Book of the Month

In 2001, three years after the dissolution of Faith No More, and shortly after Mr. Bungle would unknowingly play their last show, Lovage released their only album.  Music to Make Love to Your Old Lady By was the collaboration of Patton, Dan the Automator (who went by the pseudonym "Nathaniel Merriweather"), and sultry vocalist Jennifer Charles.  While most of the album is tongue-in-cheek, the provocative and sexy tone of this album was something that caught my ear immediately.  Like most of Patton's side projects, I didn't discover this until years later, but was pleasantly surprised when I did.

The album features re-dubbed excerpts from Alfred Hitchcock movies, as song titles are named after several of them ("Lifeboat", "To Catch a Thief", and "Strangers on a Train"). Charles co-wrote and sang most of the material with Patton, while Dan the Automator laid down the trip-hop beats found throughout (with Kid Koala scratching records on some of the tracks).

Not many quality live performances are readily available online, unfortunately, but there were a couple of videos released by the band themselves.  "Book of the Month" features all three Lovage members:  The Automator in his role as Nathaniel Merriweather, Charles as one half of a date taken to mildly fetish levels, and Patton, a missing-tooth voyeur watching everything unfold on a small television.  One annoying thing, to me, about this video is it's abrupt end.  The album version of this song is about four and a half minutes long, while this video ends before the three minute mark.  Still, it's a fun introduction to Lovage for those not too familiar with them, since Patton and Charles are about 50/50 on vocals here. (Be sure to check out the entire album, though, since I don't think this song really represents the sexy sound found throughout it.  Make sure the one you love is near, too!)


A fun fact that should be noted is that Lovage pays homage to provocative French singer, Serge Gainsbourg, by using an album cover similar to the one released by Gainsbourg more than 50 years prior.