Random Halloween Stuff Day 2: The Art of the Halloween Mix CD

People often ask for my advice about their Halloween music playlists for some reason.  Actually, it’s not hard to figure out why.  Any of you who either know me in real life or have received one of my annual XXX-Mas Mixes are already aware that I am the Undisputed Lord and Master of the Mix CD.  Hell, I was Master of the Mixtape before that.  You think I’m just bragging?  You think I made that up?  Here, ask my friends…

“Nathan makes the best mixes of all time.  He is Lord and Master of the Mix CD!” – All of Nathan’s Friends

See?  I told you.  That’s a direct quote.   

 Without a doubt, one of the most important ingredients in the adult celebration of Halloween is the music.  A good Halloween mix CD or a stocked mp3 player is an absolute necessity.  There are so many songs out there that are appropriately Halloweenie though; it’s hard to know what to put on the perfect mix.  Google “Halloween music,” and you’ll find countless lists of songs that the author says absolutely MUST be included in your ghoultide selections.  Screw them.  What do they know.  Play what you like.

One thing that you should  take into account, however, is what the mix is for.  If it’s to create a spooky atmosphere on the porch for trick or treaters or just some mood music, you might want to go heavy on the horror movie scores and themes.  If it’s for a party, you have to keep in mind the range of people there, so include something for all tastes.  Party mixes should also keep in mind the rising and falling action of a party.  It’s like the plot to a movie.  If you employ the right psychology in the mix, you can almost dictate the way the party will play out through the tunes.  Try it sometime.  It’s fun, and you’ll feel a little like a mad scientist.  If it’s for fun driving from haunt to haunt or to play around the house, pick your favorites and forget those “mandatory” Halloween songs.  Do you just want songs specifically about Halloween itself, or will anything with macabre subject matter do?  Are there personal songs that remind you of certain Halloween memories?  Do you want to include quotes or dialog snippets from your favorite fright flicks to break the songs up?  There’s a lot to consider.  You may want different Halloween mixes for different purposes.  Or maybe I’m just crazy and put way too much thought into my music selection.  Hmmm.  Yeah, that's a thought.

Anyway, I have three Halloween mixes that I made for the specific purpose of listening to on the way to work at Netherworld.  Leah, Renee, and I drive together to the haunt every night, and sometimes after a long day we need something to jack us up for a long night of scaring the hell out of the masses.  You’ll notice that it’s almost all upbeat, “rocking out” type music.  Well, it’s made to get the old monster juices flowing.  These three discs play on constant loop for the month of October, and they never fail to put us in the mood.  This may not be up your alley, as it reflects a lot of our personal taste in music, but you might find some stuff here that you would like in your own musical bag of treats. 

I had thought about uploading these for you to download, but with the way the government has been pissing their panties over file sharing lately, I’ll let you find these songs yourself.  They’re all pretty easy to locate.  A tip, there are quite a few sites out there that convert youtube videos to mp3s.  They are your friends.  And just in case Big Brother is watching…”Son of Celluloid does not support music piracy.”  So, here are my Ultimate Halloween Haunting Playlists Vol. 1-3.  I hope you find something you like.  I also hope you see something you’ve never heard before, get curious, and explore.  If I turn you on to something new, comment and tell me.  If there’s something you think I need to hear, comment and tell me.  If you think my taste in music blows, comment and tell me.  If you wanna share your playlist, comment and tell me.  But whatever you do Cellmates, make sure you have some great horrific tunes to rock out to in October.    There are no rules to this except to have fun and pick whatever gets you in the Halloween spirit.  Oh, and The Misfits have to be in there somewhere.  That's definitely a rule.

Vol 1

1. (Movie Quote) Intro to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
2. Me First and the Gimme-Gimmes – Science Fiction Double Feature (Rocky Horror cover)
3. Marilyn Manson – This is Halloween
4. (Movie Quote) Beavis -  “Trick or treat, son of a bitch!”
5. Southern Culture on the Skids – Zombiefied
6. 45 Grave – Partytime (Single Version)
7. Reverend Horton Heat – The Halloween Dance
8. The Ghastly Ones featuring Rob Zombie – Halloween (That’s When She Gets So Mean)
9. The Bloodsucking Zombies from Outer Space – The Most Beautiful Corpse
10. (TV Quote) Charlie Brown  -  “I got a rock.”
11. Bauhaus – Stigmata Martyr
12. 37 seconds of a chainsaw revving.  Yes, I’m serious.  Don’t you judge me!
13. Dropkick Murphys – Halloween (Misfits Cover)
14. Ghoultown – Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
15. The Cramps – Goo-Goo Muck
16. Alice Cooper – Keepin’ Halloween Alive
17. (Movie Quote) Regan (Linda Blair)  -  “What an excellent day for an exorcism.”
18. Alkaline Trio – There’s a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place) (Rocky Horror cover)
19. The Crimson Ghosts – Somewhere in a Casket
20. Johnny (Russ Streiner)  -  “They’re coming to get you Barbara.”
21. Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party
22. The Ramones – Pet Sematary
23. Rob Zombie – Superbeast
24. Stephen Lynch – Halloween
25. (Movie Quote) Pinhead (Doug Bradley) – “We have such sights to show you.”
26. Greenskeepers – Lotion
27. Evan Dando – Skulls (Misfits cover)
28. Vincent Price Laughing
29. The Deep Eynde – Devil Child
30. Twiztid – Waited ‘til Halloween
31. Halloween III Silver Shamrock Jingle
32. Bobby “Boris” Pickett – The Monster Mash

Vol. 2

1. The Astrovamps – Every Day is Halloween (with Alfred Hitchcock intro)
2. The Misfits – Halloween
3. The Mutilators – I F**ked a Zombie
4. The American Werewolves – For Your Blood
5. The Creepshow – Take My Hand
6. White Zombie – I’m Your Boogieman
7. Shadow Reichenstein – It’s Halloween
8. The Ghastly Ones – Hangman Hang-ten
9. The Swingin’ Neckbreakers – No Costume No Candy
10. Roky Erikson – Night of the Vampire
11. Up Syndrome – I Wanna Get Some On Halloween
12. Cradle of Filth – Halloween II (Misfits/Samhain cover)
13. The Dead Kennedys – Halloween
14. The Classics IV – Spooky
15. The Other – Hallows Eve
16. Type O Negative – Hallows Eve

Vol. 3

1. 45 Grave – Riboflavin
2. Rezurex – Every Day is Halloween
3. Southern Culture on the Skids – She’s My Witch
4. The Misfits – Dig Up Her Bones
5. Blitzkid – Pumpkin Patch Murders
6. Reverend Hellbastard – Every Halloween
7. Seasons After – Cry Little Sister
8. The Toys – Monster Hash
9. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – I Put a Spell on You
10. The Mutilators – Thriller (Michael Jackson cover)
11. Warmen – Somebody’s Watching Me (Rockwell cover)
12. “Scaredy Cat” from Garfield’s Halloween Adventure
13. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Red Right Hand
14. The Misfits – I Turned Into a Martian
15. Alice Cooper – He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask)
16. King Diamond – Halloween
17. Twiztid – High on Halloween
18. The Blood Junkies – All Hallows Eve
19. The Nekromantix – Trick or Treat
20. Weird Al Yankovic – Nature Trail to Hell (in 3-D)

27 day ‘til Halloween, Halloween, Halloween.  27 days ‘til Halloween, Silver Shamrock.