Secret Chiefs 3 (or SC3) is an American experimental rock group led by guitarist/composer Trey Spruance (of Mr. Bungle and formerly, Faith No More). Their studio recordings and tours have featured different lineups, as the group performs a wide range of musical styles, mostly instrumental, including surf rock, Persian, neo-Pythagorean, Indian, death metal, film music, and electronic music.

The band's name is derived from the "Secret Chiefs" said to inspire and guide various esoteric and mystical groups of the previous two centuries. Spruance has expressed interest in, and drawn inspiration from, various mystical or occult systems such as Sufism, Kabbalah, Hermeticism, and alchemy.

Satellite bands

Trey Spruance performing in 2009

In 2007, it was announced that Secret Chiefs 3 has always been a general name for seven different bands, each representing a different aspect of Spruance's musical and philosophical interests. The seven bands are Electromagnetic Azoth, UR, Ishraqiyun, Traditionalists, Holy Vehm, FORMS, and NT Fan. Spruance has stated that the sound collages of Electromagnetic Azoth serve as the center of Secret Chiefs 3.

The albums Book of Horizons (2004) and Satellite Supersonic Vol. 1 (2010) were conceived as compilation albums featuring the satellite bands under their own names. All bands have appeared on at least one of these albums.[citation needed] Some satellite bands have also released records of their own. So far, five of the satellite bands have had tracks featured across a series of six 7" singles and Traditionalists and Ishraqiyun have delivered full-length albums.[citation needed]

Band members

Spruance formed Secret Chiefs 3 in the mid-1990s with fellow Mr. Bungle members Trevor Dunn on bass and Danny Heifetz on drums. Some of the many musicians who have since recorded or toured with SC3 include violinist Eyvind Kang, percussionist William Winant, drummer Ches Smith, bassist Shahzad Ismaily, former Mr. Bungle members Clinton "Bär" McKinnon, oud, gimbre, and bass player Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz, and drummer Kenny Grohowski. Musicians tend to float in and out of SC3, so the concept of "current" and "former" members is not entirely applicable. Below is a list of past and present members, guests, and collaborators:

Trey Spruance– guitars (electric guitar, bass guitar, baritone guitar, microtonal guitar, 12-string guitar, sympitar, Pythagorean guitar), keyboards (keyboard, electric piano, acoustic piano, tack piano, clavinet, organ, celesta), percussion (dumbek, shaker, tambourine, glockenspiel, daf, etc.), santur, rabab, banjo, mandolin, zither, tar, cümbüş, saz, carillon, dulcimer, autoharp, trumpet, sheng, synthesizer, sampler, programming, Foley sound effects, electroacoustic treatment, vocals Lucas Abela – power drill Dave Abramson — drums Laura Allen — vocals Anonymous 13 — viola, vocals Jennifer Cass — harp April Centrone – drums, percussion Matt Chamberlain — drums Paul Dal Porto — sitar Mike Dillon — vibraphone, tabla Rich Doucette – sarangi Toby Driver – bass guitar Trevor Dunn — bass guitar, vocals Phil Franklin – drums, percussion Lori Goldston — cello Kenny Grohowski – drums Timba Harris — violin, viola, trumpet Danny Heifetz — drums, percussion (riq, zill, tambourine, shaker, dumbek), trombone Kris Hendrickson — autoharp, vocals Bill Horist — prepared guitarShahzad Ismaily — bass guitar, percussion (dhol, mridangam, ghatam, zil, etc.) Eyvind Kang – violin, viola, cello, erhu Fatima Khanoam – santur Jai Young Kim – keyboards, B3 organ Jessika Kenney – vocals Kevin Kmetz – shamisen Ursula Knudson – bowed saw Peژ Mon – drums John Wayne Law – bass guitar Matt Lebofsky – keyboards Joe Lester – bass guitar Clinton "Bär" McKinnon – saxophone, flute, keyboards, percussion John Merryman – drums Mike Patton – vocals KT Pierce – vocals Jesse Quattro – vocals Ryan Parrish – kaval, saxophones, concert flute Jason Schimmel — acoustic guitar, fuzz guitar, cümbüş mandolin, vocals Monica Schley – harp Shamou — percussion (darbuka, riq) Ches Smith – drums, congas Tim Smolens — bass guitar, upright bass, cello, contrabass, cello Adam Stacey – clavinet Hans Teuber — flute Gregg Turkington – vocals Unhuman – vocals William Winant — drums, percussion (frame drum, tabla, marimba, vibraphone, shaker, glockenspiel, gong, tubular bell, kanjira, timpani, cymbal, bell, zil, hammered dulcimer, etc.)

Discography

This is a list of all releases by SC3 and its satellite bands. The column "artist" states under what name the recording is released, not who is credited with the individual songs. Some releases, like the album Book of Horizons, are noteworthy in this regard, because they are released under the name Secret Chiefs 3, but the tracks they contain are each credited to a satellite band, giving the release the appearance of a compilation album.

Studio albums

YearTitleArtistNotes
1996First Grand Constitution and Bylaws Labels: Amarillo (1996), Web of Mimicry (2000)Secret Chiefs 3
1998Hurqalya (Second Grand Constitution and Bylaws) Labels: Amarillo (1998), Web of Mimicry (2000)Secret Chiefs 3
2001Book M Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3
2004Book of Horizons Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3First part of the Book of Truth trilogy Individual tracks are credited to the satellite bands
2008Xaphan: Book of Angels Volume 9 Label: TzadikSecret Chiefs 3Arrangements from John Zorn's second Masada songbook
2009Le Mani Destre Recise Degli Ultimi Uomini Label: Web of MimicryTraditionalists
2013Book of Souls: Folio A Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3Second part of the Book of Truth trilogy Some individual tracks are credited to the satellite bands
2014Perichoresis Label: Web of MimicryIshraqiyunThe satellite band's full-length album
2018Malkhut Label: TzadikSecret Chiefs 3Arrangements from John Zorn's Masada Book Three – "Book Beri'ah"

Live albums

YearTitleArtistNotes
1999Eyes of Flesh, Eyes of Flame Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3Recording of a live performance at Slims in San Francisco on August 18, 1998

Compilations

YearTitleArtistNotes
2007Path of Most Resistance Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3Compilation of previously released tracks The last three songs had not been released on any other Secret Chiefs 3 album
2010Satellite Supersonic Vol. 1 Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3Compilation of previously released 7" singles, re-recordings, and new material Individual tracks are credited to the satellite bands

DVDs

YearTitleArtistNotes
2009Live at the Great American Music Hall Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3Recording of a live performance at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco on June 3, 2007

Singles and EPs

YearTitleArtist(s)Notes
1995The Legendary Paper Project Label: Warner Bros.Secret Chiefs 3 / Mr. BungleSplit 7" promo including Mr. Bungle's "Platypus" Packaged with US vinyl copies of Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante LP
1998The Theatrum of Suprasensory Universes Vol. 1 Label: AmarilloSecret Chiefs 3Live EP with material from Australia tour
1998Zulfikar II / Zulfikar III Label: Web of MimicrySecret Chiefs 3
2007The Left Hand of Nothingness / Personnae: Halloween Label: Web of MimicryThe Electromagnetic Azoth / UR
2007Balance of the 19 / Ubik Label: Web of MimicryIshraqiyun / The Electromagnetic Azoth
2007Kulturvultur / Drive Label: Web of MimicryUR
2007Circumambulation / Labyrinth of Light Label: Web of MimicryUR
2011Saptarshi / Radar Label: Web of MimicryIshraqiyun / FORMS
2012La Chanson de Jacky / The Western Exile Label: Web of MimicryTraditionalists
2014Medium Aevum / Stars and Stripes Forever Label: Web of MimicryUR / FORMS
2014Apocryphon of Jupiter / Danse Macabre Label: Web of MimicryFORMS featuring the Golden State Theater Mighty Wurlitzer
2016Telstar / The New Daylight (Welcome to the Theatron Animatronique) Label: Web of MimicryURWeb-only release
2017THE SYSTEM OF ANTICHRIST / Bereshith Label: Web of MimicryTraditionalists / IshraqiyunWeb-only release
2017MUSICA PRACTICA *Geek Pack One*: Bereshith Label: Web of MimicryIshraqiyunWeb-only release (alternative mixes and instrument stems)
2017Danse Macabre Superdeluxe Label: Web of MimicryFORMSWeb-only release (alt arrangements)

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