Faith No More, one of the 80's & 90's greatest alternative rock acts, have announced plans to revisit their two classic albums KING FOR A DAY and ALBUM OF THE YEAR. Each Deluxe Edition will be available as a two-disc set that includes the original release accompanied by a second disc filled with rarities. They will also release a double LP vinyl format of each album, featuring the remastered original album, along with rare bonus tracks, many of which are making their vinyl debut.
Following the success and Grammy nomination of 1992's Angel Dust album, Faith No More returned in 1995 (now minus longtime guitarist Jim Martin) with KING FOR A DAY…FOOL FOR A LIFETIME. Keyboardist Roddy Bottum reflects on the album: “...we wrote and recorded some of our most radical, out there songs... and then some or our most high-drama...’”
Among the eight bonus tracks on the upcoming Deluxe Edition are the b-sides “Spanish Eyes” and “Absolute Zero,” as well as the band’s cover of the Bee Gee’s “I Started A Joke,” which was originally released as a b-side in 1995, and then as a single in 1998. The revamped tracklisting also includes this rare version of Evidence, sung in Spanish and previously only available for a limited release as a bonus track on the Argentinian CD of the album. Hear it here exclusively in Australia:
The band returned again in 1997 with ALBUM OF THE YEAR, which became the first to feature members of the current line-up: Mike Bordin (drums), Roddy Bottum (keyboards) Billy Gould (bass) Jon Hudson (guitar - and Gould's former roommate), and Mike Patton (vocals). The album, a more mature and measured affair, produced three singles: “Ashes To Ashes,” “Last Cup of Sorrow” and “Stripsearch.” In the liner notes, Bottum writes: “We were definitely referencing our musical roots as well, going back to darker tones visited in Angel Dust…in retrospect it feels really strong and an undeniably prolific chapter in what we ultimately set out to do.”
Billy Gould describes single Ashes To Ashes as the epitome of the group's sound: "It was one of those songs that just clicked -- one of those songs that we do most naturally. That's our sound."
Listen to this version of "Ashes To Ashes [Hard Knox Alt. Mix]", originally included on the Ashes To Ashes CD single, released May 1997. The new Deluxe Edition of ALBUM OF THE YEAR has eight bonus tracks including live versions of the album track “Collision” and the Burt Bacharach and Hal David classic, “This Guy’s In Love With You,” plus rare mixes of “Last Cup of Sorrow,” “Pristina” and more.
King For A Day and Album Of The Year are out September 9, available on 2CD, 2LP and Digital Download. Click to pre-order.
