Batman Theme Collection (Leaping Fox, 2022 upgrade!)

 

It's a frustrating part of life, but sometimes, to really finish a project, you just have to let a little time pass. I've had some requests recently to re-upload this project, and it just so happened that I'd been gathering missing files slowly, over time.  I decided to track down the last few tracks I knew of, and (gasp!) even buy some of the missing original records! Once everything was in and converted, I was able to finally put this one to bed, with SIXTY-THREE versions of the 1966 Batman theme, brand-new artwork, and a smile of accomplishment.  If you downloaded the original project, delete it, and enjoy! Also, Happy Halloween!

We should really talk about some of these versions, though.  One that stands out to me is the "Boston Pops Orchestra with Arthur Fiedler."  The person that arranged that, as well as recorded it, obviously absolutely hated the Batman Theme.  This single was released as a promo-only 45, and when you hear it, you will know why.  It's also recorded super hot, at a near-blaring level of semi-atonal cacophony that you have to hear to believe.  It's not on any of their albums, Amazon, or YouTube for that matter...imagine that!

LINK:  Batman Theme Collection 2022 Upgrade

Countdown To Halloween - Week Four!

 Today we conclude our Halloween countdown with three more LP's of scary stories from yesteryear! More good stuff follows:

SCARY SPOOKY STORIES (Troll Records, 1973) - This is a fun one, and I only wish I'd had it as a kid, because it has everything: familiar narrator voices from commercials and episodic TV, humor, some genuine creepy moments, and even a jump scare! It would be a super-fun record to enjoy with little kids and watch the hijinks ensue.  This one is short but good, and is expensive in good condition!    

ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS GHOST STORIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE (Golden Records, 1962) - You've heard me say this before, but back in the day, they didn't necessarily dumb things down for kids to enjoy, and this is a great example.  Not only are the stories good, but the whole thing unfolds like an episode from "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," where you have wraparound segments from Hitch himself that tell a darkly funny story on their own.  This is another record that could've come off for much, much cheaper, but as a result of the effort put in, it's fondly remembered today.  We won't be saying THAT in 60 years about much of today's media.

SPIRITS AND SPOOKS FOR HALLOWE'EN (SUMMONED UP BY WILLIAM CONRAD) [Caedmon, 1973] - This is a strange one that I'd known about, yet never run into, and I actually found it at a flea market about a month ago (and cheap even), which you might say was pretty coincidental.  Of course, William Conrad was everywhere at one time--just to name a few, he was the original Sherriff Dillon on the radio version of GUNSMOKE, then there was CANNON, and most dear to me, the narrator of what we can collectively just call "ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE," ...and I almost forgot JAKE AND THE FAT MAN.  This record is all over the map, and can be a little tough to follow if you aren't paying attention.  One moment he reads short poems (the one where he moans like a ghost is about indecipherable), but that can quickly turn into a 20-minute European fairy tale about a witch, or a witch trial account with no proper context (or beginning or end, really).  They were right to release something like this on the higher-brow Caedmon label, rather than a kiddie one, because I don't think little kids are going to hang around for this harder-core, old-country type of Halloween stuff (your first clue of which is the older spelling of HALLOWE'EN).  I still really enjoyed it, and I think you will too (and like all vintage Halloween records, it ain't cheap to track down).  Happy Halloween to everyone!

LINK: Spooky Month Week 4!

_______________________________________

And don't forget last year's Spooky Month items, still undead:

Vintage Halloween Sound Effects LP Mega-Pack!

Scary Tales Featuring John Zacherley ("Good night, wherever you are!")

Countdown To Halloween - Week Three!

 

A real treat today--Nelson Olmsted began his career in radio with an original horror series called "Black Night" in the late 1930's.  This led to work with NBC and a national show called "Sleep No More," as well as later acting roles in movies and TV.  He became well known for his adaptations of the more sensational (read: interesting) stories culled from literature and folklore, which were all expertly narrated and acted by him, and condensed to around 8 minutes each.  Two LPs from that show were released in 1956.  The first one was called EDGAR ALLAN POE - TALES OF TERROR, which as you can guess was 100% Poe stories, followed later in the year by SLEEP NO MORE! FAMOUS GHOST AND HORROR STORIES, which are both presented here today.  

In fact, Vanguard, the label that issued these discs, later packaged them together in 1971, under the title TALES OF TERROR.  This is probably the easiest way to obtain both LPs if you can track one down.

All that remains to be said is that the stories contained on these two albums are extremely well done and greatly enjoyable! You don't want to miss these!

LINK:  Spooky Month WEEK 3

_______________________________________

And don't forget last year's Spooky Month items, still undead:

Vintage Halloween Sound Effects LP Mega-Pack!

Scary Tales Featuring John Zacherley

Countdown To Halloween - Week Two!

 

Here are the only items in our countdown that aren't "vintage." (If they are to you, then you are quite young and I don't know what to tell you.)  But don't let that stop you! This first disc sometimes gets referred to by the title of "SCARY STORIES TURN OUT THE LIGHTS!" but I think it's just a victim of poor graphic design.  It was put out in 2004 by "PI" or Publications International.  The whole cardboard package (jewel cases being too expensive) looks cheesy, and really makes you think of the cheap CD's at party supply or dollar stores of the era.  And heck, it could be one, but the good news is: it's quite well done, actually maintains its integrity, and is even fondly remembered.  

I was surprised how much fun this disc really is.  There are no credits, but when you rip the CD, each track is credited to John Sterchi, who therefore must be our narrator and performer.

On the other hand, there is this.  This is definitely one of those cheap CD's from party supply/dollar stores.  This disc represents the later generation of Halloween sound effects CD's, where everything is completely overdone and Loudness Warred to death. You can judge it by its cover, too; just look at that art...the only thing it's missing is your hand holding a DOOM weapon.  Even the infamous "Hit Crew" people knew this was lackluster (the sound effects only add up to 23 minutes!), and they added a DVD of public domain movies, which I haven't included here, but rest assured they are all on YouTube, and everywhere else...and besides that, if you're a connoisseur of vintage horror, haven't you seen them all by now ("them" being THE VAMPIRE BAT, THE SCREAMING SKULL, and THE MONSTER WALKS)? Hang tight, because next week's batch will make up for this one in spades.

LINK:  Spooky Month WEEK 2

_______________________________________

And don't forget last year's Spooky Month items, still un...dead:

Vintage Halloween Sound Effects LP Mega-Pack!

Scary Tales Featuring John Zacherley

Countdown To Halloween - Week One!

 

It's that time of year again.  Finally! It seems like it took forever.  You know, you can't legally start celebrating Halloween in September.  You just gotta get to October 1, but from then on, it's fair game.  All throughout Spooky Month 2022, we will count down with a weekly post of treats and rarities! 

First up is a pair of winners that I've held all year for this moment! Starting this post is Frankie Stein & His Ghouls - MONSTER MELODIES, which was part of a series of mid-60's monster-themed dance party records, back when the kids did that sort of thing.  I should point out that these records are insanely expensive and nearly impossible to find now.  In fact, I got a mind-melting deal on this album (like ten bucks or less), and went back to the same store recently, only to find they had another LP from this series...but alas, they'd figured it out, and it was like a hundred bucks.

Next we have HALLOWEEN HORRORS from 1977.  This is one of those hybrid Halloween LP's that's half soundscape/adventure, and half individual sound effects.  It features two luminaries of voice-work, Peter Cullen and Michael Bell, and I wasn't sure how I'd never run into it until now.  The B-side gives you yet another great library of sound effects for your arsenal, and even ends with flying saucers and space sounds, because why not!

LINK:  Spooky Month WEEK 1

This should begin to get you in the mood!

And don't forget last year's Spooky Month items, still undead:

Vintage Halloween Sound Effects LP Mega-Pack!

Scary Tales Featuring John Zacherley