Mr. Bungle share cover of The Exploited's 'USA' in first recording for over 20 years

Mr. Bungle have released a cover of The Exploited’s ‘USA’, with all proceeds going to coronavirus relief efforts.

The band, fronted by Faith No More‘s Mike Patton and joined by original members Trevor Dunn (bass) and Trey Spruance (guitar), played a series of reunion shows in February of this year. At the time, they teased a potential return to the studio to record new music.

Now Mr. Bungle have shared what would appear to be the first taste of those sessions, a cover of ‘USA’ by Edinburgh punk legends The Exploited. The song represents the band’s first new material since their 1999 album ‘California’ – listen below.

In a statement regarding the cover, Spruance said: “Doesn’t matter what part of the political spectrum you are on, everyone at some point has said ‘Fuck the USA.’”

Greg Werckman, who co-owns Ipecac Recordings alongside Patton, said the label is donating all proceeds from Mr. Bungle’s ‘USA’ cover to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. “This is a song that resonates and speaks to the country that Ipecac calls home. Over 100,000 US citizens are dead from the pandemic,” he explained.

For 1 month we'll donate 100% of proceeds to @MusiCares, a non-profit for musicians in crisis. We grew up with the underdog attitudes of punk rock. Helped us get through our own, comparatively easy times of strife. Shout out to Wattie & The Exploited. https://t.co/kjKIQKyPAW

— MrBungle (@MrBungle) June 5, 2020

“At the same time protective masks have turned into a political football and no one has a grasp on testing.”

He added: “Racism continues to rear its ugly head. Police brutality spikes, unemployment spikes, depression spikes and ‘our’ ego driven elected officials don’t seem to care.

“We need to do a better job of looking out for each other. MusiCares looks after all of us in the music community.”