Like most Halloween fans, I'm all about the first three installments of the film franchise. But I recently picked up the Mondo Halloween box set, featuring the soundtracks to the first five films.
I have listened to the soundtracks to the first three films a million times each, but I was pleasantly surprised by Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers. This soundtrack was composed solely by Alan Howarth, who had worked previously in conjunction with John Carpenter on Halloween II and Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
Howarth takes the iconic 5/4 theme timing of the original, but adds a nice bit of ambient sound to give it a fresh update. And I love Mondo's new vinyl release version. It's slightly different than the 1988 original, but it still flows really well. And you gotta love that red-and-white clown costume split vinyl! This one has been on constant rotation at the Cemetery all weekend long...
While I think the general consensus is that the 1981 sequel pales in comparison to the original (outside of that insane Ben Tramer scene, of course), Halloween II really shines with its soundtrack. The duo of Carpenter and Alan Howarth take the original film's iconic sparse piano notes and give them an updated synthesizer reconstruction, creating a deeper, more menacing sound. And the use of The Chordettes' classic Mr. Sandman track adds the prefect unsettling kiss at the end of an exceptional horror soundtrack.
From the "Unbelievably Incredibly Rare, But Absolutely Must Have In Your Collection" pile comes this amazing, super-limited record from 1985. Never commercially released, it was estimated to have around 50 copies made and then given out to friends and family only. Buy you say, "Who the heck are the Coupe De Villes? I've never heard of them?" You aren't alone...
The Coupe De Villes were a project/party band with an incredible lineup: legendary horror director John Carpenter on synth, Nick Castle (famous actor who played "The Shape" in the original Halloween), on vocals, and Tommy Lee Wallace (director of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, voice on the infamous "Silver Shamrock" commercial AND creator of the original Michael Myers mask) on guitar. And all of this greatness was produced by horror synth master, Alan Howarth.
While this obscure record was only put out in small numbers for friends, the Coup De Villes are well-known for their title track (and amazing video) to Carpenter's Big Trouble in Little China. The songs on Waiting Out The Eighties haven't aged well, but they are a perfect slice of mid-80s synth-pop history. And with questionable song titles including "Manhole," "Hard On Me," and "On My Knees Again," you really can't go wrong. This one is a must-have for hardcore Carpenter fans only, but be prepared to shell out some cash for it. It's very rare and when it does come up, it fetches a premium.
Luckily, you can hear all the tracks over at TGRT91's YouTube channel. And if you REALLY like what you hear, you can go check out the A Viable Commercial blog to grab the tracks. And if you REALLY REALLY need an actual copy of this record, I can only say, "Get in line..."
I didn't have any intentions of going to the HorrorHound Weekend convention in Cincinnati next weekend until I saw this:
Damn. I mean sure, Elvira, Madchen Amick and Alexandra Breckenridge are all going to be there, but I would make the drive to Cincinnati to see Alan Howarth perform live! Anybody else planning on going and maybe want to shoot a little video for those of us who can't??
This one is great! From HalloweenDailyNews: Legendary Halloween franchise composer and frequent John Carpenter collaborator Alan Howarth today shared a Youtube link to his concert performance on Halloween night 2013, and it's awesome. Check it out in the player below!
A cold, weathered hand pierces the rust-laden earth of a late autumn night. Reanimated decay becomes the evening's guide. Masked faces bask in the fiery glow of a jack-o-lantern's illumination. A lifeless finger points the direction toward the next porch-lit house. For this is the night of ghouls and goblins and tricks and treats. This is the night of Hallowe'en...
