Your Essential Hallowe'en Playlist (2015 - Part One)

Click here to see my terrifying, thrillifying Hallowe'en outfit...

**PART TWO COMING FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER 2015**

It's the most horrible time of the year yet as terrifying as terror is it's always a little underrated when it comes to themed music. I mean there's love for Valentine's Day, we wish we all could be California Girls in the summer and, well, do I even need to justify Christmas music? So I thought I'd make a little playlist that you can spin whilst handing out ghoulish candy to the imps & goblins who come a-knocking at your door. But beware of Ethan Rayne and his tricky little spells or you may not live to see another day. Muah hahahahaha, etc.

• The Nightmare Before Christmas ~ This is Hallowe'en: Well bugger me if this isn't the quintessential Hallowe'en movie and the perfect stepping stone to launch into full Christmas madness. Tim Burton is the king of quirky creepiness and the start of this movie is one of the best movie openings ever made. Of course there are other versions of this tune by Marilyn Manson and Panic At The Disco, but best to stick with the original and marvel at the visuals that accompany. And if you haven't seen this film , then you are a fool to yourself. A fool I tells you.
• Bette Midler ~ I Put A Spell On You (from Hocus Pocus): Remember when Bette Midler would sing in movies? Sigh. It seems those days are gone (though she would make a spectacular Madame Morrible in Wicked). Hocus Pocus is delightful Disney fare, but Bette Midler certainly excels as the slightly bonkers witch looking to reclaim Salem for herself. Check out her slightly maniacal performance, and watch the always entertaining clip below :)
• Kinosian & Blair ~ Scary Movie Night: Well gosh darn you right into a spooky Mormon Hell Dream (but not really :D) Kinosian & Blair for being so on the money with your deliciously addictive musical theatre creations. Sadly none of your stage shows have made it to England yet (I shall be casting spells & throwing runes tonight to ensure this happens) but that hasn't stopped me enjoying your mellifluous charms. This ode to watching the most frightening of movie genres is entranced with a captivating piano score while the convivial vocal style makes you feel like you're down the Haunted House with your pals talking over what to do next. Compulsively addictive in the way it makes you want to learn all the words, it's almost as if they've bewitched your finger to hit replay over and over again :D
• Fabrizio Ferrara & Zorro Blakk ~ A Pack of Wolves: It's like the premise of a scary movie (or at least an episode of Scooby Doo!) - you're tied up in some dingy old shack, you'd wriggle over to get your mobile phone but the dastardly villain has tied something round your mouth. Helpless, you definitely don't want to hear a pack of wolves, howling at the moon. *MUFFLED SCREAM*! What you do want to hear, however (probably while you are waiting for superhero of pop Zorro Blakk to come and rescue you) is Fabrizio's lycanthropic dance smash A Pack of Wolves (howling at the moon AND coming for you). It's sinfully good and helps you get in touch with your feral side :) A most magnificent way to while away the hours...
• Allstar Weekend ~ Monster Mash: I had a massive soft spot for the sadly now disbanded Allstar Weekend. They did that pogo-ing mix of pop and rock that Busted perfected (and are now back to do again with McBusted) and, like Big Time Rush, managed to successfully straddle the line between tween dream and artists that want to develop and grow as their fanbase grows up. Their cover/sample of Monster Mash is an absolute hoot - it breaksdown spit-fire semi-rapped verses, before bringing in that novelty chorus that is oh so familiar to people right now. Add to that a quirky video with a cat cameo that scares the bejeezus out of me and you're pretty much onto a winner. Plus! You can still download the song free at tweet for a track. Amazes.
• Plain White T's ~ House on Shady Lane: Used to promote ABC Family's (the real new WB) 13 Nights of Hallowe'en season a few years back, the T's successfully created a tune that marries appropriately spooky music (think hammer organs, ghoulish special effects and haunting strings) with creepy lyrics about a haunted house, tapping into every single person who has ever walked past that one strange, American Horror Story-esque, building in their neighbourhood. So everyone then... Anyway, on top of all this, it's a rollicking tune with a great, infectious chorus & a brilliantly orchestrated-delivered middle 8 that's both timely for Hallowe'en but also a treat any other time of year...
• The Postmarks ~ Everyday is Hallowe'en: Lots of acts have covered this Ministry song, but The Postmarks is one of my favourite versions. They add an eerie, Twin Peaksy vibe to the proceedings and their vocals are pure chilling from start to finish. The thought of a world where everyday is as terrifying as hallowe'en has never been more vivid and starkly delivered than by The Postmarks. Even Nick Cave would find them a bit scary...
• Zig Zag Birds ~ Things That Go Bump: Oh how glad I am that the infectious hallowe'en tune led me to the Zig Zag Birds. Their debut EP is an effortlessly cool treat. More about that another time, but for now let's focus on this freaky delight. Brilliant witty lyrics are surrounded by a jazz tinged instrumental and a hand clapping beat, perfectly complemented by a ghoulish video that mixes humour and scares a plenty. Beware of that witchy witchy woman, she might possess your soul! Try getting the tune out of your head after listening, it's nigh on impossible. And maybe that's the scariest thing of all - how scarily good it is and you've been without it for this long!
• All*Stars ~ Things That Go Bump In The Night: Hurrah! Now S Club are well and truly back (albeit potentially temporarily), there is no shame in visiting this Scooby Doo The Musical type track from my beloved All*Stars. Frankly it's a slightly cheaper version of Backstreet's Back (see below) but still is a guilty little All Hallow's Eve pleasure that you can strut your slutty nurse/sexy doctor outfit to. Sam Bloom was dreamy wasn't (isn't) he?!
• Backstreet Boys ~ Backstreet's Back: Not strictly a hallowe'en song, but like Michael Jackson's Thriller, the video ensures that it ends up on every musical channel at this time of year. It was a slamming piece of pop set to a cheesy scary movie type video with the ol' twist of "was it all a dream" "no it wasn't" at the end. Would love to see a massive production of this on the NKOTBSB tour :)
• Aqua ~ Hallowe'en: This was the Aqua of years ago, not the fucking like a robot Aqua! They could whip up a scary pop treat at the drop of a hat back then and this track mixed howling wolves, thunderstorm effects and nuisance phone calls before launching into an intense, slightly rapey disco number. Much like Allstars being able to use the song for the yet to be written Scooby Doo The Musical, this could serve equally well in a not yet written Scream The Musical. Nifty.
• Elouise ~ Could It Be Magic: If I had to line up my three favourite versions of this tune, I don't think i'd be able to differentiate between Elouise, Leona Lewis (why she never recorded her version is beyond me) and Take That. But as I really just use any old excuse to write about Elouise, let's revisit her spirited version of this classic Manilow track. This is a more considered, slow build portrayal that weaves together the sweeping warm disco orchestra with Elouise's always impeccable vocal like musical alchemy. When it all explodes in a cascade of glittering beats, it's a true spell cast on the listener. Heavenly. Spin a few times before delving into her Christmas EP :)
• Aston - Monster Symphony: Not exactly designed for Hallowe'en but filled with drama, theatre, intrigue and foreboding in this orchestral assault (in the very best sense of the word) on a medley of Lady Gaga hits. The Aston lads and lasses sure do know their way around the deconstruction and reconstruction of pop music and what's frightening is how bloody good they are at it. There are moments of this that could absolutely soundtrack MTV's Teen Wolf or be the most chilling backing track for Jessica Lange to sing along to in that goddawful accent in American Horror Story. Come for the music. Stay because of your enduring crush on Dan...
• FutureKicks - Thriller: I haven't written about my beloved FutureKicks for a while so it's a good time to revisit their brilliant remake of Michael Jackson's Thriller. Rather than just recreate what was already mightily perfect, the lads have given it their own exuberant and energetic spin - and added a rip rollicking good time video to boot. Worryingly their twitter account hasn't been updated for a good few months so this may well have been their swan song. What a way to go out :) (Bri still a tall drink of water by any standards whatever he's doing)...
• Kim Smith - Zombiez (Ricardo Autobahn Night Of The Living Dead Remix): Take a little cabaret, a little musical theatre, a little 50s B-horror movie, throw in the vaudevillian talents of Kim Smith, get it all twiddled to nipple tingling perfection by Ricardo Autobahn and you have a drop dead perfect dance song for all the slutty girls dressed up as catwoman to booty drop to! Amazing. The song has a chorus more giving than the sweet old lady at the end of the street with the neverending supply of hallowe'en candy - a refrain that will certainly see you through until Christmas.
• Scarlett's Roses ~ Nightmares: My worst nightmare is frankly that Scarlett's Roses don't keep doing what they are doing (and doing so blooming well). That would be the true horror of this scary mary holiday weekend. Luckily they've just shared new music in the form of Lost and there's no better time to revisit their spookalicious ode to those sneaky little fears that turn your dreams into nightmares. Sleep with one eye open my pretties because Scarlett's Roses are coming to get you!
• Brendan Valasquez ~ Things That Go Bump In The Night: Ooo I remember this one well. Brendan not only gets to sing of the horrors of blind dates (though honestly you wouldn't have to twist my arm to go smooching with the fella that turns up!) but re-enact them as if it was a script for next week's Walking Dead. Sadly that show is far too busy showing people munching on a meaty leg to appreciate the subtle nuances of gay scream queen dating (that's what Teen Wolf is for) but Brendan does it all with a song in his heart. A dastardly song of terrifying intent. Marvelous.
• Velvet Stream ~ Be My Weirdo: Velvet Stream are another band on this list that are sadly no more. That doesn't mean you can't enjoy Mati's spinechilling vocals over and over again with their ode to freakish love. That vocal is as bewitching as anything you will hear this All Hallow's Eve, while the instruments cast a spell with their evocative yearning. Who do I have to bribe to get a reunion on the cards?
• Spencer ~ Gremlins Mega Madness: There is often a debate in my household over whether Gremlins is a Hallowe'en movie (Darren) or a Christmas movie (me). You're not together for 15 years without the art of compromise so we watch it (and Gremlins 2 of course) during both holiday seasons. Everyone wins. The ever reliable Spencer has done a cover of the Michael Sembello song from the original movie and filled it with spooky synths and a boogyman bass that just won't quit. Just don't get him wet or feed him after midnight.
• VoicePlay ~ Grim Grinning Ghosts / This Is Hallowe'en: I'll finish as I started with This Is Hallowe'en only this time performed by my beloved VoicePlay fellas. Not only is that a capella perfection but they've also done wonders with Grim Grinning Ghosts (from Haunted Mansion) with it's own video to scare you into submission. The video not only contains my favourite look of Geoff's but some ace hitch hiking ghosts at the end & that whole how-low-can-you-go bass of Hurry Back would wake even the most deadliest of dead. Horrible in the best sense of the word...