Top Ten Hidden Tracks (of New Rock)

By Brent Chittenden

As Alan pointed out a little earlier this week, the hidden track is a bit of a dying art which is a shame because there have been a lot of really good hidden tracks. From The Clash to Tool To Nick Cave, there are some really good tracks that were just left off the track listing of hidden away as a little treat. For this list, I picked out ten of my favourites in new rock.

10) Queens of the Stone Age – Mosquito Song

One of three hidden tracks on “Songs for the Deaf” and one of the better tracks from the album itself.

9) Social Distortion – Under My Thumb

“White Light, White Heat, White Trash” left this amazing cover of The Rolling Stone tune, off the track listing but one listen will prove to you how much it kicks ass.

8) Rollins Band – LA Money Train

From “Get Some Go Again” is a 14 minute funk / spoken word song featuring Wayne Kramer from the MC5…  maybe you have to be a Rollins fan to dig this but to me, this is gold.

7) Probot – I Am Warlock

Probot was a metal project put together by  Dave Grohl featuring Lemmy and King Diamond among many others including Jack Black on this rocking track. If Tenacious D ever did full out metal, this is what it would sound like.

6) Slipknot – Eeyore

One of the heaviest songs Slipknot did on what’s probably their heaviest album was this hidden track. It became such a favourite, Eeyore is regularly part of their live set list.

5) Tool – Disgustipated

A hidden track on “Undertow”, best as I can figure out it’s about the horror story of the death of a carrot, the first of two Tool songs on the list.

4) TV On The Radio – Mr. Grieves

Hidden away on their first release, “Young Liars”, TV on The Radio went a really interesting route with their cover of the Pixies’ “Mr. Grieves” by turning it into this awesome acappella cover. It really shows off the vocal talents of the band.

3) Nick Cave and the Dirty Three – Time Jesum Transeuntum et Non Riverentum

This was a hard one to fins as you had to start at the first track of “Songs in the Key of X” ( an X-Files soundtrack) and then hit the reverse button until you came across this wonderful Cave tune.

2) Nine Inch Nails – Physical (You’re So)

Hidden after a few blank tracks at the end of Broken, this Adam Ant cover is fantastic. Yes, you read that right, Adam Ant cover.

1) The Clash – Train In Vain

One of The Clash’s best from an album filled with great songs, this was an unintentional hidden track. It was placed on the album at the very last minute and the the album sleeve was already in production with no time to update the track listing.

1) Tool – 10 000 Days combined song

One of the only times I’ve made a list up where I’ve had a tie for the number one slot and it all depends on how you define a hidden track… and if this is even real or just a really, really good coincidence. Essentially the theory goes that if you take the songs “10 000 Days”, “Wings For Marie” and “Viginiti Tres” and play all three tracks at the same time you get the Voltron of the music world. And it honestly does work and more then likely was put in place by the band but nothing official has ever been stated and part of you wonders if it’s the whole “Darkside of the Moon / Wizard of Oz” thing but assuming it’s legit, this is easily one of the best hidden tracks of all time.

Now it’s your turn dear readers. Got a hidden track you enjoy? Share it with all of us in the comment section below!