I agree with Wock though, they are kind of a pain. I always hated hidden tracks simply for their effect on the old school CD changer mixes. Can't it just be the next track? Why all the time? Also, if it is just 7 seconds of studio chatter, it doesn't need to be 25 minutes after the last song.
I've chopped some of those hidden bonus tracks down for use on an iPod, I'm pretty sure I did it in iTunes too, you just have to figure out where the track starts and then import 2 versions of the song, one that ends after the listed song, and one that starts at the beginning of the hidden song.
Ha, that's funny, the Buttery Lords did that on their record they put out this year. They thought maybe they were the first group that had thought of it. I won't tell 'em they weren't. I think it's a pretty sweet idea. Though maybe more of a download sort of thing, it really throws a wrench in the mix on an iPod. As do many hidden tracks, especially the ones with large gaps of silence.
one recent "bonus track" that i thougth was brilliant is at the end of Chixdiggit's 2005 album Pink Razors. they play the entire album again and do like a director's commentary type thing over it where they tell stories about the songs, friends, etc. all while drinking beer. i'm just suprised somebody hadn't done it earlier. or maybe some band did?
I have to agree with you completely on this one. When I was slangin' discs at the Wherehizzity this used to drive me crazy. They even did that with the old Nirvana CD. It bugs me to end advertising something that is "hidden." The proper term should then be "unlisted."
A minor point along this topic is the unprecedented amount of "bonus tracks" that are available on CDs now. A bonus track is supposed to be either something crappy like a live song or a song that has been already released. Or maybe a remix. If it is not one of these three things then do not call it a bonus track. It drives me nuts when the end of the album tracklisting looks like this:
10. What Dat Hood Like 11. We Some Thugs
Bonus Tracks!!!
12. Gangsta Ride 13. We Got Dat
Those are not bonus tracks. Those are more crummy songs from your already crummy album. You are not some marketing genius that is fooling people into thinking they are getting bonus stuff. You just look stupid.
As for my favorite true hidden tracks, you stole my all-time favorite. Back in the olden days that song would always ruin the shuffle. Genius. A few highlights off the top of my head. Mr. Bungle's Disco Volante features some creepy yelling at the end which actually frightened me the first time I heard it. I had left the cassette playing at home and I was by myself and then 10 minutes later I hear some dude screaming. Well done. NOFX's Wolves In Wolves' Clothing has a super long one of the tape that Fat Mike sent to the guys attempting to demo the songs he wrote on his bass. Its pretty funny. Also, as for actual songs, Kurupt's "Callin Out Names" off of his oddly awesome Tha Streetz Iz A Mutha album is incredible. One of my favorite diss songs.
This is a pet peeve of mine. Maybe it's because I see it at work quite a bit, but I hate it when groups/artists put "hidden bonus track: '(Title Here)'" on the end of their track listing on their CD, or when they have a sticker on the front that says "Contains 2 hidden bonus tracks."
If you're going to list it on the cover, I'm not sure that "hidden" is applicable.
Also, what are some of your favorite "hidden bonus tracks?"
My all time favorite is from the Supersuckers' La Mano Cornuda, where the last track is the entire album played over again, in one track. Brilliant.
__________________
Page 1 of 1 sorted by
Sly Records -> Music -> It's not a "hidden bonus track" if it's in the track listing
