Later this summer, Faith No More’s Mike Patton will team up with French composer Jean-Claude Vannier for the release of Corpse Flower, their first album together. Premiering above is a new video for ‘Chansons D’Amour’ which features on the 12-track project.
"When I was a little boy, love songs terrified me, with their stupid Ophelias, faded flowers of melodramatics singers, quavering vocalises of another time, barbaric rituals, screams of impatient sexes, furious and bloody refrains, like in this beautiful and poisonous video," Vannier comments. "Afterwards, I lived some love stories and it was even worse, all a bazaar puppet show that moved me despite myself, took me hostage and blames me for these crimes that I did not commit."
The visual is directed by filmmaker Eric Livingston, who says: "the melody on ‘Chansons D’ Amour’ chased me around in the back of my head for a few days after listening. I found it to be a haunting and unapologetically honest version of Vannier’s original piece.
"When I was given the choice between a few songs to shoot a video accompaniment to, I gravitated towards this one. Mainly, because I knew it would be a challenge for me. To film something that is subtle, yet demands attention."
Patton and Vannier’s connection came about from a meeting at a Serge Gainsbourg retrospective at the Hollywood Bowl in 2011. "We spoke loosely about working together in the future… and it took some time, but after a few years I contacted him and we began to ignite some sparks," Patton says.
Over the course of making the record, Vannier would send Patton rough versions of his songs and await Patton’s responses. "A formidable vocalist, with a sense of humour, Mike and I created a strong, beautiful and sincere collection of music, as well as a friendship," Vannier says of the recording process.
Corpse Flower is set for release on September and can be pre-ordered here.
