“The title was a kind of code word because the song was a preposterous, grandiose thing. Patton wrote the words a week after he joined the band”: The groundbreaking hit that saved Faith No More’s career – and saved the life of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor

Mike Patton in 1990.

When Faith No More returned with their third album The Real Thing in 1989, the San Francisco rockers not only had a new singer in Mike Patton, they’d also written what would quickly become the biggest hit of their career.

Epic was released as the second single from the album in January 1990, and had begun life as a jam between bassist Billy Gould, drummer Mike Bordin and keyboard player Roddy Bottum.