The Real Thing Month...Day 2 Focus On The Song.
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From Out Of Nowhere – Original release 30th August 1989……
At the age of thirteen I had no taste in music. I owned three albums: ‘The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ soundtrack, Michael Jackson ‘Bad’ and Bon Jovi ‘Slippery When Wet’. Music wasn't really a passion for me, my Star Wars figure collection and my BMX were, then I was introduced to GnR's 'Appetite For Destruction' I can't remember how or why it came to be in my possession I just remember putting in my twin tape deck and….. 'hee hee hee ' Axl Rose swore…a lot!!!
My elder brother, as older brothers do, regularly tried to get me to listen to his music such as Black Sabbath, Bowie and Motörhead but, as younger brothers do, I refused to listen to that old rubbish (of course he had pretty good taste). One day he handed me a tape whilst I was listening to GnR and said, ‘If you listen to that crap you'll probably like this’!! Although I think he was secretly happy I wasn't listening to Pet Shop Boys or Madonna I still believe this was his sneaky way of getting me to listen to a Black Sabbath song....It was ‘The Real Thing’. I took the tape with a half-hearted shrug and banished him from my room for the 1000th time!
I remember thinking if my brother didn't like this I probably would so I put it in deck B and pressed play.....
First song….. ‘From Out Of Nowhere’ scribbled in blue biro on the folded card........Music was now a passion and it began at the moment I heard this song for the first time!! I now had taste....
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AUSTRALIA 7" K10303
PIC SLEEVE
A - FROM OUT OF NOWHERE
B - EDGE OF THE WORLD
I mean come on what a f**king tune!!! The rabbit punch in the guts intro rolling relentlessly with the funk of Bill’s bass melody through to the verse. Roddy’s poptastic keyboard riff, light and powerful always adding another dimension to the music here is the ultimate example. One of those rare occasions when Mike Bordin’s drums are functional rather than expressional, and by that I mean he can lay down a wicked rock beat with only a hint of his trademark tribal rhythms. Jim Martin’s guitar is fierce, thrashy and full of energy. And of course Mike Patton’s super cool adolescent vocals....
As for the meaning of the song Patton wrote all the words to this album in a few weeks before the recording. He freely admits that the words to this song in particular were just what he thought a good rock song should be.
Mike Patton, 1990: ‘That song is one of the first lyrics I wrote, in a day I think. It’s what I thought rock music should be at the time.’
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FNM always seem to start their albums with this aural assault on the listener: ‘Introduce Yourself’ has 'Faster Disco', ‘Angel Dust’ 'Land of Sunshine', 'King For A Day’ ‘Get Out' and ‘Album Of The Year’ ‘Collision’. This is their ultimate album and set opener, perfect for the job. Fast, bold in your face and to the point....
Similar to ‘Epic’ this was the song that introduced many lifetime fans to FNM, their first outing as the all new Patton fronted alt rock metal funksters!!!
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GERMANY 12" 886 989-1
UNIQUE PIC SLEEVE
A - FROM OUT OF NOWHERE (EXTENDED)
A2 - WOODPECKER FROM MARS (LIVE)
B1 - THE REAL THING (LIVE)
B2 - EPIC (LIVE)
‘From Out Of Nowhere is the first single from FNM’s second album ‘The Real Thing’. Released on August 30th 1989 in the UK it reached number 23 in the charts and 83 in the Australian charts. It didn't get the success of its follow up single 'Epic', and was re-issued on July 2nd 1990 on picture disc and as a limited edition gatefold to coincide with their UK tour. The picture disc featured an extended remix of the song which highlighted the various seperate instrument parts beautifully.
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UK 12" LASPX 24
LIMITED EDITION PICTURE DISC WITH BACKING CARD
A - FROM OUT OF NOWHERE
A2 - WOODPECKER FROM MARS (LIVE)
B1 - THE REAL THING (LIVE)
B2 - EPIC (LIVE)
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The video directed by Doug Freel is reported to be parody of 'hair metal' bands of the time. Metal Forces described Patton as doing a 'wonderfully bad impression of Dave lee Roth' .There are two versions of the video the differences outlined here by Wikipedia,
'There are two very different versions of this video. When you play both versions next to each other you will find that some shots are different. Some of the videos found on the internet are the 'second version' videos.
The first version features Mike Patton in camouflage shorts, a black undershirt, and sunglasses. Words come across a few times during the video on the screen. And there are a few shots of exteriors at the beginning and end.
In the second version Patton is wearing spandex shorts and a black and blue coat. Billy Gould is using a different bass, and there are many more exterior shots, as well as more words going across the screen. Only a few shots are kept from the first version, being some of the shots of Mike Bordin. This latter version was used on the video releases.'
I remember reading a review, which unfortunately I cannot find to quote, that reported that Patton was doing his best to copy the style of Anthony Kiedes, I won't go into the 'feud' here but it seems maybe Mike was poking fun at the RHCP singer here a bit as well, if comparisons are to be drawn. We know as fans that this wasn't Patton's usual stage persona.
During the making of the video Patton severely damaged his hand requiring microsurgery.
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The band dropped the song from their set in 1992 during the touring of 'Angel Dust', but it made a welcome return and the band played it most recently on their European tour.
Mike Bordin: 'We preferred to play Land of Sunshine and both those songs had the same feel. You play a song for so long and it gets boring, there’s no passion left. I’m sure we will play that one again if we ever do a greatest hits tour'
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The song stands today as as all time favourite of many fans, and the song that started their love affair with Faith No More. It reminds us of a more innocent time in the band's history before shit-eating, piss drinking, bickering, synacism and a string of guitar players!!
Jim :)
