BILL GOULD Confirms FAITH NO MORE's Return To Live Activity: 'We're Gonna Play' And 'I Think That We Can Do It For A Few More Years'

FAITH NO MORE bassist Bill Gould has confirmed to Rock Talk, the newly launched podcast from longtime Serbian hard rock/heavy metal journalist Jadranka Janković Nešić, that the influential California alt-metal act will return to live activity in 2027. Asked about a rumor of the band's possible comeback, Bill said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah, we're gonna do it. We're gonna play. Yeah, we're gonna do it."

He continued: "Our music is very physical, and a big concern is, like, pretty soon we're not gonna be able to do this the way we wrote it. We wrote it as 20-year-olds and it, it's always been very physical. It has to be that way. I can't play the song if I'm not like that, honestly. With my bass parts, I just can't do it. But we all kind of decided, like, we think we can do it. I think that we can do it for a few more years, and we can do it the right way, so we're gonna give it a go."

It was announced on Tuesday (June 16) that FAITH NO MORE has signed a global deal with 30e, the Brazilian live entertainment giant, making the company "the strategic and operational hub for the band's upcoming global runs, encompassing everything from tour conception across five continents to brand development and new fan experiences," according to a press release. FAITH NO MORE is represented worldwide by WME, which played a key role in reaching the agreement.

"The global deal subverts the music industry's traditional flow — historically centralized within the U.S.-Europe axis — by placing a Latin American powerhouse at the helm of global planning for one of music's biggest icons," the release adds. "Under the established model, 30e will export its intellectual property in market insights, data, marketing, and infrastructure, while FAITH NO MORE fully preserves its artistic autonomy and absolute control over its legacy."

FAITH NO MORE said in a statement: "30e feels like a company that wants to dent into the status quo, and as artists we understand the value of that. Their approach doesn't feel like the usual machinery; it feels like it's coming from a different place, with a different kind of energy, and we are willing to get behind that."

Added Tim Moss, FAITH NO MORE's manager: "FAITH NO MORE has never followed a conventional path, and that's exactly why this partnership with 30e makes sense. They bring a fresh perspective, real strategic depth, and the kind of global ambition that aligns with the band's vision. What matters most is that they understand how to build something meaningful around the band without compromising what makes FAITH NO MORE unique."

Pepeu Correa, CEO of 30e, said: "FAITH NO MORE has always been synonymous with disruption. They shaped entire generations precisely because they refused to play by the market's obvious rules, and it is that same audacious spirit that drives 30e. This agreement aims to jointly build a platform for global experiences that respects the band's transgressive DNA and presents our vision of entertainment to the world."

FAITH NO MORE scrapped all of its previously announced fall 2021 performances nearly five years ago, saying singer Mike Patton was unable to perform as hoped due to mental health issues, partially exacerbated by the pandemic.

FAITH NO MORE, which hasn't played a concert since 2016, initially reunited for touring purposes in 2009, 12 years after issuing its previous studio set, "Album Of The Year", and followed that up with 2015's "Sol Invictus" album.

After FAITH NO MORE canceled its fall 2021 performances, the other members of the band issued a statement expressing their disappointment about the tour cancelation while also throwing their support behind Patton.

In a 2022 interview with The Guardian, Patton revealed he developed agoraphobia and depression during lockdown, and started drinking heavily. "Because I was isolated so much, going outside was a hard thing to do," he said, "and 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."

Patton didn't return to the stage until December 2022, when his long-running band MR. BUNGLE played six shows in South America.

Earlier this year, Patton implied FAITH NO MORE was done for good, telling Consequence's "Kyle Meredith With…" podcast that he felt a "sense of closure" after the 2016 tour. "I didn't really think so at the time, but, yeah, maybe," he said. "I think that we all kind of felt it, but it was unspoken."

"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," he added. "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."

Last year, FAITH NO MORE keyboardist Roddy Bottum said that the band was in "a really weird spot" and he wasn't sure if there would be any further band activity in the future. A few months later, FAITH NO MORE drummer Mike Bordin also expressed doubt that the band would ever play again, suggesting in an interview that Patton was "clearly unwilling to do shows with us" because Patton was continuing to tour with MR. BUNGLE but had not resumed playing with FAITH NO MORE.