So the PP got some new speakers and speaker wire, to hook up some music for us in our new fab living room. We have our old stereo back in the den, with the TV, and we have been known to play it loud enough to hear it in the dining room, but still. So now we have speakers, and he is on the verge of wiring them (through a P2C2E) to play music from my computer.
Given that Halloween is just around the corner, and that holiday is a big one in our new neighborhood (our neighbors claim that it is impossible to buy enough candy), he asked me to pull some scary music to play when he opens the door.
It turns out this is harder than either of us expected.
Sure, sure there is the toccata and fugue that folks have played from their Halloween porches ever since the baroque period. And soundtrack music from Psycho and such. But what else?
I tried out "Dead Man's Party," but he pointed out that lyrics don't count, and the music is not scary. Ditto with "Thriller" and "Freaks Come Out at Night," although we are considering looping that great Vincent Price laugh from the former. "Bela Lugosi's Dead" did not scare him at all, and he noted that the kiddies will not know who Bela Lugosi even is--let alone that they should be very afraid of Bauhaus. We tried Sex Mob, whose rendition of "Live and Let Die" on Din of Iniquity is certainly a little creepy, but really the only thing ultimately scary there is how much people can drink and still play music. And Elvis Costello's "Spooky Girlfriend" is hardly intended for the 12 and under crowd. I pointed out to him that any child who could listen to Pink Martini's version of "Que Sera, Sera" without fainting of fright must have nerves of steel, and he conceded that one. I think the scariest stuff I've found so far is Bone Machine, which certainly does not require the lyrics to be creepy, although they are scary in themselves.
But really, I am stuck. Ideas?
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5 comments:
I'll think about the music and let you know what I come up with after I get some sleep, but first, I just had to tell you how excited I am to see a "Haroun" reference. You're the only person I've ever know to pull that out, and it's one of my favorite books of all time. Hooray P2C2E!
...this might be a little off the beaten path, but I suggest any of the "songs" on Public Image Limited's "Flowers of Romance" album. Mostly tribal drums and heavy bass tracks that sure as hell scared me back when it was first released.
Best of luck in your quest...
I used Front 242 for haunted houses back in college. I would say any heavy industrial music would do nicely, particularly if the singer is singing German.
Some Schoenberg would probably work too, as would the Kronos Quartet's recording of George Crumb's "Black Angels."
I know I'm a week late but what's new?!
I've got some really cool stuff that Keith Emerson did for a movie soundtrack LP back in the early 1980's after ELP broke up. He also did the soundtrack to Nighthawks with Sly Stallone and Rutger Hauer and it has some really good bits. I put some of that on a tape and it works well. I have yet to find either on CD nor have I mastered the art of transferring them to a PC from a cassette tape. But the invite is there for next year if you want to check out my tape.
Hey bigT, No worries on lateness--I've been meaning for WEEKS to say I am interested in your post-Beatles mix!
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