove should interest at least some of you.

If you didn’t happen to catch MadLove during the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas weekender last December, the band is playing three shows this week, in Philly, Joisey, and Brooklyn, the latter of these featuring openers Pink Noise and some Thurston Moore trio.

-GS

[Gary Suarez has swine flu. He also writes for Brainwashed and usually manages the consistently off-topic No Yoko No. Say, why don't you follow him on Twitter?]