Halloween Song: The Hoodoo Gurus - “Dig It Up”

Another repost from the BHT haunted vault. This one first ran on October 26, 2009.

The Hoodoo Gurus are not only one of the best garage bands around, they’re also one of the spookiest. This was already evident on their rollicking 1984 debut, Stoneage Romeos, which would be the perfect soundtrack to a Halloween party. “Leilani” is about a tropical human sacrifice, “In The Echo Chamber” is based on a torture scene from the 1960s TV spoof Get Smart, and “Death Ship” describes a ghostly crew that lures other sailors to their doom.

“Dig It Up” features a galloping backbeat, twanging guitars that raise the spirit of The Cramps, and opens with the line, “My girlfriend lives in the ground.” Lead vocalist-guitarist Dave Faulkner sings of placing flowers on a grave each day and laments, “I want her back/Because I look so bad, so bad in black/Like a maniac.” Later, he concludes, “You can’t bury love, you gotta dig it up.” The band breaks into some wild jamming, along with Faulkner’s ear-piercing screams.

The cause of the beloved’s death is never revealed, because it would be too painful. “My friends, you ask me why she’s six feet down/I can’t tell you why ‘cos if I even try/I’d fall flat down on my face.” Faulkner’s promise to paint his girlfriend’s room pink and blue doesn’t seem like much of an incentive to return from the dead, but then “Dig It Up,” like the best of the Hoodoo Gurus’ energetic garage rock, skillfully balances the macabre with the silly.

Incoming

A hearty welcome to Graham Nash, who’s come to the Chicago area for concerts at Evanston’s Cahn Auditorium tomorrow and Wednesday night. He’s been on the road since the beginning of August, and has just seven more shows before he wraps up his More Evenings Of Songs & Stories 2024 tour. Never a bloke to sit around very long, Nash kicks of another USA tour in March 2025. Writer Janine Schaults' interesting interview with Nash in yesterday’s edition of the Chicago Tribune includes his reflections on the soon-to-be-released album Live At The Fillmore East, 1969. “That music brings all those memories back. You can feel that me and David and Stephen really loved each other.”

Prog rock master and The Luck Of Eden Hall founding member Gregory Curvey, AKA Custard Flux, will open for vocalist-guitarist Jane Getter and her Jane Getter Premonition band at Reggies Shack in Chicago’s south loop this Thursday, October 17. The date is part of the Jane Getter Premonition Division World Tour 1st Leg.

Sting, the former Police vocalist-bassist, is coming to Chicago at the end of this month and he’ll stay a while. The Sting 3.0 Tour, which features the three-piece combo of Sting, guitarist Dominic Miller, and drummer Chris Maas, includes shows at the Auditorium Theatre on October 28, October 29, November 1, and November 2. His most recent album, The Bridge, was released in 2021 and included the terrific track “Rushing Water.” Concert pianist/DJ/film composer ELEW will be Sting’s special guest.

The 27th Annual Jeff Buckley Tribute will be held on November 17 and 18 at the Uncommon Ground venue on Chicago’s north side. In addition to the live performance, the event includes a three-course meal. Proceeds will go to the Old Town School Of Folk Music’s scholarship fund.

As noted on the Official Tom Petty Facebook page, a fully remastered version of the Heartbreakers Beach Party will be screened in cinemas this Thursday, October 17 and Sunday, October 20. Billed as The Lost Classic Documentary, Starring Tom Petty, it was directed by Cameron Crowe, and includes “20 minutes of additional, never-before-seen footage from the Petty Archive.” 

Trouser Press Books will release a new edition of This Ain’t No Disco, a joint effort from writer Roman Kozak and photographer Ebet Robert that honors the New York City CBGB rock club, tomorrow. That’s also the day when Trouser Press Books will release Robert Sellers and Nick Pendleton’s Marquee, a look at one of London’s most famous music venues. 

Halloween Song: Lene Lovich - “Bird Song”

This post made its BHT debut on October 29, 2009, and I’ve posted it just about every year since.

The arrival of new wave and punk rock in the late 1970s introduced an exciting cast of talented and sometimes intimidating female performers such as Chrissie Hynde, Deborah Harry, Annie Lennox, Siouxsie Sioux, and Nina Hagen. In 1979, Lene Lovich, a singer with a passion for bizarre outfits and even more bizarre hair, released “Bird Song” as a single on Stiff Records. While the lyrics don’t mention anything diabolical, Lovich’s high-pitched warble, the song’s gothic arrangement, and an ominous-sounding male chorus create a nightmarish ambience. All the while remaining catchy enough for the dance floor.

Basically, this is a dark twist on the old expression, “A little bird told me,” in which a scheming feathered creature steals a woman’s boyfriend by tricking her into thinking he’s been untrue. “So with the bird, one day, you flew away/I woke up too late, you had gone/Fading on . . . with this song/Of the hurting little bird.” Lovich delivers these lines, and others like, “Such a cold bird, so hard, captured your heart/Does it matter I am falling apart” with a Nora Desmond like intensity. When she later mentions “the dead little bird,” it’s unclear whether she killed it.

The avian metaphor carries over to the startling video Lovich created for “Bird Song,” which is executed in the style of a vintage European horror flick. She plays a runaway bride, leaving her guy at the altar while she runs outside to challenge a raven to a staring contest. The male chorus becomes a choir of priests or deacons, one of whom pounds away at the pipe organ like Lon Chaney. Maybe Lovich did lose out to an actual bird. “Still I watch the sky/Still I wonder why/Still I hope that I can carry on.” Regardless of whether the villain is animal or human, Lene Lovich’s “Bird Song” record and video are genuine Halloween classics.

Halloween Song: Sonic45 - “The Phantom”

Time for a brand new Halloween Song Profile.

Sonic45 has been known to set troubling lyrics to irresistible new-wave arrangements, so it’s not surprising to find “The Phantom” (track ten) on the Chicago-based band’s recently released second album SuperSonic. Likewise, I sometimes stretch the boundaries of what qualifies as a Halloween song, but make no mistake, “The Phantom” is the real deal. Some might suspect bassist-songwriter Len Kasper intends this tale of a creature who returns frequently but always unexpectedly has a political undercurrent. Or maybe it’s just about a carnivorous monster with invisible hands.

Following an extended and ominous instrumental intro, lead vocalist Matt Spiegel warns, “The world’s not as safe as you’d like it to be.” The mystery deepens with the lines, “Don’t know him now; didn’t know him then./There’s no telling how The Phantom shows again.” There’s a definite need to stay awake in order to survive. “If you don’t believe the Phantom is real, don’t close your eyes you will be his next meal.” Just like the ending of so many horror films, this song suggests we’ll never be rid of this menace. “I swear on my heart, The Phantom will come again.”

Sonic45 has a gig coming up at the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights on November 24. In addition to Kasper and Spiegel, the band includes the likewise well-known members Liam Davis, Gerald Dowd, and Dag Juhlin.

Halloween Song: The Redwalls - “Into The Maelstrom”

Another post from the BHT haunted vault.

Nothing’s more frightening to a rock band than finding out their record company doesn’t love them anymore. Such was the case with the Deerfield, IL power pop band The Redwalls back in 2007. Despite the critical success of the quartet’s Capitol debut De Nova, the record company lost interest in releasing a follow-up. (What is it about highly talented Midwestern acts that makes major labels go all butterfingers?) The Redwalls quickly hopped to the indie label MAD Dragon and put out a new, eponymous CD.

Listening to The Redwalls, you have to wonder if Capitol had decided the music was just too spooky. In addition to the punchy rock of “Hangman” and the Pink Floyd-inspired “In The Time Of The Machine,” the CD offered the high-speed tale of invading spacemen, “They Are Among Us,” with its panicked refrain of “Save your wives and your children now!” “Into The Maelstrom” was even more unsettling, opening with the lines, “As I went out into the night./I came upon the strangest sight./It was a path so dark and dim./As I got close it seemed to pull me in.”

The Redwalls conjured an exotic, guitar-driven arrangement that also included strings, resembling Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir,” only more frantic. As the music swirls out of control, lyrics like “The fear was more than I could take” and “No one can help me out in here” convey a growing sense of despair as the ground gives way and darkness closes in. Still, the growling vocals and energetic musicianship make “Into The Maelstrom” an exciting psychedelic adventure on an album that proved The Redwalls were still at the top of their game.

Slumgullion

The official schedule for this year’s Halloweekend has been announced, and once again the lineup features local musicians paying tribute to an eclectic selection of world famous acts. The event was staged at various Chicago venues for the better part of this century before finding a home at Montrose Saloon in 2018. Halloweekend 2024 will run on October 25 and 26, with long-time participants such as Rachel Drew; Phil Angotti; Metropolis; Androgynous Mustache; and Dead Freddie scheduled to appear. If some of the other band names seem unfamiliar, keep in mind musicians sometimes craft a one-off identity strictly for this event.

I was happy to receive an update from the people working on the Melanie And Kim Monday fanzine that’s due out soon via the GiveSmart Fundraise campaign. Pre-orders are now closed for the limited-edition, 60-page tribute to musicians Melanie Vammen and the late Kim Shattuck, and it’s now in the process of being printed. All proceeds from the fanzine will benefit the ALS Network.

Prog rock master and The Luck Of Eden Hall founding member Gregory Curvey, AKA Custard Flux, will open for vocalist-guitarist Jane Getter and her Jane Getter Premonition band at Reggies Shack in Chicago’s south loop next Thursday, October 17. The date is part of Jane Getter Premonition Division World Tour 1st Leg.

I just received my copy of Issue 19 of the Second Scene alt rock newspaper, and once again, it’s filled with eye-catching graphics, along with news and reviews. Readers won’t find much copy here on big-name acts, other than a profile on the legendary KROQ DJ Rodney Bingenheimer. But, much like MOJO magazine promotes Brit musicians many of us in the States are unfamiliar with, Second Scene introduces us to indie acts worth checking out. Issues can be ordered from the Second Scene Bandcamp page.

The Creston Illinois Acoustic Music Festival will be held at the Opera House on October 19. Cornelius And The Sleddogs; Mark Walters; Wesley Carr; Peter Irving; Josiah Simon; The Woodruffs; Nik Person; Joel La Vaughn; and Beaverhead are scheduled to perform. The event starts at 3:00 pm; Creston is located approximately 80 miles west of Chicago and 30 miles south of Rockford.

 

Tickets are now available for the Joey’s Song Freezing Man Festival taking place January 8 – 11, 2025 at the Majestic Theater in Madison, WI. Several well-known acts will take part in the charity event, which raises funds to help find treatments and cures for epilepsy. This year’s performers are Debbi and Vicki Peterson, Jane Wiedlin, Tracy Bonham, Belly, The Know-It-All Boyfriends, Cory Chisel, Letters To Cleo, Look Park, John Cowsill, Garbage, Against Me!, Kenny Hoopla, Freedy Johnstone, Portugal. The Man, Silversun Pickups, Heather Porcaro, Steve Porcaro, The Goo Goo Dolls, Sierra Swan, The Nielsen Trust, and Gina Volpe.

Sonic45, the self-proclaimed “Chicago-based new-wave quintet” led by sports broadcaster/musician/songwriter Len Kasper, will return to the Hey Nonny venue in Arlington Heights on November 24. The band’s second album, SuperSonic, has several standout songs, such as “You And I Are Stereo,” “Flying Away,” and the quite unnerving “The Phantom.” In addition to Kasper, the band features Matt Spiegel, Dag Juhlin, Gerald Dowd, and Liam Davis—all veterans of critically acclaimed Chicago area acts. Tickets for the Hey Nonny November 24 gig will be available soon.

Fans of The dB’s will be happy to know a new version of “Ask For Jill” is now available as a single on various streaming sites. The song is one of the many catchy gems on the band’s 1981 album Repercussion, which will be released in a remastered format on October 18 from Propeller Sound Recordings. 

Record Store Day has released the list for this year’s Black Friday Record Store Day, and per tradition, there are vinyl treasures to be found in all genres of music.

“Revelation Blues,” the first single from whitewolfsonicprincess' upcoming album, Love Without Fear, is now available to stream on Spotify and Bandcamp. Guitarist-vocalist James Moeller describes it as, “a bit Celtic blues, a bit wild-fire.” The band has a record release party for Love Without Fear coming up on Halloween night at Evanston SPACE.

Tickets are now on sale for Stevie Wonder’s tour, which opened in Pittsburgh on October 8. Its slogan, Your Song! As We Fix Our Nation’s Heart, is inspired by Wonder’s call for peace and unity on his new single “Can We Fix Our Nation’s Broken Heart?” New York City; Philadelphia; Baltimore; Greensboro; Atlanta; Detroit; Milwaukee; Minneapolis; Grand Rapids; and Chicago are the other stops on the tour.

Chicago indie rock band The Handcuffs have a gig coming up at Liar’s Club on October 19 to promote the vinyl release of their latest album, Burn The Rails. Morgan Fisher from Mott The Hoople will be their guest keyboards player that night. The gatefold LP comes with a seven-inch blue vinyl single featuring the new Handcuffs track “Jubilee” and a cover of the George Harrison/Jackie Lomax song “Sour Milk Sea.”

Chicago: Home Of House, an exhibit honoring the city’s pivotal role in widespread success of house music over the past 40 years, runs through the end of October.

 

Vinto Van Go has a gig coming up on October 18 at the LiveWire Lounge on Chicago’s north side. In the meantime, the Chicago band’s REMIX Single “Comeuppance” is now available “everywhere in every way.”

Susanna Hoffs will release The Lost Record, a collection of songs she recorded with Charlotte Caffey and Jane Wiedlin from The Go-Go’s in her garage back in 1999 on October 18.

Congratulations to f News Magazine, published by The School Of The Art Institute, on its 40th Anniversary. The current issue, which I picked up at the Gene Siskel Film Center on State Street, features Kit Montgomery’s A Guide to Live Music Venues in Chicago.

A new album titled Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Live At Fillmore East, 1969, which is being described as “a newly discovered multi-track recording,” will be released in CD and double LP formats on Oct. 25. It’s currently available to pre-order from Rhino Records. Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Live At Fillmore East, 1969 will also be available in digital format.

The Destinos 7th Chicago International Theater Festival continues its run through November 17; and the 60th Chicago International Film Festival opens on October 16 and will run through October 27. Both events will have screenings at various locations.

Tall Poppy Syndrome has followed its March 2024 cover of The Kinks’ “This  Time Tomorrow” with a version of the 1964 Brenda Lee hit “Is It True.” Guest vocalist Carla Olson of The Textones and solo career fame guarantees a faithful take, and Tall Poppy Syndrome regulars Paul Kopf, Vince Maloney Jonathan Lea, Alec Palao, and Clem Burke provide a hard-edged backdrop.

English musician Matt Johnson will bring his band The The to North America for the first time 25 years to perform several of concerts. An October 25 show at The Salt Shed in Chicago will be part of radio station WXRT’s Fall Jam Series. 

Twisted Dream Machine - The Paisley Underground - California’s Psychedelic Renaissance: 1982-1986 is now available to preorder as a double-LP or CD Digipak from the Futurismo  site. It’s the next volume in Futurismo's Altered Vision compilation series, and features tracks by The Three O’Clock, The Rain Parade, True West, The Bangles, Thin White Rope, Game Theory, The Dream Syndicate, The Long Ryders, Green On Red, 28th Day, The Pandoras, and Wednesday Week.

Smashing Pumpkins founder Billy Corgan and his wife Chloe Mendel are planning a Bozo-themed festival on the weekend of October 18 – 20 at their Madame Zuzu’s restaurant in Highland Park, IL. Tickets are $8.50 for kids, and $14 for grownups.

Halloween Song: Heatwaves - “Vampire”

Another post from the BHT haunted vault. I wanted to post a Halloween song profile for “Vampire” by the Heatwaves for years but kept holding off because I couldn’t make out most of its lyrics. I finally gave it a shot in 2023.

The band is based in Barcelona, Spain, and while the vocals are in English, the phrasing is unusual and lead vocalist Ana Beltran has a distinct accent. Also, to be honest, I haven’t been able to find an official website, and their Facebook page has videos but not of this particular song. 

Most of the tracks on the Heatwaves’ Complete Recordings (2017 – 2020) compilation tap into the original girl group sound with an occasional burst of punk energy. “In My Teens” and “By The Sea” could have easily climbed the charts back in the early 1960s. “Vampire,” on the other hand is more closely aligned with The Ramones. Beltran has a blast sharing the pros and cons of dating the title character while her bandmates play at warp speed.

I’m pretty sure the first line is “When you’re holding my hand in the dark, it’s nice,” but after that, my interpretations sound like entries in Gavin Edwards’ ‘Scuse Me While I Kiss This Guy: And Other Misheard Lyrics book. How about: “When you leap in my bed with your feet to warm up”? The only other line I’m pretty sure of is “You’re not the boy that my parents envisioned for me.” None of which has kept “Vampire” from being a favorite on my Halloween song playlists. 

The only link I can offer is to The Heatwaves Complete Recordings (2017 – 2020) Bandcamp page, where “Vampires” is track number five. Consider playing this at a Halloween party and challenging your guests to decipher what Beltran is singing. While they’re pogo dancing.