Mixed Bag 3: Director's Commentary

Since they're in the mail, I thought it might be good to do a "director's commentary" on my contribution to Lefty Brown's Halloween Mixed Bag. I tried to go for a subtle, creepy vibe with some ties to Halloween - trust me, it's a good mix. For those of you at home, please follow along.

Intro - a familiar fave from my favorite childhood show

The Thing That Only Eats Hippies- Dead Milkmen: Needed to start with something a little bratty, a little punky, and didn't want to go the Ramones route. Plus, a clever dis on a great band.

Out of Limits - Marketts: As close to a surf version of the Twilight Zone theme as you're
gonna get.

Surfin’ Dead - Cramps: Greatest. Song. Ever.

So good this site featured it twice.

Shake Some Action - Flamin’ Groovies: Killer 12 String riff, sounds like the love child of the Byrds and the Sex Pistols.

Gimme Danger - Stooges: Because Iggy Pop is the scariest [12 letter word with Oedipal overtones] on the planet.

Good Cop Bad Cop - Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet: Surf punk at its most dangerous sounding. Could have used "Zombie Compromise", but too many people would say, "Hey, that's the Taco Bell song!"

He’s Waitin - Sonics: A killer song by the world's greatest garage band about a woman two-timing her man, and which invokes.....Satan!

You Better Run - Rascals: A nice, semi-raunchy groove with a great guitar riff. Plus, Eddie Brigati never got his props as a great vocalist.

If You Have Ghosts - John Wesley Harding & the Good Liars: First, if you've never heard John Wesley Harding, think of Elvis Costello's cuter brother with a more pop sound. This is a great cover of a Roky Erickson tune for a tribute album - for Roky, every day was Halloween.

Jump Around - House of Pain: Needed a little hip-hop, and the screeching vocals help keep up the mood.

Plan 9 Channel 7 - Damned: A five minute Goth masterpiece.

Ghost Town - Specials: Used well in Shaun of the Dead. I liked the windy intro and outro, and which leads to...

Night of the Long Grass - Troggs: If I could have cross faded, I would have. A great 5/4 tune from the minds that brought you "Wild Thing" and "Love is All Around".

Howlin’ Wind - Graham Parker & the Rumor: Finishing the three song "wind" motif. Parker's first real "hit" - a reggae groove with angsty lyrics.

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival: This song was written was Nixon was elected in '68. You can hear the fear in Fogerty's voice as he's singing.

Smiling Faces Sometimes - Undisputed Truth: An unsettling - yet funky - song about not trusting others.

Backstabbers - O’Jays: aka "Smiling Faces Sometimes" part two. Even funkier paranoia.

No Tears for Caesar - William Shatner: Shatner raps Shakespeare. If that doesn't say "scary", I don't know what does.

Jack the Ripper - Link Wray & the Wray-Men: A growling instrumental from the inventor of the power chord.

Dark End of the Street - James Carr: Possibly the greatest we-shouldn't-be-doing-this-yet- can't-help-it song ever written.

I’m So Tired - Beatles: Ever have the kind of night where you want to sleep, but just can't? This song is a great mellow tune, and helps begin to bring the disc to a close.

Burning of the Midnight Lamp - Jimi Hendrix: 12 String Guitar + Wah Wah Pedal = Unearthly sounding classic.

West One (Shine on Me) - Ruts: A rushing, desperate song combining lyrics of isolation and a reggae-punk rush.

Outro - Fun with the 7th Doctor and Davros.

Encore - A midnight movie tune. Yep, the obvious one.

EDIT: For some reason, there's this belief that I'm often mistaken for Joe Don Baker or Jack Klugman. Thanks to the Church of Klugman for pointing this out.

However, a thought to consider: have you ever seen me and Mike in the same room together?