Halloween: Zero Hour Sums it Up POSTED:: October 27, 2009
FILED UNDER::
General
FILED UNDER:: General
Words by WMSE DJ Andy Turner of Zero Hour
Ahhhhh, Halloween, such a lovely celebration of all that is goofy and trashy. Devilish and scary, too? Sometimes. Boozy? Yes, please. But for me, the season is most of all an excuse to play a lot of fun, twisted songs, many of which were recorded decades ago. Below I have listed a few of my favorites.
I host WMSE’s Zero Hour on Tuesday nights/Wednesday mornings from midnight to 3 a.m. Music from independent labels is the focus of the show, and I think I make a reasonable attempt at spanning the genres, with a nod toward spastic. For this week’s pledge drive show, I’m planning on going all-Halloween, so you can hear many of these songs and other demented ditties if you tune in – and why not pledge while you’re there?
“Haunted House,” Johnny Fuller: Recorded by many over the years, includingSam the Sham and the Pharaohs, Hasil Adkins and most recently John Fogerty, Fuller’s original for Specialty Records is the grooviest.
“The Witch,” The Sonics or “She’s My Witch,” Kip Tyler & The Flips: Depending on whether you want to burn fast or slow, you win either way.
“I Was a Teenage Werewolf,” The Cramps: Raise a glass of the good stuff to lead singer Lux Interior, who passed away February 4th.
“Halloween,” The Dream Syndicate: Your chance to trick-or-treat in the Paisley Underground. Bring your own jangle.
“Gonna Raise Hell,” Cheap Trick: Used to hell-raising perfection in the Freaks & Geeks Halloween episode, a seasonal favorite in my household.
“Rockin’ in the Graveyard,” Jackie Morningstar: Issued by the Mobile, Alabama, indie label Sandy Records in April 1959. More fun than a bucket of candy corn.
“Night of the Sadist,” Larry & The Blue Notes: Also available as “Night of the Phantom” if Sadist is gonna keep you up at night.
“Bo Meets the Monster,” Bo Diddley: When you want to give the very best, give Bo.
“Morgus the Magnificent,” Morgus & The Ghouls: Dr. John’s 1959 tribute to a New Orleans monster movie TV host.
“Trick or Treat,” Otis Redding: The Big O is going for Halloween as the man wise to your little games, honey.
For additional audio and visual Halloween pleasures, check out WFMU’s Rock and Soul Ichiban with daily Halloween downloads and Seven Corpse Dinner, an excellently evil compilation compiled by Rex, host of the vintage R&B and rockabilly show Fool’s Paradise. There’s also The Devil’s Music, Monster Movie Music, Spread the Good Word, Jukeboxmafia, and an archive post from last year from the Hound (an always worthy web destination) that’s chock full of Halloween-inspired madness.
Zero Hour with Andy airs on 91.7 FM, WMSE every Wednesday from 12 a.m. – 3 p.m. Check out past shows in the WMSE archives.