GREAT HALLOWEEN SONGS (THANKS ROB ZOMBIE)

I don't know why this album never got too much attention, but it is my favorite Halloween album (maybe it is tied with the The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack). In 1998 at the height of his popularity, Rob Zombie started his own short-lived record label, Zombie A Go-Go Records, and put out albums by bands like The Ghastly Ones and The Bomboras. He also put out The Halloween Hootenanny collection: it featured all songs recorded specifically for the record by lots of cool and creepy bands. Rob, backed by The Ghastly Ones, did "Halloween (She Get So Mean)."  Two bands who I am still a big fan of were on the album: The Reverend Horton Heat ("The Halloween Dance") and the late and missed Rocket From The Crypt ("I Drink Blood").  There are other great songs on the album by Southern Culture On The Skids ("Werewolf"), Los Straitjackets (their cover of "The Munsters" theme) and Dead Elvi ("The Creature Stole My Surfboard").  But the best song is probably The Swingin' Neckbreakers with "No Costume, No Candy." Unfortunately, this album seems to be out of print, and you can't get the songs on iTunes.  Someone should reissue it, and in the meantime, try to find it at a used CD store (or you can still order the CD on Amazon) - you'll be prepared for next year!

TOMORROW ON OUTQ: HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I know that there's more Christmas

albums than Halloween albums, but for my money, Halloween is the most rock and roll holiday there is.

So, tomorrow on OutQ, I'll be talking about two Halloween compilations that I really dig.

Little Steven just released Halloween A Go-Go, a collection of previously released songs that aren't necessarily about Halloween, but which sort of have an appropriate theme. Lots of songs I already knew (The Electric Prunes' "I Had Too Much To Dream," Howlin' Wolf's "Howlin' For My Darlin'," Roky Erickson's "I Walked With A Zombie") and great songs that I hadn't heard before (The Fuzztones' "I'm The Wolfman," Jarvis Humby's "Man With The X-Ray Eyes (Silver Surfer)," and Sweatmaster's "I Am A Demon And I Love Rock 'N Roll").

I also love Rob Zombie's 1998 collection Halloween Hootenanny. This featured a bunch of artists recording Halloween songs exclusively for the album. Although I'm more of a Little Steven guy, I like this compilation better (although I like both). Highlights include Rob's "Halloween (She Get So Mean)," The Reverend Horton Heat's "The Halloween Dance" and The Swingin' Neckbreakers' "No Costume, No Candy."

I'll also be talking about one of my favorite soundtracks ever - to one of my favorite films ever, The Nightmare Before Christmas. There's been a lot of covers from that soundtrack over the years, but none beat the originals from the soundtrack. Although I do like Fiona Apple's "Sally's Song." But I wouldn't play it at my Halloween party.