10 Overlooked Masterpiece Songs By Legendary Hard Rock Bands
6. Faith No More - Stripsearch
This atmospheric slow-burning rocker, with heavy elements of electronica, remains an unheralded standout in Faith No More's large treasure-trove of tracks. It first appeared on 1997's mischievously-titled Album Of The Year - which would be the band's last before an extended hiatus.
Faith No More frontman Mike Patton always had more in his locker than straight-ahead rock; his extraordinary imagination can been appreciated across numerous side-projects, but much of the composition of Stripsearch is down to guitarist Jon Hudson.
As bassist Billy Gould observed in a 1997 interview with Keyboard Magazine, the circling electronic loops give the song "a darker, different slant." The might and nuance of Faith No More are still present as, of course, are Patton's distinctive vocals, but Stripsearch certainly stands apart as something quite different and quite special. It's also worth watching the entirety of the official video, which was filmed in Berlin.
Ultimately, this wonderful track passed by unnoticed except in the ears of dedicated fans. Interestingly, it seems that the song was initially slated for single release, losing out in the end to I Started A Joke, Faith No More's unlikely cover of the Bee Gees staple.