Halloween Song: Henry Mancini - “Experiment In Terror”

So, here’s the final Halloween song profile for 2023. The link to the opening credits of the film Experiment In Terror shows a woman driving home at night, which serves as an apt metaphor for end of the Halloween season.

My wife and I had 15 trick or treaters, which was pretty impressive considering the miserable, snowy weather in the Chicago area. Most of them were teenagers. As per my Halloween night tradition, I went out for a walk around the neighborhood to see the houses decorated with ghosts and monsters, but I turned back out halfway through. The wind and snow were just too scary.

“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 our 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.”  

Halloween Song: The B-52’s - “Planet Claire”

As we wind down our 2023 Halloween song journey, let’s take a last-minute detour to a magical place far away in a distant galaxy. It’s another profile from the BHT vault, with a few edits.

Back in 1979, there had never been a group like The B-52’s before. They were regarded as part of the punk movement but used a toy piano, fire alarm, and a walkie talkie, along with standard rock instruments on their self-titled debut album. And their lyrics were consistently nonsensical.

Opening with a mostly instrumental passage that features eerie keyboards along with high-pitched vocalizing, “Planet Claire” introduces us to an unnamed alien who came from the title planet via a Plymouth Satellite she drives faster than the speed of light. Like all Clairelings, she doesn’t have a head, so it’s hard to imagine how she could see where she was going. Then again, you could say the same thing about Earthlings who text while driving.

Vocalist Fred Schneider, who composed the song with drummer Keith Strickland, affects an appropriately silly tone throughout the song. Especially when he screams, “WELL, SHE ISN’T!” in response to speculation that the alien is “from Mars or one of the seven stars that shine after 3:30 in the morning.” Unlike most outer space invaders, this visitor from “Planet Claire” doesn’t appear to have any evil plans. She’s been partying here on Earth for decades, and probably uploads mind-blowing videos on TikTok.

Halloween Song: “This Is Halloween”

Another post from the BHT vault, with a few edits. Have a safe and wonderful Halloween.

Danny Elfman emerged as a spooky presence in the 1980s when he fronted Oingo Boingo on hit songs like “Dead Man’s Party” (see yesterday’s post) and “Stay.” His quirky energy and maniacal grin, along with that deep voice, made lines such as “Leave your body and soul at the door” simultaneously threatening and fun. He moved on to writing scores for Tim Burton films such as Beetlejuice, Batman, Corpse Bride and Sleepy Hollow. His best work might have been for Burton’s dual holiday feature The Nightmare Before Christmas, which gave us the angst-ridden hero Jack Skellington.

“This Is Halloween,” one of the many highlights from the soundtrack, ushers us into the holiday town via an ominous beat, full orchestra, and operatic choruses. Comic voices abound as several 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.

With the holiday upon us, homeowners across America now await the arrival of trick-or-treaters. Depending on how authentic the kids’ costumes are, playing “This Is Halloween” could be the perfect soundtrack as they make their way up your front steps. Just be sure to dole out enough candy to keep them satisfied. 

Halloween Song: “Dead Man’s Party”

It’s likely that most of this year’s Halloween parties took place over the weekend. The main attraction now is when numerous kids come around for trick or treat, although my wife and I usually only get around 20 at our house. Here’s a Halloween song from the BHT vault that offers another opportunity to party. If you dare.

Singer-songwriter Danny Elfman has been blending music, theatre, and bizarre humor for so long it’s easy to imagine him freaking out his parents while performing in his playpen. With a maniacal grin. “Don’t run away, it’s only me.” His 1980s band Oingo Boingo actually morphed from a popular Los Angeles theatre troupe, and Elfman currently makes bundles of cash composing film soundtracks.

I’ve often posted his gruesomely clever “This Is Halloween” from Nightmare Before Christmas as part of my annual October spooky music celebration. Oingo Boingo’s 1985 single “Dead Man’s Party” follows the same pattern of setting disturbing subject matter to an irresistible melody and making us laugh. An invitation figures prominently in Elfman’s lyrics, as we’re introduced to someone who believes lugging around a corpse is the epitome of being well dressed.

Although the protagonist complains of having nowhere to go, eventually, a chauffeur arrives and whisks him off to “a party where no one’s still alive.” There’s no ongoing story here, just a series of strange events and Elfman’s not-so-reassuring advice of “Don’t be afraid of what you can’t see.” But his distinctive vocals and the playful drums, guitars, and horns keep everyone too busy dancing to worry about what’s really going on.

Incoming

Congratulations to Wilco on selling out its concert at Metro in Chicago tonight. Depending on when you see this, you can find a link to a live stream starting at 8:00 pm on the band’s official website. The show will likely feature songs from its latest album, the Cate Le Bon produced Cousins. After tonight’s show, Wilco will embark on tours of Mexico, Japan, and Australia.

Terri Hemmert, one of Chicago’s all-time best-known radio personalities, will mark 50 years of being on the air at rock station WXRT this Friday, November 3. The FM station, a perennial favorite in its own right, is inviting longtime listeners to post their admiration for Hemmert on its official website. WXRT promises Hemmert will read all the messages, and they’ll share some on the air this Friday.

Of course, it’s impossible to mention Terri Hemmert without describing her as one of the planet’s most devoted Beatles fans. She’s had the honor on interviewing Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr; hosts Breakfast With The Beatles each Sunday morning on WXRT; and has served as the official MC at Fest For Beatles Fans - Chicago for several years. Fest For Beatles Fans got its start in New York, and will soon be celebrating its 50th anniversary. A recent official email stated details will be revealed soon.

I’m assuming by now most Beatles fans are aware that film producer Peter Jackson used AI technology to separate John Lennon’s vocals from a piano playing on a song titled “Now And Then” that was recorded a little over 40 years ago. Jackson was the perfect choice to do it, having previously created the masterful Get Back documentary series. “Now And Then,” which is being described as “the last new Beatles song,” will be released this Thursday along with a 2023 mix of The Beatles’ first ever single “Love Me Do” as a double single in seven-inch and twelve-inch vinyl formats.

The Last Waltz, director Martin Scorsese’s 1978 classic concert film of The Band commemorating its retirement (at the time) with assorted fabulous guests, will return to theaters for one night only this Sunday, November 5. The event marks the film’s 45th anniversary.

Micky Dolenz has an EP titled Dolenz Sings R.E.M. coming out this Friday in vinyl and CD formats.

The Mercury Theater’s production of Young Frankenstein has been garnering positive reviews. Chris Jones in the Chicago Tribune particularly liked Ryan Stajmiger as Igor and Andrew MacNaughton as the Monster. The production runs Wednesday through Sunday until December 31. My wife Pam and I joined two friends to see a production of Monty Python’s Spamalot at Mercury Theater a while back and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Best wishes to the cast and crew of director Josh Rhodeson’s new production of Monty Python’s Spamalot, which opens tomorrow night (Halloween) at the St. James Theatre in New York. Break a leg. Or, if you’re fighting The Black Knight, cut off both legs and arms.

If you’re looking for Halloween songs to play while waiting for trick or treaters to arrive tomorrow, check out previous listing from this month for suggestions. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and fun Halloween.

Halloween Songs: “Alison Gross” And “Tam Lin”

Another Halloween song profile from the vault, with a few edits.

The Chicago FM radio station WXRT celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2022. I’ve followed every step of its journey, from late-night-only broadcasting to airing classic, cutting edge, and progressive rock 24 hours a day. It sounds different now than it did in the early 1970s—purists have been claiming it sold out for years—but I would argue it’s still one of the best major stations in the U.S. 

My many fond memories of early XRT include checking in on Halloween night for an adventurous selection of spooky songs. Two of my favorites were Steeleye Span’s “Allison Gross” and Fairport Convention’s “Tam Lin.” If I remember correctly, the DJ would play them back to back, so that’s how I have them now on my Halloween playlist.

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 a mix of magic and 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 repulsion toward her 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.

Along with Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention helped revitalize folk rock in England by electrifying traditional ballads with modern arrangements. “Tam Lin,”  from Fairport Convention’s 1969 album, Liege And Lief, features a strong-willed heroine in a tale of lust, evil curses, and redemption. It’s based on Scottish folklore although variations have surfaced in other cultures as well.

Brought to life by the terrific lead vocalist Sandy Denny, the lyrics warn maidens to avoid the wooded area called Carter Hall because a creepy elf named Tam Lin dwells there. Some versions of the original ballad offered unsavory reasons why a particular maiden named Janet ignores the warning, but Fairport Convention goes with the more positive view that she believes she has a right to pick roses at Carter Hall since it’s part of her family’s property. “When up there came young Tam Lin says, ‘Lady, pull no more./And why come you to Carter Hall without command from me?’/‘I’ll come and go,’ young Janet said, ‘and ask no leave of thee.”

Fairport Convention breaks up the narrative with energetic instrumental passages driven by electric guitar and fiddle. Although it’s not stated explicitly, Janet’s encounter with Tam Lin includes him seducing her, and later there are consequences. “Well, up then spoke her father dear and he spoke meek and mild/‘Oh, and alas, Janet,’ he said, ‘I think you go with child.” By then, she’s fallen in love with the guy. “For if my love were an earthly knight as he is an elfin grey/I’d not change my own true love for any knight you have.”

Janet goes back to Carter Hall to see if Tam Lin wants to trade the woods for a castle. He’s game, especially since his only other option is being offered up as a human sacrifice. “The Queen of Faeries caught me when from my horse I fell/And at the end of seven years she pays a tithe to hell/I so fair and full of flesh and feared it be myself.” The magic of Halloween night not only offers Tam Lin a means to escape, but through Janet’s love, it can also transform him back into the handsome knight he was before the Queen of Faeries cast a spell on him.

Janet carries out the elaborate ritual Tam Lin prescribes, and wins his freedom. The Queen of Faeries is furious with the outcome. “‘Oh had I known, Tam Lin,’ she said, ‘what this night I did see/I have looked him in the eyes and turned him to a tree.’” Tam Lin Balladry lists several more sinister variations on the original ballad than Fairport Convention’s version, but there is one that depicts The Queen Of  Faeries expressing a grudging admiration for Janet’s pluck.

Halloween Song: “Hydrogenic”

Another rerun from the BHT haunted vault but with an added link. 

Back in the early 1980s, Bohemia’s high-energy approach, led by charismatic lead vocalist/keyboards player Carla Evonne, prompted a Chicago daily newspaper critic to proclaim the band was every bit as good as X from Los Angeles. Following the release of a self-titled, three-song 10 inch EP in 1980, Bohemia returned a year later with their impressive debut LP, Deviations. Among the energetic and offbeat highlights were “Plastic Doll,”  “Standard Deviations,” “Empty Room,” and “Dr. Werner.”

“Hydrogenic” was a punk rock masterpiece, offering a girl meets mutant love story with an underlying jab at the perils of nuclear energy. Bass player Zirbel’s revved-up playing leads an extended instrumental intro before Carla Evonne jumps in to set the romantic tale in motion. “Since I met you baby/I haven’t been the same/You hit me like an H-bomb and now I hardly know my name.”

Even though her boyfriend’s appearance has been drastically changed by massive doses of radiation, the woman’s devotion is unwavering. “Momma says you’re different/With your long green hair/You got webs between your fingers/But I don’t even care.” Additional lyrics such “I can see you glowing in the dark/In my life you really caused a spark” are punctuated by an overjoyed chorus of, “Ooh, our love is new/Our love is new . . . nuclear.” 

Saturday Slumgullion

Who’s on first. Pete Townshend and director Des McAnuff will bring their production of The Who’s Tommy to Broadway next year. Their theatrical version of Townshend’s 1969 Tommy rock opera with The Who sold out its entire run and won a number of Jeff Awards when it was staged at the Goodman Theatre here in Chicago. Chicago Sun-Times reporter Miriam Di Nunzio noted that all members of the creative team in Chicago will carry on in New York. Chicago Tribune theatre critic Chris Jones stated his sources believe many of the Chicago cast will also be involved. Best wishes from all us who thoroughly enjoyed seeing The Who’s Tommy in Chicago for the musical’s continued success.

Guess Who’s next. Canadian rockers The Guess Who will perform hits such as “No Sugar Tonight,” “These Eyes,” and “No Time” at The Des Plaines Theatre tonight in Des Plaines. The band recently released the album Plein D’Amour and has upcoming dates in Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, and other states.

If you’re hoping to put together a last-minute Halloween party playlist, check out previous posts from this month on BHT for suggestions. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and fun Halloween weekend.

Halloweekend, the annual two-day event featuring local musicians masquerading as rock and roll stars, continues tonight at Montrose Saloon. The lineup features The 321’s as The Police; Amazing Heeby Jeebies as The Cramps; Androgynous Mustache as Madness; Sitting Still as R.E.M.; Metropoly as X; and Dead Freddie as The Clash. The fun starts at 8:30 pm, with admission being $20. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue.

For those who enjoy laughing at gruesome medieval events, director Josh Rhodeson’s new production of Monty Python’s Spamalot will open on Halloween night at the St. James Theatre in New York.

Wilco has sold out its concert at Metro in Chicago this Monday night, but fans can find a link to a live stream on the band’s official website. The show will likely feature songs from its latest album, the Cate Le Bon produced Cousins. After Monday’s show, Wilco will embark on tours of Mexico, Japan, and Australia. 

The Chicago-based seven-piece Talking Heads tribute band Start Making Sense will return to Martyrs' on Lincoln Avenue on November 10 and 11. Good timing, considering the critically acclaimed, updated version of director Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense Talking Heads concert film has been wowing people in movie theaters.

The first U.K. screening of The Zombies documentary Hung Up On A Dream will take place on November 4 at The Barbican Centre in London. It’s part of the Doc’n Roll Film Festival 2023.

Cheap Trick will be the headline act at the International Beatles On The Beach Festival at the Delray Beach Amphitheater January 24 – 28. Tickets are already on sale. 

International Pop Overthrow - New York will be held at the Parkside Lounge on the weekend of November 9 – 12, with afternoon and evening showcases on Saturday and Sunday. Around 34 acts will be taking part.

Tickets are now on sale for The English Beat’s December 3 and 4 performances at City Winery Chicago.

The Last Waltz, director Martin Scorsese’s 1978 classic concert film of The Band and their assorted famous guests, will return to theaters for one night only on November 5, to celebrate its 45th anniversary.

The Destinos: 6th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival  will run through November 12 across the city at venues such as The Goodman Theatre; Puerto Rico Theatre Lab; The Den Theater; Repertorio Latino Theater; Subtext Studio Theatre Company; The Living Word Project; Teatro Tariakuri; Cabaret Parodia; and Colectivo El Pozo. 

Graham Nash will wrap up his 2023 U.S. tour with dates in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Delaware. Many of which are sold out. He’ll embark on a series of concerts in Australia and New Zealand starting in March 2024.

The Eyes Have It  - All-Star Line-up Of Chicago’s Finest Songwriters will celebrate the musical vision of Michael Teach on November 12 at Montrose Saloon on Chicago’s north side. Teach is the co-founder of the original music podcast Chicago Acoustic Underground. Performers will includes Phil Angotti; Ellis Clark and Ary Jeebie; Eric Chial; Jenny and Robin Bienemann; The Barb and Barrett Show; The Menards; and whitewolfsonicprincess. The tribute starts at 5:00 pm.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a collection of tracks from the former Smiths’ guitarist is coming out on November 3.

The Bad Examples, the long-time Chicago-based band whose catchy melodies and clever lyrics often evoke the music of Squeeze, will be at FitzGerald’s in Berwyn on November 10.

Looks like U2 has been playing a winning hand in Las Vegas. Their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere run has just added 11 new dates. Meanwhile, the band’s catchy new single “Atomic City” is available to pre-order in limited-edition photoluminescent transparent seven-inch single and CD formats at the band’s official online shop.  

Micky Dolenz has recorded an EP titled Dolenz Sings R.E.M. that features his takes on “Shiny Happy People,” “Radio Free Europe,” “Man On The Moon,” and “Leaving New York.” It comes out on November 3rd in vinyl and CD formats.

The Stones And Brian Jones, a new documentary from Magnolia Pictures, will be screened in theaters across America as a one-night-only special preview on November 7. It has a general release date of November 17. The 93-minute film comes from the award-winning British director Nick Broomfield, and features interviews with numerous musicians and previously unseen archival footage. 

The Kooks have announced an upcoming 16-city tour that will bring them to America for the first time in quite a while. It kicks off in Atlanta on February 29, and includes a stop at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on March 15. The shows will celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Kooks’ debut release Inside In Inside Out, and the band will perform the entire album. A recently released deluxe, double LP edition also marks the occasion. The Kooks’ latest album, 10 Tracks To Echo In The Dark, came out in July 2022.

Halloween Song: The Hollies - “Lullaby To Tim”

The Hollies surrounded by spooky stage props. Photo from The Hollies Official Facebook page.

Now that my wife Pam and I are back from vacation, it’s time to resume the Halloween song profiles. This one ran for the first time on BHT last October.

The Hollies are often regarded as “a singles band” and while they did notch a number of Top 40 hits (more so in England than America), some of my all-time favorite songs by them are deep cuts from their albums. “Lullaby To Tim” isn’t one of those top favorites, but it’s certainly pleasant and just barely qualifies as a Halloween song. It appeared on the group’s surprisingly psychedelic 1967 album Evolution, which was sandwiched between two other excellent LPs, Stop Stop Stop and Dear Eloise/King Midas In Reverse (For Certain Because and Butterfly respectively in the U.K.). If you want proof that The Hollies were capable of creating superb album material, check out these three releases.

The magical imagery on “Lullaby To Tim” kicks off with the very first lines, “Would you like to slide down a rainbow?/Catch a falling star in your hand?/Chase a moonbeam, ride by your window?” The secret to attaining these adventures couldn’t be more simple: go to sleep. And that’s just the start of the fun things to entice a child to hit the sack “while the moon is peeping.” We hear about dragons, castles, and kisses changing frogs into princes. The kid can also see “witches fly on their broomsticks, stirring cauldrons, casting their spells,” which strays somewhat into nightmare territory.

“Lullaby To Tim” has a slow, almost acoustic arrangement that blooms into a full orchestra at the midway point. But its most noticeable aspect is that Graham Nash seems to be singing in a bath tub. Beneath the water. In his fascinating book on track . . . The Hollies every album, every song, author Andrew Darlington describes this vocal approach as phasing. “It is achieved by running two identical tapes together, but slightly out of synch, or in-and-out-of-synch to create a fuzzy distortion.” I thought the effect was cool when I first bought Evolution in 1967 and I’m still okay with it, but some critics have found it over-the-top.

Darlington suspects “Lullaby To Tim” is an homage to “LSD-guru” Timothy Leary. However, in an interview with The Strange Brew website in 2014, Hollies lead vocalist Allan Clarke told writer Jason Barnard that he (Clarke) wrote the song for his son.

Cauldron

Judging strictly by the arrival of spooky outdoor decorations on neighborhood lawns, Halloween 2023 has been with us since mid-September. It’s not until local venues start booking rock and roll masquerades, that we truly find ourselves on this creepy holiday’s doorstep. Last Friday’s Charming Disaster gig at Reggies Rock Joint was a good start, and this weekend will provide numerous opportunities for spirited fun. Be sure to check out what your favorite night spot has to offer. Best wishes to everyone for a safe and fun Halloween weekend.

If you’re looking to put together a Halloween party playlist, check out previous Broken Hearted Toy posts from this month for suggestions. I was posting one song each day before the ghosts in Savannah, GA lured me away. I managed to escape from them and I’m now back on the job.

Halloweekend, the annual two-day event featuring local musicians masquerading as rock and roll stars, returns to Montrose Saloon tonight and tomorrow night. It’s particularly fun when the performers mimic the appearance of the acts they’re covering. This year’s 12-act showcase is particularly impressive, so it would be a good idea to drop by both evenings. Each showcase starts at 8:30 pm, with admission for each being $20. Montrose Saloon is located at 2933 W. Montrose Avenue.

Tonight’s Halloweekend lineup features The Sluffs (combining members of The Slugs and The Handcuffs) as The Who; Made Of Stone (featuring Eric Chial) as Stone Roses; Phil Angotti as Lovin’ Spoonful; Guns And Ammunition as The James Gang; Wild Things as The Troggs; and Greg Jacks and Brother Help as Booker T and The MGs. Tomorrow brings The 321’s as The Police; Amazing Heeby Jeebies as The Cramps; Androgynous Mustache as Madness; Sitting Still as R.E.M.; Metropoly as X; and Dead Freddie as The Clash. 

The above-mentioned Amazing Heeby Jeebies will perform as The Cramps tonight at Outta Space in Berwyn. Big Hair, Big Trouble will also on hand to provide what they like to call 60s and 70s psychedelic country and other weirdness. The duo consists of Jeebies vocalist Ary Paloma and vocalist-guitarist Ellis Clark from The Social Act and Epicycle.

Singer-songwriter Michael McDermott, backed by The Duke Street Kings, will perform a Halloweensteen show with special guest Devin Scott Hodge tonight at Park West in Chicago.

For those who enjoy laughing at gruesome medieval events and watery tarts throwing swords at wannabe kings, director Josh Rhodeson’s new production of Monty Python’s Spamalot will open on Halloween night at the St. James Theatre in New York.

Singer-guitarist Dolph Chaney isn’t known for frightening behavior, but he does have a few songs on the Big Stir Records Halloween compilation Stir The Cauldron - Sinister Songs Of Ghosts, Monsters, Devils, Zombies, Alien Invaders And More. Maybe he’ll perform them at his record release party for his latest effort Mug tonight at The Gallery Cabaret on Chicago’s north side. Librarians With Hickeys, Popular Creeps, and Alpine Subs will also be performing that evening.

Midweek In The Garden Of Good And Evil. My wife Pam and I spent four days this week in Savannah, Georgia. We weren’t there for the ghost tours or the fried chicken, but we did take a historical tour of the Bonaventure Cemetery that included tales of mysterious statues and headstones. We also stopped by the Mercer Williams House of Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil fame but didn’t take the tour. Surprisingly, we didn’t see many residences around the downtown Savannah area decorated for Halloween.

Halloween Song: Lene Lovich - “Bird Song”

Another post from the BHT vault.

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: Amazing Heeby Jeebies - “The Mummy”

You’d expect a band named Amazing Heeby Jeebies to throw a few chills your way, and the Chicago-based quintet came through on its 2018 Bad Feeling album. Led by vocalist Ary Jeeby and propelled by guitarists Bob Hyatt and Tom “Boss X” Klein, Amazing Heeby Jeebies combine garage rock and rockabilly while spinning tales of werewolves, mummies, and cannibals. They don’t always aim for the dark side, but when they do, listeners are more likely to dance than cringe.

In fact, “The Mummy” suggests the legendary monster prefers sipping martinis in a 1960s discotheque to trudging after anthropologists in pyramids. Ary Jeebie belts out quick rhymes like “King Tut’s got nothing on this guy/When he left, Cleopatra cried.” This mummy’s a recording artist with a least one album under his bandages and hosts a television show. With bassist Earl “Wolfdaddy” Carter and drummer Jerry King adding to the mayhem, “The Mummy” proves to be a rollicking Halloween treat.

 

Amazing Heeby Jeebies will be performing a tribute to The Cramps at at Outta Space in Berwyn on October 27, and as part of the Halloweekend event at Montrose Saloon on October 28.

Slumgullion

The Rolling Stones performed a surprise gig in New York City last night to celebrate the impending arrival of Hackney Diamonds, their first new studio album of original songs in 18 years. The band posted a video on social media today of special guest Lady Gaga swapping spirited “Oh yeahs” with Mick Jagger on “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven.” Imagine the countless people who would love to have been in that audience. Lady Gaga, along with Stevie Wonder, joined the Stones in the recording studio for the recording of “Sweet Sounds Of Heaven.” Hackney Diamonds became available today.

Carla Olson’s latest album Have Harmony, Will Travel 3 also became available today, and it includes a cover of The Rolling Stones’ controversial 1968 hit single “Street Fighting Man.” Special guests on the album include Jonathan Lea, Allan Clarke, and Jake Andrews.

The Three O’Clock dropped a re-release their Paisley Underground masterpiece Sixteen Tambourines album today. It sports a new cover, the tracks have been remastered, and it’s available in vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

Cheap Trick recently announced on social media that they will headline the International Beatles On The Beach festival at the Delray Beach Amphitheater January 24 – 28. Tickets are already on sale.

 

Halloweekend, the annual two-day event featuring local musicians masquerading as rock and roll stars, returns to Montrose Saloon on October 27 and 28. It’s a Chicago tradition, having been staged at several venues on the north side over the years. This year’s 12-act showcase is particularly impressive, so it would be a good idea to check out both nights. See yesterday’s post for more details.

Here’s a toast to Tom Petty on what would have been his 73rd birthday. Thanks for all the great rock and roll.

The Chicago-based seven-piece Talking Heads tribute band Start Making Sense will return to Martyrs' on Lincoln Avenue on November 10 and 11. Good timing, considering the critically acclaimed, updated version of director Jonathan Demme’s Stop Making Sense Talking Heads concert film has been wowing people in movie theaters.

International Pop Overthrow - New York will be held at the Parkside Lounge on the weekend of November 9 – 12, with afternoon and evening showcases on Saturday and Sunday. Around 34 acts will be taking part.

The English Beat will be performing at City Winery Chicago on December 3 and 4.

The Last Waltz, director Martin Scorsese’s 1978 classic film of The Band’s farewell concert and their assorted famous guests, will return to theaters for one night only on November 5, to celebrate its 45th anniversary.

The 19th Annual CHIRP Record Fair And Other Delights takes place tomorrow at the Local 130 Plumbers Union Hall (1340 W. Washington) in Chicago. Sponsored by CHIRP Radio (Chicago Independent Radio Project), the event attracts several vendors offering an amazing selection of vinyl, CDs, DVDs, and posters. Entertainment includes live performance by Baby Teeth, Madame Reaper, Jessica Risker, and Glad Rags, as well as DJs RP Boo, Ovef Ow, and Heart of Chicago Soul Club. Admission from 10:00 am onward is $10; early admission from 8:00 to 10:00 am costs $25, with readmission allowed all day.

Graham Nash will wrap up his 2023 U.S. tour with dates in Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Delaware. Many of which are sold out. He’ll embark on a series of concerts in Australia and New Zealand starting in March 2024. I recently mentioned that Nash has partnered with British artist Tim Wakefield and his Soundwavesart Foundation to offer limited-edition artwork inspired by Nash’s “Our House” and “Teach Your Children” to benefit Children In Conflict. In a similar vein, noted photographer Henry Diltz has joined forces with the Candystock on a series of rock musician photo books that will benefit cancer awareness and treatment. You can choose from Dan Fogelburg, Stephen Stills, David Crosby, and Micky Dolenz. Each book contains 40 photos and sells for $24.

Happy 5th Anniversary to Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights. Its owners started with the ambitious idea of creating a northwest suburban music venue that had an ambience and booking policy similar to the rock clubs on Chicago’s north side. During that time, I’ve seen shows by The Bad Examples, Steve Dawson and Diane Christiansen, Tommi Zender, Amazing Heeby Jeebies, Spies Who Surf, The 45, Sunshine Boys, EXPO ’76, and Dag Juhlin. The Pino Farina Band has a gig  at Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights tomorrow.

 

Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein will release a new Sleater-Kinney album titled Little Rope of January 19.

Michael Steven Cohen will return to Montrose Saloon this Sunday for another performance of vintage love songs. He’ll be performing from 3:00 to 5:00 pm.

The Knights who say “Ni!” are particularly frightening. Performances of director Josh Rhodeson’s new production of Monty Python’s Spamalot will start on Halloween night at the St. James Theatre in New York. Also, the film Monty Python And The Holy Grail will be back in theaters at some point this fall. 

Phil Angotti and Friends continue their Beatles Brunch series at City Winery Chicago this Sunday at noon with a focus on music from the Beatles films A Hard Day’s Night, Help, Yellow Submarine, Magical Mystery Tour, and Let It Be.

Looks like U2 has been playing a winning hand in Las Vegas. Their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere run has just added 11 new dates. Meanwhile, the band’s catchy new single “Atomic City” is available to pre-order in limited-edition photoluminescent transparent seven-inch single and CD formats at the band’s official online shop.

Musician/teacher/author Freda Love Smith will discuss her book I Quit Everything at SPACE in Evanston this Sunday. Her former band mate in The Blake Babies, John Strohm, will perform songs from his new solo effort Something To Look Forward To. The event starts at 7:00 pm.

It’s hard to imagine very many Monkees or R.E.M. fans saw this coming, but Micky Dolenz has recorded an EP honoring the Athens, GA alt rock band. Dolenz Sings R.E.M., featuring his takes on “Shiny Happy People,” “Radio Free Europe,” “Man On The Moon,” and “Leaving New York,” comes out on November 3rd in vinyl and CD formats. It can be pre-ordered on the official Micky Dolenz website, and signed copies are available.

The recently issued An Introduction To . . . The Luck Of Eden Hall on U.K. indie label Fruits de Mer, is also available as a CD or as a download from the official The Luck Of Eden Hall Bandcamp page.

The Stones And Brian Jones, a new documentary from Magnolia Pictures, will be screened in theaters across America as a one-night-only special preview on November 7. It has a general release date of November 17. The 93-minute film comes from the award-winning British director Nick Broomfield, and features interviews with numerous musicians and previously unseen archival footage.

 

Big Stir Records artist Dolph Chaney has a record release party for his one-word-titled latest effort Mug coming up next Friday, October 27 at The Gallery Cabaret on Chicago’s north side. Librarians With Hickeys, Popular Creeps, and Alpine Subs will also be performing that evening.

The Kooks have announced an upcoming 16-city tour that will bring them to America for the first time in quite a while. It kicks off in Atlanta on February 29, and includes a stop at the Riviera Theatre in Chicago on March 15. The shows will celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Kooks’ debut release Inside In Inside Out, and the band will perform the entire album. A recently released deluxe, double LP edition also marks the occasion. The Kooks’ latest album,10 Tracks To Echo In The Dark, came out in July 2022.

Montrose Saloon will present a four-act showcase tomorrow consisting of John Boyle; whitewolfsonicprincess; Tom Curless And The 46%, and Brick Briscoe And The Skinny.

Spirit Power: The Best Of Johnny Marr, a collection of tracks from the former Smiths guitarist is coming out on November 3.

Big Brother’s Vinyl is performing at Countryside Saloon tonight, and at Mystic Rose in Chicago on Saturday, October 28.

Michael McDermott and The Duke Street Kings will perform their Halloweensteen show with special guest Devin Scott Hodge at Park West on October 27.

Clara Kumagai, a writer of Irish and Japanese descent, will read from her fantasy Young Adult novel Catfish Rolling and discuss the cultural influences she drew from, at the American Writers Museum from 4:00 to 5:30 pm on October 28. The museum is located at 180 N. Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago.

Lovely to see you again, my friend. Vocalist-guitarist Justin Hayward has sold out his October 23 concert at City Winery Chicago, and there’s a local ticket alert for the one he’s doing there on the following day. It’s a safe bet that some Moody Blues fans bought tickets to both gigs.

Online tickets are now on sale for the Wilco concert at Metro on October 30. The band’s latest album, Cousins, came out at the end of September.

The new date for Matt Tiegler’s record release show at SPACE in Evanston is January 4, 2024. It had been scheduled for last Sunday but was postponed due to illness. The Chicago-based musician’s new album Hands Free Down Hill was produced by singer-songwriter Tommi Zender, and features catchy indie rock tunes like “I Didn’t Get You” and the title track. It’s available via his Bandcamp page. 

The Destinos: 6th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival will run through November 12 across the city at venues such as The Goodman Theatre; Puerto Rico Theatre Lab; The Den Theater; Repertorio Latino Theater; Subtext Studio Theatre Company; The Living Word Project; Teatro Tariakuri; Cabaret Parodia; and Colectivo El Pozo.