From “Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer” to Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song,” holiday novelty songs are good for getting in the holiday spirit, but are rarely considered legitimate songs in their own right. “The Monster Mash”, however, is a rare exception, reaching number one on the Billboard charts and becoming a Halloween classic ever since. Love it or hate it, it’s hard to deny that it is the most successful novelty song ever. Where did this spout of graveyard genius come from? Let us tell you.
Robert George Pickett, the main man behind the son, grew up in a movie theater in Massachusetts where his father was the manage and Pickett’s early exposure to film caused him developed a lifelong desire to star on the big screen. Due to the countless films and celebrities he saw, Pickett honed the craft of character impressions, and unsurprisingly, his best was of Boris Karloff. Eventually Pickett moved to Hollywood to pursue stardom, and while his acting career never really took off, he did get involved with the music scene, playing with a doo-wop group called the Cordials. The Karloff impression was a frequent sideshow to the band’s performances, and big hit with audiences. Sometime during 1962, band member Lenny Capizzi encouraged Pickett to do more with his impression than just a silly skit during performances. The two men then started working on a humorous dance song based around the narration of a Boris Karloff character. Originally, they thought of working with the twist, but decided the dance craze was too out of fashion, so instead they opted to make the song work with the Mashed Potato. They titled the track the “Monster Mash” and recorded it under the band name “The Crypt Kickers.”
To enhance the setting of the tune, the band added in a number of sound effects, such as rattling chains and a creaking coffin. Because the whole production was DIY, they also had to do create effects themselves. In case you were ever wondering where all those spooky sounds came from: The coffin noise was made by pulling a rusty nail from a board, the bubbling cauldron was created by bubbling water through a straw and the chains were simply chains dropped on the floor. Aside from the main Boris Karloff impression, Pickett enhanced the song’s imaginary star power by adding his impression of Bela Lugosi’s Dracula when he asks, “Whatever happened to my Transylvania Twist?”
While the twosome was sure the song would be a hit, record labels begged to differ- every label they shipped the song to rejected it. In lieu of label support, the song’s producer, Gary S. Paxton, printed one thousand copies and delivered them to every radio station he could find. The stations loved it and within eight weeks, the song was at the top of the Billboard charts, peaking on October 20.
Re-releases allowed the “Monster Mash” to top the Billboard charts three more times after its initial release, eventually even crossing over totop BBC charts. In an attempt to fan the fire of that success, Pickett released a Christmas themed “Monster’s Holiday” in 1962 that reached #30 on the charts. Decades later, he tried to capitalize on the growing trend of rap music by releasing “Monster Rap” in 1985. This song dealt with the scientist being frustrated that he couldn’t teach his monster to talk- naturally the solution was to show him how to rap. That’s what they did with Lil’ John, right?
Eventually, the song actually inspired a movie musical called Monster Mash: The Movie. (Yes, this is real.) It finally let Bobby “Boris” Pickett live out his acting fantasies as he stared in the role of Doctor Frankenstein. The movie was released to theaters in 1995, and has pretty much been banished to a cinematic crypt ever since. If you still find yourself hankering for a Monster Mash update, Picket did adapt the song to help urge global awareness of climate change with a 2005 version entitled, “Climate Mash”. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised at Frankenstein being so green.
As if the natural talent of Oregon’s Casey Neill & The Norway Rats weren’t enough to sell listeners on their new album, Goodbye to the Rank and File also features guest appearances by R.E.M. touring musician Scott McCaughey, Talkdemonic’s Lisa Molinaro, not to mention standing members Jenny Conlee of The Decemberists and Chet Lyster of the Lucinda Williams Band. Goodbye to the Rank and File is an invigorating record chock full of highs and lows, narrated by a voice that manages to pour all the heartache earned in a life well lived into every song. Casey Neill’s rich, gravelly voice and slight southern twang are enough to tug even the tightest of heartstrings. Strong story telling and an underlying pop-punk energy shape the record, giving even the most somber of songs a sense of progression. Along with the accompaniment of an extremely talented band, Casey Neill and the Norway Rats perfectly nail a well mixed blend of Folk, Pogues-like Irish melody, and Indie-rock, allowing Goodbye to the Rank and File to succeed in standing out amid the sea of new records making their debut every day.
Casey recently spoke with Reviewsic to give an insider’s perspective on Goodbye to the Rank and File, share some of his biggest influences, and tell us about who he’d like to be for Halloween.
Reviewsic: Can you give us a quick recap of what the band has been up to lately?
Casey Neill: We toured in the spring and played a lot of weekend shows through the summer. Festivals around the Northwest mostly. In November we begin a West Coast tour into December.
Reviewsic: What is the back-story on how the band came to be what it is today?
Casey Neill: All of us played in various bands through the 90s in Oregon and we shared billings and knew each other. We all did our time in the trenches of the old Northwest rock scene. In the early 00s, I had been playing with an acoustic trio but started putting together a rock outfit. Jenny and Ezra were both in the Decemberists and Ezra was also working with Little Sue who sings on ‘Goodbye to the Rank and File’. I was in New York but would come back to tour the West Coast and Ez was drumming on those runs and Sue was too. When I moved back to Portland we put together the Norway Rats. Jenny, Ezra, and I have been in it the whole time. When our first guitar player Lewis Longmire left, Chet Lyster took over. And Jesse Emerson began bass duties last year. Right now we have really settled in to a solid line up and are firing on all cylinders.
Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?
Casey Neill: Joe Strummer, Springsteen, and Pogues. Every band member would answer that differently I’m sure.
Reviewsic: Sting, among others, once released his lyrics on their own as poetry. Do you think that’s something you would ever do/would your lyrics hold up in that separate format?
Casey Neill: I think poems and lyrics are different mediums. Leonard Cohen’s stuff lives very much in both worlds. But the stuff I write is pretty narrative driven and I think some would hold up on the printed page as a lyric book. I don’t write many pop songs with a one line-repeating chorus. Jewel may have sullied this sort of crossover forever but perhaps it’s time to reclaim it. I always loved that ‘Sounds of Silence’ was in the Norton Anthology of poetry.
Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Casey Neill: Titus Andronicus ‘The Monitor’, a Lee Hazlewood compilation, and ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Casey Neill: If I could sing one song with PJ Harvey I could die happy. Her voice is so beautiful and feral – soothing and haunting at the same time.
Reviewsic: October is the time for Halloween shows and bands to dress up as their favorite rock stars so: If you were to do a tribute band-style Halloween show, who would you be?
Casey Neill Rush when they wore kimonos on stage. Actually performing the songs would be rough without a higher vocal range, but we’d look majestic.
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands? Were you involved in the local music in your hometown growing up?
Casey Neill: Red Fang – finally Portland has a real heavy rock band breaking out. From Words to Blows – Our bassist Jesse fronts this band but I’d be a huge fan if I had never met him. The songwriting is super sharp and the sound is glam. They have songs called ‘Terry Bradshaw’ and ‘Ken Lay’. Minus 5 – another band with whom we share members. Scott McCaughey also fronts the Young Fresh Fellows and been in R.E.M since the mid 90s and Peter Buck is also in the band. The songs are great whether they are leaning country or garage. Love ‘em. I lived in Olympia and was involved in music there before moving to Portland in the mid 90s.
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Casey Neill: We usually tour alone with various bills in each town. It would be cool to be on a tour with good camaraderie. Hold Steady for one. The accordionist from the Pogues James Fearnley sat in with us last year and touring with those boys would cool. Four of us are in a Pogues cover band that plays once or twice a year in Portland. It has to be fun to tour with Gogol Bordello. My liver isn’t liking these suggestions.
Reviewsic: Tell us about Goodbye to the Rank and File- Did you enter the studio with a specific intent or concept? What do you hope listeners take away from this record?
Casey Neill: There were 2 concepts. The first was drummer and producer Ezra Holbrook’s goal of a unified sound. My previous records had been all over the shop in terms of style and sound – punk songs next to folk songs next to piano ballads. I always thought it was a strength though admittedly a rough task in terms of marketing. That he achieved that sonic unity is what makes this a real band record and not a songwriter record with a backing band. All the influences of post punk, Americana, and Irish sounds are all still in there but only on the terms of the record itself, not the individual song if that makes any sense. The other goal was the thematic bent of the lyrics. I picked a group of songs that are nostalgic but not too sentimental… The Northwest has gotten kinda fancy and the cities are really clean (and so is a lot of the music). The 2 touchstone songs are ‘When the World Was Young’ and ‘Guttered’ – both tunes that harken back to the industrial grey past out here before anyone in the rest of the country knew we existed. There are some more rural songs on ’Goodbye to the Rank and File’ too. My previous record ‘Brooklyn Bridge’ was very much an urban record and rooted in East Coast cities. I wanted this one to be Northwestern.
Reviewsic: How would you compare yourselves as musicians at this point as opposed to when you first began playing together?
Casey Neill: No matter how experienced a group of players are, you have to find your footing and direction. We had sort of an alt country default switch at first. I try and steer things away from that as my voice has an inherent twang to it already. Making a record helps define any bands sound, so now that we have one under our belts as a group we have a much better idea where we want it to go.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play?
Casey Neill: My favorite venues are the Tractor in Seattle, the Black Cat in DC, the Wonder Ballroom here in Portland. Our fall hometown show is in a new venue – the Secret Society. Looking forward to that.
Reviewsic: What are the best and worst band moments so far in your career?
Casey Neill: The worst moments all were on a UK tour. It was weird because we had great agents and the shows were pretty full which was nice for our first time over. We all got sick, our car broke down and we were towed to the front door of the venue at exactly the time we were supposed to start. There are only so many curries one can eat. The whole tour was redeemed by a night in Glasgow at a club called Nice and Sleazy’s. All the crowds had been very civil until that night and it was cathartic. There was a mosh pit, breaking pint glasses, strangers making out and falling on stage. Total chaos.
Reviewsic: Tell us about this tour- Are there any dates in particular that you’re extra excited about? What are a few items essential to your “tour survival kit”?
Casey Neill: We always look forward to playing the East Bay. California all around is just a nice place to tour. We have friends in every town, which makes for a good hang. Much of the driving is gorgeous. The main trick for tour survival is maintaining a somewhat healthy diet. Again, it’s easier in California to get a decent meal.
Reviewsic: What are your plans for music in the next year?
Casey Neill: In 2011, we’ll be touring more for sure. Looking to get further afield to the East Coast, Midwest, and Southwest. We have some new material in the works too.
Matthew Adam Hart’s Toronto indie-pop crew the Russian Futurists’ have a new albumThe Weight’s On The Wheelsout next month. The band produced it with Michael Musmanno (Outkast, Arrested Development)- You’ll notice the influence in lead track “Hoeing Weeds Sowing Seeds.”
Massy Ferguson is a four-piece Americana act that humbly began in 2006 in Seattle’s Wallingford District, back when the boys were practicing in a half constructed commercial building. Building something of their own among the spare scaffolding and sheetrock, Adam Monda and Ethan Anderson- the band’s founding members- lay the framework for a band that would continue to thrive over the following years. Independently releasing their debut album, Cold Equations in 2008, the foursome has since then packed a number of venues in their native Pacific Northwest, opening for The Bottle Rockets as well as members of Phish and the Grateful Dead, among others. The band recently signed with Spark and Shine records, and released their second full-length, Hard Water just last week.
Hard Water carries a little more grit than Cold Equations, delving into a sound that more closely relates to The Hold Steady than the Springsteen Americana of their past. While some tracks from Hard Water have the unyielding power of rock n’ roll behind them, countering such tracks as “Good Enough” and “Long Time” are slightly more mild songs like “Pretty Plain Jane”, making for a well-rounded balance between the aggressive and melodic.
Massy Ferguson’s bassist and singer, Ethan Anderson, took some time to get us caught up on what the band has been up to, give some insight on Hard Water and tell us all about his Halloween costume.
Reviewsic: Can you give us a quick recap of what you have been up to lately?
Ethan Anderson: Well, actually quite a lot. We just got back from Iceland Airwaves Festival in Reykjavik few days ago. We were voted in by the readers of the Seattle Weekly to represent Seattle in the festival — we were totally floored when we found out. It was kind of like, ‘hey you won, you’ll be in Reykjavik in a week.’ It was crazy. We were flown over, put up in a nice hotel, given a great slot in the festival. Great times over there just being part of things. Beyond that, we just released our new album “Hard Water” on Oct. 19 and are stoked that it’s finally out there in the world. Can’t wait to see what happens with this release.
Reviewsic: What are your current top three musical influences? Are there any bands/musicians/things in general that you feel will always be a constant influence?
Ethan Anderson We all have a wide variety of tastes but where we all come back is 70s southern rock and 80s college rock as far as inspiration. We’re putting a new spin on those classic sounds. There was something so full on and bad ass about both eras. I think we’ve been drawn to the energy of a band like The Replacements while stylistically tapping into our inner-Skynyrd.
Reviewsic: Sting, among others, once released his lyrics on their own as poetry. Do you think that’s something you would ever do/would your lyrics hold up in that separate format?
Ethan Anderson I don’t know. I honestly think they are separate genres, though some people’s lyrics make great poetry, I think of the Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen types. Sometimes, I’ll see the lyrics to a song and they don’t seem near as cool outside the context of the song, but somehow they seem so remarkable as part of the musical composition. I think as far as songwriting, you have to make things sound cool as well as interesting and it’s a fine line.
Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Ethan Anderson Black Keys – Brothers. Best album that’s come out in awhile. The XX – The XX. Really cool sounds, tones, vocals.
The Fleet Foxes – The Fleet Foxes self-titled record. Can’t seem to get that album out of my iPod rotation even after a number of years.
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Ethan Anderson: Tony (MF keys player) wants to work with Rick Ruben and I think that sounds cool too. If he’s interested, we’re available. I’d like to do some sort of collaboration with Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. I think Adam wishes he could revive Stuart Adamson for a collaboration. Don’t think that’s gonna happen though.
Reviewsic: October is the time for Halloween shows and bands to dress up as their favorite rock stars so: If you were to do a tribute band-style Halloween show, who would you be? Tribute shows aside, do you have any plans for a costume this year?
Ethan Anderson: Definitely Thin Lizzy. That was an awesome band with great songs and if you watch their live shows on YouTube they were really over the top with their clothing, like what we’d wear nowadays to “70s themed party” – except they were for real. I have a great viking costume if I end up at a party this year. Nothing wrong with a horned hat and viking sword at a party!
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands? Were you involved in the local music in your hometown growing up?
Ethan Anderson We all were playing around the early in the mid-90s in Seattle and have seen the scene develop. Of course, Seattle was grunge central back then. Right now, though, the indie folk thing is huge here and I’m digging a lot of it. The Fleet Foxes are a band I have really fallen in love with, just very unique and cool. Adam and Dave’s old band shared a rehearsal space with Brandi Carlisle’s backing band and we’ve always been a big fan of her and her band. Hard to resist that voice. But, overall there are so many cool rootsy musicians in town right now, The Moondoggies, Sara Cahoone, Star Anna, The Maldives – who are making killer music. And of course my favorite local band is Massy Ferguson. Sorry, shameless plug
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Ethan Anderson Well, I’ve mentioned Thin Lizzy. We’d loved to have warmed up the crowd for them. Maybe me and Phil would have done a duo of “Jailbreak” — in my dreams. I think Adam and I would both say Hall and Oates, since we’ve always had a weird fascination with them. Not sure how playing with Hall and Oates would work but you said “any band” — they would be a guilty pleasure tour. As far as bands today, I’m waiting for Kings of Leon to give us a call and say they need someone to tour with them for a few months, starting at Madison Square Garden. I’m still waiting for the call
Reviewsic :Tell us about Hard Water- Did any particular theme or concept go into writing the record? What do you hope listeners take away from these songs?
Ethan Anderson This album is mostly taken from stories we’ve experienced being from the northwest. This is a unique place, a wild place. Freedom County is the true story of some misguided militia dudes who tried to suceed from the county I’m from. We wrote Wentachee Eyes about this stumbling ‘drunken angel’ at a winery near Wenatchee and if you’re from the area, you know what I mean. If you are from the northwest, you can appreciate that we’re trying to bring this area to light. If you’re not from around here, I hope that we’ve painted a picture of what it’s like to be in the northwest, grow up here, live here, etc. Not to many songs about this part of the world and we’re looking to change that.
Reviewsic: How would you compare yourself as musicians at this point as opposed to when you first began playing together?
Ethan Anderson I can say personally I’m a totally different bass player and singer than when we started. I started taking lessons again on bass and just started having more fun with it after that. It’s kind of humbling to take lessons after playing the thing for 15 years but it paid dividends. As a band, we’re all more dialed in to after playing four years with each other and I love that feeling of being in the groove. Dave is my favorite drummer who I’ve played with, he locks the groove and keeps us enough in line that we can deviate melodically at times without losing control of the song. When we started we dabbled with a lot of different sounds before we developed the one we have now. Overall we’ve been more focused on rocking and not shying away from a more rootsy, twangy sound.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play?
Ethan Anderson Portland and Seattle are our favorite music cities around these parts. Seattle shows are like family reunions, like playing a home game. Portland is just a fun town to go to and be a muso. Drink some PBRs, play some songs and just see what kind of trouble you get into. Our favorite Seattle venue is Neumos on Capital Hill. It’s big but not too big, it’s got a great stage and it’s right in the heart of town. We’ve played there three times this year and each show has been epic. Melbourne is my favorite international city to play, it’s like Australia’s Portland, OR.
Reviewsic: Do you have a pre-show ritual, or anything specific you like to do before you play live?
Ethan Anderson Before the show, Dave (MF drummer) stretches out and I mean serious stretching. I sometimes jump up and down and complain how much I hate the hour before playing, Adam (MF guitar player) normally gives some sort of 10 second Mike Ditka-esque speech about how we should go out there and rock the place. Tony is normally busy tying up loose ends like finding guitar chords if Adam and I forgot to bring one. After the show, Adam normally buys me a shot and if we’re in Seattle or Portland, I normally try to hit up a late night taco truck. We’re fairly predictable …
Reviewsic: What are your plans for music in the next year?
Ethan Anderson Now that we’ve got a good label pushing us and a good PR guy, we’re working on finding a good booking agent so we can hit the road in some incarnation in the winter/spring. We’re planning on doing SXSW and some touring after that. We have not really done much national touring and we’d like to. We toured Australia in 2009 and are looking into doing that again, anchored by some festivals. I find that it’s a really exciting time to be in a band with the way we’re able to connect with people. We lined up a pretty cool tour to Australia independently just based on a few DJs who were playing us and them putting us in touch with other people. Now that we have some people helping, I’m excited to see where we end up. This is also an overwhelming time to be in a band because there’s so many possibilties, it’s hard to feel like you are scratching the surface as far as opportunities and contacts.
It’s been a little over a week since the release of The Git EP, Alesiter X’s follow-up to his 2009 debut, Bangers and Beans, and the international man of misery shows no signs of slowing down. Produced by Andrew W.K and released by Andrew’s STEEVE MIKE Label [Cargo] The Git EP features the “Trip Rap” song style unique to Aleister X, and honestly is something that simply needs to be heard in order to be understood. In our interview with Aleister X the melancholic and oddly technologic musician told us he hopes to release another EP and a full-length in the coming year- so be on the look out for even more bizarre beats and trippy tempos. In the meantime, you can pick up your copy of The Git EP online and check out what Aleister X had to say to us via email this week.
Reviewsic: Can you give us a quick recap of what you have been up to lately?
Aleister X: I’ve been promoting “The Git” EP, and my videos. Also writing songs for UK sketch comedy show, “Burnistoun,” on BBC-2.
Reviewsic: What are your current top three musical influences? Are there any bands/musicians/things in general that you feel will always be a constant influence?
Aleister X: Currently:
A. The Internet
B. Radio
C. Theme from “Footballer’s Wives”
Constantly: All music constantly non-stop in the face of technology, The Muses, and The Mysteries.
Reviewsic: What drew you to the style/genre of music that you make?
Aleister X: A binding pact w/ powerful forces and sexy, dead looking muses.
Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Aleister X:
A. “Lost Masters 3” Kool Keith
B. “There’s The Rub” Wishbone Ash
C. “The Beatnigs”
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why? Aleister X: Rick Ross, because he’s the biggest boss we’ve seen thus far. Or Birdman.
Reviewsic: October is the time for Halloween shows and bands to dress up as their favorite rock stars so: If you were to do a tribute band-style Halloween show, who would you be? Tribute shows aside, do you have any plans for a costume this year?
Aleister X: It’s funny you should ask this. I am in fact dressing up as my favorite guitar wizards this year. Different one every night for a week. I start with EVH, then Paul Gilbert, Bumble Foot, Marty Friedman, George Lynch, Yngwei Malmsteen, and finally my all time fav, Buckethead on Halloween night.
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands? Were you involved in the local music in your hometown growing up?
Aleister X:I’ve been living in NYC for years now, and the music scene is very homogenous and stale, especially Brooklyn. A lot of phoney hype and dullness. I guess my favorites are Polo Ricans, but they don’t play much.
Growing up around the world on communes, ashrams, compounds, and temples I was in bands like Lesbian Farm Experience, Telegentics, Johnny Digs The Devil, SNUB, and Space Boss Corp.
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Aleister X:
A. Scooter
B. Rammstein
C. Japan X
Reviewsic: Tell us about The Git EP- is there any particular theme or concept behind it? Did you enter the studio knowing exactly what you wanted from your recording?
Aleister X: The loose theme behind “The Git” is about the storied past meeting the present, in a struggle between dark and real darkness. I always know exactly what I want to do in the studio. I’ve spent my entire obscure career in constant experimentation. I still practice hours everyday. When it’s time to hit “record” I know exactly what I want. The real surprises for me come from Andrew W.K. We’ve both been like self-producing lone wolves forever. Andrew is the first outside producer I ever worked with. I don’t think he’s been produced by anyone ever. I’d like to produce a record for him.
Reviewsic: How would you compare yourself as a musician at this point as opposed to when you first began playing?
Aleister X:10,000 hours of practice is all it takes to go from shit to awesome. That’s what I did. I never stop practicing, and learning. That’s very important. It also helps to have a bottomless, black, empty pit inside me, that can never be filled. That’s my true motivation. I’m never satisfied.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play?
Aleister X: Oh man, it’s been so long since I played anywhere besides Santo’s Party Haus in NYC. I REALLY REALLY REALLY NEED A BOOKING AGENT, or a bigger band to take me out. I have played Tokyo, and that’s my favorite city. I like that crappy little bar Vice runs in London. But basically, there’re so many places I need to play.
Reviewsic: Do you have a pre-show ritual, or anything specific you like to do before you play live?
Aleister X: I try to wake-up for every show I can. Sometimes that’s the best ritual there is. The stay-high ritual is a good one too.
Reviewsic: What are your plans for music in the next year?
Aleister X: Releasing another EP and my debut full-length for sure. But my number one goal, above all most important, is touring. Booking agents won’t touch me ‘cause I’ve never toured. I’ve got like no contacts to book tours myself, and so-called friends won’t share their contacts with me ‘cause their very, very jealous and competitive. Plus, it will take a very secure band or artist to take me out opening for ‘em. I tend to heat a stage UP. So all you booking agents out there, grow a pair (bollocks or tits) and get in on the ground level of my action.
Need some spooky new jams to set the mood while getting this year’s costume ready? Whether you’re carefully crafting the perfect painted on abs to be “The Situation” or turning some innocent career woman’s uniform into something slutty, here are a couple songs from brand new releases to help you spook up your night.
Lucy Schwartz – “Graveyard“ From the new release Life in Letters, available on iTunes
Lucy Schwartz’s new album Life in Letters is currently one of iTunes’ top 200 pop records, and there’s no better time to get acquainted with this rising starlet. Nothing evokes the spirit of the impending holiday as much as the mention of a graveyard and its haunting residents. Trick or treat? With vocal charm and songwriting eloquence far beyond her 20 years, this one’s definitely the latter.
You can tell just looking at the album art for The Chapin Sisters’ sophomore release Two, that you’re in for something a little bit dark.Two solidifies sister duo Abigail and Lily Chapin as the haunting centerpiece of a genre nicknamed “folk noir” by those in the know. The Chapin Sisters are currently on the road both headlining dates as well as openers with She and Him.
October
28 Philadelphia, PA - The Tin Angel
29 Annapolis, MD - Rams Head On Stage
30 Arden, MD – The Nightcat
31 Buckhannon, WV – Wesleyan College Mountain Stage
November
1 Pittsburgh, PA - Thunderbird Cafe
2 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
3 Kent, OH – The Kent Stage
4 Oberlin, OH - Cat in the Cream Coffeehouse/Oberlin College
5 Cleveland, OH - Beachland Tavern
8 Des Moines, IA – Java Joe’s 4th Street Theatre
9 Zumbrota, MN - Crossings at Carnegie
10 Minneapolis, MN - Dakota Jazz Club
14 Evanston,IL – S.P.A.C.E.
15 Lexington, KY – The Kentucky Theater
16 Louisville, KY – ear X-tacy instore performance
19 Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
30 Bellingham, WA – Green Frog Cafe & Acoustic Tavern
1. “Dirrty”- Christina Aguilera
Mohammed al Qahtani, the man many believe was the “20th hijacker” of the Sept. 11 attacks, got one of two wake-up calls during his stay in Guantanamo Bay: dripping water on his head or an earful of Aguilera’s sexually charged lyrics. This was combined with other interrogation techniques, such as prolonged strip searches and invasion of space by a female. He would admit he met with bin Laden, but later deny this admission. Eventually, many of these interrogation methods were put to a stop after military lawyers raised questions about their effectiveness.
2. “These Boots Were Made for Walking”- Nancy Sinatra
Cult leader David Koresh’s battle with the FBI in 1993 featured a back and forth barrage of ballad bombardments, resulting in one of history’s most length musical showdowns. Koresh’s weapon of choise was to blast his own failed pop songs at eardrum-busting levels. When the FBI moved in and cut the power to the compound, they fired back with Nancy Sinatra’s depressing girl power pop ballad along with a monotonous mix of Tibetan chants, cavalry bugle beats and 1950s-style Christmas carols for nearly seven weeks straight. However,FBI officials said they rejected the idea of using Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Achy Breaky Heart” because of fears that some of the cult members might actually like it. Our questions is: Is this an insult or a compliment to Billy Ray?
3. “I Love You”- Barney the Dinosaur
Called the most “overused” song in the U.S. interrogator’s arsenal by The Guardian newspaper in London, Barney has been inspiring fear in the hearts of prisoners for years. Interrogators at Guantanamo Bay used the sappy kids’ show theme song as “futility music” to convince detainees of the futility of maintaining their silence. On the flip side, one United Kingdom human rights group protested President George W. Bush’s visit to England by blasting the song in his general direction.
4. Everything by Barry Manilow
The New Zealand town of Christchurch recently blasted the crooner’s tunes throughout their central mall district to drive away the local punks who had been littering the area with graffiti, drinking in public and doing drugs. It sounds like a perfect plan because after all, he may write the songs that make the whole world sing, but they also make young kids’ heads explode.
5. “Hell’s Bells”- AC/DC
Heavy metal songs have long been a favorite tool of military interrogators. They’re loud, often repetitive and can even create feelings of physical pain or discomfort to the ears and head. Troops used “long range acoustic devices” to blast AC/DC throughout the region to increase the vulnerability of Iraqi insurgents. The LRADs, developed by the American Technology Corporation, have also been used to repel pirate attacks in Somalia.
Sometimes as midweek rolls around we all start to see that cup as more half empty than full. While Wednesday really is all that much closer to Friday, it can be hard when you realize there are STILL two more working days before the weekend. So in honor of that feeling of “Ugh, Do I really have to drag myself out of bed?” we bring you 5 songs to get you moving in the morning, put a little smile on your face, or at the very least, let you know you’re not the only one dragging your heels.
Instead of spending their time getting drunk in their Tulane University dorm, freshmen Hamilton Sims and Edwin Paroissien were making music. While we’re sure at some point the boys partook in their fair share of kegstands, we’re happy to see that the two kept their wits about them enough to play the Louisiana music scene and eventually form the musically project Little Beirut. The four-piece saw somewhat of a rocky start with members that just didn’t work out, but eventually was completed thanks to a craigslist ad that brought them Alex Inman and John Hulcher. With their line-up complete the band was able to focus on recording, mixing, and mastering their new album, Fear of Heaven, which they released this year.
Honing a sound that is perfectly poppy in the Nada Surf, indie rock of the early 90’s sort of way, Little Beirut posses a very affable quality in their light drumming and spunky guitars. Fear of Heaven is relatable to folks who feel lost in the smoky haze of today’s lush, pseudo-psychedelic rock, a quality that we are extremely grateful to have come across. The vocals are calm and unassuming, feeling very much like they could be coming from that slightly shy kid from your high school that always seemed to be the epitome of average. Fear of Heaven is a record that focuses on the cohesion of the album itself, with no apparent show boating from any members or production tweaking to make a single track stand out above the rest. Its hard to exactly describe what makes Fear of Heaven feel so good, but its quickly proved to be a perfect accompaniment to autumn and is just as comforting as the old cardigans we’ve begun pulling out of storage.
Little Beirut’s Edwin Parossien had a little chat with us via email, sharing the details behind making Fear of Heaven, what albums he’s being listeing to, and what comes next for Little Beirut.
Reviewsic: What are your top three musical influences?
Edwin Paroissien: Rock, poetry and the human condition.
Reviewsic: Sting, among others, once released his lyrics on their own as poetry. Do you think that’s something you would ever do/would your lyrics hold up in that separate format?
Edwin Paroissien: Well, Sting loves himself very much, doesn’t he? Tantrically, probably. Hamilton’s lyrics have a wonderful poetic quality to them and we want them to be heard as well as read on paper. For that matter, they’re available on our website as a downloadable PDF, set against some outtake shots from our album artwork. Very cool. Good lyrics definitely bring music to another level.
Reviewsic: What are the last three albums or bands you listened to?
Edwin Paroissien: The National – High Violet, Ezra Holbrook’s yet to be titled new album (local musician, songwriter, bad-ass), Radiohead – In Rainbows
Reviewsic: If you could work with one person in the music industry (musician, label, producer etc), who would it be and why?
Edwin Paroissien: I’d have to go with an amazing producer, like T-bone Burnett, Brian Eno, Mutt Lange (REMEMBER: this dude was responsible for Back in Black, before you roll your eyes) or anyone with a vast array of experience who believed in our songs. We worked with a local producer for this record, Jeff Stuart Saltzman, who’s a genius in his own right. It makes all the difference in the world to have someone outside of the band giving opinions on all the myriad details in this process of making records
Reviewsic: What is the most memorable concert you’ve ever attended?
Edwin Paroissien: Stevie Ray Vaughn at the New Orleans Jazz Festival while the sun was setting. He died a couple of weeks later.
Reviewsic: Who are three of your favorite local bands?
Edwin Paroissien: Hello Morning, The Ravishers, Chris Robley and the Fear of Heights
Reviewsic: If you could book a tour with any 3 bands, past or present, who would they be and why?
Edwin Paroissien: Motley Crue and Ozzy Osborne – just to sit back and make video tapes of the antics, like when they were at a hotel pool surrounded by kids and moms and some kid dropped an ice-cream cone which attracted a line of ants that apparently Ozzy snorted; Radiohead – so we could get to watch them every night in addition to playing to a great crowd; Remy Zero, because they are amazing and I think the bill would work well together.
Reviewsic: Tell us about Fear Of Heaven – Did you enter the studio with a specific intent or concept? What do you hope listeners take away from this record, and how do you feel it compares/contrasts with your past two albums?
Edwin Paroissien: We did, because we had done a bunch of pre-production and knew more or less what we were going for when we entered the studio. Conceptually, we wanted to record a batch of strong songs and do so in a fairly direct manner, with less layered over the top than the previous albums. At one point we considered just recording everything live and keeping things very direct, but we balked on that when it came down to it because we didn’t think that approach would best suit the songs. Overdubs are just so fun in the sense that you get to play with counter melodies and rhythms to create tension in the music. Still, we really did reign it in this time, really wanting to keep things relatively stripped down and just rock a bit.
Reviewsic: How would you compare yourselves as musicians at this point as opposed to when you first began playing together?
Edwin Paroissien: Well you just keep growing, hopefully individually, but certainly as a group. There’s so much about good performances, whether on a recording or live, that’s just about feel. And feel is one of those elusive concepts that just sort of happens as a group of musicians gets used to playing together. I love watching the evolution because it’s very satisfying. Whenever we play a bunch of shows or are in the studio together for a spell you can really notice the level of tightness increasing. When we take a break for a while and come back to it, we tend to suck a bit for a practice or two.
Reviewsic: What are some of your favorite cities and/or venues to play?
Edwin Paroissien: We’re not a touring band at the moment though that may change. But we’ve all played in other cities around the country. I’d have to go with San Francisco just because it’s such an amazing city to be in period. We had a pretty great show at the Red Devil Lounge there.
Reviewsic: What are the best and worst band moments so far in your career?
Edwin Paroissien: As far as the best, it’s cool when a great radio station reports your record in their charts or you realize you’re actually selling recordst, but all that stuff is peripheral to who we actually are. We may do well in the future, we may not; we can’t control what the world at large thinks about and wants to do with our band. So for me the best moments are when you’re in the studio at the end of a long day, you close your eyes and focus on the playback of some track you’re putting together and the sound coming out of the speakers almost moves you to tears. Just the basic, elemental fact that we write and record songs is enough to make me happy. It’s infinitely better than playing poker or golf or whatever else we could be pouring a bunch of time into.
As for the worst, it’s always a bummer when you realize that a given band member isn’t working out and you’re back to looking for that elusive perfect union once more. It’s a very unsettling feeling not to have your house in order, as well as a practical issue because you can’t gig. Conversely, when you get it all back together, and better than before, it’s very satisfying. We’re still on a high about that at the moment.
Reviewsic: What are a few items essential to your “tour survival kit”?
Edwin Paroissien: Theoretical at the moment, but…if I were to pack tomorrow I’d put the following on my list: 1) Ibuprofen 2) Bourbon 3) iPhones 4) Antacid
Reviewsic: What are your plans for music in the next year?
Edwin Paroissien: We hope to promote Fear of Heaven further with radio and see what we can wrangle in terms of licensing. We want to play bigger, better, tighter shows, and do so further from home at times. And pretty darn soon, we’ll start writing and rehearsing new stuff, which is everyone’s favorite thing to do. We’re deliberately procrastinating though, because there can be a tendency to get so excited about new material that the older songs are less so by comparison (in our minds, at least). And for the moment Fear of Heaven is still new and the best we’ve done (again, in our opinions) so…we want to keep it that way. Does that sound like the ultimate excuse for laziness?
Chicago darlings Canasta recently debuted the music video for “Mexico City,” their latest single from The Fakeout, the Tease and the Breather. Conceived and directed by the brilliant Eduardo Cintron, “Mexico City” combines sharp, modern camera work with good old fashioned lyrical storytelling. Check it out below and if you find yourself falling in love, download the song [...]
Record releases, reunion shows, poetry slams and school of rock benefit shows make up this weekend’s list for some of our favorite venues. Pick your poison, head out to support the local scene and check back with us Monday for your weekday shows list.
Release shows, local favorites, touring acts and lots of jams this week in Chicago. Scope out the list and check back with us Friday for your weekend shows.
Free shows, much loved locals and badass school of rock chicks make up our weekend line up- get out there and enjoy your music metropolis, Chicagoans! Check back with us Monday for you weekday list.
2pm CT The Mongoloids New Jersey straight edge band The Mongoloids go live from Sound and Fury to answer your questions! 4pm CT Smoking Popes Chat with Chicago pop-punk band Smoking Popes while they take a break out of their summer tour with Alkaline Trio to go live via webcam from Los Angeles! 8:30pm CT Brother Bear Live chat [...]
From “Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer” to Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song,” holiday novelty songs are good for getting in the holiday spirit, but are rarely considered legitimate songs in their own right. “The Monster Mash”, however, is a rare exception, reaching number one on the Billboard charts and becoming a Halloween classic ever since. Love it or hate it, it’s hard to deny that it is the most successful novelty song ever. Where did this spout of graveyard genius come from? Let us tell you.
unsurprisingly, his best was of Boris Karloff. Eventually Pickett moved to Hollywood to pursue stardom, and while his acting career never really took off, he did get involved with the music scene, playing with a doo-wop group called the Cordials. The Karloff impression was a frequent sideshow to the band’s performances, and big hit with audiences. Sometime during 1962, band member Lenny Capizzi encouraged Pickett to do more with his impression than just a silly skit during performances. The two men then started working on a humorous dance song based around the narration of a Boris Karloff character. Originally, they thought of working with the twist, but decided the dance craze was too out of fashion, so instead they opted to make the song work with the Mashed Potato. They titled the track the “Monster Mash” and recorded it under the band name “The Crypt Kickers.”
dealt with the scientist being frustrated that he couldn’t teach his monster to talk- naturally the solution was to show him how to rap. That’s what they did with Lil’ John, right?
