Mr. Bungle has earned notoriety for lengthy intervals between studio releases, exemplified by the four-year span following their 1991 debut. That extended downtime leaves the group's members with considerable freedom, which they channel into writing, recording, and touring alongside other acts or side projects. Secret Chiefs 3 ranks as the strongest of those ventures, enlisting Mr. Bungle comrades Trey Spruance (guitar/vocals), Trevor Dunn (bass/vocals), and Danny Heifetz (drums).
The trio supplies clear evidence that the musicians in Mr. Bungle function beyond any supporting role for vocalist Mike Patton. Trey Spruance directs the effort, composing every track and serving as producer for the project's 1996 debut, First Grand Constitution and Bylaws. Ahead of that album's arrival, listeners encountered an advance Secret Chiefs 3 single included with vinyl pressings of Mr. Bungle's 1995 magnum opus Disco Volante, as well as a warped interpretation of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" cut for a Japanese Christmas compilation. The group also committed to furnishing a Beach Boys track for a Japanese Beach Boys tribute album, confirming their readiness to address virtually any musical style presented to them.
