Extended play
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The Mars Volta ran into problems with their five-track album Frances the Mute before its release; the final 32-minute track, "Cassandra Gemini", was divided into eight semi-arbitrary sections so the band would be paid an album's wages rather than an EPs.[citation needed] Autechre decided to name one of their releases EP7 even though it contained 11 tracks and was over an hour long. On the other hand, Weezer's The Green Album is not considered an EP even though it falls short of half an hour.
Some artists, especially in the days of vinyl, have released full-length albums that could fit the definition of a modern-day EP. Conversely, there are EPs that are long enough to be albums. Marilyn Manson's Smells Like Children for example, which is 54 minutes long and Estradasphere's The Silent Elk of Yesterday clocks in at 74 minutes, as does Harbinger of Metal by Reverend Bizarre. This is particularly the case with the rare double EP, which contains two discs.
There are also some EPs which are even shorter than the standard single. It has become customary in recent years for new bands to release their first release nominally as an "EP" to give it grander connotations than a single. By giving the release a unique name (as opposed to it being named after the lead track on the CD) the band can garner more attention for the other tracks on the CD. Using the example of Arctic Monkeys, by calling their first release Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys rather than Fake Tales of San Francisco (the first track on the CD) they also put the second track "From The Ritz to the Rubble" in the limelight. Thus, Five Minutes With Arctic Monkeys is more akin to a double-A side than a standard EP. Subsequently, similar releases by other new bands could be described as "triple-A sides" or even "quadruple-A sides".
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The 7-inch EP in punk rock
The first recordings released by many punk rock bands were released in 7-inch EP format, mainly because the short song nature of the genre made it difficult to create sufficient material to fill an LP. Many such bands also were unsigned, or signed to a minor record label that did not have the funds to release a full length album, particularly by newly formed bands. As many record stores would not sell demo tapes, the 7-inch EP became a standard release for punk rock bands, who could sell them cheaply nationwide, and thus be heard beyond the areas where they performed. These records would vary in length, having anywhere from 2 to as many as 10 or more songs (4 being somewhat of a standard), and occasionally recorded at 33 rpm to lengthen running time (outside of punk rock many people refer to any 7-inch record as a "45", as it has been the standard speed for such records). Some of these recordings would qualify as singles, although this term was sometimes eschewed as being a mainstream design for determining commercial airplay, which did not apply to the vast majority of such bands. The term "single" also had a way of being somewhat dismissive of any tracks other than the primary one, relegating them to B-sides, when many bands, having a 7-inch record as their most significant release, would put all their best songs on the recording. Using the term EP in such cases would be considered technically incorrect, as they were not "extended", and the term "7-inch" became a standard. For bands that went on to achieve commercial success, it was often customary for the original EP tracks to be released later on full-length albums, or to be somehow re-issued in another format.
The split 7-inch EP has also been a widespread feature in the genre, in which two bands would release such a record together, each performing on one side. This was a way to cut costs, particularly for self-released EPs, and was often used as a way for a more established band to help promote a promising newer act. Alternately, two bands with friendly relations with each other would release split EPs together. In some countries, split EPs are also used by major record labels to promote two new albums by wholly different artists, usually in the form of radio promos.
In cases where a band has too much content to fit on a 7-inch platter, but not enough for an LP, 10-inch and 12-inch records were utilized, usually at the 45 rpm speed more popular among dance music. Some more modern punk bands have also put out novelty 5-inch records, though due to a very short playing time and higher production cost than 7-inch discs, they are rare and usually utilized by bands with extremely fast songs.
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Jukebox EP
In the 1960s and 1970s, record companies released EP versions of long play (LP) albums for use in jukeboxes. These were commonly known as "compact 33s" or "little LPs". They played at 33⅓ rpm and were pressed on 7-inch vinyl. What made them EP-like was the fact that some songs were omitted for time purposes, and the tracks deemed the most popular were left on.
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See also
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References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Strong, Martin C. (2002). The Great Rock Discography, 6th edn.. Canongate. ISBN 1-84195-312-1.
- ^ Official UK Charts Singles Rules
- ^ a b Official Rules For Chart Eligibility - Albums
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