Halloween Song - Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack - “This Is Halloween”

Danny Elfman has been a spooky kind of guy from the days he led Oingo Boingo and performed songs like “Dead Man’s Party” with a quirky energy and maniacal grin. He moved on to writing scores for Tim Burton movies like Beetlejuice, Batman, Corpse Bride and Sleepy Hollow. His best work might have been for Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which gave us the angst-ridden hero Jack Skellington.

“This Is Halloween”, one of the many highlights from the soundtrack album, ushers us into the holiday town via an ominous beat, full orchestra, and operatic choruses. Comic voices abound as many of the creepy residents introduce themselves: “I am the one hiding under your bed./Teeth ground sharp and eyes glowing red.” Elfman’s clever rhyming couplets and macabre humor make “This Is Halloween” an enduring classic. 

Halloween Songs: Mordecai Smyth - Sticky Tape And Rust

Mordecai Smyth’s recently released 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of Sticky Tape And Rust on the U.K. independent label Mega Dodo offers a whopping 45 tracks. Some of the additional material involves demo or live performance takes on the originals, but there’s a lot of previously unreleased songs here as well. I haven’t had a chance to digest the expanded Sticky Tape And Rust yet, but here’s a look at my initial review from ten years back. It seems particularly appropriate around Halloween.

You’d expect to encounter a certain amount of silliness on the debut from an artist called Mordecai Smyth, and Sticky Tape And Rust offers plenty along those lines. The first act signed to the fledgling indie label Mega Dodo, Mordecai Smyth draws upon the original British Invasion, with an added dose of vintage movies and TV shows. The lyrics deal with murder, mayhem, and the supernatural, but in such an absurd way, listeners are more likely to be amused than frightened.

Georgina Jones might not be as well known to Yanks as Emma Peel, but she was also a 1960s Brit TV heroine who was as cunning as she was beautiful. Mordecai Smyth honors her with “Georgina Jones,” a Doors-like song with peppy keyboards and lines like, “Crooks and villains better watch your step” and “She’s got a beautiful way of getting under your skin.” The spirit of Syd Barrett surfaces on the satirical portrait “Herbert Frowsy,” while “Sinister Cyclist” depicts a witch who prefers casting spells from her bike instead of a broom. “All Right Now” harks back to the days of England's music halls for a bump and grind look at being a werewolf.

The off-kilter tribute “Mr. Hitchcock” uses a more modern power pop arrangement, while “Don’t Cross Colin” mixes The Undertones with The Who’s “Happy Jack.” “Almost Murder Ballad” is a dark tale of a guy whose various attempts to bump off his lover all fail until he decides to just give up, and for true romantics, there’s some innocent, old-time crooning on “I Love You.”

Halloween Song: Henry Mancini - “Experiment In Terror“

“Experiment In Terror” has a slow, ominous beat and twanging guitars that conjure images of a monster creeping along some darkened street. And we might just be its next victim. Surprisingly, this instrumental was composed by Henry Mancini for a 1962 cops and robbers movie called Experiment In Terror.

In the Chicago area, it’s much better known as the theme for Creature Features, which presented old time horror movies like House Of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and The Mummy’s Ghost on WGN every Saturday night from 1970 to 1976. “Experiment In Terror” will be forever linked to that show’s signature graphic of a horrifying guy in the top hat and cloak.

But “Experiment In Terror” also brings back memories of a childhood fascination with monsters, hours spent trick or treating, and neighborhood Halloween parties in garages or basements. Plus, it’s a great song. In addition to the eerie guitars, a string arrangement adds drama and a cinematic ambience. Later, there’s even a sexy sounding saxophone that puts the vamp in vampire.

Back when I was part of the Famous In The Future comedy group, I used this song an an intro for a satirical skit I had written about the workplace called “Night Of The Living Temps.”  

Cauldron

Best wishes to everyone for a safe, healthy, and fun Halloween weekend.

If you’re trying to think of songs to put on a Halloween party playlist, be sure to check my archives, which can be accessed a little further down, along the right-hand side. I’ve spotlighted a different spooky song each day so far this month.

I’m not sure how many people have a tradition of going out to see a scary flick around Halloween, but for those who do, the recently released Last Night In Soho should do the trick. Especially anyone who enjoys a horror story set in 1960s London, with a soundtrack featuring The Kinks and Petula Clark. It picked up a rave review from Richard Roeper in the Chicago Sun-Times and a mostly positive review from Katie Walsh in the Chicago Tribune.

Both describe Last Night In Soho as well-acted and imaginatively filmed. Anya Taylor-Joy from The Queen’s Gambit and Thomasin McKenzie from Leave No Trace and JoJo Rabbit are the stars, and the cast includes the late Diana Rigg from the 1960s TV series The Avengers and Matt Smith from Doctor Who. So, some excellent reasons for me to see it except that I’m a big crybaby when it comes to bloody violence. Maybe if I just sit in the theater with my eyes closed and listen to Last Night In Soho.

Congratulations to drummer Bobby Elliott from The Hollies on selling out his November 13 event to benefit the Pendle Heritage Centre in England. A remarkable feat considering that, as far as I know, he’s never explained what he’s going to be doing there. Elliott recently released his entertaining and informative autobiography It Ain’t Heavy, It’s My Story - My Life In The Hollies, so maybe he’ll be discussing that. Wine and cheese will be served and there will be a cash bar. 

The Martyrs’ club on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago kicks off three nights of Halloween festivities tonight with the highly eclectic marching band Mucca Paza’s Sleepover Band Camp. Tomorrow brings an all-ages four-band costume party at 5:00 pm, and Marcus Rezak’s Shred Is Dead and K-Nein later in the evening. The Haus Of Everything’s Pride Takeover happens Sunday night with host Ressie G.

Fans of The Pretenders can find a treasure chest of upgraded official rock videos on the band’s YouTube Channel. Starting in an era when so many successful music acts stumbled with over-dramatic or amateurish clips, Chrissie Hynde and her mates rarely went wrong.

The annual two-night, multi-act tribute festival Halloweekend is being held this year at Montrose Saloon tonight and tomorrow night. This event has always featured local musicians delving into a variety of genres, but for 2021, the emphasis is on covering counter-culture acts. Tickets are $20 at the door. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue on Chicago’s north side.

Like many people who’ve come downtown to enjoy live theater, I’ve eaten at the Petterino’s restaurant either before or after the show. (In my case, usually when my wife Pam and I came to see A Christmas Carol at the Goodman Theatre.) So, it’s interesting to learn there’s a stage production now running in the lower level of Petterino’s. As explained in an article by Mary Houlihan in this past Sunday’s Chicago Sun-Times, Windy City Playhouse is using that space to perform an immersive farce titled A Recipe For Disaster. The 90-minute play/dinner spoofs the high-end restaurant biz, as well as social media influencers. Tickets range from $90 to $130; Petterino’s is located at 150 N. Dearborn.

On a related note, Goodman Theatre’s 44th annual production of A Christmas Carol will run from November 20 through December 31.

The Chicago Theatre celebrated its 100th Birthday this week. It is said to have been the first large scale movie theatre in America.

The Footlight District has a special Halloween show at Carol’s Pub at 4659 N Clark Street on Chicago’s north side this Sunday. The four-sisters-one-brother band has a new spooky song titled “War Paint” and can also draw from its 2019 album Fairytales For The Dark Age. The bands Fluorescents and Black Bolts will also be performing; the music starts at 8:00 pm.

Gina Schock is the latest member from The Go-Go’s to weave her life story into a book. Her Made In Hollywood: All Access With The Go-Go’s is now available on Amazon. Kathy Valentine (All I Ever Wanted: A Rock ’N’ Roll Memoir) and Belinda Carlisle (Lips Unsealed: A Memoir) are also authors. The Go-Go’s are among the 2021 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Inductees.

Durty Nellie’s in Palatine is holding a Halloween Prom Night on Saturday with live music by the popular cover bands Modern Day Romeos and There Goes The Neighborhood. Guests can attend in costumes or formal wear, and there will be two separate costume contests

.

The 27th Annual Black Harvest Film Festival will run from November 5 to December 2 at the Gene Siskel Film Center. 28 feature films and documentaries will be features, along with six short film programs.

A new season of Doctor Who (and the last for Jodie Whittaker in the title role) kicks off at 2:25 pm Halloween with an episode called Flux. Judging from the teaser ads, The Doctor has a few new companions to travel with.

Halloween Song: R.E.M. - "Wolves, Lower"

R.E.M.’s “Wolves, Lower” isn’t terrifying or funny, but it’s still a solid choice for a Halloween party playlist. Kicking off with the odd command, “Suspicion yourself, suspicion yourself, don’t get caught,” the lyrics refuse to be understood. Still, there’s something hypnotic about the way Michael Stipe sings of a corner garden, a house in order, and wolves at the door while Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry craft a jangling guitar-driven arrangement.

I remember being drawn to “Wolves, Lower” the first time I heard it on WXRT back in 1982, and soon discovered all the tracks on R.E.M.’s Chronic Town EP were shrouded in mystery. That elusive spirit carried over to their full-length debut Murmur, particularly on “Pilgrimage” and “Perfect Circle.” It was like The Byrds chiming away in the kudzu-infested fields of Athens, Georgia.

R.E.M. evolved from a college radio sensation to world-wide acclaim, and influenced countless new bands. But they never lost that air of mystery. So as we celebrate Halloween, here’s a tip of the witch hat to R.E.M. for all the years they kept us in the dark. 

I’m Going To A Masquerade, Would You Care To Join Me?

Just a few suggestions for Halloween fun this weekend.

Martyrs’ has three nights of Halloween festivities scheduled for this weekend. Mucca Paza, a truly eclectic mashup of rock and marching band music, kicks things off Friday with a show they’re calling Sleepover Band Camp. On Saturday, the Lincoln Avenue venue has an all-ages four-band costume party starting at 5:00 pm, and a show later that night featuring Marcus Rezak’s Shred Is Dead and K-Nein. Sunday night brings the Haus Of Everything’s Pride Takeover, hosted by Ressie G, and featuring Mikey Everything, Boys VS. Girls, Broken Robots Music, Domomoon, and Hasaan Honus. Numerous other guests will be joining in the fun.

Maureen Johnson, whose Truly Devious series of YA mystery novels had a profound influence on my own (yet to be published) YA novel, will be hanging out with Jenny Lawson The Bloggess tomorrow (Friday) at 6:00 pm EST. Devious fans, aspiring writers, book lovers, and anyone just looking to enjoy some spooky chatter, are invited to check it out for free. Johnson noted they will be “discussing murder, books and creepy things.” Check the link on her Instagram profile.

The Bowie 75 pop-up store in New York is now up and running, and I’m sure the staff would love seeing customers dressed up as their favorite David Bowie incarnation come in on Halloween. The store is located at 150 Wooster Street and will be open seven days a week from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm through late January.

The American Writers Museum, located at 180 N. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago is holding a Halloween-related event that runs from today through next Monday. Edgar Allan Poe and Ray Bradbury are among the writers who will be in the spotlight. The museum promises visitors will be treated to horror writing, mystery and detective stories, Halloween reading and podcasts. 

 

Halloweekend, the beloved, two-night, multi-act tribute festival, will take place at Montrose Saloon on October 29 and 30. This event has always featured local musicians delving into a variety of genres, but for 2021, the emphasis is on covering counter-culture acts. Tickets are $20 at the door. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue on Chicago’s north side. The festival starts at 8:30 pm each night, and it looks like each act will perform for about 30 minutes. See my October 13 post for more details.

If you’re looking to create a playlist for your own Halloween event, Little Steve Van Zandt’s very fun and spooky Halloween A Go-Go on the Wicked Cool label is now available on Bandcamp, so you can download any or all of its tracks. Also, be sure check the Broken Hearted Toy archives for all of this month’s Halloween Song profiles. 

A new season of Doctor Who (and the last for Jodie Whittaker in the title role) kicks off at 2:25 pm Halloween with an episode called Flux. Judging from the teaser ads, The Doctor has a few new companions to travel with. The season premiere will wrap up BBCAmerica’s four-day Wholloween event which will present episodes with David Tennant, Matt Smith, and Peter Capaldi in the lead role.

Durty Nellie’s in Palatine is holding a Halloween Prom Night on Saturday with live music by the popular cover bands Modern Day Romeos and There Goes The Neighborhood. Guests can attend in costumes or formal wear, and there will be two separate costume contests.

When The Footlight District performs a special Halloween show at Carol’s Pub at 4659 N. Clark Street on Chicago’s north side this Sunday, they’ll have a brand new spooky song titled “War Paint” to showcase. Plus, the four-sister-one-brother band can draw plenty of chilling material from its 2019, Steve Albini produced album Fairytales For The Dark Age. The bands Fluorescents and Black Bolts will also be performing; the music starts at 8:00 pm. Halloween costumes are encouraged.

Brothers’ Field in Long Grove has been drawing crowds back to the shopping district this summer with various live music events. There’s an outdoor Halloween Costume Party going on tomorrow night, starting at 7:00 pm.

Halloween Song: Warren Zevon - “Werewolves Of London”

Graphic from the official Warren Zevon Facebook page.

Although Warren Zevon had been an active singer-songwriter for several years before Excitable Boy dropped in 1978, it was his first album to achieve major commercial success. It also established his dark and ironic sense of humor, particularly on the title track and “Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner.” On “Werewolves Of London,” Zevon’s jubilant piano playing and boisterous howl celebrated the violent antics and fashion choices of a homicidal beast.

Zevon was joined by veteran session guitarist Waddy Wachtel (who along with singer-guitarist LeRoy Marinell helped Zevon write the song) and the Fleetwood Mac rhythm section of bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood. The lyrics ranged from the graphic “He’ll rip your lungs out, Jim” and “Little old lady got mutilated late last night” to the classic understatement, “Lately he’s been overheard in Mayfair.” Zevon imagines a trendy werewolf cruising Soho for beef chow mein and sipping a tropical drink at Trader Vic’s. Later, Lon Chaney appears with his son and the Queen, making this a full-fledged Halloween party.

Halloween Song: The Redwalls - “Into The Maelstrom”

Nothing is 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.

Halloween Song: Steeleye Span - “Alison Gross”

Steeleye Span’s successful career of updating centuries-old ballads with electric guitar and drum arrangements began in England around 1969. “Alison Gross,” from the band’s 1973 release Parcel Of Rogues, spins the tale of a witch trying to win a man’s heart through bribery. She offers him a series of riches, starting with a red mantle with golden flowers and fine fringe. Nothing she conjures can change his low opinion of her appearance, though.

“Away, away, you ugly witch/Go far away and let me be,” he responds. “I never would kiss your ugly mouth/For all of the gifts that you give to me.” Infuriated, Alison Gross whips out her magic wand and turns him into a worm. According to Wikipedia, Steeleye Span added its own chorus and left off the original ballad’s happy ending, which had the man being restored to his proper shape on Halloween by a passing fairy.

Also, he may not have been transformed into an earthworm, since the original lyrics used the word wyrm, which meant dragon. Unlike some of the ancient ballads, which can be slow and gloomy, “Alison Gross” feels like a rowdy Halloween party song villagers might have sung while swinging steins of mead.

Here, There And Every Year

We all know The Beatles are still immensely popular almost 60 years after they first conquered the world, but it’s still fun when someone shows us examples. Whether it’s a local musician or rock star covering one of the band’s many hits; an artist creating portraits; an author pulling all the details and anecdotes together in a book; or a filmmaker giving us a documentary, anything Beatles-related captures our interest.

Director Simon Weitzman is wrapping up a feature-length film titled Here, There And Everywhere that he describes as “A love letter to The Beatles from their fans.” He turned to Indiegogo for funds and—break out the champagne—just reached 100% of his goal today. Of course, Beatles fans who’d like to support this project can still contribute.

As with most fundraising campaigns, there are perks for those who donate. I was all set to shell out $27,503 for the replica of Andy Edwards’ Beatles statue in Liverpool, but someone else beat me to it. Just kidding. I love the statue, but my budget is more closely aligned with the $41 DVD donation. An added perk of buying the DVD is that your name will be listed in the credits when Here, There And Everywhere is released in April, 2022.

   

The Fest For Beatles Fans, which has been bringing its annual celebration to big cities since 1974, is fully supporting Weitzman in his quest. As is the current management of The Cavern Club in Liverpool. While putting this post together, I was inspired to dig through my archives and find the September, 1977 issue of the local free paper Metro Calendar. It includes my feature story on BeatleFest, which was what The Fest For Beatles Fans was called back then, making its Chicago debut at the Palmer House. I began that article with a joke about how many people back in the mid-1960s predicted The Beatles’ success would never last. 

Halloween Song: The Red Plastic Buddha - “Stuck On Zero”

“Stuck On Zero” is the final track on Songs For Mara, the 2014 CD from Chicago-based psychedelia masters The Red Plastic Buddha. The band was aiming for darker themes on this effort, including “addiction, obsession and madness.” That came along with consistently inventive instrumentation, and in the case of “Stuck On Zero,” a hefty dose of gallows humor.

The song opens with a trudging arrangement that evokes images of zombies on the prowl. Lead singer-bassist Tim Ferguson opts for a yelping vocal style that’s equal parts rock star and deranged creature, spitting out quick rhymes that suggest zombie guys want pretty much the same things a lot of living guys want; an attractive mate, cool wheels, job security, and a macho image. “When I come back from the dead I ain’t messing around,” Ferguson warns at the dawn of this song. “Get on the wrong side of me I’m gonna run you down.”

He appreciates his girlfriend (“She loves me for my brains/Yeah man, she’s my world”) and doesn’t have time for the usual zombie means of getting around. “I won’t be moving slow/I’ll dig your daddy up and steal his GTO.” There’s no mention of eating people in the lyrics, but being a zombie does come across as being a full time occupation. “Won’t work no 9 to 5/My new full time gig is being un-alive.”

This particular zombie also has aspirations for achieving fame. “When I come back from the dead won’t be no room for doubt/Zombie superstar I got it all worked out.” No one can say the living dead don’t have dreams.

Halloween Song: The Umbrellas - “Vampires”

Back in 2005, vocalist-guitarist Scott Windsor gathered a secretive collection of musicians together under the name The Umbrellas. The band’s self-titled CD offered gorgeous shoegazer music with an occasional dash of energetic techno rock. “Vampires” is an impossibly catchy tune with a shuffling drumbeat amidst a hypnotic swirl of keyboards and guitars.

Windsor’s androgynous vocals ooze sophistication as he sets the scene of his arrival at a high-society bash. “Last night we went to a party./There were a bunch of big names there.” The protagonist immediately senses danger. “So I’ve got one hand on my neck to keep all the vampires out./I’m gonna finish this stiff drink and I’ll be on my way.”

Windsor shifts to a more poetic tone as he describes the car ride back home. “I think the entire existence is asleep it’s so quiet./My headlights dance pictures on the treeline./The song floats out the window into the fog-filled night.” Although it’s not explicitly described in the song, somehow he must have given in to the vampires’ lure. “Now they’re back at my neck and they’re thirsty.”

Alone in his bedroom, he reflects on what he has done. “This apple in my hand, I just took one bite.” Of course, it’s possible Windsor intended all this as a metaphor aimed at the blood-sucking entertainment industry, but taken literally, it’s a fun and seductive Halloween treat. 

Saturday Slumgullion

Congratulations to Wolf Alice on selling out most of the dates on their upcoming U.S. tour. That includes the U.K. band’s November 8 show at The Vic in Chicago. Coming up on October 27, Wolf Alice will stop by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles for the first American screening of a film based on their latest album Blue Weekend. An acoustic set and a Q and A session will follow afterward. Fans can catch all three Grammy Museum events via a livestream for $3.99.

A new musical celebrating the life of reggae icon Bob Marley recently opened at Lyric Theatre in London. Get Up, Stand Up! features actors portraying Marley at various points in his life, with Arinzé Kene particularly drawing praise for his performance of Marley as an adult. The show, which has been described as being packed with exuberant music, runs through April 3, 2022.

 

David Bowie fans in New York and London no doubt already have this Monday, October 25 marked on their calendars. That’s grand opening day for a pop-up store in each city that will run through late January. Both retail locations will feature immersive audio and HD video screening rooms, exclusive apparel, limited-edition LPs and CDs, and gallery installations. The New York City store is located at 150 Wooster Street; and the London store is at 14 Heddon Street, 41B, 4BZ. The pop-up stores are part of The David Bowie Estate’s grand plan for a months-long celebration of what would have been his 75th birthday. Fans can also order a variety cool things on the Bowie 75 website.

The Go-Go’s have an interview and book signing event coming up on October 29 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in Cleveland. The official RRHOF site is now selling a colorful Go-Go’s t-shirt with the message “IT’S ABOUT F#%*ING TIME” (that’s their censorship, not mine); an acknowledgement that the band should have been inducted years ago. I’d like to be able to say the same thing about the RRHOF offering a t-shirt of 2010 inductees The Hollies, but that day hasn’t come yet.

Tickets are now on sale for Beautiful - The Carole King Musical’s one-week only (November 2 – 7) run at the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe in downtown Chicago. 

Halloweekend, the annual festival featuring local musicians paying tribute to famous rock acts, will take place at Montrose Saloon next Friday, October 29 and Saturday, 30. On Friday night, it’s Part-Time Lovers as The Ramones; The Statutes of Liberty as Velvet Underground; The Crayola Kids as The Wonder Stuff; Rachel Drew as White Stripes; Inspiral Parkas as Bauhaus; and Dream House as Siouxsie And The Banshees.

Saturday night’s lineup is Amazing Heeby Jeebies as The Cramps; Green Thoughts as The Smithereens; Guns And Ammunition as Thin Lizzy; Phil Angotti and Casey McDonough as The Zombies; The Webstirs as Paul McCartney; and Androgynous Mustache as Billy Joel. Each act takes its own approach, but Halloweekend is the most fun when the musicians go all out to look and sound like the artists they’re covering. Tickets are $20 at the door. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue on Chicago’s north side. The festival starts at 8:30 pm each night, and it looks like each act will perform for about 30 minutes.

For those in the mood for Bruce Springsteen covers, Michael McDermott and his band will transform into The Duke Street Kings for the return of Halloweensteen on Saturday, October 30 at the Park West. Tickets are available at the Park West box office. The annual Springsteen tribute was knocked out by COVID-19 restrictions last year. 

The Chicago-based alt rock band whitewolfsonicprincess will be playing “21st Century Druid Music” in the beer Garden at the Sketchbook Brewing Company at 4901 Main Street in Skokie on Halloween from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. The band’s new, mind-altering video for the song “Hand In Hand” from its most recent album The Alternate Boot is now available on Vimeo. 

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines will celebrate its grand opening on Halloween night with a performance by the country and western act Kevin Costner and Modern West. Given that Costner’s other career involves appearing in several hit films, the venue has been making full use of the Field Of Dreams catch phrase “If you build it, they will come.” Upcoming concerts include The Orchestra, featuring former members of Electric Light Orchestra on November 4; Kenny Wayne Shepherd on November 5;. and Pure Prairie League and Atlanta Rhythm Section of December 3.

Halloween Song: Blue Oyster Cult - “Don’t Fear The Reaper”

Hair-raising scenarios come naturally to hard rock and heavy metal bands, but Blue Oyster Cult’s variety of approaches is impressive. “Nosferatu” was a majestic and brooding meditation on the original vampire tale, while the thundering “Godzilla,” with lines like, “Oh no, there goes Tokyo! Go, Go, Godzilla!” was unabashed fun. The band struck gold in 1976 with “Don’t Fear The Reaper” from their Agents Of Fortune album. 

The opening guitar riff and progressive arrangement are pure classic rock, but the song spread across genres and retains its massive popularity to this day. Which is strange, because the lyrics appear to advocate suicide as the ultimate expression of love. “Seasons don’t fear the reaper/Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain... we can be like they are.” They also promise “We’ll be able to fly” and point out, “Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity.”

Blue Oyster Cult effectively sells these sentiments through a strong melody and intricate harmony vocals. There’s even a “La la la la la la” and “Come on, baby.” It’s almost like The Beach Boys inviting a girl to the sock hop. The last verse describes a despondent woman whose lover has already died. “And it was clear she couldn’t go on.” The final image is of the reunited couple looking back and saying goodbye to the living. Or is she flying off with the Reaper himself? Either way, “Don’t Fear The Reaper” is a love song that probably hasn’t been played played at many wedding receptions. 

Halloween Song: The Goldstars - “Purple Girlfriend”

When The Goldstars released their second album Purple Girlfriend in 2006, the band members were listed simply as Sal, GT, Dag, and Skipper. Avid fans of the Chicago alt rock scene recognized these guys as members of The Slugs, The New Duncan Imperials, and The Krinkles, getting together for a fun side project devoted to garage rock. So, they were the perfect choice to open for the Hoodoo Gurus at The Abbey Pub several years ago.

In addition to sharing the Aussie band’s obsession with the 1960s and an offbeat sense of humor (see yesterday’s post), The Goldstars also liked to get spooky sometimes. “Purple Girlfriend,” the album’s title track is an energetic instrumental that would have worked great as a TV show theme song in the Batman and The Munsters era. The space-age keyboards and fuzzy guitars bring to mind a discotheque, as well as an invasion of extraterrestrials. Or maybe a high-speed car chase involving spies. Since there are no lyrics, feel free to let your imagination run wild. And dance.

As memory serves, EXPO '76, a current band that includes a few Goldstars in its ranks, occasionally plays “Purple Girlfriend” at their gigs around the Chicago area.

Halloween Song: Hoodoo Gurus - "Dig It Up"

Australia’s Hoodoo Gurus are not only one of the most talented garage bands around, they’re also one of the spookiest. This was already evident on their rollicking 1984 debut, Stoneage Romeos, which comes across as 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.

The Hoodoo Gurus have a tour coming up in 2022 that will bring them to City Winery Chicago on April 27.  Alas, the show has already sold out.

Incoming

Peter Asher will be at the Old Town School of Folk Music this Saturday night to stage his A Musical Memoir Of The 60s And Beyond multi-media presentation. I thoroughly enjoyed the previous versions I saw of Asher’s show at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago and at The Old Town School Of Folk Music. Here are a few observations from a review I posted here on January 28, 2013:

Asher, formerly half of Peter And Gordon, served up an entertaining mix of live songs like “I Go To Pieces” and “500 Miles,” photographs, and vintage clips. He discussed his role in The Beatles’ ill-fated Apple corporation; his development as a highly sought-after producer for artists like James Taylor, Diana Ross, and Linda Ronstadt; and his more recent work on film soundtracks.

Admission is $38. The show takes place at the school’s Gary and Laura Maurer Hall, 4544 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago.

As previously mentioned here on BHT, a new live music venue called Madcats has opened in Palatine. It’s at the former location of Mac’s On Slade at 117 W. Slade, and like Mac’s, it serves food. Big Brother’s Vinyl, a tribute band based in the northwest suburbs, will be performing guitar-driven classic rock this Friday night. They were semi-regulars at Mac’s, and were always impressive. The music starts at 9:00 pm.

The Des Plaines Theatre in downtown Des Plaines will celebrate its grand opening on Halloween night with a performance by the country and western act Kevin Costner and Modern West. Given that Costner’s other career involves appearing in hit films, the venue has been making full use of the Field Of Dreams catch phrase “If you build it, they will come.” Upcoming concerts now that The Des Plaines Theatre has been built include The Orchestra, featuring former members of Electric Light Orchestra on November 4; Kenny Wayne Shepherd on November 5;. and Pure Prairie League and Atlanta Rhythm Section of December 3.

Go Time, The Spindles, and Vinny from Crown Vic Royal, three local acts that do a fine job of performing and recording original music, will be sharing the bill again at Q Bar Darien in Darien, IL this Friday night.

Halloween Song: Lene Lovich - “Bird Song”

The arrival of new wave and punk rock in the late 1970s introduced an exciting cast of talented and sometimes intimidating female performers like 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: The Social Act - “Heaven Is Waiting”

The Social Act was one of the first local bands I interviewed when I started writing for the Illinois Entertainer. I think it was following a show they did at Park West, but after all these years, my memory could be foggy. Lead vocalist Ellis Clark was already a veteran of Chicago’s alt-rock scene by that time, having been a founding member of Epicycle. After The Social Act broke up, he went on to various projects, including solo efforts and a stint with The Handcuffs. These days, The Social Act is back in action, and Clark performs with Ary Paloma from Amazing Heeby Jeebies as a psychedelic country duo called Big Hair Big Trouble. They also front the George Harrison tribute act My Sweet George, which has performed on the Apple Jam Stage at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago.

“Heaven Is Waiting” is from Uber Der Berlin Wall, a 1990 ambitious 17-track album that came with an illustrated lyric booklet. Its seemingly benign sentiments are set to an incongruous and haunting arrangement that suggests God and Goth are closely related. At the very least, he has a deep voice with an ominous echo. “Heaven is waiting,” Clark/The Almighty beckons as the percolating beat continues. “All aboard the train/Heaven is waiting/No time for delay.”

When he specifically invites a Mrs. Jones to make the trip, we picture an old lady like the one Ruth Buzzy played on Rowan And Martin’s Laugh-In. It could be the song is taunting a neighborhood busybody who goes to church every day but peeks out at her neighbors from behind her living room curtains. Or maybe the final line is what’s meant to scare us the most: “We all got to go sometime.”   

Halloween Song: The Human League - "Darkness"

George Harrison once warned us to “Beware Of Darkness,” but in 1981, The Human League created a song in which a mere flick of a light switch resulted in a terrifying, mind-altering experience. Like everything else on the band’s groundbreaking and platinum record, Dare, the melodic “Darkness” was driven by synthesizers. But they’re used here to establish a spooky ambience as well as to get people dancing.

The lyrics describe darkness as a place “filled with sounds of fear” where the imagination runs wild. “I see shadows (don’t turn out the light)/Moving, changing shape.” Even the senses become a confusing mishmash. “I hear colours black and red/I see sounds that fill my head.” This was the only song on Dare that founding member/lead vocalist Philip Oakey didn’t have a hand in writing (other than the instrumental snippet, “Get Carter”) but his chilling delivery goes a long way toward conveying its emotional power. “And the clock stops as darkness closes in./I hesitate but it’s too late, I scream and scream again.”

“Darkness” has that unmistakeable allure of 1980s synth rock, but its message stretches back through the centuries. For anyone putting together a Halloween party playlist, this is a good candidate for the opening track. The Human League is still active, and has a tour in the works for 2022.

Halloween Song: Shelivade - “Into The Night”

The Chicago-based, four-woman band Shelivade served up a hard rock vampire tale titled “Into The Night” on its 1994 debut CD, One More Than Ten. The duet between lead vocalist Jean Iversen and guest singer Jon Dobbs is both seductive and threatening, especially on the lines, “Darkness wakes my love/Lures me into the night/Haunts me with desire/My fate is your fire.” Iversen’s vocal firepower is reminiscent of Ann Wilson from Heart, and the give and take with Dobbs creates a theatrical ambience.

Vanessa Eichelberger’s guitar playing provides an energetic backdrop while the vampire’s modus operandi is rendered in short, poetic bursts. “Rapid pulse, empty veins/Feel my throat, blessed pain.” The nearly five-minute song ends with the line, “Vacant mirror, then I’m gone,” followed by one of the best evil laughs in rock since Vincent Price added his chuckle to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.”