Audio

Halloween City

TRACK #323:

Halloween City by Special Du Jour

Look, I don’t know what the hell’s going on in Halloween City, but from the looks of this album cover, it’s fuckin’ serious.

What’s more, I don’t know what the hell’s going on in this song. Probably because I don’t speak French. Perhaps I should attempt to translate these lyrics. Gimme a sec.

Ok, that failed, cause – surprise – outside of the Discogs page, no one seems to have a whole lotta info on Special Du Jour. So, easily finding the French lyrics to this song was perhaps a nonstarter. If either of you readers out there are fluent in French and wanna take a crack at decoding this business, be my guest. ed@halloweenshindig.com is awaiting your calls.

Speaking of Discogs, they’re informing me that Special Du Jour is the handle for French duo Louise Beaudoin & Martine Fugère. So there’s that, at least.

This is an album I picked up years ago, song unseen, back when I discovered it was a thing and a blind purchase seemed to be the only way I was actually gonna hear the tune.

I won’t say it was disappointing, but it didn’t hit the playlist immediately upon arrival, so that ought to speak a bit to my initial impression.

Perhaps if I knew what the hell they were saying other than “Halloween City” I could gauge things a bit more accurately. As it stands, I think the song isn’t bad. Certainly not the Halloween Disco banger I was hoping it might be, but not unlistenable, and definitely not unfestive in its sound.

So here, in the midst of our Halloweens-til-Halloween run, seemed like as good a place as any to drop this somewhat spooky and somewhat danceable Halloween (question mark) hit (also question mark.)

So grab some spandex, maybe a headband, a few rattle cans and let’s take the metro over to Halloween City! There’s a plywood wall there that would look a lot better with the words “Halloween Shindig” sprayed on it.

 

Audio

Every Night is Halloween

TRACK #322:

Every Night is Halloween by Industrials

Once upon time, Bret Michaels revealed to the world that every rose had it’s thorn. Ya know, just like every night had it’s dawn.

Now, whether or not every cowboy truly sang a sad, sad song, or why that is also held up as a universal truth, I couldn’t say.

What I can say though is that, similarly, every day has it’s night. It certainly doesn’t have the same ring, but it does seem just as true.

Such is the case with this evenings entry, the ying to Ministry’s Yang, Every Night Is Halloween by Industrials.

This one, much like Al’s tune, seems to use the idea that the underground culture of dance/industrial/goth is a operating outside the boundaries of accepted society and hey, stop giving us all so much shit all the time, ya fuckin’ squares. But they beat Ministry to the conceptual punch, releasing this song a good 4 years prior.

I’m not sure this is exactly the same kinda deal though, as Industrials seem to be playing a different sort of pool here. Homeboys got a welding helmet on, and that’s kinda…industrial…I suppose. Nothing else about this seems terribly gothy or industrial. It just kinda sounds like new wave synth pop if you ask me, so maybe this is angling for a bit of a different message. Or maybe they were getting the business too, for dressing all freaky with welding helmets and typical 80’s wares.

Either way, the lonely dancers on the ceiling feel like it’s Halloween. Maybe they’re dressed up. Maybe there’s candy up there. Who knows.

But yeah, it’s another “not really about Halloween” Halloween song. There’s a lot of these fuckers it seems. Maybe they need they’re own playlist or something. I dunno.

I like this tune though. It’s got a spookyish sort of synthy vibe that feels right and man is it 80’s. Looks like we might be starting a bit of a thing here.

Interestingly (at least to me, maybe to you too, we’ll see) this album was produced by infamous music industry whack job Kim Fowley. This is the same Kim Fowley who put together The Runaways and allegedly sexually assaulted Jackie Fox while Joan Jett and Cherie Currie watched. Damn, ok. That was a left turn.

This is also the same Kim Fowley who released the album Frankenstein and His All-Star Monster Band, which you would think might be wall-to-wall Shindig goodness (I know, cause I did too) but here we are and here they ain’t. I’d say give it a listen, but don’t actually think you should.

Sorry about that little detour Industrials, I didn’t mean to get ya webbed up in all of that. I just saw his name there on the back sleeve and was like “Snap. Really? I don’t really like that Frankenstein album and this might be a good time to explain why it’s never been featured to readers that might be wondering.” Which, admittedly, is probably no one. 

But anyway, we’re loosing the thread here so let’s just let Industrials take ya through the night and I’ll see ya in the morning for some more 80’s Halloween madness!

 

Oh, and this opening sample is from 1963’s The Haunting. If anyone is playing along at home.

Audio

Everyday (Is Halloween)

TRACK #321:

Everyday (Is Halloween) by Ministry

As I may or may not have already stated, 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the internet incarnation of Halloween Shindig.

I had planned to do more things to ring in the occasion, but alas, even doing just the normal October push at this point seems difficult enough.

We will not let the anniversary go unmarked however, as from here on out, every song til Halloween will be a Halloween Song. That’s right…though it pains me to even utter the phrase…everyday is Halloween from here on out.

So, to kick off such a block, we’re finally calling upon Al Jorgensen and his Ministry to join the fold, with their Halloween staple Everyday (Is Halloween.)

Long time followers may know of my general distaste for the nascent cult of “Everyday is Halloween.”

My disassociation from this slogan and it’s ideology is 3 fold:

First, and chiefly, it is an (admittedly) semantic and good-natured comical argument I make with the literal nature of the phrase. Every day is not, in fact, Halloween. More to the point, we shouldn’t act as though it were, because if it were, then Halloween would cease to be special and what’s all this fuss about?

Another semantic off-shoot of this qualm, is that Halloween isn’t a day at all, but rather an eve. Hallow’s Eve, The Eve of All Saints. Halloween technically doesn’t start until sundown. I know, I know. I’m splitting hairs here. I’m just being ridiculous and annoying prick! Hell, many definitions of “eve” will suggest it can also be the day before. However, in that it’s a shortening of “even” or “evening,” I think I got a leg to stand on this one, obnoxious though it may sound.

Lastly, I find it to be, as the kids are wont to say, a bit of a flex. And a stupid one at that. Oh yeah? That’s how spooky you are, huh? That’s how much you like monsters and horror and shit? Halloween ain’t no big deal because you at that spooky shit 24/7? The rest of the poser world has decided to take this time of year, and only this time, to revel in ghosts and goblins, but not you, bruh. You do this shit all year, so fuck the tourists? Get real. Ya’ll sound like Suicide.

And yeah, it is a costume and I do think that’s what it’s all about, cause that is what it’s all about. It’s Halloween, and it falls on October 31st.

Look, I get it. If it wasn’t clear after 10 years, I love Halloween. I love the colors, the air, the traditions, the imagery and the horror. In particular, I love it for the very fact that for one month (or at least it should be) the whole world around me seems aligned with all the things I love as well. Stores have spooky webs up, candy is in abundance everywhere, die-cuts adorn waiting rooms and post offices, monsters are suddenly in TV commercials, and people have their houses decked out for the onslaught of costumed tricksters. I don’t get chippy about this fact, like people are falsely co-opting my interests. I embrace it. I don’t like when it happens too soon, or when Christmas encroaches too early. It’s a special time, but I don’t want it to overstay it’s welcome either.

Now, this brings into question my own actions. Namely this website, my obsession with this Eve, or plastering my work space with all manner of Halloween imagery…all year. It sounds hypocritical, right? Well, maybe that’s true.

I doubt if even a day goes by in either my work on this blog, or in my research, or with my personal interests, that I don’t write out the word “Halloween.” I see things, and many of them, that say “Halloween” on them, every day. Like Graham once put it on the show, The Halloween Hole is like being inside a giant Halloween candy bag. If anyone is living the ethos of “Everyday is Halloween,” you could argue it’s me. So, I should just shut the fuck up, right? Well, maybe that’s true too.

I’d argue it just means that if I, there very person who has created this place and surrounds themselves with Halloween…every day, is telling you to take it easy with the “Everyday is Halloween” bullshit, then it’s gotten a little out of hand.

Whichever the case may be, Halloween is a special time of year. And it falls on the very last day of the month, perfectly positioning October to be be a full-on, 31-day countdown celebration of all things spooky and monstrous. However, I didn’t wanna blow all the Halloween songs I have left on a 31 day binge, so I tightened that up a bit, my apologies.

And though I’m aware that this song isn’t even really about Halloween at all, and speaks to a completely different ideology than the current wave of dildo Horror fans declaring other people just don’t like Horror as much as they do, it seemed like the most appropriate song to ring in the occasion. Particularly since I have avoided adding it to this playlist for literally 19 years now.

So, as halloweenshindig.com turns 10 years old, let us for once (and only once) proudly exclaim…Everyday Is Halloween.

Cause honestly, around here, it kinda is.

 

Audio

Monster Booogie

TRACK #316:

Monster Booogie by Gregory D and DJ Mannie Fresh

Speaking of dudes from our Freddy Raps episode and sampling classic horrors themes for raps beat…oh and recent questionable reboots of aging horror properties…oh and even Halloween, I guess, by way of Rob Zombie…

man, that’s a lot of tenuous connections for 2 songs to randomly have…

here comes an actual Referential Monster Rap in the form of Gregory D and Figgy Balls’ Love letter to The Munsters, Monster Booogie.

Now, why they didn’t just call this tune Munster Booogie is above my pay grade, but honestly that’s the only bone I have to pick with this track, because otherwise, it’s just the goods. Well, there’s is that one verse, but we’ll get to that.

Mannie Fresh twists up The Munster’s Theme into the kinda beat I wish every monster rap had, while Gregory D waxes nostalgic for the days of eating cereal and kickin’ it with the First Family of Fright.

They also spit barbs at The Addams Family, which for a song of this nature, feels right at home.

Then, there is that verse I spoke of earlier. Gregory D goes off on Eddie Munster a bit, and some words get thrown around. Now listen, we’ve laid into Eddie Munster ourselves, more specifically Butch Patrick for his crimes against music, but this is a bit of a different beast. Let’s just say he goes so far as to suggest Eddie Munster might prefer the company of men.

This bar-spanning gag which (in addition to being generally offensive to both Gays and Butch Patrick for a number of reasons) is a really weird joke to make considering the kid’s like 10 years old. But hey, I guess that’s just a little slice of 1987 for ya. Try to ignore it, if you can. If not, I’d understand.

Despite that, this is still a seriously referential tune though, with tons of great samples and a dope ass beat. It’s the kinda diamond in the rough you come across while looking for something else and then all you can do is sit back and bask in great weird wave of the universe.

So, instead of subjecting yourself to Rob’s Day-Glo prequel, just blast Gregory D and Mannie Fresh’s Monster Booogie, and then go enjoy a few episodes of the real thing while scarfing down a bowl of Frankenberry.

 

Audio

Michael Myers

TRACK #314:

Michael Myers by The Meteors

Given their catalog, it’s actually shameful that it’s taken 10 years to finally get The Meteors on The Shindig.

These guys have been dishing out Horror and Sci-Fi tinged Psychobilly since…well…the beginning, as many credit them for being the very first Psychobilly band.

Whether or not they’re the one true originators of the genre, they are no doubt pioneers that shaped it’s sound and themes, that much is for sure.

I’ve had a couple Meteors tunes in the bullpen for a while now, but for some reason they’ve just never made the cut, and that’s the shameful part. They should have been given higher priority.

Well tonight they are, because they have just the song to prime us all for Michael’s big return tomorrow.

Yes, apparently it seems the Thorn Constellation is in alignment…again…and Michael Myers is back. To what? Face off against Laurie Strode. Again? To die maybe? Again? Finally maybe? Doubtful. When are we gonna be done torturing this poor dude, and ourselves to whatever I’ll-advised, money-hungry whim new producers have?

It doesn’t matter if you effectively incinerate him in a giant explosion, cause you can just give Loomis a little scar and have Michael wear some bandages. Let’s go!

Hell, it doesn’t matter if you cut off his head, cause you can always pull a Cincinnati Switch with some other poor bastard’s head in a Michael Myers mask. And off we go.

It doesn’t even matter if Paul Rudd mercilessly bludgeons him to an unrecognizable pile, cause you can always retcon your sequels to completely ignore that little detail, or any detail you’d like for that matter.

It’s the character that we can’t seem to kill, or perhaps more appropriately, audiences’ desire to make it worth the producer’s while to cook up some new fresh bullshit for poor Michael to sleepwalk through.

Now, say what you want about The Curse of Michael Myers (and people do…myself included) cause Lord knows the last thing…and I mean the absolute last thing…I want here is an explanation for this Michael Myers business. Michael greatest assets was always  his mystery.

But hey, if you’re bent on giving people an explanation for this shit, because you’re 6 movies deep now and what the actual fuck is going on with this guy we’ve beaten, bucked and blown apart, then you can do worst than a weird cult of star-fearing Druids using Michael as a vessel for sacrifice.

So, let’s let The Meteors welcome Michael back…for the 11th time now I think, with their 1984 jam, Michael Myers.

God, I do hope that evil at least embarks on an incredible long hiatus tonight.

Audio

Is There a Phantom in the Mall?

TRACK #312:

Is There a Phantom in the Mall? by The Vandals

Speaking of Phantoms, we have another Phantom that made his debut on Ep. 19 of Shindig Radio, and that’s the infamous Eric!

Yeah, Eric. You know Eric, right? He’s just like Jason or Freddy except his generic and innocuous name still sounds generic and innocuous cause no one knows who the fuck he is. But he got a subtitle, all about his revenge, which you didn’t even know he needed cause you’ve never seen him before in your whole goddamn life.

Yeah, it’s weird, but it’s The Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge, coming to you direct from the old (and way awesomer) Sherman Oaks Gallery.

Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge is a fairly late-in-game, but still pretty fun, slashery take on the Phantom storyline featuring an all-star (if you’re The Shindig, anyway) cast.

You got Death Spa’s Ken Foree, Action U.S.A.’s Gregory Scott Cummings, Pee-Wee’s Morgan Fairchild and a pre-weasel Pauly Shore all doing their damnedest to try and turn this business into a legitimate franchise. It didn’t quite work out that way for them,  but it’s totally worth watching anyway. Maybe even more so. 

However, there’s still the matter of this song, from LA punk legends The Vandals, to contend with and reconcile. 

See, if there was ever a contender for “Almost a Title Track” then it was certainly this one, and we definitely should not have included it on Title Tracks Pt. 5. But I hadn’t really considered the  option of a Not Quite Title Tracks episode until after the fact. So, Eric just snuck on in, without paying his dues, just like he tried to do with the horror franchises, giving himself a subtitle like he was a somebody. The balls on this guy.

Cause, let’s face it, this track is flagrant two-time offender.

First, you got all these extra words, a Title Track faux pas from the jump. And it’s not just a simple addition either, it’s now a whole goddamn sentence, with punctuation no less!

And sometimes we’ll look the other way; He’s Rockula, The Toxic Avenger Theme, maybe even Midnight Again (but not fuckin’ likely, not after Eric’s transgression) but this one’s asking a bit too much.

Now, if that was all, then maybe all could be forgiven. But that’s not all, because this song title doesn’t isn’t even the name of the movie. Now they say, at one point in the chorus, is there a Phantom of the Mall, but when it came to titling the track, they went ahead with  Is There a Phantom IN the Mall?

And baby, that’s just not the title of this movie.

Call me a nitpicker. Call me a hair-splitter. Call me an imbecile for devoting so many pseudo-serious words in a comedically aggressive tone to one of the most inane topics for a full 10 years of my life.

That’s fair. You call me whatever you’d like. But facts is facts, Jack.

And while this is a shinning example of everything a Title Track could and should be in almost every sense of the word, it just ain’t a Title Track where it counts…the Title itself.

Later Eric. You almost had it.

All that being said, this a great Referentially Inclusive Almost Title Track that 100% deserves to be here today.

So go grab a hotdog on a stick and maybe even a gun, cause you’re at The Chopping Mall, and there’s a Phantom in there too, and his name is Eric, and he’s lookin for some revenge. Are you a phony security guard with an ostentatious dangly earring? Did you burn down his house just so you could put up the coolest mall the 80’s had to offer? Boy, I sure hope not.

 

Audio

Phantom of the Ritz

TRACK #311:

Phantom of the Ritz by The Waters

Since last year’s countdown got cut a little short, we ended up with a couple Shindig debuts on Title Tracks Pt. 5. Let’s take a moment here to get some of those guys on the official roster, shall we?

First up is this banger from The Waters.

Now, I’m not 100% sure The Waters listed in the credits of Phantom of the Ritz are actually THE Waters. Ya know, like how it’s not really Ray Stevens or Paul Williams.

But if this really is THE Waters, then they were a family band from LA that mostly worked as backup singers to the stars. Oren Waters specifically sang for the likes of Michael Jackson, John Fogerty, Paul Simon, Neil Diamond and has personally been featured on over 100 platinum albums. Wild.

He’s even responsible for the vocals on the The Jefferson’s theme song, Movin’ On Up! I guess imagining they are The Waters from Phantom of the Ritz isn’t so out of the question after all.

Additionally, Oren and his sisters Maxine and Julia, all appear in the 2013 Academy Award winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, which shines a light on all the great backup singers and musicians responsible for so many famous hits over the years.

Unfortunately, they were more like 20 miles from stardom when the recorded the Title Track to this turkey.

Phantom of the Ritz is not entirely unenjoyable but it is definitely missable. That is, unless you’re this guy, who’s all about Phantom of the Opera interpretations. His write-up actually made me reconsider my stance on the film. He’s into it. Maybe I end to rewatch.

However you feel about this Phantom, I think it’s clear that he doesn’t deserve a Title Track of this caliber, cause it jams, and The Waters, professionals that they are, absolutely belt it.

Here’s it is, Graham’s pick for Title Track of the year: 2022, he’s the Phantom of the Ritz!

 

 

Audio

Halloween

TRACK #310:

Halloween by Seducer

If you have a playlist where every 10th track is a Halloween Song, and you start a 31 song countdown on October 1st, it’s mathematically impossible to get that song to actually fall on Halloween. Well, without skipping a day of course, or not doing 31 songs.

Originally, this song was slated post last year on Oct. 30th and I had a whole spiel about math and tactics that unfortunately no longer applies, as this cleanup act from 2021 has shifted everything earlier.

No matter anymore I suppose, so I’ll just delete all that bullshit and talk about Seducer, a band that managed to miss out on our Heavy Metal Halloween in 2018. I should drop them onto that playlist though for sure.

As I’ve said in the past, these 80’s metal “Halloween” tracks are just falling off of pumpkin trucks it seems and I find new ones all the time. Hell, I think there’s a bunch more in the bullpen at this point, although I know several are “Something” Halloween, or Halloween Something. Impressive still, no doubt.

Not Seducer though. Nope, they’re comin’ correct with this dinger from 1985’s Caught in the Act.

Accidents, departures and record company troubles ultimately lead Seducer to pack it up before they could turn their early career momentum into full blown notoriety.

They are still well regarded by fans of British New Wave Metal, and they’ll forever live on, however dubious the honor may be, as Heavy Metal Halloween Shindig heroes.

Lead in here with a little clip from 1964’s Witchcraft, starring Lon Chaney. That’s a fun one, if you’re into the style and era. I’m pretty sure Tubi’s got it right now, if you’re lookin’ for something festive for the evening.

Witchcraft is extra cool because of this fresh gimmickry: The Witch Deflector!

Here’s what the actual device looked like, and it’s pretty dope. One just went recently on eBay for a cool 100 buck, if you’re interested in holding it in your hands at all times.

 

Man, I wish they still did stuff like this at theaters. Honestly though, I’ll bet it would be something lame now even if they did.

Oh yeah, the song. Here’s Seducer!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go start a Doom Metal band called Witch Deflector.

 

Audio

Wizard’s Crown

TRACK #309:

Wizard’s Crown by Blind Guardian

Here’s a song that’s been kicking around the bullpen for a while now, just waiting for some poor rookie left hander to get taken deep back to back in the 2nd.

Now, I’m not entirely sure that’s happened here, but in the middle of a metal run to Halloween seemed as good a time to drop this Halloween track from Blind Guardian.

Ah, Blind Guardian: the sorta band that’ll get you laughed outta the room in some circles and a get you fat lip for saying a disparaging word in the other.

However, before this operatic and somewhat silly German metal outfit went clean off the D&D deep end, they meted out some pretty by the numbers, if not exacting, speed metal.

And their first album, at least their first album as Blind Guardian (their original name was Lucifer’s Heritage…yeesh) feels largely indebted to their German power metal brothers, Helloween.

And much like Helloween, they’ve got a song about Halloween! Well, they say Halloween a lot , anyway. Additionally, the song was originally titled Halloween (The Wizard’s Crown) back on their old Lucifer’s Heritage Demo. So, what gives?

Well, when it came time to re-record the track for their proper debut, Battalions of Fear, they dropped the “Halloween,” kicked the parenthetical to the curb, and sent that “the” packing.  A choice no doubt in an effort to differentiate their track from Helloween’s famous and similarly titled tune. A shame, really.

But, no matter. These are small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. Besides, when your chorus is just you shouting “Halloween” along with the song’s title, it’s water under the bridge really, and The Shindig is happy to have you, “Halloween” or not. You ain’t lockin’ down no 10-slot pullin’ that kinda bullshit, make no mistake, but you can bring up the rear, no problem.

This move (aside from relegating them to a 9er) did keep Blind Guardian out of the rotation for Shindig Radio’s Heavy Metal Halloween. Sure, I could have used the demo and even could have added it here, but frankly, I like the studio version more, titles be damned.

So, if you don’t like Blind Guardian, maybe give their early stuff a go. It’s certainly a little less over-the-top nerds in their Mom’s basement rolling 26-sided die.

So, here they are, on Halloween as it were, taking the crown from Thelemic Wizard Aliester Crowley. Or maybe Crowley’s taking the crown from some other wizard. I dunno, it’s a little unclear with these wizard dust ups. I just know, that allegedly anyway, it’s supposed to be about Aliester Crowley, in some regard. Which is always just a little creepy.

 

Audio

No Escape

TRACK #307:

No Escape by Norden Lights

We’re not quite outta the old country just yet folks, cause here comes Mr. Italy himself, Dario Argento.

We’ve no doubt got some Dario fans with us today, and our next song indulges in his mid-career tendency to load his soundtracks with rocking 80’s metal.

This one hails from 1987’s Opera, which (for my money, anyway) is probably Argento’s last hurrah. His 12 year, 6 film run from Deep Red to Opera is one gnarly lineup. Those two, plus Suspira, Inferno, Tenebre, and Phenomena all make up the bulk of what Dario is best known for and it’s a hell of a run.

After that, it’s a hit or miss affair for me with Argento. No matter, because that Cal Ripken-like streak is more than enough for this fan. Anything after that is dude playing with house money as far as I’m concerned.

You add his early 70’s giallos like Four Flies on Grey Velvet and his rookie outing, The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (a personal favorite) and the guy’s a monster. Hell, any 3 of those films is enough to put you at the top of the heap. Quite frankly Suspira alone gets the job done just fine.

But Opera is where the run comes to its end. It’s truly the last time I feel like you’re watching something wholly Dario, and it’s quite good. It’s got plenty of Dario’s trademark stylistic flare, one rockin’ soundtrack and some seriously gnarly kills.

Chief among them is the one he affords to his former lover, Ms. Daria Niccolodi. Her bullet through the peephole demise is as artistically rendered a murder as Dario (or anyone for that matter) has put to screen.

And that gif cuts out the coolest part! Oh well.

With so many good songs though, it was tough to choose just one to include, but this shredder from Swedish metal band Norden Light is probably my favorite.

Played just after costume designer Giulia gets a clothes smoother tossed into her back, but just before she can reveal the true identity of the killer, all while poor Betty has to watch with eyes pinned back…literally.

From their lone LP, Shadows from the Wilderness, here’s Norden Light assuring us all there is No Escape.