|
Really haven't been feeling the Halloween thing, this year. Don't know why. Maybe being newly diabetic has spoiled my sweet fang. But I can't ignore it entirely, can I? I had a little folder I started earlier this year in case I did another Halloween mix. These are some of the tunes you might have heard--to quote OJ--"if I did it".
This next one's new--just came out today. Both sides are brilliant.
0 Comments
OK. We're going to have to declare a moratorium on talented youngsters. From now on, I don't want to hear Christmas music from anybody younger than me. Eric Clapton, Mickey Dolenz, step right up; everybody else... Ah, who am I kidding. Age is irrelevant; I never had any musical talent. Rhyan Sinclair is 17 years old and hardly a newcomer. Around the age she was putting out her first album, the music teacher at my school was begging my mother to convince me to drop out of his class. "Please. Don't let your son ever play an instrument ever again." True story.
Rhyan Sinclair is from Lexington, Kentucky. I know some people have pre-conceptions about the favored music in Kentucky. I've been to Kentucky once in my life and the thing that surprised me most was the diversity of music. Rhyan took in all of these sounds--Blues, Country, Rock, Jazz, and more--and put together her first band at the age of 11, a band that fused all those sounds into one. Again, dispense with any pre-conceptions, if you're thinking a band led by an 11 year old is "cute" or "precious". All The Little Pieces was a serious Indie Alternative bands with an amazing and original sound and a large following that stretched from the deep South to the Mid-West, at least. Rhyan was the vocalist and primary songwriter for the critically acclaimed and award winning group and their albums sound remarkable. And just a tip, fairly late in the game, a few of the songs on their last record, "The Legend of Lavinia Fisher" would sound great on your Halloween head-tape (the album was inspired by tales of America's first female serial killer). As time went on, Rhyan found herself drawn, more and more, to Country and Americana music. In particular, the 1987 album "Trio" by Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton was hugely influential. Some members of the band resisted the musical shift and All The Little Pieces soon dissolved. Sometimes, what looks like the end of a road is simply the beginning of a new one and Rhyan, from whom songs flow like a mighty river, embarked on a solo career. Her first record under her own name, "Barnstormer", released earlier this year, is a testament to Rhyan's skills as a songwriter and artist. The depth and range would be remarkable from someone more than twice her age. Musically, as a whole, it more than holds it's own next to my favorites from Nanci Griffith and Emmylou Harris. Let's put it this way, if you hadn't heard of Rhyan Sinclair before now, you're going to be hearing a lot from and about her from now on. (Personal favorites, fwiw, "Selfishly, Heartlessly", "Retrograde", "The Sad Song" and, I can't help it, I'm an absolute sucker for "Skeleton Sam").
Rhyan's latest project--a labor of love--is the Christmas record "Marshmallow World" and it officially drops November 2. Let's have a listen, shall we?
I'll tell you what I absolutely love about that version of "What Christmas Means To Me" from Rhyan Sinclair. It perfectly marries Soul and Americana to the point that you don't even think of them as being different genres. It's just music (and, in a utopian world, that's how we'd hear everything).
"Marshmallow World" is a 6-song EP and something Rhyan has apparently been wanting to do.
There are only two originals on "Marshmallow World", but Rhyan doesn't waste them. "Santa How You Gettin' In My House" is a fun old-time Country number, the kind you could hear Buck Owens or George Jones singing, the kind that would fit right in with the songs on Rhino's 1988 comp "Hillbilly Holiday".
On the entire other end of the spectrum is "Let The Light In (In The Name of Christmas)". Dang, I don't even know how to put this. Let's try it this way. How much are you looking forward to your family gatherings this holiday season? We aren't just divided as a country; as you no doubt know well, our very families are just as divided. So Rhyan pleads,
Can't we set aside our differences in the name of Christmas in the name of something bigger than us in the name of Christmas I don't have the answers but I know we gotta do something to come together and let go... grant each other pardon. 
I don't know whether Rhyan has wisdom beyond her years or whether we need to look to 17 year olds as the last bastion of reason. Either way, "Let The Light In" is supremely affecting. And perhaps it should be required listening before anybody says anything this Christmas. (To be on the safe side, start playing it on a loop before election day.)
Since the rest of the songs on "Marshmallow World" are covers, what we mostly have to evaluate are the arrangements. And, surprise, Rhyan does all of her own arrangements. We've already talked about Motown meets Mountain Music. The medley of "Winter Wonderland" and "Marshmallow World" is fairly straight forward, though the instrumentation and performance are excellent (the word "heartfelt" comes to mind). Do you know how many versions of "Please Come Home For Christmas" I've heard? Rhyan makes the song sound fresh and new. Nuff said. I was a tad worried at the beginning of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" as it starts off with that "voice in the cathedral" sound I've heard a million times. But then the prairie wind blows in and we're treated to a remarkable, almost mournful, Americana walk through the dust bowl, in a way that mirrors a personal search for spiritual salvation after a life of tribulation. Spirituality aside, the song just sounds better to me with banjo and fiddle. Throughout both "Marshmallow World" and "Barnstormer", I was really happy to find that Rhyan didn't just "lose" all those other sounds and influences; you can feel their continued presence in her music, even as she's moved in a more Americana direction. I think I've already said as much, but this young woman is really good. "Marshmallow World" by Rhyan Sinclair arrives November 2. There will be hard copy CDs at live shows and online, though I don't have a direct link just yet. I'm sure they'll be at Rhyan's web store and, while I don't know for sure, I suspect they'll be on Amazon (I came across a listing that said "not available" that then re-directed me to the digital). But, hey, I know a way you can get the CD for sure. From now until October 31st, order "The Legend of Lavinia Fisher" on vinyl or CD from Rhyan's web store and you'll get a copy of the "Marshmallow World" CD for FREE! Can't beat that. Get "Barnstormer" while you're there; it will not disappoint. Downloads will be available at the usual hot spots. Now, if you'll indulge me... What the heck, it's almost Halloween. And I just love every little thing about this song...the rattling bones, the old school backing vocals, everything, every little touch, everything. Let's give a listen to "Skeleton Sam".
You got your William Shatner and your Monkees. But "Winter With Juanita" by The Kens might be as fun an album as you're likely to hear this year.
For what does it profit a man's mixtape to have all the big name artist Christmas releases and lose the whole soul of doing the thing in the first place? A lot of big name artists this year. Clapton's "Happy Xmas" is fantastic. And it's only October. But albums like "Winter With Juanita" are the kinds of records that make a Christmas mixtape sing (pardon the expression, as this is largely an instrumental album).
"Winter With Juanita" is just one of those digital selections buried in a sea of seasonal releases that no one ever finds and no one else is going to tell you about. That's why we're here. The music is clearly created digitally. Much of it sounds as though it were produced using one of those Lowrey home organs like my Dad used to have, some of it sounds like it was created on a vintage moog machine. But those sounds combined with the feel and sound of a Mexicali Spaghetti Western, and both Indie and Hip Hop sensibilities make this the kind of record that will set a mixtape apart. People will sit up and take notice. They'll say, "Now that was cool." "Winter With Juanita" is credited to The Kens. After extensive searching, and many dead ends, I can't say definitively who The Kens are (or is). The leading candidate is the gentleman to the right. He is from South Africa, creates his music electronically, had a single ("Baphi") earlier this year, and goes by The Kens. But I can't say it's actually him with even moderate certainty. Don't even have a verifiable name for the dude. Heck, it could just be production music with The Kens name slapped on (though that wouldn't really explain "Sexy Santa"). That mystery aside, what I can tell you is this. I listened to "Winter With Juanita" straight through, multiple times, never once feeling the urge to lift the virtual needle. There's not a track on here I don't love. And it's the kind of record I would gleefully listen to in August, just for my own head. Bossa Nova fans will dig "Jingle Bossa". If you need something instantly recognizable, but still super cool, there's the one cover, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". The song with the most speaking is "Sexy Santa".(which includes a shout out postal workers everywhere will enjoy). And, for those requiring some sleigh bells, there's always the very festive "Hora de Navidad". Give "Winter With Juanita" by The Kens a chance and I think you'll dig it as much as I do. Pick it up from Amazon.
Not long ago, we gave you a heads-up about the British label devoted to unsigned bands (mostly, but not exclusively, of the Metal variety) and their hopes of issuing a charity Christmas CD this year featuring such bands. Dr Johns Surgery Records has announced that the record has officially been compiled and is ready to rock and roll...to the manufacturer, anyway. They settled on a single CD (after toying with the idea of a double disc release). "Dr Johns Ultimate Rock Christmas Album" officially drops November 2. All profits will go to Exeter Hospiscare. Pre-orders are currently being accepted via Paypal to [email protected]; make sure your address is included and mark it "Christmas album"). The CDs, themselves, are £8.00 each (that's about $10.50 US), but I'm not clear on the postage outside of the UK, so you might want to email to ask, first. Postage within the UK is £2.00 per CD. They give a £3.50 postage as well, but don't really say where that's good for (that's about $4.60 US, fwiw). As I say, best ask first. Send an email to the same address or leave a comment on their Facebook page. UPDATE: It's been clarified. £3.50 postage per CD should get it to the states.
Some of these tunes are brand new, some are not (though most date to 2017), but all are making their hard copy debut. "Dr Johns Ultimate Rock Christmas" figures to be worth the cost of admission, though--especially for Headbangers--for such brilliant tracks as "The Silver Wheel" by Tyranny of Hours, Conspires To's "We Three Kings", and Joe Feloni's "Merry Christmas Collage". But there's also Country Rock from The Southern Raiders Band, Ambient Rock from Strawkites, and Indie Rock from Stillroom. "Christmas Blues" by Uncle Illmo's Band makes an appearance, today, on our Free page. And we previously played the Dean Farnell track for you. But I know some of you will want the most outrageous track included and that is probably this one. Heavy Metal Flatulence Rock from Sacred Wind, "Windy Christmas".
Since there's some fun to be had in this post, The Dollyrots would seem to be a fitting close. Luvz me some Dollyrots. The LA Pop Punk band is always good for a free Christmas single and often good for a free single for other holidays. And, Friday, they dropped a tune for Halloween. Busy little worker bees that they are, The Dollyrots have also just released an EP, "Resting Happy Face", that's the beginning of their next full length record and exclusively available to their Patreon supporters. And, back to Halloween, they've got an upcoming live streaming StageIt show on October 27, where they'll be performing a bunch of their spookiest fare. Now back to the free Halloween single. You know it rocks, you know it's fun. So hands up, fangs out, and head straight to Bandcamp to download The Dollyrots take on "The Monster Mash". No trick, it's a treat for sure.
It was bound to happen. As soon as I post that I'm not doing a Halloween mix this year, someone drops a Halloween album. Do you know how rare single artist Halloween albums are (Not talking about all the crap that surfaces this time every year)? Very. No, I'm still not doing a Halloween mix this year. But there's no reason why you can't.
 KIM POSTED A BUNCH OF CREEPY HALLOWEEN PHOTOS IN ADVANCE OF THE RECORD'S RELEASE. AIN'T USING THEM. TOO CREEPY. Kim Petras is a 25 year old singer/songwriter. Originally from Germany, she moved to LA (Patterson, New Jersey....sorry, Abbott and Costello joke) at the age of 19 where she began writing songs prolifically and networking. She did the YouTube thing for a while, wrote songs with and for other artists, and released a bunch of singles in 2017 and 2018, but "Turn Off The Light, Vol. 1" is her first long-form project. If I award bonus points to artists who debut with a Christmas album, what kind of points should I award an artist whose album debut is a Halloween album? Kim is apparently very popular among people who don't restrict their listening to Christmas music. Usually, the videos I post for new releases have between 0 and 100 YouTube views when I post them (you know, unless it's Eric Clapton or something). Kim's videos for this release have been up a day and have tens of thousands of views already. I would describe Kim Petras as a Dance Pop artist. There's a lot of techno and synth going on. Most people just say she's a Pop artist. For her influences, she mentions mostly 80s artists...Queen, Culture Club, Madonna, Blondie. Her fascination with writing songs came about after watching a documentary on Carole King. Overall, I'd say I enjoyed listening to "Turn Off The Light", even though this brand of Pop isn't usually my bag. But they're certainly well written songs. And there are definitely some tunes, here, that would be good for a dance floor Halloween mix or party. "It's got a good beat, Dick. You can dance to it. I give it an 84." (American Bandstand? Anybody? Bueller? I'm so old.) Of course the songs on "Turn Off The Light" are largely sexual metaphors (some a bit less metaphorical than others). But there's also a thread that runs through the record as a piece...that of a good girl gone evil (Kim assures us she's just playing a character). "Tell Me It's A Nightmare", for example, is about this evil girl killing her lover, and then she's all like, "You made me do it." Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, makes a guest appearance on the title track. "Turn Off The Light, Vol. 1" by Kim Petras is digital only and available now at pretty much every online retailer and streaming service.  Gotta be honest....had a hard time trying to come up with a title for this. Oh well, better luck next year. Anyway... Sure, Christmas is coming. But, well before Christmas comes....Halloween. Bwaaahahaha! And you'd better be ready because Halloween isn't about a fat man in red bringing toys (well, there is Krampus, but let's not go there just now). There are bound to be some Spooky singles as we get closer to All Hallows Eve, but let's get an early look at a few of the full lengths that might be worthy of your attention.  Every year, there seems to be one collection of forgotten slabs that tops our trick or treat list. This year's is "The Shadow Knows" from Bear Family. The album boasts 34 tracks, though four of those are radio trailers for horror movies (which I dig very much). Some of the tracks are fairly available--like "The Monster Hop" by Bert Convy and Jackie Morningstar's "Rockin' In The Graveyard". But several of the tracks are super rare. If you thought George Romero invented zombies, you'll swing and swoon to the Gene Kardos Orchestra's "Zombie" from 1934. More ghoulish fun can be had on rocking instrumentals by Lord Dent & His Invaders and the frighteningly fast and furious "Ghost Train" by The Swanks. Or how bout this long forgotten slice from The Poets. Aren't you just dying to hear it? There's more, of course. Kay Starr's "Headless Horseman", Bobby Bare's "Vampira", Sceamin' Jay Hawkins, Screamin' Lord Sutch, The Coasters and The Cadillacs. Check the track list for yourself.  1: Monster Gonzales - Tommy Bruce & The Bruisers 2: Murder In The Graveyard - Screamin' Lord Sutch 3: Graveyard - The Phantom Five 4: Frenzy - Screamin' Jay Hawkins 5: Midnight Monsters Hop - Jack & Jim 6: The Ghost Hop - The Surfmen 7: The Monsters Hop - Bert Convy 8: I Was A Teenage Werewolf - Movie Trailer 9: Wolf Call - Lord Dent & The Invaders 10: Rockin' In The Graveyard - Jackie Morningstar 11: Goofy Dry Bones - The Goofers 12: Black Sunday - Movie Trailer 13: Zombie - Gene Kardos & His Orchestra 14: Strollin' Spooks - Ken Nordine & His Kinsmen 15: Dragonfly - Tommy Dee & The Mellotones 16: Ghost Satellite - Bob & Jerry 17: Plan 9 From Outer Space - Movie Trailer 18: Creature From Outer Space - Sonny Day & The Tony Ray Combo 19: Ghost Train - The Swanks 20: Tennessee Hillbilly Ghost - George Morgan 21: The Headless Horseman - Kay Starr with The Billy Butterfield Quintet 22: Ghost Trains - Hank Snow 23: Ghost Riders In The Sky - The Chantays 24: The Boogie Man - The Cadillacs 25: Horror Of Dracula - Movie Trailer 26: Vampira - Bobby Bare 27: The Cat - Rod Willis 28: The Shadow Knows - The Coasters 29: Dead - The Poets 30: Goo Goo Muck - Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads 31: Demon Lover - Lynn Cornell 32: The Rockin' Ghost - Archie Bleyer 33: Spooky - George Barnes 34: The Shadow Knows - Link Wray & His Raymen The scary thing about "The Shadow Knows" is that it's an import. And, as such, Amazon and other domestic vendors won't have it until November 9. So, if this is the droid you've been searching for, we'd recommend you purchase direct from Bear Family (European release date is September 21). Back in 1964, "The Munsters" was a huge television hit. No fools, the executives at Decca Records pounced on the opportunity to turn green (as in Herman) to green (as in money). They rushed an unknown group known as The Go-Go's (no, not them...Belinda Carlisle was just 6 years old at the time) into the studio with some quickly slapped together tunes and unleashed "The Munsters" on an unsuspecting public. Note that the cover doesn't give The Go-Go's any billing (just mentioning that the record was "inspired by" television's oddest family). As you might suspect, the album wasn't a big hit. But, as time went by, it developed a cult following. Who doesn't love campy horror rock and roll, after all? Original copies go for big bucks, so Real Gone has swooped in to rescue us all. Never before re-issued in any format, they've re-mastered this monster, added rare photos and behind-the-scenes liner notes on the recording and, on September 7, they will free "The Munsters" from their laboratory for all to enjoy. What's more, it can be yours on CD or vinyl. Scary, isn't it? (Vinyl has been selling out fast, so don't sleep on that.)
After "A Charlie Brown Christmas" performed beyond everyone's expectations, the same executives who had predicted disaster now wanted more. The second Peanuts special was "The Charlie Brown All Stars". Gotta be honest, I don't even remember that one. But the third Peanuts special, airing in 1966, is generally considered by all to be the true masterpiece of all the Peanuts specials...from animation to music. Who among us can forget Snoopy's epic battle with the Red Baron? And, aside from "Good Grief", has there ever been a more memorable line than "I got a rock!"  As hard as it is to believe, there has never been an official soundtrack album for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown". Why is that? At the time the special was made, Vince Guaraldi was involved in a law suit with his record label. Whether they were purposely or accidentally destroyed, no master tapes of any of the music from the show have ever been found (aside from "The Great Pumpkin Waltz"). A storybook record was issued in 1978, but that was essentially just the entire special on record, complete with dialog. A brief mono minute of the Pumpkin version of "Linus and Lucy" also turned up on the soundtrack for "A Boy Named Charlie Brown", for some reason. Craft Recordings, a division of the highly respected Concord label, has played this one pretty close to the vest--which isn't encouraging, in and of itself. But, as bits and pieces of info have been gleaned, it would appear that the source material for this release is a production piece from the special itself--the mono cue stems. That means the tracks will be brief and will contain the sound effects (the latter is far from a deal breaker; sound effects on a Halloween record are usually a plus) but, theoretically, no dialog. The whole thing runs about 20 minutes. No extended Vince Guaraldi magic, but still...there has never been an official soundtrack for "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" in any format. So what one feels about this CD, coming October 5, is largely in the ear of the beholder. Pick your Peanuts metaphor. Is this the Great Pumpkin finally come, or did you get a rock? Did Lucy pull the football away one more time, or maybe it's not such a bad little tree (it just needs a little love). Concord's a solid label, so expect top-notch re-mastering. And "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" might be worth buying for the liner notes alone (from Peanuts historian Derrick Bang), as those will likely explain a lot. A vinyl version is planned, as well, though the release date for that is not certain (may not even be this year). I'll list the track lengths with the titles to give you a better idea of what this is and isn't.
 "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is getting a vinyl re-issue on October 26. If you missed it last year, Cleopatra's "Punk Rock Halloween" is back, including the brilliant "Evil Approaches" by Reel Big Fish. And I think it's also worth mentioning last year's Surf Guitar EP from The Primitive Finks, "Horror Party Stomp", in case you missed that one. But I wanna close with the new/upcoming release from Hugh Cornwell who, if you didn't know, was the vocalist for The Stranglers until he split from the band in 1990. His forthcoming album is "Monster". The CD and vinyl are slated to drop on October 5 and the album, as a whole, is unlikely to be the stuff Halloween mixtapes are made of. But the lead single, available now, is perfect for the occasion. The "A" side is the album's title track, "Monster", while the "B" side is "Pure Evel". If you want something new in the mix, this one's worth checking out.  Good news/bad news time. The good news? We have a Halloween mix! Yay! More on that in a minute. Now the bad news. Last weekend, I opened a window for Mrs. Katz. And, just because of that small thing, I lost the use of my right arm for 2 days. It just hung there like a piece of meat, totally useless and very, very painful. This is the kind of crap I've been dealing with for 4 months, now, give or take. And that's just a trivial example because I knew I'd get the arm back in a couple of days. But there's stuff that I don't think is coming back. I am sick pretty much 24/7. I am in pain definitely 24/7. I've been through three rounds of medication and here the pain remains. I can't remember the last time I got a good night's sleep. I don't want to dwell on it beyond what I've said already, because I'm certain many of my readers are dealing with worse. And I don't want to speculate on what it might be, because that would be disrespectful of those who actually have any issue I might speculate on. But the upshot is I can not do this blog anymore. I can't get comfortable long enough to even attempt it. I'm most disappointed that I couldn't even do the List properly this year. I thought at least that... But I can't. I have renewed the domain, for whatever that's worth. And now's when all the surprise gifts start turning up. Yep Rock's contribution, this year, looks dang good. One of my favorite labels, Bloodshot, is entering the fray with a Roots and everything collection (CD or vinyl of assorted colors). One of our readers just wrote to tell us Harriet's "Winter Stories" is available again (she's the one who sounds a bit like Karen Carpenter). Heck, I haven't even done anything on the annual crop of Snowflakes Singles (the ONLY physical product I'm springing for this year). I suck. So this Halloween mix is likely the last you'll hear from me, here (I might still pop up on occasion at Imwan or the Fa, where I can get in and out in a couple of minutes). The graphics are kinda bare bones, this year. That's why we're calling it "The Black Cat Album" (like the Beatles' "White Album", see). Hopefully, you're skilled enough to whip up whatever pieces I didn't provide. The usual rules apply. It's all pre-mixed. The whole thing will fit on one CD. Sound effects (the few there are, this year) are gathered from various sources, including Soundbible (attribution required). We'll leave it up for.....I dunno. Grab it before Halloween and you won't be upset if it disappears on Nov. 2...or 3...or 4...whenever it goes (but in that general time frame). Once it's gone, it's gone for good, never again to rise from the grave. The playlist below is all linked up. Song titles are linked to places where you can purchase the track in question (exception: the Buddy Lamp single is linked to Amazon, but you're likely going to have to fish eBay to buy that one). Artist names are linked to artist sites, when available, and write-ups that will tell you about the group or artist where an artist site is not available. And the titles with an asterisk are available as free or Name-Your-Price downloads. As for the music, those of you who've been here awhile know I tend to favor mood over subject matter. A song like "Cadaverine" by The Ruffled Feathers probably has no business being on a typical Halloween playlist. But, dear lord, I love that group. And, hey, Stubby's has never been "typical". Our Halloween mixes are at least a shade or two different than the rest and that's why you love 'em, right? Right? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? Anybody? I'm frankly surprised I haven't used the Manhattan Transfer track before now and even more surprised to learn I hadn't used anything from the 2013 "Mondo Zombie Boogaloo" collection until this year (we didn't do a Halloween mix in '13, but i should have mined it in the years since). And I'm pretty sure I'm in love with Samantha Fish. For the skeptics out there saying, "Say, that's a mighty healthy post for a guy who can't stay comfortable for long"--yes, I know you're out there--I've been writing this post a bit at a time since the 10th (I actually started before the mix was done). Anyway, I'm 99.9% certain there will be no Christmas mix this year ("So you're saying there's a chance". Ah, NO). I do need to start selling some of my collections(s) on eBay, so I may pop up to announce the opening of Stubby's Stores. Or not. Have a good Christmas and please patronize our Festive Friends to the right, who will take very good care of you and introduce you to all the amazing music of the season. Now go grab yourself a hunk of horror and download "Stubby's Halloween '17: The Black Cat Album" while it still lives. Click on any of the artwork in this post or just click here [gone now]. Go on, get outta here. You're starting to scare me.
 Before Christmas, there is Halloween. Lots of good new Halloween collections coming out this year and, if I ever get around to it, I'll tell you about them. But, tonight, I just want to mention this one (which isn't a collection) because it's unlikely anyone else will. And the digital version is FREE (well, name-your-price) at Bandcamp. There's a very limited vinyl pressing, as well. More on that in a sec. The group is Terrortron and the album is "Orgy of the Vampires", offered as an "original soundtrack" (faux, I presume). And what's a faux soundtrack without a faux trailer.  Terrortron haunts the alleys, asylums and other night spots of North Carolina, turning out their horror-ific blood-soaked 80s synthwave "soundtracks" with the skill of Dr. Frankenstein. "Orgy of the Vampires" is their latest creation and its a monster that's been built to perfection. Personally, I never thought the 80s would be the stuff of fond nostalgia but, of late, I find myself enjoying the movies from that decade more than any other. And the horror soundtracks in the 80s were usually top-notch. Terrortron will put you right into the middle of an 80s horror flick without any need for the visuals; they are just that good. Combining the feel of a classic horror movie with the energy and musicality of Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein", every moment and mood of "Orgy of the Vampires" is celebrated and exalted with a theme worthy of the immortality of Mike Oldfield's "Tubular Bells" or John Carpenter's "Halloween". And, if you happen to love vinyl, you can pre-order one of the (only) 300 copies being pressed via Bandcamp. Those will ship in the first week of October and the music on those LPs has been mastered especially for vinyl. If your Halloween mix just happens to be missing something that is both frightening and frighteningly good, something both blood fresh and 80s familiar, Terrortron's "Orgy of the Vampires" may just provide the bite you've been missing. Just about every track on this album is an instant classic, so let me give you a taste of the one with the coolest title--"If The Coffin's Rockin', Don't Come Knockin' ". Quick reminder. Don't forget to grab our Stubby's House Halloween set while you can. You've got until Thursday, but you might as well get it now, since it is Halloween and all. And, to quote John Belushi, "it don't cost nothin." And here's a thing that just happened. Asleep At The Wheel's third Christmas record and their first in 10 years. Look for it November 18th.  1. Merry Texas Christmas Y'All
2. Christmas In Jail 3. Baby, It's Cold Outside 4. You Me & A Christmas Tree 5. Feliz Navidad 6. Christmas Time In Texas 7. Blue Christmas 8. Deck The Halls Boogie 9. Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 10. Christmas In Cowtown 11. What Child Is This? ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL WEB SITE PRE-ORDER CD THROUGH AMAZON PRE-ORDER DIGITAL FROM iTUNES Well, this kinda throws a wet towel on Halloween. John Zacherle--"The Cool Ghoul"--has passed away.  John Zacherle was born in Philadelphia. He served in the US Army during World War II, seeing action in Europe and Northern Africa. He did a bit of acting and then landed a gig with Philly's WCAU television station. Wherever you grew up, chances are you had a local station that played bad horror and SciFi movies and you had a host for those movies who dressed like a ghoul or a vampire or something odd and who made bad puns during the commercial breaks. Zacherle was the original. Beginning in 1957, he became the host of WCAU's "Shock Theater". He invented the character of Roland who wore a long undertaker's jacket and addressed his "wife" (who was theoretically dead and lying in the coffin) as "My dear". He also had a lab assistant (Igor) and, together, they would often perform skits and make jokes while the movie played. If that sounds like "Mystery Science Theater 3000" to you, it should. As I said earlier, Zacherle was the original. He was close friends with Dick Clark and sometimes filled in for him on American Bandstand. And it was Clark who first called him "The Cool Ghoul". Zacherle moved onto New York in 1959, keeping the Roland character (though changing the character's name to Zacherley) and the same basic schtick. Though he changed stations from time to time, he was a fixture in the New York market for years. Zacherle had a Top Ten hit with "Dinner With Drac" and roles in numerous B-movies. He recorded several albums and wrote several books. In 1960, he even ran for President (facetiously of course, but nearly a decade before Pat Paulson did it). If you want to hear his platform, you'll find "Zacherley For President" on the "Spook Along" album. Truly, the man was a Renaissance Ghoul.   I knew none of this when I first heard Zacherle. To me, he was the late night radio host on WPLJ-FM. He held that gig through the seventies and I listened most every night. He did no schtick (although he did retain the "My Dear(s)", though, in this context, it was addressed to the listeners). And, in a town with more than its share of top notch late night DJs, Zacherle was the best. The only one who even came close was The Nightbird, Alison Steele, but that was an entirely different kind of trip. After his run at WPLJ, Zach moved up and down the dial a couple of times, including a short-lived return to WPLJ. As time went on, his appearances on the radio became an annual thing. Once a year, Zacherle would rise to host a Halloween special on the radio. Some years, he'd even get to do Halloween on TV again. And it should come as no surprise that he was a huge hit at conventions and the like, which he attended regularly pretty much through the rest of his life. Zacherle and his fans carried on a mutual love affair for many many years. And make no mistake, this man was loved. He was such a good person, through and through. You've likely never known anyone more comfortable in his own skin. He looked on the brighter side always and enjoyed and savored every moment of life (I'm guessing not many of you have seen the old movie "Between Two Worlds", but Zacherle's disposition was a lot like that of Pete Musick). John Zacherle died on Thursday at the age of 98. Halloween will never be quite the same.   I gotta be honest. I'm not sure I've got another Christmas mix in me. But Halloween? Yeah, I got that. Generally speaking, you know how this works. The sides are pre-mixed and run between 15 and 20 minutes each (which was about the length of an album side back in the day). Sound effects and actualities are gathered from the web including some from Soundbible (attribution required). All the tunes are linked up to where you can get them and artists are linked up to their websites (where available). Tracks with an asterisk are available as free downloads. Although the track from Vincent Price is linked to a listing for the actual LP (probably unavailable anyway), I actually got that one from the Wonderful Wonderblog, one of my favorite Halloween haunts, who did a Halloween mix several years back--"The Black And Orange Album". The radio ad for "The House of Seven Corpses" also came from that mix. There is one change from past years. I've usually made this stuff so that it would all fit on a single CD (if the max length of a CD is 80 minutes and each side is 20 minutes or less, it should work out automatically). But this year I did a fifth side. So you're either going to have to use 2 CDs or kick one side to the curb. There were two reasons I did a fifth side. First, I had some tunes I liked that couldn't worm their way into the other 4. More pointedly, however, I'm not a fan of novelty records, even at Halloween. I think they wear out their welcome fairly quickly. And, after listening to "The Mummy" a couple dozen times, I couldn't take it anymore. But the side was already mixed and I did want "Disco Werewolf" in. So I cut a fifth, even though those songs are less "spooky" (except for "Spooky", of course, which...ah whatever). There is artwork for a CD that tosses "Side P" and artwork for a CD that excludes "Side S" (as always, the artwork is included in the zip file). And, yes, there is also artwork for the dreaded double CD. And, if none of the options appeal to you, there are also raw versions of the artwork for you (assuming you've got a program to do something with it).  I only included "The Mummy" at all because Rod McKuen passed away late last year and he was one of my mother's favorites. In a similar vein, when Otis Clay passed, I went looking to see if he'd done any Christmas tunes. Though I didn't find any Christmas tunes, I did find "Voodoo Queen" and I found Clay Otis as well. Loved "Disco Werewolf" and threw it in. While I was linking up the tracks a few days ago, I learned that Clay Otis had just passed, as well. It was quite unexpected as he was only 35 years old. Just a reminder from the powers that be that no one is guaranteed any day but today. Make the most of it. A few other track notes. Kacey Jones also passed this year. She was mostly known for her novelty records, but her album of Mickey Newbury covers (from which we get "Apples Dipped In Candy") shows she could deliver a straight tune with exquisite power. Mr. Undertaker, whose "Here Lies My Love" is an All Hallows Eve classic, is Roy Hawkins. Hawkins life was fairly well cursed, itself. His right arm was paralyzed in an auto accident, inspiring one of his better known songs "Why Do Everything Happen To Me". But his best know composition was "The Thrill Is Gone". Poor Roy. When B.B. King recorded that one, Hawkins was not originally given the writer's credit and he lost out on tons of royalties. That's the kind of luck Roy Hawkins had. And, yes, Roy did record a Christmas track, "Christmas Blues", in 1948. Greg In Good Company's "Monster's Lair" was inspired by the Netflix series "Stranger Things", which I've never seen. If you hadn't yet heard Fifth Harmony's "I'm In Love With A Monster", get used to it; that song's got legs (at least 8 of them) and it's going to be a Halloween staple for decades to come. And, while Katie Melua has other songs more appropriate for the witching hour, I just love "If The Lights Go Out" too much to use anything else. Its got jangly guitars and a hopeful message and I can't think of any better closing number. If you've been with us for a while, you already know that clicking on any of the artwork images in this post will take you to the download (in theory, at least). As always, on these Halloween sets, you get roughly a week to get yer ghost on. After that, the collection will just dissolve into ectoplasmic goo and the smoke of non-corporeal spectres. All links will be removed and the collection will be buried six feet deep never to rise again. So, let's see, it's October 26. Halloween is Monday (ooohhh, that's spooky, boys and girls). Clock is running. I'll give you until Midnight Friday (November 4th, I believe). That's gonna be Eastern Time this year (possibly Central, but definitely not Pacific). We'll get it all out of the way before what is truly the scariest day on the calendar...Election Day. Ooup. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit, there. Now go on, get outta here. The children of the night are waiting. Ah, what music they make. BOO!
 |
About usI love Christmas, music, and cats. What more do you need to know? FestiveFriendsFaLaLaLaLa The TwittersSantas Working Overtime Archives
September 2022
Categories
All
 |
RSS Feed
