Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Primitive Sound System at DC's Tavern - Cowboys and Indians Halloween Party - Monday October 31st

Hello Y'all,
Ahh, the Season of The Witch! DC's Tavern in Hoboken is having a Halloween party and it is actually on Halloween (Monday, October 31st). Celebrating a holiday on a day that is "more convenient" is completely lost on me. Do you really need to pretend it is a holiday to just have a drink? We don't, we're drinking on a school night people so tell your parents you're going out trick or cheering and to save the treats to get through the hangover. There is a theme to this one: Cowboys and Indians. This is a peaceful gathering, sharing firewater with the old residents of the new world but knowing the crazy white man things can get illogically out of hand real fast. I have 3 boxes and a bag of records so if we become trapped in DC's for any reason we should have enough music to take us through Thursday. Keeping with our theme I have some Country favorites but for the most part we'll be scaring the neighbors (and possibly waking the dead) with tons of Punk records from the 60's to Now. The usual suspects are in there like the Halloween favorites from The Misfits, The Dickies, The Adverts, etc, etc... There is a little something for everyone and you know we'll be getting our skip on, skipping and dipping the Skipper Dipper... "I'm Not Your Ice Cream Cone."

Remember, if you're drinking don't drive, if you're driving don't drink and always tip your bartenders. (Smoke 'em if you got 'em. Jersey still smokes.)

- pat.

DC's Tavern
"Back In Boooo-k"
505 8th Street (Between Jefferson and Madison)
Hoboken NJ
For More Info:
phone: 201-792-5550
www.dcstavern.com
email: dcs@dcstavern.com

Some records to spook you whether you are a Cowboy or Indian:

Parliament - "Dr. Funkenstein" (Casablanca cat. NB 875)
The Disco King with the Monster Sound. Weirdly I am no fan of theatre but I do love Funkadelic (Parliament) and KISS. The Dr. comes directly out the Mother Ship with a slow hand groove, crazy voices and spooky keyboards in one groovy Monster Mash! Kiss me on my ego.

Bobby (Boris) Pickett and the Crypt Kickers - "Monster Mash" b/w "Monster Mash Party" (parrot cat. 45-348)
No need to talk about "Monster mash" because if you don't know this song you have been living in a cave. Monster Mash Party has a nice 60's swing with screams, growls, Monster sounds chains and callouts to some 60's dances all appropriate for any Monster Mash. Basically organ and drums as a soundtrack for Monster A-Go-Go so please do...Go-Go.

John Zacherle "The Cool Ghoul" - "Dinner With Drac" Part 1 & 2 (Cameo cat. C 130)
Probably my favorite of the "Monster" tracks. Great 50's instrumental with wailing sax, pounding drums, jazzy guitar all the while The Cool Ghoul lays out his nightly plans and festivities for one hell of a Ghouls Ball. Both sides will make their way to the woofers and tweeters tonight. Good night...whatever you are?!

Kellogg's presents H.R. Pufinstuff starring Jack Wild (Jimmy) - Billie Hayes (Witchiepoo) - Lennie Weinrib (Pufinstuf) - Joan Gerber (Judy Frog) - Butch Hunnicutt (The Boyds) Witchiepoo - "Oranges, Smoranges" (Capitol Records Special Products cat. CP-57)
Witchiepoo cuts a rug while pondering the inability of mere mortals to rhyme any word with "oranges." Slick but moving track compliments this wicked witches gravel voiced vocals. Short and to the point and always a favorite.

Warren Zevon - "Werewolves of London" (Asylum Records cat. E-45472)

Link Wray and The Raymen - "Batman Theme" (Swan (Don't Drop Out) cat. s- 4244 - T)
Batman is a vigilante that stalked his "victims," I mean the bad guys like prey. This makes him one creepy dude on the side of the good. The theme song has been done about 100 times and I probably have about half of them. Of course Link Wray and his mighty Raymen take this already great Neal Hefti tune into swampy / surfy territory, throw in some bizarre vocal breaks and of course fuzzed out guitar.

More Batman stuff in the box:
"Batman Theme" and Others Composed and Conducted by Neal Hefti (RCA Victor (Dynagroove Recording) cat. LPM-3573)
Maxwell Davis - Batman Theme! Composed by Neal Hefti and Other Bat Songs (Crown Records cat. CST 509)

Danny Hutton - "Monster Shindig" (Hanna Barbera Records cat. HBR 447)
This is a kids party track if there ever was. Sesame Street worthy vocal tones and harmonies over horns, raw drums and Hutton's stabbing guitar style. It gets me going though so I guess big kids will dig this Shindig as much as the wee ones.

12":
bauhaus - "Bela Lugosi's Dead" (Small Wonder Records cat. TEENY 2

The Cramps - "The Crusher" (I.R.S. (International Record Syndicate, Inc.) cat. PFSX 1008

LPs:
Jimmy Smith - Theme From 'The Munsters' From "Monster" The Incredible Jimmy Smith Arranged and Conducted by Oliver Nelson (Verve cat. V-8618)
This version, jazzier than the original, does benefit from Smith's stretched out note style on the organ for spooky effect. The drums are a bit more up front than most Jazz records of its time giving it more of an organ Instrumental feel than a Jazz tune. The song is a timeless one and the show was easily the best of its kind featuring appearances by a few 60's Garage / Psyche bands.

Hot Rod Hootenanny Featuring The Weirdos and the Voice of Mr. Gasser (Capitol Records cat. T 2010)

Frankie Stein and his Ghouls - "Ghoul Music - Sounds and Dance Music - Twist - Frug - Fox Trot - Hully Gully - Swim" (Power Records cat. 340)
I had listened to the other Frankie Stein and The Ghouls records while at Finyl Vinyl and I have to say not only does this one have the best cover it also has the best tracks. Like all the records the recording is raw and a little loose which gives the whole thing a nice spooky Garage feel. The instrumentation is no big surprise here; sax, guitar, drums, organ and more vocal and sound effects than any one record should ever have but somehow it is all very listenable. The cover is a painting of a fanged ghoul who is under attack by a green clawed monster. The scene depicted here is a close-up of the the Monster's claw hooked into the lower lid of the Ghoul's right eye. Very bloody and quite effective. Maybe the cover came first and inspired Mr. Stein and his crew or maybe their inspired set was cause for such a great cover. Who knows.

Gene Moss - "Dacula's Greatest Hits (Warning! This is a HORRIBLE record)" (RCA Victor cat. LPM-2977)
Jack Davis cover and a sheet of Monster trading cards make this one of the best LPs in my entire collection. Davis not only does the front and amazing back cover there is a sheet of individual Monster trading cards included. Musically not the greatest record in the world but "Surf Monster" and "Monster Bossa Nova" are pretty great and quite groovy.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show O.S.T (Ode Records cat. SP-77031)

Martino - Brighetti - "Dracula Cha-Cha" From the O.S.T "Tempi duri per i vampiri"
This is on a comp that I bought years ago called "Music and Songs from Italian Films of International Fame (Original Sound Tracks recorded In Italy)" and contains some really great tracks from Nino Roto and many others. I know nothing about this movie but the track "Dracula Cha-Cha" is one wild cut. "Drac-U-La, Drac-U-La Cha..." The music is a swinging Cha-Cha with spooky vocals sung by what sounds like Nosferatu himself.

The Edgar Winter Group - "Frankenstein" From "They Only Come Out At Night" (Epic cat. KE 31584)

Halloween Starring Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids (Kid Stuff Repertory Company) - "Mudfoot" (Kid Stuff Records cat. KS029)

The Banana Splits - "I'm Gonna Find a Cave" (sadly this is a bootleg from a few years back)

Herbie Hancock - "Afro Boogie," "Far Out," and "Hot and Heavy" (Starjazz / Jazz International Ltd.cat. SJAZZ 4)
Three amazing tracks with a Go-Go feel from one of the greatest Jazz musicians and arrangers ever. The tracks are filled with bongos and move with a great party groove. I don't know much about these tracks (players, recording date, etc...) but I do remember them being reissued a few years back.

Robert Gordon with Link Wray - "Flying Saucer Rock & Roll" (Private Stock Records Ltd. cat. PS 2030)

Bo Diddley - "Who Do You Love" (Chess Records cat. CH-9106)

Esquerita! - Esquerita And The Voola" From "Rockin' The Joint" (Official Records cat. 6001)

Howlin' Wolf - "Evil" (Chess Records cat. 1540)

Albert King - "Born Under A Bad Sign" from "King of the Blues Guitar" (Atlantic cat. SD 8213)

Repo Man - O.S.T. (San Andreas Recods / MCA Records cat. SAR 39019)
Creepy Hardcore Punk classic. Iggy's theme is one of his best efforts for the mid to late 80's and The Plugz Spanish version of "Secret Agent Man' aka "Hombre Secreto" and the closer "Reel Ten" are worth the price of admission alone. As a bonus to the soundtrack originals there are Hardcore classics from Black Flag, Suicidal Tendencies, The Circle Jerks, and Fear. One of my favorite movies and soundtracks of all-time...I even own the Laser Disc (OK it's the only Laser Disc I own).