Rocktober XIV

It's finally Friday, which means it's time to kick off horror host/hostess weekend! And there's no better way to do that than to post a song from that hostess with the mostest, that head with two things, that reigning Queen of the B's for 30 years running, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark! 

Otherwise known as Cassandra Peterson, Elvira came to life in 1981, when she began hosting Elvira's Movie Macabre on a local Los Angeles TV channel. While the producers of the show first asked horror hostess progenitor Maila Nurmi to recreate her 1950s Vampira character for the role, Nurmi quit early on and an open casting call landed Peterson in the role that would become her trademark. 

Before becoming Elvira, Peterson grew up in Kansas and became a Las Vegas showgirl at age 17, then went on to briefly date Elvis, have a small part in the Fellini film Roma, and join the legendary L.A. improv comedy troupe The Groundlings. It was as a Groundling that Peterson honed the comedic chops that Elvira would become known for, and also where she developed a Valley girl-like character that eventually became Elvira. 

Hell yeah,
that's me with Elvira!

Obviously the character was a huge hit and Elvira became a Halloween institution. Over the years her face has graced everything from beer displays to pinball machines to comic books, and the Elvira Halloween costume continues to be a bestseller every year. She also made an Elvira movie in 1988, aptly called Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, which remains one of the best horror comedy films ever made. Just last year Elvira returned to her roots and began hosting horror films again on syndicated television, with a brand new run of Elvira's Movie Macabre.  Look for it late at night on a TV near you! 

As a queen of all media, Elvira has not only conquered TV, movies, and the internet; she also has a decent recording career under her dagger-bedecked belt. She has now released four Halloween music compilations (the newest one just out on itunes), which contain both Halloween classics (yes, "The Monster Mash" is on one of them, as is "Monster's Holiday," the Christmas sequel to the "Mash") and originals sung by Elvira herself. The following is one of Elvira's own, in which she is backed up by Fred "Monster in My Pants" Schneider of the B-52s. 

Here she comes now and she looks so, so.... nightmarishly amazing! All hail Elvira! Elvira for president!