Why is mx by deftones 37 minutes long

Overview

The Deftones' song 'MX' from their 1997 album 'Around the Fur' has a runtime of 37 minutes and 1 second, which is unusually long for a rock song. This extended length is due to the inclusion of a hidden track called 'Damone' that begins after approximately 4 minutes of silence following the main song. The practice of including hidden tracks was particularly popular during the CD era of the 1990s, when artists could add bonus content that wasn't listed on album packaging or track listings. Deftones released 'Around the Fur' on May 27, 1997, through Maverick Records, and the album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band, formed in Sacramento in 1988, was part of the alternative metal and nu metal movements of the 1990s, with 'Around the Fur' being their second studio album following their 1995 debut 'Adrenaline.'

How It Works

The technical mechanism behind hidden tracks like 'Damone' on 'MX' involves using the CD's pregap or postgap areas to store additional audio data. On the 'Around the Fur' CD, 'MX' is listed as track 13 with a duration of 37:01. After the main song concludes at approximately 4:30, there are about 4 minutes of silence (from 4:30 to 8:30) before 'Damone' begins. This silence creates a separation between the listed content and the hidden material. CD players would typically display the elapsed time continuing to count during the silent period, so listeners who let the track play would eventually hear the bonus content. The hidden track wasn't indexed separately, meaning it couldn't be skipped to directly using track selection buttons—listeners had to either let 'MX' play through or fast-forward through the silence to reach 'Damone.' This design created an element of surprise for fans who discovered the additional content.

Why It Matters

The inclusion of a 37-minute track with hidden content matters because it represents a specific era in music distribution and artist-fan interaction. During the 1990s CD boom, hidden tracks became a creative way for bands to reward dedicated listeners who explored albums beyond the surface content. For Deftones, 'Damone' served as an extra gift for fans who purchased the physical CD, enhancing the album's value and creating memorable discovery experiences. This practice also reflected the technological possibilities of CDs compared to previous formats like vinyl or cassettes, where hidden tracks were more difficult to implement. Today, as music consumption has shifted to digital streaming platforms where tracks are typically separated and indexed, such hidden content experiences have become less common, making 'MX' a historical artifact of 1990s music culture.