Mike Patton, the lead vocalist of Faith No More, has opened up about the mental health issues that led to the cancellation of what would have been Faith No More’s first tour in five years. In a new interview with the Guardian, he went into detail about his struggles with depression and heavy drinking, which resulted in his inability to fulfill commitments to his band and their fans.

Loudwire previously reported that Patton was diagnosed with agoraphobia during the coronavirus pandemic. Once alcohol became part of his coping mechanism, he became reclusive and unmotivated. This week, the Mr. Bungle co-founder said that he is now sober, though his “issues” with the Faith No More camp haven’t fully been resolved.

He said the following during his recent interview: “My initial response to the pandemic was: ‘I love this shit!’ It allowed me to be an antisocial motherfucker! I had maybe three months of that: ‘This is fucking awesome!’ Then something changed – and not for the better.”

He continued: “Because I was isolated so much, going outside was a hard thing to do. That’s a horrible thing. And the idea of doing more Faith No More shows — it was stressful. It affected me mentally. I don’t know why, but the drinking just … happened.”

After cutting out the drinking, however, Patton calims to be “doing pretty good.” Though he expressed excitement about touring again, he also admitted he’s afraid.

“I’m afraid of myself,” Patton said. “The band is rock solid, and I want to make sure that I bring it. There are a few issues going on.”

When asked what those issues are, he responded, “I don’t know if I wanna tell you.” (Loudwire)

Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat