published on
While this is the first year without a New York Night Train Haunted Hop since 2006 (this year we had Amyl and the Sniffers confirmed!), you can use this, my 11th annual Halloween mix, to pretend you're at the party in the comfort of you own home! For a minute I decided against doing one this year. I’ve been wavering for weeks. Since Covid I’ve been both literally and figuratively a bit detached from my records. I moved, they’re half all boxed up, there are no dance parties so I can’t do my job, and frankly, like many of y’all, I’ve had the blues and lack motivation. Also I’ve already put 250 of my favorite Halloween-appropriate songs on previous mixes. So this year I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to come up with enough material, wasn’t feeling it, and decided to sit this one out. But enough of ya asked me and I've been so detached from my work that I forgot I’m in what Wolfman Jack called “The Happiness Business.” I figured both of us probably need this more than ever and I got inspired in the last minute. So I decided to jump in the battle and join all the other soldiers fighting save Halloween 2020. And better late than never, I stayed up all night in the laboratory bringing this beast to life. Digging around my boxes I learned that I hadn’t included a lot of my favorites on a mix before! And while getting it together I realized I really love every track I put on here (accept the last one! ha!) - the good the bad and the ugly - from well-known classics to the deepest obscurities and everything n ‘between. I really had a blast assembling this narrative and am excited for you to let me take you places with a broad combination of punk, funk, country, garage, blues, what the heck, calypso, Halloween novelties, and the beyond. Though delivered a month later than usual, I still have my last-minute homework turned in a day before Halloween…. It may just the early morning delirium but, as someone who’s never satisfied with his mixes or work, I think this is almost what I intended it to be and I pray you get a kick outta this monster. I hope you make the best out of this challenging Halloween… Also make sure that you vote Tuesday!
Here’re the original 45s you’re listening to….
1) POCKET FISHRMEN "THE LEADER IS BURNING" (NOISEVILLE, 1989)
2) THE N' BETWEENS "EVIL WITCHMAN" (COLUMBIA UK, 1966)
3) BOBBY BYRD "BACK FROM THE DEAD" (INTERNATIONAL BROTHERS, 1974)
4) THE DEVILS "X-SORCIST" (PEOPLE, 1974)
5) EDDIE MILLER AND HIS BAND "GHOST TOWN" (4 STAR, 1960)
6) THE TRAITS "NOBODY LOVES THE HULK" (QUEEN CITY, 1969)
7) JOHN ZACHERLE "IVAN" (CAMEO, 1958)
8) THE PHARAOHS "THE GREEN WEREWOLF" (IONA, 1961)
9) MAE WEST "SHAKIN' ALL OVER" (TOWER, 1966)
10)THE RAINBOWS "GONNA GO DOWN (TO SEE MY BABY)" (LIL, 1962)
11) GOOGIE RENE "BIG FOOT" (CLASS, 1958)
12) THE ECHOS "HAUNTED" (SAGE, 1960)
13) SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS "FRENZY" (FONTANA SWEDEN, 1958)
14) GRIZ GREEN "JAM AT THE MORTUARY" (BLUE RIVER, 1965)
15) DR. SHOCK "LET THERE BE FRIGHT" (GREENTREE, 1970)
16) LITTLE 'GUITAR PICKETT' AND HIS FABULOUS ROCKIN' FENDERS "THE BUZZARD" (JACK, 1966)
17) JOHNNY CALE "SHOCK HOP" (MERCURY, 1958)
18) LORD MELODY "CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON" (COOK, 1958)
19) JUNIOR WELLS "HOODOO MAN BLUES" (DELMARK UK, 1965)
20) THE DYNAMICS "UNCLE WILLIE" (SAA-CE, ?)
21) DEBORAH WALLEY "SOMETIMES IN MY DARKEST HOUR" (DEE GEE, 1965)
22)MOE KOFFMAN QUINTET "THE COOL GHOUL" (PALLETTE, 1963)
23) BILL ANSON "LEECHES" (AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL, 1959)
- Genre
- Halloween