Hot Generation by The Pandoras
The Pandoras were an early 80s garage punk band that are now shamelessly imitated by blander ripoffs like The Donnas. There was a re-issue of their music about 20 years ago that is still available on Amazon if you enjoy real indie music. Here’s a performance by the band on an old cable access show called L.A. IN. Enjoy:
Channel 13 by Psychocharger
I grew up watching Chiller Theater and later such camp classics as Doctor Morgus so I have always had a soft spot for the recaptured weekend horror aesthetic of bands like Psychocharger. Their song Channel 13 from their album Curse of the Psycho is basically auditory nostalgia that makes me pine for a time when my greatest fear was monsters in my imagination.
The Music of Herbert West
This track by Electrolimes is a tribute to H.P. Lovecraft’s hapless hi-tech necromancer Herbert West. It strikes the right chord between pulpy sci-fi and the cosmic awe and wonder that many of us feel with Lovecraft’s work, but the essential horror of West and his doomed unholy experiments is missing in my opinion.
Still an interesting (if overlong) piece:
More from the artist’s YouTube page.
Dracula Blood by Zombina and the Skeletones
As I get older, rockabilly, and its off-shoots like Gothabilly, Psychobilly and Horror Punk, appeal more and more to me than the Doom metal of my youth. One of my favorite songs in this vein is Dracula Blood by Zombina and the Skeletones from their album Out of the Crypt and Into Your Heart.
Why do I like it? Who knows. Probably the same reason I could tolerate kitschy theme restaurants like Joe’s Crab Shack once I hit 35. But I find this video delightful so enjoy:
Mountains of Psychedelic Madness
I might be in the minority, but I think 60s band H.P. Lovecraft was pretty good. Like some of their harsher critics I find the prospect of listening to an entire album at once a little much, but many of their songs were fun tributes to some of weird fiction’s most famous stories.
Music is supposed to be enjoyed, not pondered, so here’s a video someone uploaded of their song At the Mountains of Madness. Groovy!
Alice Cooper-Vengeance is Mine
Alice Cooper was one of several artists who released albums last year that were not given the attention they deserve. His most recent album Along Came a Spider is conceptually reminiscent of his 70s work while keeping the best of his 80s glam sound.
Slick, gritty and campy the title track,which features Slash on guitar, proves Alice hasn’t lost a step while out on the golf course. Enjoy:
Like any good celebrity Alice has a MySpace page where you can keep up with him and he has a YouTube channel. What more can you ask for?
I mean besides his radio program and the fact he’s going to be touring this summer.