Faith No More - "Epic (What Is It)"

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   The promo CD single is Slash/Reprise PRO-CD-3913.  It has two tracks:Edit - printed 4:18 actual 4:19
LP Version - printed 4:51 actual 4:51The LP turns up on other CDs, but since I haven't seen the Edit elsewhere, here are instructions for creating the Edit from the LP version:

Keep 0:00.0-3:27.9 of the LP version.

Edit on the snare hit that follows the downbeat after what sounds like "yeah yeah yeah".

Remove the 32 beats from 3:27.9-3:49.9.

Keep the 63 beats from 3:49.9-4:33.3.

Edit on the piano downbeat.

Remove the 16 beats from 4:33.3-4:44.3.

Keep 4:44.3-4:53.7 (end) of the LP version.

My timings are from Time-Life's Modern Rock - The Mid '90s (2001), and are pretty close to Razor & Tie's '90s Style (1996).

Note that the song became in late summer in 1990, but has a copyright date in 1989.  I wouldn't be surprised if it took over six months for this track to click at radio, since it didn't sound like anything else on the radio.

The commercial 45, Slash/Reprise 7-19813, also has a copyright date of 1989, a title of just "Epic", an a "Radio Remix Edit", a printed time of 3:59, an actual time of 3:57, and a "remixed by Matt Wallace" credit that's not found on the CD single.  This version is indeed remixed, and it's easiest to hear it in the drums, which are much brighter in the remix.  Could it be that the remix was put out to give a little shot in the arm to the song at radio?  Only someone with a keen knowledge of radio in 1990 would know...

... and I open up the floor.  You folks know everything.  :)

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crapfromthepast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote crapfromthepast Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Faith No More - "Epic (What Is It)" Posted: 12 December 2007 at 5:32pm
	The promo CD single is Slash/Reprise PRO-CD-3913. It has two tracks: Edit - printed 4:18 actual 4:19 LP Version - printed 4:51 actual 4:51 The LP turns up on other CDs, but since I haven't seen the Edit elsewhere, here are instructions for creating the Edit from the LP version: Keep 0:00.0-3:27.9 of the LP version. Edit on the snare hit that follows the downbeat after what sounds like "yeah yeah yeah". Remove the 32 beats from 3:27.9-3:49.9. Keep the 63 beats from 3:49.9-4:33.3. Edit on the piano downbeat. Remove the 16 beats from 4:33.3-4:44.3. Keep 4:44.3-4:53.7 (end) of the LP version. My timings are from Time-Life's Modern Rock - The Mid '90s (2001), and are pretty close to Razor & Tie's '90s Style (1996). Note that the song became in late summer in 1990, but has a copyright date in 1989. I wouldn't be surprised if it took over six months for this track to click at radio, since it didn't sound like anything else on the radio. The commercial 45, Slash/Reprise 7-19813, also has a copyright date of 1989, a title of just "Epic", an a "Radio Remix Edit", a printed time of 3:59, an actual time of 3:57, and a "remixed by Matt Wallace" credit that's not found on the CD single. This version is indeed remixed, and it's easiest to hear it in the drums, which are much brighter in the remix. Could it be that the remix was put out to give a little shot in the arm to the song at radio? Only someone with a keen knowledge of radio in 1990 would know... ... and I open up the floor. You folks know everything. :)

eriejwg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote eriejwg Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 December 2007 at 5:56pm
	Ron, I'm confused. Not by you, I was born that way...LOL. Anyways, the promo CD single runs 4:19, yet 45 versions in the database (one of which I have from MTV The First 1000 Years - Rock) run 3:56. Anyone know why that makes 3 different lengths? 45 versions at 3:56, promo edit at 4:19 and LP version at 4:51? Is the 3:56 version faded early?

crapfromthepast Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 14 September 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 27	Post Options Post Reply Quote crapfromthepast Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 December 2007 at 6:24pm
	If your 3:56 is the same as the "Radio Remix Edit" from the commercial 45, then it's a different mix and can't be created from the LP version.

eriejwg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 10 June 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 45	Post Options Post Reply Quote eriejwg Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 December 2007 at 6:35pm
	Not sure if it's the remix or not. No indication on the sleeve of the MTV CD.

aaronk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 16 January 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 119	Post Options Post Reply Quote aaronk Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 December 2007 at 2:29am
	eriejwg, you do have the 45 version on that MTV compilation. I seem to recall also seeing a promo single for the "Radio Remix Edit" at one point or another. CFTP, this is the first time I realized there was also an LP edit.

jimct Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 07 April 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote jimct Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 December 2007 at 9:37am
	As I recall, the promo CD single (PRO-CD-3913) that Ron describes the edit points for in his initial post, was an earlier-released, non-hit promo CD single release of the song, and was not the version that was the 1990 Top 10 hit, which was (PRO-CD-4071). 4071 was a 1-track, listed (3:59), actual (3:56) version, called "Radio Remix Edit" (the one Aaron has just mentioned), and did not include the (What Is It) subtitle. And I don't believe any of the 1990 commercial single configurations for it did, either. I don't exactly know HOW much earlier the 3913 promo was issued, but that 3913 promo wasn't ever even sent to our station, because I don't believe they were even marketing the song to Top 40 at that time, only to Modern Rock/Alternative formatted stations. I was only able to obtain my "3913" promo copy through a later, "Goldmine" magazine ad. Edited by jimct

RichM921 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 30 October 2007 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote RichM921 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 December 2007 at 8:02pm
	What jimct says makes sense. In fact, this thread is the first time I have ever seen the subtitle "What Is It" given to "Epic." I can also safely say that I never heard this song on the air in 1989, even on AOR stations. Maybe it got spins on Alternative, but we didn't have that format where I was back then.

edtop40 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 29 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote edtop40 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2011 at 4:30pm
	my commercial cassingle issued as slash 19813 states the version as "radio remix edit" with a listed run time as 3:59 but actually runs 3:56....
	edtop40

chendagam Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 27 August 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote chendagam Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 10 June 2021 at 7:35pm
	Does anyone know if a full length version exists of the remix? I would love to re-edit the video with the remix but the "radio remix edit" cuts out the buildup to the guitar solo and the video has really nice visuals at that point. The radio remix edit is a much stronger mix in my opinion and I do believe it is what gave the song the extra push for radio airplay. The drums are stronger along with some nice reverb and the vocals even sound better. They also did this with "Falling to Pieces" which is an early fade so again we are losing a nice ending to the song with the superior mix.