Nearly a decade after Faith No More last toured, frontman Mike Patton has reflected on the band's final performances and the enduring creative journey that followed. In a conversation with Kyle Meredith, Patton described the elusive sense of closure that came with the group's last run: "I didn't really think so at the time, but, yeah, maybe.
"And I think that we all kind of felt it, but it was unspoken. And it's funny: when you've been in a band or a musical situation for a period of time, you always, in the back of your head, you're kind of thinking, 'Well, maybe this is it.' And I don't mind that feeling. I don't see it as a sad thing. I see it as being present and being able to really appreciate it while it's happening."
Patton also addressed his prolific output outside Faith No More, noting that for him, no project has ever been "secondary": "I'd never really understood, and I had to figure this out very early on, was the concept of a side project, that's assuming that there's a main one. And for me, I really never had one…Everything that I've done was of equal importance to me. They just weren't viewed that way."
The band has been largely inactive since 2016. Keyboardist Roddy Bottum has confirmed that he does not anticipate a reunion anytime soon: "It's not just me. I don't think anyone's sort of up for it at this point… I think we did a really good job. We played a bunch of reunion tours, and I think we did what we kind of set out to do… I just don't see it happening again, honestly."
Bottum fondly recalled the band's earlier reunion tours, which began in 2009 after a 12-year break, describing the experience as both cathartic and creatively fulfilling: "At some point after Faith No More broke up, I kept having these dreams that I would show up, 'Oh my God. Faith No More was doing a reunion tour, and I forgot to learn the songs.'
"It became this thing that sort of replaced that dream scenario for me…Plus, it was just really fun. Billy [Gould] and I have been friends since we were, like — I don't know — nine or 10 years old. So, it was fun to sort of tap back into that friendship and just hang out."
Drummer Mike Bordin offered insight into the band's canceled 2021 shows, which were called off due to Patton's inability to perform at the time: "We were ready, we were prepared. And it came to pass that…our guy [Mike Patton] doesn't show for the rehearsal…It was very clear that he was unable at that point to physically do it. We made the decision that, 'Look, we've gotta support our guy.'"
Bordin emphasized that while it's painful, the band respects Patton's current priorities: "I'm grateful for the time with Mike Patton. Yeah, because my life would be very different without it. But I can't force him to do something that he, from where I'm sitting, doesn't seem to wanna do."
Bassist Billy Gould echoed the uncertainty, telling Radio Futuro in January 2025: "I don't know. I honestly don't know…Right now we're in a really weird spot, a really strange spot, and I can't really tell you what's going on."
Faith No More, who initially reunited in 2009 and released Sol Invictus in 2015, appear to be on what Bottum described as a "semi-permanent hiatus". While fans may hope for another chapter in the band's storied history, the members themselves seem content reflecting on their legacy while exploring individual creative paths.
Whether or not Faith No More will take the stage again remains uncertain, but as Patton notes, their impact and artistry continue to resonate.
