Good hands. Bad taste in cars.

Even though we've lost a lot of horror heroes this year, there are still some with us, including my favorite, John Carpenter! I love his films for their thoughtfulness, humor, streamlined storytelling, often radical ideology, and incredible tension. I mean, he turned Rowdy Roddy Piper into an antifascist superhero who is more relevant now than when They Live was made in the 80s. The man is a genius!

Carpenter is a real auteur--he writes, directs, edits, and composes music for his films. His synth scores are part of what make his films so recognizable as his own. For instance, have you ever heard the urgent, pulsing tones of the Halloween theme and not had the specter of Michael Myers pop up in your brain? Or seen an image of Michael Myers and not imagined that theme? The same goes for many of Carpenter's other films.

Lately John Carpenter has been spending a lot more time on his music than on directing. In 2015 and 2016, he released two Lost Themes records, which consist of theme music to imagined films. However, in just a few days (10/20), Carpenter will release a new album of re-recorded themes to his classic films, called Anthology: Movie Themes 1974-1998. Luckily we don't have to wait any longer for a video from the new album. Recently he released one for the theme to Christine, which, naturally, he also directed. As if John Carpenter back in the driver's seat of that furious Plymouth Fury wasn't exciting enough, look sharp for a cameo by The (Volkswagen) Thing!

Will you wait here till I come back to life?

Just a month before we lost the great Tobe Hooper, we also lost the man that inspired Hooper to make horror movies in the first place, George Romero. Romero's Night of the Living Dead ushered in a whole new way of making horror films, not to mention a whole new type of monster: the shuffling, flesh-hungry zombie. Up until Night of the Living Dead came out in 1968, zombies were usually reanimated henchmen doing the bidding of an evil overlord. Romero's zombies weren't doing anyone's bidding except their own. They wanted to eat your brains just for the love of eating your brains.

George Romero and his creations.

Night of the Living Dead and its sequels also introduced a new level of socio-politial commentary that hadn't previously been present in horror films, or at least not to the degree Romero emphasized it. His films addressed racism, consumerism, and the general dark underbelly of American culture. This is largely because, as he has said, he decided not to make the monsters exotic, but to make them our neighbors instead. Part of what makes his films so horrifying is that we are not just watching the evil deeds of monsters, but the evil deeds of ourselves. 

After hundreds of bad DVD and VHS transfers due to its public domain status, Night of the Living Dead has finally gotten the love it deserves with a new 4K restoration completed by MoMA and The Film Foundation. Luckily, George Romero saw it before his death and gave it his seal of approval. He said it was as close as we can get to a definitive version of the film. The new restoration premieres in NYC this Friday (the 13th!) at Film Forum, and will be playing in other theaters throughout the country as well. Janus has bought the film for distrubution, which means it's very likely that Night of the Living Dead will become part of the Criterion Collection. Not bad for a little black and white horror movie filmed on the cheap in rural Pennsylvania with unknown actors.

Today's song, "George Romero," is a tribute to the man (and a few other horror legends) by the indie pop band Sprites. They put to music what we're all thinking when we watch a George Romero movie--what would I do if I was trapped inside a mall with zombies pounding at the door? I know what I'd do--swipe all the Night of the Living Dead Criterion DVDs (which will exist by the time the zombie apocalypse comes), and throw all the annoying people trapped with me to the munchers outside.

KOKLA Red River Rock 'n Roll Request

Sadly we can't leave the virtual funeral parlor just yet. The past 12 months have been brutal for losses in the horror community, such as the unexpected death of Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper in August. 

Texas Chainsaw's legacy as one of the greatest horror films ever made can't be overstated. The terror it invokes is too much even for me--I've only seen it twice, the second time being two years ago, and I still feel like it's too soon to watch it again. I still love it, though. Aside from feeling as real and gritty as a documentary, Tobe Hooper himself has said that the heart of the movie is about meat and the killing of sentient beings. He even stopped eating meat during the filming. I'm coming up on 25 years as a vegetarian, so anti-meat is certainly a theme I can respect!

Since a song about the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre already made an appearance here a few years ago, today's song is from the 1986 sequel. Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is much heavier on comedy than terror, but still features the buzz-happy Sawyer family doing the gory thing they do best. "No One Lives Forever" by Oingo Boingo is just one of many great songs on a stellar soundtrack that also features bands like The Cramps and Concrete Blonde. The video is made up of scenes from the movie, so let's all salute Tobe Hooper by taking a ride through his horror carnival.

R.I.P., Cool Ghoul

Last year the world lost one of the most fun and beloved voices in horror hosting, John Zacherle, a.k.a. Zacherley, a.k.a. The Cool Ghoul. He lived to the rotten old age of 98, and will always be remembered for helping cement the pattern that countless horror hosts after him would follow: monstrous persona, silly gags during breaks in the film, and occasionally jumping into the film itself to make a joke. Check out Zacherley's New York Times obituary for more about his long and varied career, such as hosting a teen dance party show with guests like The Doors and The Lovin' Spoonful!

We heard Zacherley's first hit, "Dinner With Drac," the first year of this blog, but he recorded many more Halloween classics as well. Today's song is a true Halloween anthem: "Happy Halloween." Zacherley's rich voice rolls off the directions and guest list to the happeningest Halloween happening in all the land. 

Perhaps one day we will meet at the great Halloween party in the sky, but until then, Zacherley will truly be missed. However, I have a hunch his spirit is still among us, haunting the bejesus out of midnight B-movie screenings everywhere. Whenever you spot a zipper in a monster's rubber suit, Zacherley is there. 

Good night, Zacherley, whatever you are!

The Maddest Story Ever Told!

Arrow dvd art.

Just one great horror theme isn't nearly enough for one weekend, so today's song comes from a movie that is about as far away as you can get from Suspiria in style and tone, yet no less entertaining. Spider Baby is not only an excellent film, but lucky for us, it has a demented theme song to match its demented subject matter. And when I say demented, I mean Lon Chaney, Jr. singing about cannibalism demented!

Spider Baby is a criminally under-seen black comedy from 1967, directed by Jack Hill (Coffy, Foxy Brown--he discovered Pam Grier!). It stars such horror luminaries as Lon Chaney, Jr., Sid Haig, and Carol Ohmart (maybe best remembered as Annabelle Loren in House on Haunted Hill). The plot centers around a chauffer (Chaney) who cares for the remaining three children of a formerly wealthy family, whose members have become the victims of a genetic disease that makes them degenerate into deformed, cannibalistic psychos. Fun family!

Now the spider gets to give the bug a big sting.
Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting!

Imagine if Tennessee Williams had written Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and you might have something close to the funny, yet sad, yet horrifying tone of Spider Baby. Although there are clear nods to its horror movie predecessors (several Psycho homages, and the Wolf Man shout outs due to Lon Chaney's presence make my heart pitter patter), but it's really unlike any other film I've seen. Maybe that's why it was a dud at the box office and is a beloved cult treasure today. Currently 100% on Rotten Tomatoes!

Several artists have paid homage to Spider Baby over the years, such as White Zombie recording a song called "Spiderbaby (Yeah-Yeah-Yeah)" on 1992's La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Vol. 1. Then, in the early 2000s, Enrique Acosta wrote a musical version of the movie, which contintues to be performed periodically (free download of the musical's soundtrack on its website!). One of the most impressive homages, however, is the cover of the Spider Baby theme that metal super group Fantomas did for their album of (mostly horror) film theme covers, The Director's Cut. 

Their version doesn't top the original (how could it? Lon Chaney! Singing! About cannibalism!), but it does do it some serious justice. Mike Patton gets the unhinged-in-a-fun-way spirit of the lyrics just right, while the band steers the careening melody toward its dynamite conclusion. Check it out below, as well as the unsurpassed original. And if you haven't seen Spider Baby yet, no excuses! It's currently free in its entirety on YouTube.

Here Lon Chaney, Jr. sets the table for Spider Baby's wacky cannibal feast:

Fantomas offers up delectable seconds:

Suzy, do you know anything about... witches?

Gorgeous Synapse cover art by Malleus.

Even if this year has managed to suck in almost every way possible, it has excelled in at least one respect: the salvaging of Dario Argento's Italian horror classic Suspiria! Not only is Synapse's painstaking 4K restoration being unleashed on the world at this very moment, but just a few months ago a pristine, uncut 35mm print was found in a defunct Chicago theater. The print is currently touring various art houses throughout the country. Check it out if you can--Suspiria is a movie that needs to be seen a theater to appreciate its full glory. I saw the film print in July and was blown away by how great it looks and sounds. That eye-popping Argento color palette, the Goblin soundtrack, and the (gag) attic full of maggots just doesn't have the same effect on a TV screen.

In addition to two great new ways to see Suspiria as it should be seen, Argento's house band Goblin is on tour, too! I have tickets to see them in November and can't wait. They've been on again/off again since the 70s, but lately they've been mostly on, so catch them if you can! With all the love Suspiria has been getting lately, surely they'll be playing some of their classic material from that soundtrack. Until then, let us satisfy our witchy cravings with Goblin's spooky Suspiria theme.

Beware... take care.

Although known for their shiny happy dance songs and relationship ballads, yesterday's "King Kong Song" isn't the only Halloween-worthy song ABBA recorded. Hell, it's not even the only one to mention King Kong! 

Don't try at home--you must be double jointed.
And Hungarian.

"I'm A Marionette" is about being controlled by someone's will other than your own. It has an urgent beat and anxious key signature, a lyric about feeling out of place like King Kong, and was spooky enough for Ghost to cover on their 2013 Infestissumam album. 

Like ABBA, Ghost is Swedish, plus they're fairly poppy for a metal band, so maybe "I'm A Marionette" isn't so strange a song choice as it would at first seem. In fact, I might even say ABBA's version is spookier than Ghost's. Maybe it's because I expect Ghost to deliver the jitters, but it throws me off-kilter to hear Agnetha and Frida sounding so frantic. The lyrics also have an uncomfortable ring of truth, like: "I'm a marionette, everybody's pet, just as long as I sing." C'mon ladies, I'm sure the superstar life got rough, but please tell me it was more "Dancing Queen" than Puppet Master. Please? Please?!

Give both a listen and decide which one pulls your strings.

Mamma mia, that's a big gorilla!

Fatz, rockin the keys at the long-gone
Showbiz Pizza Place. Look for him and
the rest of the Rock-a-fire Explosion
performing ABBA covers at a Sheraton
lounge near you.

King Kong is one of the most lovable movie monsters of all time, so it's only fitting that one of the most lovable pop bands of all time would have recorded an ode to him. If you never thought the heavenly harmonies of ABBA would lend themselves well to so hairy a topic as the greatest of all great apes, then you are in for a pleasant surprise! 

"King Kong Song" comes from ABBA's 1974 album Waterloo, but was also rereleased a couple years later when the 1976 remake of King Kong came out. Sadly it didn't resurface for any of the subsequent Kong reboots, but plans are already in motion for a 2020 Kong vs. Godzilla movie (plus Mothra?!--swoon). Maybe it's finally time for a real ABBA reunion. (Touring as holograms, as they've announced they're going to do in 2019, doesn't count in my book.) 


How about it, Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha, and Anni-Frid? Maybe record a new Kong/Godzilla mash-up with Blue Oyster Cult? 

Led through the mist by the milk light of moon...

Ever want to forget all your troubles and escape into the unknown? A lovely way to do just that is to binge watch all ten episodes of the gorgeous animated miniseries Over the Garden Wall. The series follows two half brothers on their fairy tale adventures through a mysterious forest, where they try to find their way home with the help (or hindrance) of characters like The Woodsman (Christopher Lloyd), Quincy Endicott (John Cleese), and Auntie Whispers (Tim Curry).

Over the Garden Wall was created by Patrick McHale, who also worked on the excellently weird Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and Adventure Time. It won an Emmy in 2015, but is perhaps even more beloved and commemorated now than when it premiered. Last month Mondo released a second edition of their Over the Garden Wall "For Sara" cassette (no spoilers--you have to watch the series to get its significance), along with new posters and enamel pins. 

While the prospect of new Over the Garden Wall music is exciting, nothing can really top the original music of the series. It was composed by gypsy folk band The Petrojvic Blasting Company, who were accompanied by various singers. Today's song is the theme, which is sung by Jack Jones. Actually, in the series' title sequence it's sung by Greg's many-named frog Jason Funderburker. Or is he going by Dr. Cucumber these days? George Washington? Kitty???

Full Moon Fever!

As if yesterday couldn't suck more, we had to go and lose Tom Petty, too? Jeez, universe. You're really outdoing yourself, and not in a good way.

Today's song is a tribute to Tom, from his classic 1989 album Full Moon Fever. Of the slew of hits from it, many are still classic rock radio mainstays, like "Runnin' Down a Dream," "Free Fallin," and "I Won't Back Down." Our song doesn't get as much airplay as some of the others from that album, but it is just as rockin' and has the added benefit of being about dancing at a Zombie Zoo! 

I'm pretty sure I know the girl with the white lipstick and lunch pail purse who is the subject of "Zombie Zoo," and maybe even was her for a few years. (Still have the lunch pail purse.) Just one thing, though--shaving off your hair and looking like Boris Karloff is a bad thing??

Rest in peace, Tom. Gotta admit, I always loved you best as Lucky on King of the Hill.

TV, Music, and Candy!

Still having some trouble poking my head out of the crypt, what with the world getting more frightening by the second and all. But luckily I've got all I need to survive and thrive right here--movies, candy, and Space Twins records!

B-side: "Headache"

The Space Twins were formed by Brian Bell, the guitarist for Weezer. They released a few singles in the 90s and one full length album in 2003, The End of Imagining. I first encountered them in the late 90s, when I purchased one of their 7" singles based purely on my love of the record's cover art. Turned out the music was great, too! 

The A-side of that record, "TV, Music, and Candy," has become one of my all-time favorite songs. It's not specifically Halloween, but it is about three of the things that make Halloween great. I plan to spend many an October evening cramming my eyeballs full of soothing horror films, my ears full of Halloween tunes, and my mouth full of candy corn and Reese's products.

So turn on your stereo and celebrate the irresistible pop of the Space Twins! They are here to wash away our fears, and even reassure the cows of a bright future.

Welcome, Great Pumpkin!

Art by Shawn Dickinson

First day out of the tomb since last October, and what do I find? The world has not gone to fun horror movie hell, but actual real and scary hell! It's enough to make a ghoul want to crawl right back in her sepulcher. The only thing that could make it better (besides drowning my fears in candy) is to fill the next 30 days with the spookiest tunes I can dig up. 

October first is always reserved for The Cramps, so just to make us all feel a little safer, I've called in America's greatest not-so-secret weapon--Bikini Girls with Machine Guns! They're the baddest of the badass chicks, and we should all be grateful they're on our side. 

The Cramps got some mainstream notoriety for this song, thanks to Beavis and Butthead's worship of it. Check it out below with their added chorus of heh heh hehs and huh huh huhs.

Happy Halloween!

The most wonderful day of the year has finally arrived! It's always a little bittersweet because that means Halloween is over for now, but it's also time to start making plans for next October. For me, it'll be a tall order to top this one--Sharon Needles, the B-52, a visit to one of Poe's homes, horror films galore, a Halloween party filled with friends last night, and tons of trick or treaters tonight--but I'm up for the challenge!

The last song of this year is also bittersweet because it comes from one of the saddest losses of a year filled with sad losses. "Scary Monsters and Super Creeps" comes from David Bowie's 1980 album of the same name. Bowie's influence on those of us who love the inventive, the strange, the glamorous, and fearless risk-taking can't be measured. He's left this realm, but the dead are always closest to us on Halloween, and we can still celebrate the immense body of amazing music he left us throughout his long and eclectic career. So until next year, let's dance! 

Shake it like an Egyptian!

The most wonderful time of the year just keeps getting more wonderfuller! Last night I fulfilled a bucket list item by seeing one of my all-time favorite bands, the B-52s, play their Halloween Scream show. Naturally, it was a scream! The B-52s still rock the house down almost 40 years into their existence. They played plenty of classics and some of my particular faves--finally got to hear Fred Schneider say "Going to the store for hot dogs and wine" in person when they played "Is That You Modean?"! Also decided my next pet is going to be named Modean. 

Although Fred, Kate, and Cindy were the spectacular main event last night, I was also excited to be introduced to their excellent opening band, Mother Feather! They are a local NYC group who recently released their first full-length album on Metal Blade. Imagine if Siouxsie Sioux started a metal band and hired Gozer to play keyboards, and maybe added a dash of Peaches. Aural ecstasy! They also look pretty fine too, as you can see in the video for today's song, "Egyptology." Why bother walking like an Egyptian when you can shake it like one?

Who's going to build my death ray?

While off traveling the country on my custom Sanderson Sister vacuum cleaner over the past week, I left the blog in the care of my so-called trusty henchmen. And what did they do while I was gone? Not a damn thing! It's so hard to find good toadies these days. Next time I'll just snatch a few toads and make my own.

Only a couple days left before the big day, and so much spooky music still to cover! So why not start up where we left off? This song is another from Mono Puff, whom we heard a little from last week. While "Pretty Fly" was an acapella number sung by the lead singer's wife, "Poison Flowers" is by the usual Mono Puff lineup with John Flansberg on vocals. It's the lament of a man who worries over who will continue his nefarious deeds when he is back in school, like typing his manifesto and growing poison flowers. I'm so glad I'm not the only one with minion trouble! You better listen closely to this one, Igor... your job is on the line.