Rockin' soul, surf, lounge, jazz, comedy, novelties, outsider oddities, movie ads and dialogue clips...hey kids, it's a '50s/'60s lowbrow All Hallow's Eve! Inc. dusty vinyl corpses robbed from my tomb, er, record closet, that I attached electrodes to and ripped to mp3. Featuring such creatures as: Mort Garson on the Moog; schoolkids singing about stealing trick-or-treaters' candy bags; a song-poem called "Vampire Husband;" Lon Chaney Jr "singing" the theme to the classic cult film "Spider Baby;" a James Brown rip-off; visits to Japan (The Golden Cups) and France; two different songs called "Surfin' Hearse," and jazz drummer Philly Joe Jones doing a goofy Dracula bit inspired by Lenny Bruce. And then you've got Bobby Christian's infamous "The Spider and the Fly," described by Lenny "Nuggets" Kaye as the most demented record ever made. (And who am I to disagree?)
The BAT Pack
01 "Horror of the Zombies"
02 Guy Marks (as Bela) - Begin the Beguine
03 Lon Chaney - Song From Spider Baby
04 "bloodbeast"
05 Bobby Christian and the Allen Sisters - The Spider and the Fly
06 Richard Rome - Ghost a go go
07 The Quads - Surfin' Hearse
08 Jan and Dean -Surfin' Hearse
09 "Lady Frankenstein"
10 Serge Gainsbourg - Docteur Jekyll & Mister Hyde
11 Helen O'Connell - Witchcraft
12 Bela LaGoldstein - Old Boris
13 the Ventures - Exploration in Terror
14 "Dr.Tarr's Torture Dungeon"
15 Arthur Prysock - (I Don't Stand) A Ghost of a Chance
16 Alvino Rey - The Bat
17 "Brain that Wouldnt Die"
18 Little Tibia and the Fibulas - The Mummy
19 Happy Monsters - Clap Your Tentacles
20 The Golden Cups - spooky
21 Jack Marshall - The Teen-Age Surfing Vampire
22 The Ramrods-(Ghost) Riders in the Sky
23 "Bloody Pit of Horror"
24 Nancy Dupree with Ghetto Reality students - Bag Snatchin'
25 Mort Garson as The Blobs - Son of Blob
26 Shelley Stuart & The Five Stars - Vampire Husband
27 Cre-shells - Dracula
28 "Frenzy of Blood"
29 Philly Joe Jones - Blues for Dracula
30 Guy Marks (as Boris) - Don't Take your Love From Me
(FANGS a lot to Count Otto for a couple of these. Art by Shag.)
Showing posts with label Halloween/spooky. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Halloween/spooky. Show all posts
Monday, October 27, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Singing TV Horror-Show Hosts
In 1953, the late Maila Nurmi aka Vampira invented that beloved American tradition, the TV horror host. Did other countries pick up on this concept? Low budget local stations filled their late night or weekend afternoon slots with crappy old movies, usually, but not always, of the monster variety. The shows were hosted by a smart aleck in a costume traipsing about a cobwebbed castle/ laboratory/etc set, interrupting the proceedings to make jokes, perform in skits, read letters from viewers, perhaps interact with other cast members/puppets, or, in the case of Cleveland's Ghoulardi, blow things up. And many of them made records: Vampira, her bastard offspring Elvira, John "The Cool Ghoul" Zacherle, and the lass featured below, who made one of the most perfect 45s ever.
This interview with the author of a new book about Vampira makes the case that Nurmi was the ultimate hip chick, a bad-ass beatnik who was just too hot for mainstream tv audiences to handle. After listening to the podcast (not too long, even at an hour's length), I rented "Vampira And Me," a documentary from last year based on interviews with Nurmi. The late '80s/early '90s L.A. band Satans' Pilgrims are featured. I'd long known about the records they made with Vampira, but didn't realize that most of the 'lyrics' were taken from found religious tracts. "Tribute to Elvis," however, is Nurmis' own recollections of her friendship with The King, one of many celebs entranced by her proto-goth beauty.
Why did so much insane music come out of Ohio in the '70s? David Thomas of Pere Ubu cites the influence of a popular Cleveland horror host. Ubu, The Dead Boys, Devo, the Cramps (especially The Cramps), etc. were the Ghoulardi generation, kids weened on Ernie Anderson's anarchic character who played wild garage rock records, and would blow up things with firecrackers on the air, much to the dismay of the station management. Oddly enough, my first-hand memory of Anderson is after he quit Ghoulardi to be the ABC network announcer - that was his leering voice announcing "The Loooove Boat." (Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson is his son.)
The tradition lives on. Elvira's comeback show in 2011 was great, but short-lived, even with Jack White contributing a theme song, and even a brief on-air appearance.
Quoth Ghoulardi: "Stay sick!"
Horror Hosts - A MusicForManiacs Collection
01 Ghoulardi - "Intro"
02 Vampira - Genocide Utopia (with Satan's Cheerleaders)
03 John Zacherle - Dinner With Drac (the still-living/performing New York host made quite a few records; this was his most popular)
04 Tarantula Ghoul and the Gravediggers - Graveyard Rock (Portland's answer to Vampira was originally known as Tarantula Girl)
05 Bill Cardille - Chilly Billy's vamp (1971 Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater host)
06 Dr. Sarcofiguy - My Girlfriend Is On Fire (a few years ago we wrote about this contemporary cat)
07 Elvira - Zombie Stomp (from 1995)
08 Ghoulardi - "cool it with the boom booms"
09 Vampira - I'm Damned (with Satan's Cheerleaders)
10 Tarantula Ghoul - King Kong
11 John Zacherly - Monster Monkey
12 Count Floyd - Treat Her Like A Lady (parody of a '70s disco hit; the great Joe Flaherty playing the host of the fictional SCTV network's "Monster Chiller Horror Theater")
13 Ghoulardi - "acid "
14 John Zacherly - Come With Me to Transylvania
15 Elvira - Zombie Killer (with Leslie and the Lys)
16 Vampira - Tribute to Elvis (with Satan's Cheerleaders)
17 John Zacherly - Happy Halloween
"Screaming relaxes me so..."
This interview with the author of a new book about Vampira makes the case that Nurmi was the ultimate hip chick, a bad-ass beatnik who was just too hot for mainstream tv audiences to handle. After listening to the podcast (not too long, even at an hour's length), I rented "Vampira And Me," a documentary from last year based on interviews with Nurmi. The late '80s/early '90s L.A. band Satans' Pilgrims are featured. I'd long known about the records they made with Vampira, but didn't realize that most of the 'lyrics' were taken from found religious tracts. "Tribute to Elvis," however, is Nurmis' own recollections of her friendship with The King, one of many celebs entranced by her proto-goth beauty.
Why did so much insane music come out of Ohio in the '70s? David Thomas of Pere Ubu cites the influence of a popular Cleveland horror host. Ubu, The Dead Boys, Devo, the Cramps (especially The Cramps), etc. were the Ghoulardi generation, kids weened on Ernie Anderson's anarchic character who played wild garage rock records, and would blow up things with firecrackers on the air, much to the dismay of the station management. Oddly enough, my first-hand memory of Anderson is after he quit Ghoulardi to be the ABC network announcer - that was his leering voice announcing "The Loooove Boat." (Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson is his son.)
The tradition lives on. Elvira's comeback show in 2011 was great, but short-lived, even with Jack White contributing a theme song, and even a brief on-air appearance.
Quoth Ghoulardi: "Stay sick!"
Horror Hosts - A MusicForManiacs Collection
01 Ghoulardi - "Intro"02 Vampira - Genocide Utopia (with Satan's Cheerleaders)
03 John Zacherle - Dinner With Drac (the still-living/performing New York host made quite a few records; this was his most popular)
04 Tarantula Ghoul and the Gravediggers - Graveyard Rock (Portland's answer to Vampira was originally known as Tarantula Girl)
05 Bill Cardille - Chilly Billy's vamp (1971 Pittsburgh's Chiller Theater host)
06 Dr. Sarcofiguy - My Girlfriend Is On Fire (a few years ago we wrote about this contemporary cat)
07 Elvira - Zombie Stomp (from 1995)
08 Ghoulardi - "cool it with the boom booms"
09 Vampira - I'm Damned (with Satan's Cheerleaders)10 Tarantula Ghoul - King Kong
11 John Zacherly - Monster Monkey
12 Count Floyd - Treat Her Like A Lady (parody of a '70s disco hit; the great Joe Flaherty playing the host of the fictional SCTV network's "Monster Chiller Horror Theater")
13 Ghoulardi - "acid "
14 John Zacherly - Come With Me to Transylvania
15 Elvira - Zombie Killer (with Leslie and the Lys)
16 Vampira - Tribute to Elvis (with Satan's Cheerleaders)
17 John Zacherly - Happy Halloween
"Screaming relaxes me so..."
Thursday, October 2, 2014
FILTHY FRIDAYS: Halloween Instrumentals (2 Disks: 60 Tracks)
Another request satisfied: for what is possible the strangest comedy album ever, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan
And another weekend is upon us, presenting you-all with yet another opportunity to temporarily (or not?) cast aside your nerdly pursuits and let our continuing survey of mid-century sleazy-listening musics help turn you - yes, you! In the Spock ears - into the heppest cat or kittie on the block. This real real gone assortment of surf, garage, r'n'b, soundtrack themes, and assorted radio ads is packed with both stars (Joe Meek's Moontrekkers*, The Ventures), and forgotten regional releases. Rock'n'roll as it should be, before it went middle-class and respectable.
Need something to look at while listening? The great lowbrow artist J.R. Williams put these comps together, so eyeball his way-out artworks. (Wish so many weren't sold out - I gotta get that Uncle Fester one.)
J.R has added a few more goodies for your trick-or-treat bag at the bottom of the page.
Halloween Instrumentals (CD 1)
Halloween Instrumentals (CD 2)
Cool Ghouls mix: J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"): Cool Ghoul mp3 mix
FANGS a million to J.R. Williams for all this ghastly goodness.
And another weekend is upon us, presenting you-all with yet another opportunity to temporarily (or not?) cast aside your nerdly pursuits and let our continuing survey of mid-century sleazy-listening musics help turn you - yes, you! In the Spock ears - into the heppest cat or kittie on the block. This real real gone assortment of surf, garage, r'n'b, soundtrack themes, and assorted radio ads is packed with both stars (Joe Meek's Moontrekkers*, The Ventures), and forgotten regional releases. Rock'n'roll as it should be, before it went middle-class and respectable.
Need something to look at while listening? The great lowbrow artist J.R. Williams put these comps together, so eyeball his way-out artworks. (Wish so many weren't sold out - I gotta get that Uncle Fester one.)
J.R has added a few more goodies for your trick-or-treat bag at the bottom of the page.
Halloween Instrumentals (CD 1)Halloween Instrumentals (CD 2)
But wait! There's more! Dig these short mixes, for ghouls on the go:
Cool Ghouls mix: J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"): Cool Ghoul mp3 mix
J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"):... Roland - Billy Duke & the Dukes Dinner With Drac - John Logan Dance Along With Dracula (Doin' the Drac) - The Monstrosities Casa A Go Go - Count Von Shukker... | |||||||
Preview by Yahoo | |||||||
J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"):... My Girl Friend Is a Witch - October Country Draculena - Aaron McNeill The Monster Miss - Miss L.L. Louise Lewis My Baby's Got a Crush on Frankenstein - Soupy Sal... | |||||||
Preview by Yahoo | |||||||
Grave Yard Creeps mix: J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"): Grave Yard Creeps mix
J.R.'s Fun House (formerly "J.R.'s Prints of Darkness"):... Happy Halloween! Boogie Man - The Higher Elevation Gravedigger's Rock - Clyde Scott with the Zanyopolis A.U. Students Grave Yard Creep - James Duhon Someon... | |||||||
Preview by Yahoo | |||||||
FANGS a million to J.R. Williams for all this ghastly goodness.
*The record was banned by the BBC as being "unsuitable for people of a nervous disposition"
Friday, September 5, 2014
FILTHY FRIDAY: An Album By The Munsters That Isn't By The Munsters, But By The Go-Gos, But Not Those Go-Gos
Someone on the internet sez:
"THE MUNSTERS- "The Munsters" TV show characters are only pictured on the cover, along with their cool George Barris designed 'Munster Koach' custom car, but do not appear on this scarce novelty cash-in, performed uncredited mostly by RCA records surf trio, The Go-Go's: Jim Infield; Roger Yorke, and Bill Wild, pre-Ruben and The Jets. Produced by Joe Hooven & Hal Winn, the guys behind Johnny Crawford's hits, & who later founded the Double-Shot label. Decca Mono."
Much of this week's assortment of mid-century lowbrow entertainment isn't sleazy at all. Actually this monster- themed amalgamation of surf, hot rod, novelty, bubblegum, and garage rock is pretty kiddie-friendly and wholesome. The utterly ridiculous "Frankenstein Had A Hot Rod Car" lives up to that boss song title, with lyrics that mention Beatle wigs, and surfing (Frankie "hangs 12"), all set to the tune of "Ol' McDonald had A Farm."
But then we have the burlesque bump-n-grind of "Vampire Vamp," which doesn't seem appropriate for children, even with goofy Chipmunks voices added. "Eerie Beach" is an exotica instrumental, complete with birds calls, that isn't eerie or horrific at all. Both were probably leftover tracks the producers had lying around and threw in for filler. Hooray for filler! Theremin-ish electronics and sound effects pop up from time to time. And the last three tracks get down to raunchy garage rockin' (with xylophone) business. Hey, turns out this Friday might be a bit filthy after all.
"The Munsters - The Munsters"
"THE MUNSTERS- "The Munsters" TV show characters are only pictured on the cover, along with their cool George Barris designed 'Munster Koach' custom car, but do not appear on this scarce novelty cash-in, performed uncredited mostly by RCA records surf trio, The Go-Go's: Jim Infield; Roger Yorke, and Bill Wild, pre-Ruben and The Jets. Produced by Joe Hooven & Hal Winn, the guys behind Johnny Crawford's hits, & who later founded the Double-Shot label. Decca Mono."Much of this week's assortment of mid-century lowbrow entertainment isn't sleazy at all. Actually this monster- themed amalgamation of surf, hot rod, novelty, bubblegum, and garage rock is pretty kiddie-friendly and wholesome. The utterly ridiculous "Frankenstein Had A Hot Rod Car" lives up to that boss song title, with lyrics that mention Beatle wigs, and surfing (Frankie "hangs 12"), all set to the tune of "Ol' McDonald had A Farm."
But then we have the burlesque bump-n-grind of "Vampire Vamp," which doesn't seem appropriate for children, even with goofy Chipmunks voices added. "Eerie Beach" is an exotica instrumental, complete with birds calls, that isn't eerie or horrific at all. Both were probably leftover tracks the producers had lying around and threw in for filler. Hooray for filler! Theremin-ish electronics and sound effects pop up from time to time. And the last three tracks get down to raunchy garage rockin' (with xylophone) business. Hey, turns out this Friday might be a bit filthy after all.
"The Munsters - The Munsters"
| A1 | Munster Creep | 2:35 |
| A2 | Frankenstein Had A Hot-Rod Car | 2:26 |
| A3 | $1.98 King Size Voodoo Kit | 2:03 |
| A4 | Vampire Vamp | 1:50 |
| A5 | Herman's Place | 2:15 |
| A6 | (Here Comes The) Munster Coach | 1:55 |
| B1 | T.V. Monster Show | 2:07 |
| B2 | Eerie Beach | 2:13 |
| B3 | Make It Go Away | 2:10 |
| B4 | You Created A Monster | 2:07 |
| B5 | Ride The Midnight Special | 1:46 |
| B6 | Down In The Basement |
Sunday, March 16, 2014
THE EVERYDAY FILM Speaks!
Will wonders never cease? Jandek now tours, Dot Wiggin of the Shaggs has a new album, and our own fascinating outsider music discovery (actually, he discovered us) The Everyday Film has given his first interview. This coincides with a new video (see below). We now have a name, face, and a bit of background on transgressive audio artist The Everyday Film, courtesy of Italian writer Davide Carrozza:
Interview with the Everyday Film
Longtime readers of the blog may recall that the Everyday Film project has been so steeped in mystery that we've never known the slightest thing about who or what is responsible for these most striking, disturbing, and mordantly funny recordings. CDs would just show up unannounced and unexplained in my PO box. Well, we now know that the Everyday Film is one Drew Steinman, lives in New Jersey, likes Rick James and Meat Loaf, and is the sole brain behind the music, videos, and artwork. He admits that he has no musical influences that he can detect, and that just might be the most impressive thing about TEF, that he isn't, unlike just about everyone else, the sum total of his record collection. Steinman's stepping into the light does not destroy the illusion of a bewildering enigma, not with such choice quotes as: "My ideal audience is the person completely alienated and losing touch with reality."
Carrozza also reviews and analyzes TEF's ouvre in a separate article. It is gratifying to see someone take the works of a so-called "marginal" figure of the music world like TEF and give it such a serious treatment.
This site is still the only place to get most of the Everyday Film releases, e.g.: the first four albums. And we have a new video, a preview of the forthcoming album "Bleed Over." He sez: "Unlike my other stuff this tune is very danceable."
Interview with the Everyday Film
Longtime readers of the blog may recall that the Everyday Film project has been so steeped in mystery that we've never known the slightest thing about who or what is responsible for these most striking, disturbing, and mordantly funny recordings. CDs would just show up unannounced and unexplained in my PO box. Well, we now know that the Everyday Film is one Drew Steinman, lives in New Jersey, likes Rick James and Meat Loaf, and is the sole brain behind the music, videos, and artwork. He admits that he has no musical influences that he can detect, and that just might be the most impressive thing about TEF, that he isn't, unlike just about everyone else, the sum total of his record collection. Steinman's stepping into the light does not destroy the illusion of a bewildering enigma, not with such choice quotes as: "My ideal audience is the person completely alienated and losing touch with reality."
Carrozza also reviews and analyzes TEF's ouvre in a separate article. It is gratifying to see someone take the works of a so-called "marginal" figure of the music world like TEF and give it such a serious treatment.
This site is still the only place to get most of the Everyday Film releases, e.g.: the first four albums. And we have a new video, a preview of the forthcoming album "Bleed Over." He sez: "Unlike my other stuff this tune is very danceable."
Thursday, January 2, 2014
CRISWELL PREDICTS YOUR INCREDIBLE FUTURE
Now back up by request: one of the first posts ever in this blog's history: Polka Rap; and the happy yodeling of Arthur Brogli. Still working on your other requests.
Our Man in The UK, Count Otto Black, sez:
Our Man in The UK, Count Otto Black, sez: The start of a brand new year - a time when so-called psychics traditionally do their thing, with mixed results. So surely an appropriate time to remind everyone of "The Amazing Criswell", of Plan 9 From Outer Space fame? Did you know that in 1970 he made a spoken word LP consisting of a 42-minute Dadaist stream-of-consciousness rant about what was going to happen over the next 30 years? Probably. He himself admitted that his success-rate was only 87%. Fortunately that other 13% included his prediction that the world would be completely destroyed by God on 8 August 1999.
Criswell - "Someone Walked Over My Grave"
Thanks, Otto! All of this reminds me of this mind-boggling oddity, also available from archive.org:
Mae West sings "Criswell Predicts" (1956) - I believe Space-Age pop master Bob Thompson wrote this one, as he was West's pianist at the time.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Halloween Stomp: A Haunted House Party
UPDATE 11/12/13: Back on-line
Hey, all you hep cats 'n' flipped chicks, here's a vout-o-rooney volume of vintage jazz, blues, and music hall spooky songs that I meant to post earlier, 'til the death of Lou Reed done threw me for a loop. This 1990 album was released by the real gone studs at Jass Records, who had a great, all-too-brief run in the late '80s/early '90s compiling wonderful novelty oddities from the 78 rpm era: dirty blues, reefer-smoking songs, etc. "Viper Mad Blues: 16 Songs of Dope and Depravity" was a particular fave of mine.
This one includes: swingin' numbers by a pre-crooning Nat Cole, a pre-lounge Louis Prima, a pre-corny sitcom Ozzie Nelson, and bad-ass big band stompers from the legendary likes of Cab Calloway, Peggy Lee, Glenn Miller, and the Dorsey Brothers. But despite all the dancing skeletons and boogieing boogie-men, Rudy Vallee's bad Cockney accent is the most frightening thing here.
Halloween Stomp: Haunted House Party

1
1) The Haunted House - Ray Noble & His Orchestra
2) Shivery Stomp - Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra
3) Mysterious Mose - The Radio All Star Novelty Orchestra - Dick Robertson
4) The Boogie Man Is Here - Tom Geron & His Orchestra
5) Haunting Blues - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies
6) Bug-A-Boo - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies
7) Got The Jitters - Don Redman & His Orchestra
8) The Boogie Man/I'm A Ghost - Todd Rollins & His Orchestra - Chick Bullock
9) The House Is Haunted (By The Echo Of Your Last Goodbye) - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra - Kenny Sargent
10) Zombie - Gene Kardos & His Orchestra
11) Mr. Ghost Goes To Town - Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang
12) Skeleton In The Closet - Nat Gonella & His Georgians
13) The Goblin Band - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra
14) Hell's Bells - The New Yorkers (Sid Peltyn & His Orchestra) - Dick Robertson
15) With Her Head Tucked Under Her Arm - Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees
16) The Black Cat - Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra
17) Strange Enchantment - Skinnay Ennis & His Orchestra
18) The Ghost Of Smokey Joe - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
19) Ol' Man Mose Ain't Dead - Nat King Cole Trio
20) Swingin' At The Seance - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - Dorothy Claire
21) Horror Fantasia For Spooks And Wild Indians - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
22) Fanfare/Cherokee (Theme) - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Peggy Lee
23) Old Man Mose Is Dead - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
24) Pompton Turnpike - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
25) Haunted Heart - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - Johnny Amoroso
26) The Headless Horseman - Kay Starr & Billy Butterfield Quintet
27) Dry Bones (Head Bone Connected To The Neck Bone) - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Hey, all you hep cats 'n' flipped chicks, here's a vout-o-rooney volume of vintage jazz, blues, and music hall spooky songs that I meant to post earlier, 'til the death of Lou Reed done threw me for a loop. This 1990 album was released by the real gone studs at Jass Records, who had a great, all-too-brief run in the late '80s/early '90s compiling wonderful novelty oddities from the 78 rpm era: dirty blues, reefer-smoking songs, etc. "Viper Mad Blues: 16 Songs of Dope and Depravity" was a particular fave of mine.
This one includes: swingin' numbers by a pre-crooning Nat Cole, a pre-lounge Louis Prima, a pre-corny sitcom Ozzie Nelson, and bad-ass big band stompers from the legendary likes of Cab Calloway, Peggy Lee, Glenn Miller, and the Dorsey Brothers. But despite all the dancing skeletons and boogieing boogie-men, Rudy Vallee's bad Cockney accent is the most frightening thing here.
Halloween Stomp: Haunted House Party

1
1) The Haunted House - Ray Noble & His Orchestra
2) Shivery Stomp - Frankie Trumbauer & His Orchestra
3) Mysterious Mose - The Radio All Star Novelty Orchestra - Dick Robertson
4) The Boogie Man Is Here - Tom Geron & His Orchestra
5) Haunting Blues - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies
6) Bug-A-Boo - Red Nichols & His Five Pennies
7) Got The Jitters - Don Redman & His Orchestra
8) The Boogie Man/I'm A Ghost - Todd Rollins & His Orchestra - Chick Bullock
9) The House Is Haunted (By The Echo Of Your Last Goodbye) - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra - Kenny Sargent
10) Zombie - Gene Kardos & His Orchestra
11) Mr. Ghost Goes To Town - Louis Prima & His New Orleans Gang
12) Skeleton In The Closet - Nat Gonella & His Georgians
13) The Goblin Band - Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orchestra
14) Hell's Bells - The New Yorkers (Sid Peltyn & His Orchestra) - Dick Robertson
15) With Her Head Tucked Under Her Arm - Rudy Vallee & His Connecticut Yankees
16) The Black Cat - Ozzie Nelson & His Orchestra
17) Strange Enchantment - Skinnay Ennis & His Orchestra
18) The Ghost Of Smokey Joe - Cab Calloway & His Orchestra
19) Ol' Man Mose Ain't Dead - Nat King Cole Trio
20) Swingin' At The Seance - Glenn Miller & His Orchestra - Dorothy Claire
21) Horror Fantasia For Spooks And Wild Indians - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
22) Fanfare/Cherokee (Theme) - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra - Peggy Lee
23) Old Man Mose Is Dead - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
24) Pompton Turnpike - Charlie Barnet & His Orchestra
25) Haunted Heart - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - Johnny Amoroso
26) The Headless Horseman - Kay Starr & Billy Butterfield Quintet
27) Dry Bones (Head Bone Connected To The Neck Bone) - Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
MONSTER BEACH PARTY
At last! All the greatest songs with "monster"/"creature" + "beach" /"surf" in the title. Most of these records are from rock 'n' roll's glorious sleazy-listening era of the early '60s. The rest from recent years/decades, but still trying to catch that surf-rock wave, inc. 2 bands from Japan (The Surf Coasters, and Hell-Racer) and what has to be the world's only goth surf band, the theremin-licious Vampire Beach Babes. And, really, isn't Sex With Lurch just about the greatest band name ever?
1. Surf Trio - Monster Beach
2. The Surf Coasters - Beach Monster
3. 'Monster on the Beach' movie - radio ad
4. Deadly Ones - It's Monster Surfing Time
5. Gene Moss And The Monsters - Surf Monster
6. The Phantom Surfers - Monster From the Surf
7. The Abominable Surfmen - Monster Surfer
8. Vampire Beach Babes - Surfing Swamp Monster From The Planet Zon
9. Sex With Lurch - Monster Surf Party
10. Sloppy Seconds - The Horror Of Party Beach
11. Deadly Ones - There's A Creature In The Surfer's Lagoon
12. Dead Elvi - The Creature Stole My Surfboard
13. Don Hinson And The Rigamorticians - Monster Surf Stomp
14. Hell-Racer - Monster Beach
15. The Dynotones - It's Monster Surfing Time
Dubious Bonus - my mashup from 2006: Mr Fab and His Bag O' Heads - Go! Surf Monster [Gene Moss vs Go! Team]
MONSTER BEACH PARTY
(artwork courtesy of Steam Crow)
And hey, all you Halloweenies: I put the popular "Zombie Jamboree" back on-line earlier this year, for more sun-drenched darkness and horror. A real cool ghoul has created a streaming playlist for it now, too.
1. Surf Trio - Monster Beach
2. The Surf Coasters - Beach Monster
3. 'Monster on the Beach' movie - radio ad
4. Deadly Ones - It's Monster Surfing Time
5. Gene Moss And The Monsters - Surf Monster
6. The Phantom Surfers - Monster From the Surf
7. The Abominable Surfmen - Monster Surfer
8. Vampire Beach Babes - Surfing Swamp Monster From The Planet Zon
9. Sex With Lurch - Monster Surf Party
10. Sloppy Seconds - The Horror Of Party Beach
11. Deadly Ones - There's A Creature In The Surfer's Lagoon
12. Dead Elvi - The Creature Stole My Surfboard
13. Don Hinson And The Rigamorticians - Monster Surf Stomp
14. Hell-Racer - Monster Beach
15. The Dynotones - It's Monster Surfing Time
Dubious Bonus - my mashup from 2006: Mr Fab and His Bag O' Heads - Go! Surf Monster [Gene Moss vs Go! Team]
MONSTER BEACH PARTY
(artwork courtesy of Steam Crow)
And hey, all you Halloweenies: I put the popular "Zombie Jamboree" back on-line earlier this year, for more sun-drenched darkness and horror. A real cool ghoul has created a streaming playlist for it now, too.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
The Everyday Film: "New Skin Wine"
I believe it was Winston Churchill who once described The Everyday Film as "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." After taking last year off (incarcerated? institutionalized?) he/they/it have released a new album and an ep, both available thru iTunes and Amazon. There's a whole lot of music out there in this great, big universe, but there is still nothing like The Everyday Film.
"New Skin Wine" is 11 tracks in a mere 22 minutes, but those are some pretty dramatically charged 22 minutes. The wide dynamic range of the album ranges from subliminal ambient drones and whispered vocals, to nightmare-ish noise that will have you jumping out of your skin if you're not riding the volume levels (look out, headphone wearers!) The album ends with over 2 minutes of static drone that might have you checking your stereo to see if it's grounded.
After receiving the new album, I was wondering if TEF had anything new to say after all their releases, or if they still had the power to shock. Hoo boy. The track "Want Cycles" features electronics so terrifying that they make Throbbing Gristle sound like Air Supply. Bravo!
TEF's trademark demonically harmonized vocals are not as present here, in favor of dark electronic soundscapes. But when they do appear, the old body-horror themes are still present in dimly-heard surreal snippets like "My cancer's gone, but you can't seem to put me back together," or "It should be enough to be my own dessert."
"Goool" is a three-track EP that features a nearly 13 minute long track. Pretty amazing, considering most TEF tracks last less then one minute. TEF has given us the short version of "Goool" that's found on "New Skin Wine" to post here:
The Everyday Film: "Goool"
"New Skin Wine" is 11 tracks in a mere 22 minutes, but those are some pretty dramatically charged 22 minutes. The wide dynamic range of the album ranges from subliminal ambient drones and whispered vocals, to nightmare-ish noise that will have you jumping out of your skin if you're not riding the volume levels (look out, headphone wearers!) The album ends with over 2 minutes of static drone that might have you checking your stereo to see if it's grounded. After receiving the new album, I was wondering if TEF had anything new to say after all their releases, or if they still had the power to shock. Hoo boy. The track "Want Cycles" features electronics so terrifying that they make Throbbing Gristle sound like Air Supply. Bravo!
TEF's trademark demonically harmonized vocals are not as present here, in favor of dark electronic soundscapes. But when they do appear, the old body-horror themes are still present in dimly-heard surreal snippets like "My cancer's gone, but you can't seem to put me back together," or "It should be enough to be my own dessert."
"Goool" is a three-track EP that features a nearly 13 minute long track. Pretty amazing, considering most TEF tracks last less then one minute. TEF has given us the short version of "Goool" that's found on "New Skin Wine" to post here:
The Everyday Film: "Goool"
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
What's 'Nilbog' Spelled Backwards?
LA's own Nilbog are the world's only horror-movie soundtrack cover band. Which is a cool concept, but they can also really play, they skip the cliched tunes (no "Psycho" or "Halloween" themes here), and bassist Bret is the man behind the Post-Punk Junk and Egg City Radio blogs. So good they should do real soundtracks. Listen to 'em here..that is, if you ain't chicken:
Niblog The Band
Niblog The Band
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
The Earliest Known Recorded Music in Existence
Yep, only three known copies of this Edison wax cylinder from 1888 exist, which would certainly make this one of the most historically prized recordings ever. But it's also a good listen.
The "song" heard here is an excerpt from classical composer Handel's "Israel In Egypt" sung by, to quote a note on the cylinder: "A chorus of 4000 voices recorded with phonograph over 100 yards away." Conducted by August Manns; recorded by Col. George Gouraud, foreign sales agent for Thomas Edison at the Crystal Palace, London, England, June 29, 1888.
A hundred yards away?! At first I thought: 'a hundred feet away', the length of a football field, but no, it says 'yards.' Dang, that's far. So what does it sound like? Pretty avant-garde, actually - the white-noise of the cylinder whirring around melded with the huge distant choir is a strange and haunting sound, indeed. Not too far removed from something you might hear on a Zoviet France or Nurse With Wound album. Knowing that these are actual voices from the 1800s adds a ghostly mystery to the experience.
Handel festival: "Israel In Egypt" - excerpt
(Courtesy of archive.org.)
The "song" heard here is an excerpt from classical composer Handel's "Israel In Egypt" sung by, to quote a note on the cylinder: "A chorus of 4000 voices recorded with phonograph over 100 yards away." Conducted by August Manns; recorded by Col. George Gouraud, foreign sales agent for Thomas Edison at the Crystal Palace, London, England, June 29, 1888.A hundred yards away?! At first I thought: 'a hundred feet away', the length of a football field, but no, it says 'yards.' Dang, that's far. So what does it sound like? Pretty avant-garde, actually - the white-noise of the cylinder whirring around melded with the huge distant choir is a strange and haunting sound, indeed. Not too far removed from something you might hear on a Zoviet France or Nurse With Wound album. Knowing that these are actual voices from the 1800s adds a ghostly mystery to the experience.
Handel festival: "Israel In Egypt" - excerpt
(Courtesy of archive.org.)
Friday, May 11, 2012
THE GLENDAS
"My friend and I decided to try to make a band where all the songs were about specific horror movies. We named ourselves after an Ed Wood movie and decided to record everything in one take, almost always making everything up after the record button was hit. In the spirit of Ed Wood, "Second take? Why?" By the third record we were incorporating our own movie ideas into the lyrics."
The Glendas: 3 Free Albums!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASHACRE
Need new spooky sounds for your Halloween party? Here's so much music I haven't even had a chance to check it all out yet, a FREE! download collection called: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASHACRE
2 CDs worth of mashups, remixes, and some possibly original songs. Once again, UK's Cheekyboy has put this together, a tradition going back to 2004. I can tell you that Amoraboy's "Doorbusters" is great, another example of the miraculous alchemy that can take place when two songs/artists I don't really care about (in this case, The Doors, and the "Ghostbusters" theme) are mixed into a really clever gem. And Markyboy's "The Killing Mash" is funny, taking the piss out of Echo & The Bunnymen's dead serious high-art song "The Killing Moon" by backing it with the ridiculously old-fashioned, terribly cheerful instrumental of Bobby 'Boris' Pickett's "Monster Mash."
"Strange Rush To Regulate Evil Deeds" from Orange County's always masterful Voicedude and "Psycho Killer on the Dancefloor" by A+D, the dynamic duo behind the Bootie mashup club nights, are solid bangers. It hardly seems appropriate to dance to Bud The Weiser's track, dropping gruesome audio from the film "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" over beatz, but there it is. Apart from rockin' the party, there are pure sound-collage tracks as well, a la Alan Black's mix of Tom Wait's "What He Building in There" with gawd-knows-what creepiness. Godzilla, The Addams Family and Vincent Price show up on this album, as well. And dropping Gene Wilder and the Monster singing "Putting On The Ritz" from the movie "Young Frankenstein" over DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince's "Nightmare On My Street" was freakin' brilliant (if only they could get rid of the Evanescence chick's singing.)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
THE EVERYDAY FILM: THE FIRST 4 ALBUMS
The Everyday Film has a new, er, "song" - for lack of a better word - up on iTunes called "Emotional Margin Call." Go buy it! After all, he (she? they? it?) gave me permission to post his first four releases here.
Music doesn't usually scare me. But as I wrote when I reviewed the first two albums:
"The Everyday Film's album "The House I Used To Turn Into" was, on first listen, one of the most disturbing things I've ever heard (and maybe on second and third listens as well.) Much of it isn't what most people would even think of as music: a vocoder-ized voice pitched way down loooooow mutters cryptic non-sequiturs, interrupted by brief shards of industrial music-like sounds. "Song" titles include: "The Boy In The Wall," "We Don't Exist Yet," "Budgeted Out The Perverted,"
and "A New Class of Paranoia." The final track on the short album (27 tracks in 15 minutes) is the sound of some poor soul begging for his life while Mr Vocoder Voice mumbles banalities like "relax in the sun...take a vacation...take a 'me' day..." over unsettling electronic drones. That's entertainment!Not to scare you all off, but it can be a fascinating, sometimes funny headphone experience, and a wicked beat even turns up...A 12 minute follow up CD...seems slightly less creepy, and the song titles aren't as twisted. It'll still be dismissed as sick shit by 99.9% of the population, tho."
The Everyday Film - First 4 Albums
The Everyda
y Film mails CDs to my PO box from time to time, and I get the occasional email from him, but I still don't have a shred of biographical info on him , or pictures, and the return addresses have been from different states each time. I used to call him "the Jandek of electronica," but, as one of you commented, he seems to be far more reclusive than even that notoriously shy outsider. There's no longer even a website for the band, so, for now, this is the only place to get these releases. Thanks very much to The Everyday Film for letting me post these here.
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