I hate hidden songs

[keithy_19]

Ok, that's not entirely true. I do like hidden songs, but I hate hidden songs that are put on the last track, but only after 8 minutes of silence or feedback. I hate it.

On what I consider the best album to come out in 2009, Manchester Orchestra's amazing Mean Everything To Nothing, there is a hidden acoustic song. I would say the only flaw with the album is the addition of that. The song isn't anything special, but why hide it at the end causing people to either sit in silence before it comes on, or making them ffw to listen to it.

I also hate bands that tag on nothing but silence or feedback at the end of a record/track. What's the point of making a 3-4 minute song into one that is 10 minutes if there is literally nothing there.

The Bouncing Souls do this on their album Hopeless Romanic with the closer The Whole Thing.

It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[Melk]

I hate them too because the hidden track isn't hidden enough. They should call it the "labor-intensive, not worth the effort of fast-forwarding to track."

[keithy_19]

I hate them too because the hidden track isn't hidden enough. They should call it the "labor-intensive, not worth the effort of fast-forwarding to track."

So you'd rather have the band, after 7 minutes of silence or feedback, tell you that there is a map buried at some location that will lead you to the hidden track.

I like where you're going with this.

[Chigworthy]

They still do this? Welcome back 1991.

[Sofa_King]

They still do this? Welcome back 1991.

Seriously, didn't this become obsolete with the iPod? the whole notion of a scroll bar makes it a lot less "secret". Anybody remember Marilyn Manson's Antichrist(?) which had 99 tracks on it or something? 'I'M THE DEVIL ARRGGHH'

[danner1515]

They still do this? Welcome back 1991.

Yeah, I thought the iPod kind of killed it. It is kind of funny when you import a CD into iTunes and see a final track that's 30 minutes long.

[Mitch&Murray]

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[Melk]

So you'd rather have the band, after 7 minutes of silence or feedback, tell you that there is a map buried at some location that will lead you to the hidden track.

I like where you're going with this.
The sensible solution would be to just have an unadvertised extra track where the song begins immediately. I'm fairly sure there isn't a 9 minute track that ends after three minutes that doesn't have a hidden track.

[Chigworthy]

I think Tool's Undertow went from track 9 to 69 to play some phone machine message. Completely not worth the effort.

[underdog]

I think Tool's Undertow went from track 9 to 69 to play some phone machine message. Completely not worth the effort.

The last song was Disgustipated. It was totally worth the effort.

Actually, I think there was something even further after Disgustipated. There were like two hidden tracks on that album.

[Barnaby Jones]

I wish every Tool song was a hidden track!

[Chigworthy]

The last song was Disgustipated. It was totally worth the effort.

Actually, I think there was something even further after Disgustipated. There were like two hidden tracks on that album.

You might be right, maybe Disgustipated was track 69, but there was definitely about 15 minutes of ambient cricket noises afterwards, and some weird message from their landlord after that. Another thing I remember from undertow, the hole in the little post thing that holds the cd in the tray allowed you to see something. If you removed the gray plastic tray from the clear jewel case, you were treated to a photo of a cow licking its own ass. I remember buying a used Agnostic Front cd right around the same time, and someone had taped a picture of hitler inside the same spot, and you could see the swastika arm band through the hole. Not sure why someone would associate Hitler with Agnostic Front, but there it was.

[danner1515]

I seem to recall The Bloodhound Gang's Hooray for Boobies having a ridiculous number of empty tracks leading up to the hidden track. Also, didn't Korn's Follow the Leader begin on track 13 or something?

I can't imagine what these albums look like in iTunes.

[Melk]

I can only think of two hidden tracks that got radio play:

1) Your House - The hidden track from Alanis Morisette's "Jagged Little Pill."

2) You Outta Know - Hidden track from the mediocre punk album "1,000 Mona Lisas."

[Chigworthy]

I wish every Tool song was a hidden track!

Well, you've made a valid point about hidden tracks, and I'm sure that your informed analysis of the musical qualities of Tool has swayed many minds.

[danner1515]

I can only think of two hidden tracks that got radio play:

1) Your House - The hidden track from Alanis Morisette's "Jagged Little Pill."

2) You Outta Know - Hidden track from the mediocre punk album "1,000 Mona Lisas."

Add Cracker's "Euro-Trash Girl" to the list.

[Chigworthy]

Also, didn't Korn's Follow the Leader begin on track 13 or something?

I can't imagine what these albums look like in iTunes.

I was going to mention that one, but then I would have to admit that I listened to Korn.

[dereckfishboy]

Seriously, didn't this become obsolete with the iPod? the whole notion of a scroll bar makes it a lot less "secret". Anybody remember Marilyn Manson's Antichrist(?) which had 99 tracks on it or something? 'I'M THE DEVIL ARRGGHH'


Which he copped off Reznor from the album "Broken"

[underdog]

You might be right, maybe Disgustipated was track 69, but there was definitely about 15 minutes of ambient cricket noises afterwards, and some weird message from their landlord after that. Another thing I remember from undertow, the hole in the little post thing that holds the cd in the tray allowed you to see something. If you removed the gray plastic tray from the clear jewel case, you were treated to a photo of a cow licking its own ass. I remember buying a used Agnostic Front cd right around the same time, and someone had taped a picture of hitler inside the same spot, and you could see the swastika arm band through the hole. Not sure why someone would associate Hitler with Agnostic Front, but there it was.

Looks like you're right, from wikipedia :

The exact breakdown of "Disgustipated" is as follows:
Percussion/animal sounds – 0:00 - 1:10
Preacher's speech – 1:11 - 2:32
"Disgustipated" – 2:33 - 6:45
Crickets – 6:40 - 13:50
Phone message – 13:51 - 15:47

Also, didn't Korn's Follow the Leader begin on track 13 or something?

Yeah, I think that's right.

[Chigworthy]

Which he copped off Reznor from the album "Broken"

Hard to call it copping when Reznor produced the album.

[dereckfishboy]

Hard to call it copping when Reznor produced the album.

I disagree, I could give two shits their relationship. You look at the changes between the Spooky Kids and Portait of an American Family and it's clear to me at least who his primary influence became. But whatever, argue the fact all you want.

[Chigworthy]

Looks like you're right, from wikipedia :




I remember reading an interview about the song back then. If I'm not totally batshit crazy, I think the song was made up on stage at some PETA type benefit where Tool and Rollins Band were playing. Both bands found they didn't really agree with the anti-vivisection views of the benefit and freestyled the whole thing as a sort of protest. I think Rollins and Chris Haskett were beating on metal, which lead to the heavy metallic percussion of the studio version. I also remember Maynard saying that he was actually shooting a shotgun (presumably with blanks) on stage, which lead to the shotgun noises of the studio version. This could all be a complete figment of my imagination.

[Chigworthy]

I disagree, I could give two shits their relationship. You look at the changes between the Spooky Kids and Portait of an American Family and it's clear to me at least who his primary influence became. But whatever, argue the fact all you want.

I wasn't arguing the fact, I was just pointing out that Reznor had a lot of creative influence on the recording, so it's more likely that the concept of having a bunch of hidden tracks on the album was Reznor's idea, and wasn't stolen from him. Didn't mean to bum you out.

[dereckfishboy]

I wasn't arguing the fact, I was just pointing out that Reznor had a lot of creative influence on the recording, so it's more likely that the concept of having a bunch of hidden tracks on the album was Reznor's idea, and wasn't stolen from him. Didn't mean to bum you out.

I wasn't implying that it was stolen, more co-opted. Sorry I don't respect that more. Still lame, but thanks for flexing your detailed knowledge on the subject, it never comes off as douchey when people do that.

[sailor]

I was going to mention that one, but then I would have to admit that I listened to Korn.

Well, you've made a valid point about hidden tracks, and I'm sure that your informed analysis of the musical qualities of Korn has swayed many minds.

[Chigworthy]

I'm feeling misunderstood.

[underdog]

I wasn't implying that it was stolen, more co-opted. Sorry I don't respect that more. Still lame, but thanks for flexing your detailed knowledge on the subject, it never comes off as douchey when people do that.

I think you're completely misreading his posts.

[sailor]

I'm feeling misunderstood.

I'm just a soul whose intentions are good.

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

Mastodon did that on Blood Mountain. It's them talking and reading fan mail though.

[Chigworthy]

Mastodon did that on Blood Mountain. It's them talking and reading fan mail though.

Wasn't there some phone message from Josh Homme on there too?

[Charlie_Don't_Surf]

Wasn't there some phone message from Josh Homme on there too?

That was the fan mail. It was actually pretty funny.

[PapaBear]

My favorite use of hidden tracks ever was on an LP. It was a double album set. Each artist had one side to themselves. The fourth side had all three. The one you heard depended on luck of the needle drop. It had three independent sets of groves with one artist on each groove. One time you'd put the needle down and get Anderson. The next time you might get Burroughs, or Giorno.

http://www.brainwashed.com/giorno/images/money.jpg

[danner1515]

My favorite use of hidden tracks ever was on an LP. It was a double album set. Each artist had one side to themselves. The fourth side had all three. The one you heard depended on luck of the needle drop. It had three independent sets of groves with one artist on each groove. One time you'd put the needle down and get Anderson. The next time you might get Burroughs, or Giorno.

Monty Python's Matching Tie and Handkerchief was like that. It was sold as a "three-sided" album with side two having two different grooves to drop the needle in. I've never owned it, but I wouldn't mind getting a copy just to check out the novelty.

I do have one LP with a cool little hidden track gimmick though. On side two of The Black Lips' Good Bad Not Evil, you can place the needle in the run-out groove, and the groove actually pulls the needle out away from the label, making the tonearm move in the opposite direction as it plays. Kinda cool. It actually took me a minute to figure out how I was supposed to play it.