Month: April 2013

Audio

Spirit

TRACK #43:

Spirit by Doug E. Fresh and The Get Fresh Crew

When it comes to Monster Raps, no movie’s got that category on lock down like Ghostbusters 2.

Whatever your take on the movie itself (I happen to enjoy it, though not nearly as much as the superior original) its soundtrack is pretty serious, and as such has a lot of representation on The Shindig.

The year was 1989 and this soundtrack certainly feels that way, bridging the gap between 80’s pop and paving the way for what would be the mainstream explosion of rap the following year. Hats off the the music supervisor’s foresight on that one.

Like any good soundtrack it also consistently reminds one of the movie, as the music is featured so predominately within the film.

The first Shindig cut from that album is Doug E. Fresh’s Spirit. Some people hear it, some people fear it. Some people just won’t go near it.

Dig it.

 

Audio

Full Moon

TRACK #42:

Full Moon by Elvira

Segueing nicely from that last sample is this gem from everyone’s favorite wet nightmare Elvira.

Of all the Elvira originals on The Shindig (and there’s a few), this is perhaps my favorite. It’s got a fun 80’s synth-pop sound, and it features the Mistress of the Dark singing seductively about how essentially a full moon makes her crazy horny. Um, ok. ‘Nuff said. I’m in.

Here’s Elvira with Full Moon.

Thanks for the boner.

 

Audio

Bad Moon Rising

TRACK #41:

Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival

This annual addition to most Halloween playlists and radio stations is made all the more relevant to The Shindig for its inclusion in John Landis’ lunar based soundtrack for An American Werewolf In London.

One of my first experiences with the wonders of special makeup FX, Rick Baker and his team won the category’s first Academy Award for the groundbreaking and amazing work on display here. If anyone tells you the effects in this film appear “dated” or “cheesy,” discontinue conversing with that person post-haste.

Cinematic werewolf transformations, until this point, had mostly been the stuff of cutaways and time-lapse photography. Baker (along with Rob Botin over on The Howling) reinvented the wheel with a combination of animatronics, change-o-heads, reverse photography and skillful editing, to show a man literally transforming into a creature of the night right before your eyes. And that’s to say nothing of the intense murder and slow decay of Jack Goodman, played to perfection by Griffin Dunne.

Speaking on the film itself, I feel American Werewolf is hanging out near the top of the horror/comedy heap for its ability to separate the 2 so effectively. When it’s joking, it’s hilarious; when it’s deathly serious, it’s fucking horrifying. Nazi werewolves.

Oh, the music, yeah. I love Creedence, and this is a great song, used to great effect here with all the other moon tracks in the film.

Keep off the moors…stick to the roads…

 

Audio

Halloween

TRACK #40:

Halloween by Kay Lande and Wade Denning

Divisible by 20? That must mean it’s time for another Halloween song.

When it comes to straight up Halloween music, few songs pack as much adolescent cheer and Halloweeniness than this track from spookster Wade Denning and children’s performer Kay Lande.

It’s catchier than all get out and set to the tune of Saint-Saëns’ Danse Macabre, which itself used to be on the Shindig, until I came across this little ditty some years back.

Go ahead, try not humming this song to yourself for the next 72 hours.

H-A-DOUBLE L – O – W – DOUBLE E – N spells Halloween!

 

Monster Makers: Mikey Rotella

Monster Makers: Mikey Rotella

Jubojitsu Expert Strikesman and sculptor extraordinaire Mikey Rotella is one monster makin’ sonofabitch. Hell, there’s 7 different monsters right behind him, in this photo from last year’s Monsterpalooza.

He’s such a monster makering scumbag that you can even see him on a TV show called “Making Monsters.”

He’s also a damn good friend and a huge fan of the Shindig. A musical prick and horror goofball himself, Mikey’s been instrumental in helping me inflate the playlist from its adequate 5 hour run time to the almost unnecessary 10 hour juggernaut it is today.

Currently, he’s probably singing the Cannibal Holocaust theme as loud as he possibly can while waiting impatiently for the doors to open up at this year’s Monsterpalooza, April 12th, 13th, 14th @ the Burbank Marriott.

SoCal followers, head on down and check out Mikey’s masks and all kinds of art from tons of other incredibly talented horror industry professionals all weekend long. They serve booze!

Tell ‘em Halloween Shindig sent ya and he’ll sing you Dream Warriors absolutely FREE!

I’ll be posting some more photos of Mikey’s work, but you can check out his portfolio here and see even more monsters.

Audio

Rock Until You Drop

TRACK #39:

Rock Until You Drop by Michael Sembello

If you’re a bunch of kids that have to do battle with a gang of famous monsters and you need to resort to smelting down your mom’s fine silverware, jacking the school’s archery equipment, and belt sanding stakes in shop class, then you could probably use a montage.

That oughta free up valuable screen time to cut some business cards, write a letter to the Army Guys, grab a soda and maybe do a spit take when seeing naked pictures Frankenstein accidentally took of your buddy’s hot sister.

And if you do need a montage, then this song oughta fit the bill just fine; a song which instructs you, with gleeful irresponsibility, to be completely reckless in your rocking. Suggested amongst the dangerous activities are “dancing until your feet fall off” and “partying until your brains fall out.” Both of which, I might add, are terrible things to encourage of children. Ah, the 80’s, that wonderful place where no one gave a shit about children or their safety.

From 1987’s horror answer to The Goonies, it’s Michael Sembello’s Rock Until You Drop. Go forth weeners and try this at home.