Music Review: GOBLIN LIVE IN CONCERT (2013, U.S.)

As a part of their first-ever North American tour (after a long and on-again-off-again history dating back to 1972), I was lucky enough to see Goblin perform live last night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn, NY.  

They played crowd-pleasing selections from the album ROLLER and from their soundtracks to ZOMBI (DAWN OF THE DEAD), PROFONDO ROSSO (DEEP RED), NON HO SONNO (SLEEPLESS), TENEBRE, and PHENOMENA, among others, often accompanied by gory mondo projections, including clips from DAWN OF THE DEAD and the Goblin-Argento oeuvre.

It was a pleasure to see three of the original members:  the legendary Claudio Simonetti (wearing a DANGER: DIABOLIK t-shirt),

Simonetti tinkles the ivories.  Photo by Greg Cristman, from the writeup at Brooklyn Vegan.

veteran Maurizio Guarini jammin' on the second keyboard, and virtuoso Massimo Morante (prog) rocking out (on his birthday, no less!) in tight leather pants, sunglasses, and a bandana that could hardly tame his frizzy, Italo-rocker 70s hair.

Massimo plays it loud. Photo by Greg Cristman, from the writeup at Brooklyn Vegan.

This was, obviously, outstanding.  (They were also joined by newer members, drummer Titta Tani and bassist Bruno Previtali.)

A near front-row view afforded me a glimpse of their tightly-knit, non-verbal shorthand, from which I get a sort of furtive satisfaction when I have the privilege of seeing it live from a band I love.  Their Italian-accented banter with the audience was endearing and fantastic ("Hello Brew-kleen!"), Claudio did the vox effects from TENEBRE live, and he dared the audience to do their best witchy whispering along with him on SUSPIRIA– in short, I had a big dopey grin on my face the entire time.

Also, I never thought I would see Claudio Simonetti and Massimo Morante sing "Happy Birthday to Me" and mock-drink from a giant cardboard cut-out of a bottle of Jim Beam while a crowd of Brooklynites roared in approval.  And, my Lord– they may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but as my ringing ears can attest, they played it loud.  What a show– and a fine start to my Halloween season!

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Only now does it occur to me... FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VI

Only now does it occur to me...  that "He's Back (The Man Behind the Mask)" may represent the finest hour of the entire FRIDAY THE 13TH series.


Technically, this song just plays over the end credits, but the tie-in music video is something to behold.  And, just to be clear– I genuinely love Alice and this song with all of my heart.

There's so much going on, I find it impossible to decide what precisely is the best part, or even which part is the most confusing.  Is it Alice manually making the "Chee chee chee kah kah kah" noises with his mouth?  Is it Alice's riding crop and his Jason "throne?"

Is it when he rhymes "alone" with "alone?"  ["But the moon was full/ And you had your chance/ To be all alone/ but you're not alone"]  Is it when he rhymes "can" with "can?" ["Oh, if you see him comin', run away if you CAN/ Just keep on runnin', run as fast as you CAN" – truly only Alice can get away with this shit!]  Is it when Jason swings on a rope out of an image of Jason swinging on a rope?

Is it when Alice bursts out of the movie screen, just to smash a breakaway bottle against his forehead?

Is it the look of vague disappointment amongst the teens when the Jason movie they're watching on screen transforms into an Alice Cooper music video?

Is it the apathetic "I'd prefer it if you'd please stop" expression the teens adopt as their supposedly horrific but extraordinarily confusing theatrical experience continues?

 Is it when Alice puts the kids in a cage, only to unlock it a moment later?

 Is it when Alice is dragged back into the screen by Jason, who has already been revealed to be Alice? (Shades of multiple personalities á la MONSTER DOG and the album DADA?)


Is it the bizarre, non-sequitur of an ending that reveals Alice to be Jason's cultured dad, and "Jason" to be the name of the perplexed and depressed teen, right after we've seen that Alice himself is the man behind the mask as well as "Jason"'s father?

Who can say?  But I suppose it doesn't matter.  It's a Friday the 13th in sweaty July– just have a couple of cold beers and watch a Jason movie.  That's what I'll be doing later.  Maybe 3 in 3-D or 4- THE FINAL CHAPTER.  I'll have to see what strikes my fancy.  Eh, just remember: if you see him coming, run away if you can, just keep on running, run as fast as you can.  He's a dangerous, dangerous man.  And he's out tonight.  And he's watching you.  And he knows your house.

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Film Review: THE BOY WHO COULD FLY (1986, Nick Castle)

Stars: 2.5 of 5.
Running Time: 107 minutes.
Notable Cast or Crew: Lucy Deakins (AS THE WORLD TURNS, CHEETAH), Jay Underwood (AFTERGLOW, UNCLE BUCK), Fred Savage (THE PRINCESS BRIDE, LITTLE MONSTERS), Bonnie Bedelia (DIE HARD, NEEDFUL THINGS), Colleen Dewhurst (ANNIE HALL, THE DEAD ZONE), Fred Gwynne (THE MUNSTERS, THE COTTON CLUB), Jason Priestley (TOMBSTONE, BEVERLY HILLS 90210), Louise Fletcher (ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, EXORCIST II: THE HERETIC). Music by Bruce Broughton (TOMBSTONE, THE ICE PIRATES, MOONWALKER). Featuring the one and only Coupe de Villes. Visual Effects by Richard Edlund (THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, GHOSTBUSTERS, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, the opening sequence for TALES FROM THE CRYPT).
Tag-line: " A very special love. And a very special magic. But is it real magic or just an illusion?"
Best one-liner: "In da back of da bus....just you and us"

Well, allow me to take a brief respite from my exploration of the horror portmanteau in order to bring something to your attention: THE BOY WHO COULD FLY. Now, how you'll feel about the movie itself likely will hinge on when you saw it: its greatest devotees are nostalgia-driven sentimentalists who saw it as kids back in '86. I, on the other hand, saw it this weekend, and, uh... well, let's just say that it's a little corny.


With a little bit of E.T. and a little bit of DUMBO (but with an autistic kid instead of a Reese's Pieces-luvin' alien or a floppy-eared elephant), THE BOY WHO COULD FLY launches itself headfirst into heavy-duty mawkishness and attempts to leave no tear unjerked.

I don't wish to badmouth the film, though- I'm a fan of filmmaker (and John Carpenter crony) Nick Castle, and if this film brings comfort or nostalgia to its fans, then I'm all for it. Now, in my mind, there are a few memorable elements in it, and one really noteworthy element, so I shall discuss them without further delay:

We've got Louise Fletcher as a well-meaning psychiatrist. And even though she's friendly, I guess I can't stop myself from making a comparison to Nurse Ratched.

Anyway, in a puzzling twist she chose to go uncredited, yet receives a very special thanks– was she unhappy with how the film turned out, or did she want her appearance to be unexpected? Who knows.

We got Fred Savage playing THE LAST STARFIGHTER video game (THE LAST STARFIGHTER was Nick Castle's previous picture),


a gang of tubby eight-year-old kids who terrorize Fred Savage and whose leader wears an Anarchy t-shirt, a nuanced performance by THE MUNSTERS' Fred Gwynne as a drunken parental figure (he really is mind-blowingly great- his facial contortions alone are possibly the movie's most genuine facet),

and an un-nuanced performance by Bonnie Bedelia (who's obviously been directed to be overly... indicative).

(Note that she's looking at an alarm clock and is running a few minutes late– she's not running a few hours late, nor has the alarm clock transformed into a portal to another dimension or flashed some obscene message á la MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE. She is just running... a few.... minutes... late.)

But then....thirty-four minutes in....they drop an ATOM BOMB. An atom bomb I like to call: THE COUPE DE VILLES...

Hollleeee shit. If you have no idea who or what the Coupe de Villes are, may I refer you HERE, HERE, and HERE.

So two gals are engaging in some underage drinking/slumber partying, when who should appear on TV but the legendary Coupe de Villes, doing their best 80's glam band impersonation.

KISS, eat your heart out. Clockwise from upper left: Tommy Lee Wallace, John Carpenter, Nick Castle, and guest Coupe Warren Carr (the production manager).

(And who is this mysterious 4th Coupe de Ville, Warren Carr? I see he was the production manager here, but it seems to be his only professional contact with any of the Coupes.)

Now, the song, which does not appear on their album, WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES, is written by Nick Castle, is entitled "Back of the Bus," and is further evidence that there may be entire vaults filled to the brim with unreleased Coupe de Ville treasures. It features a high-pitched plea from Nick Castle ('Heyyyyy pretty baby'), a booming, intense chorus by Carpy himself ('in da back of da bus.'), and it pretty much made my weekend.

"Mmmmmm----heh, heh, heh/Hey pretty girl/You goin' to school/We gonna teach her/The golden rule/in da back of da bus/Just you and us/Heyyy pretty baby/we like your looks/come here and study/put down your books/in da back of da bus"

And then they change the channel. But I never thought I would see John Carpenter looking like a member of Twisted Sister and menacing a young lassie in the back of a schoolbus:

Carpy imperils a studious young lady...in da back of da bus

And now, to shed some long-sought light upon the Coupe de Villes phenomenon, I have transcribed the audio commentary for this scene from THE BOY WHO COULD FLY DVD (said commentary features Nick Castle, Jay Underwood, Fred Savage, and Lucy Deakins):

Nick Castle: I wrote and performed that song as The Coupe de Villes. The Coupe de Villes are in various other films as well. They're in HALLOWEEN, they're in BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, so we sort of spread ourselves around. But it is basically a vanity band. We would play the wrap parties for some of our films, and, uh, make everyone listen to us.

[everyone laughs]

Jay Underwood: I can't remember, did you play at ours?

Nick Castle: I sang, but uh–

Lucy Deakins: It was your Bruce Springsteen lookalike phase. The bandanas and everything.

Nick Castle: This was an in-joke, having flown my two friends into Vancouver for this little bit of playing the rock n' roll band, John Carpenter, of course, the famous director who did HALLOWEEN, and another friend, Tom Wallace, who's another director, with the opportunity of actually pretending to be a rock group. I threw us all together for this little bit.

Lucy Deakins: I still have the record you cut.

Jay Underwood: I got the same album...WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES.

Lucy Deakins: Yeah!

[then the subject is changed to how Nick Castle played Mike Myers in HALLOWEEN, and how he receives more fan mail for that than for all the movies he directed]

Interesting. Though obviously Nick sells himself short when he refers to it as a vanity band. And now I have to rewatch HALLOWEEN: apparently it contains some hidden Coupe-de-Villery that has flown right over my head the five thousand or so times that I've watched it. And you know what warms my heart more than THE BOY WHO COULD FLY? The fact that Nick Castle gave the cast of THE BOY WHO COULD FLY LPs of WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES!

Two and a half stars for the Coupe de Villes, but where is the rest of the music video footage?...it must exist, and it demands to be seen!

-Sean Gill

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Music Review: WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES: PART 2 (1985, The Coupe de Villes)

Stars: 5 of 5.

Running Time: 40 minutes.
Publisher: "RRRRRRictus Records."
Best line: "Hey hey hey HEEYYYYYYY!!!!"

Picking up where Part 1 left off- ladies and gentlemen, the fabulous COUP DE VILLES:

#7. BACK FROM THE DEAD.

Nick Castle takes up the mantle and delivers a ZZ Top-style thrumpin' chanty (which also sounds a lot like the "Snake Shake" song written for the end credits of ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK) possibly inspired by the crippling down time that often occurs between film projects. Nick would've been between THE LAST STARFIGHTER and THE BOY WHO COULD FLY at the time, Carpenter between STARMAN and BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and Tommy between HALLOWEEN III and a few episodes of that new 80's TWILIGHT ZONE series. I think we can all relate to the urgency and paralysis of unemployment, but only Nick Castle's high-pitched yowl can quite enumerate it with the perfect "Hey hey hey HEEYYYYYYY!!!"

"Got no job
I can't get paid
I got no friends
I can't get laid
I need some inspiration
Just like the newspaper said
You caught me on a bad day
I'm back from the dead

Ship sailed in
Ship sailed out
The chips are down
The red light's out
I need some motivation
Just like the radio said
You caught me on a bad day
I'm back from the dead

Yes I'm back, yes I'm back
The game is breakin' my heart
Yes I'm back, yes I'm back
You know it's breakin' my heart
Hey hey hey HEEYYYYYYY

Got no car
Got no cash
Got no maid
to clean my trash
I need a situation
Just like the T.V. said
You caught me on a bad day
I'm back from the dead

Yes I'm back, yes I'm back
The game is breakin' my heart (I need to function like a young boy should)
Yes I'm back, yes I'm back
You know it's breakin' my heart
I need to show 'em if I somehow could

Yes I'm back, yes I'm back
And it's breakin' my heart..."


#8. ON MY KNEES AGAIN.

John picks things up with another song possibly centering on unemployment. "A new morning in America" indeed! Well, I choose to believe that it's about unemployment, because otherwise it'd have to be about a one-night stand, and love Carpy though I do, there are still a few mental images I can do without, so just indulge me in my delusion. Maybe it's about blackouts that result from heavy drinking that results from underemployment.

There's some sweet synth sounds that pop up in this one that will be real familiar to fans of the main title music for BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and Carpy builds a bass line that makes for a fairly catchy song, even if its content is a little soggy.

"Pick me up
I've been asleep on the floor
Come, on baby

Trick me up
I'm tryin' to crawl out the door
All I need's a game

Lift me up
I can't see the clock on the wall
Come on, baby

Drift me up
I can't find my name in the hall
All I need's a game

You wouldn't hold me in your arms
I'm just a one-night stand
I'm cryin' lonely teardrops, baby
Can't you understand

I'm dyin' here
Darlin'
On my knees again
Ooh, baby

I'm dyin' here
Darlin'
On my knees- on my knees again

Mmmmmmmm

Pull me up (pull me up)
I don't remember my name
Come on, baby
Cool me up (cool me up)
I can't recall where I am
All I need's a game

Fill me up (fill me up)
Give me a little to go on
Come on, baby
Thrill me up (thrill me up)
Give me a little hold on
All I need's a game

Mmmmmmm

You wouldn't hold me in your arms
I'm just a one-night stand
I'm cryin' lonely teardrops, baby
Can't you understand

I'm dyin' here
Darlin'
On my knees again
Ooh, baby

I'm dyin' here
Darlin'
On my knees (on my knees again)
On my knees again
Oh, darlin'
On my knees again
Mmmmmm
On my knees again
Come on, baby
Come on, baby
Come on, baby
Mmmmmm"

#9. I REALLY NEED YOU.

Next up is a duet- "I Really Need You." More luvey-dovey stuff. John doesn't often have a chance to get it out of his system. I mean STARMAN and MEMOIRS OF AN INVISIBLE MAN are pretty good examples, but think about it– ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13? No time for love when a mob of crazies is gonna thwomp you with a brick, or worse. HALLOWEEN? A roll in the hay gets ya stabbed. ELVIS? Pass the fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. THE FOG? Leave the luvin' to Tom Atkins. ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK? Your love connection is getting snacked on by crazies at the Chock Full O' Nuts. THE THING? Closest thing to a lady's the electronic chess game that Kurt Russell just J&B'd. BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA? The asphalt ribbon of adventure apparently trumps Kim Cattrall. PRINCE OF DARKNESS? If you can find passión in the midst of Jameson Parker lip carpet and green Satanic goo, then there's probably something wrong with you. I could go on. The point is, the man needs an outlet. So stop cringing at his love songs.

Nick:
"I have some things I wanna tell you
They've been inside for all this time

Nick & John:
But since you've been gone
All of my life
Seems like it's wrong
Seems like a lie

John:
I have some things I need to tell you
I have to make you understand that

Nick & John:
But since you've been gone
All of my life
Seems like it's wrong
Seems like a lie to me

I reall-ll-llly need you
I reall-ll-llly need you
I reall-ll-llly need you

John:
Yes, I do

Nick:
Yes, I do

I have to tell you how I'm feelin'
I can't pretend anymore

Nick & John:
But since you've been gone
All of my life
Seems like it's wrong
Seems like a lie to me

I reall-ll-llly need you
I reall-ll-llly need you
I reall-ll-llly need you

John:
Yes, I do

Nick:
Oh, yes, I do-o-oooo

John:
MMMmmm, yes I do

Nick:
Whoa-ho-ho yeh-usss, I dooooooooooooo"

#10. HOLLYWOOD.

The Coupes proceed with an upbeat song after all these downers– but it's still got a little bite to it. "Hollywood" has some of the best synth riffs on the album, thanks to Nick Castle. It rocks in that way that only the eighties could, but it's got a little wistfulness to it, too. John sings:

"I knew you when you were from Hollywood
Know what you're doin' and it ain't no good
I saw you talkin' to the boy next door
I saw your face when he asked for more
The things you tell me

Well, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
Oh, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you

I knew you when you loved a movie star
You're makin' love in his brand new car
You wanna cruise Las Palmas Avenue
You wanna do what the boys all do
The things you tell me

Well, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
Oh, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you

I knew you when you worked the boulevard
It's nine to four, but it ain't too hard
I saw you dealin' in the coffee shop
I try to hold you, but you never stop
The things you tell me

Well, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
Oh, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you

You boogie-woogied when you're on a stroll
You think it's bop when it's rock n' roll
I saw you talkin' to the girl next door
I saw your face when she asked for more
The things you tell me

Well, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
(don't mean nuthin' cause they don't relate to you)
Oh, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
(don't mean nuthin' cause they don't relate to you)
Oh, they don't mean nothin' cause they don't relate to you
(don't mean nuthin' cause they don't relate to you)
To you, mmm-mmmm.....to you..."

Now, again, maybe it's cause I never took a class in "80's pop lyric analysis," but I'm a little mystified by this one. Maybe it's about the same hooker from "She Has Friends in L.A." who fell in to the wrong crowd of coke-abusing Reagan-luvin' yuppies, and now she's somehow parlayed it into a burgeoning Hollywood gig? Perhaps John once listened to this hooker's sob stories, but then he sees her looking like soulless, made-over, Hollywood sycophant and he then comes to the realization of how meaningless all life is? Sounds right to me.

#11. DARLIN' (ALL NIGHT LONG).

Another John n' Nick duet, "Darlin'" begins fairly unremarkably, but features a nice, nearly 'call and response' structure between the vocals and the roarin' bass lines, which, during the 'Daddy' section (sung by John) builds some unexpected momentum. Not one of the album's best, but still a solid entry. And I'm not sure what "livin' on the edge of the Western world" entails- is it like living in that church in IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS?

"Darlin'
You love me like a stone
I said, Darlin'
You treat me like I'm gone

Well, there's a part of me
Oh, there was a part of you
That loved me all night long
All night long

If you don't want me here,
Well, I'm sorry
I couldn't treat you like a little girl
Now that I know what you've been feelin'
You've been livin' on the edge of the Western world

Darlin'
You love me like a stone
I said, Darlin'
You treat me like I'm gone


Well, there's a part of me
Oh, there was a part of you
That loved me all night long
All night long

Your daddy's right
to hold you all night
Couldn't stop you when you turn out the light
Your daddy's right
gotta make her feel alright

Your daddy's right
to hold you all night
Couldn't stop her when you turn out the light
Your daddy's right
gotta make her feel alright

Yes, you're daddy's right
to hold you all night
Couldn't stop her when you turn out the light
Your daddy's right
gotta make her feel alright

Darlin'
You love me like a stone
I said, Darlin'
You treat me like you're gone
Well, there's a part of me
Oh, there was a part of you
That loved me all night long
All night long (All night long)

If you can't make it here
Well, I'm sorry
I know you're feelin' like a little girl
I know you're hidin' me inside you
You've been livin' on the edge of the Western world

Darlin'
You love me like a stone
I said, Darlin'
You treat me like you're gone
Well, there's a part of me
Oh, there was a part of you
That loved me all night long
All night long (All night long)"

#12. MIDNIGHT TRAIN.

John closes out the album with a melancholy rocker which perhaps describes the toll a filmmaker's life can put on one's personal relationships. Though when the question is asked, "Was it too long between the nights we had in Detroit?" I think that the more relevant query might be "Was it because we spent nights in Detroit?" Regardless, it builds to a finale with multi-part harmonies, and suddenly we hear a voice even deeper than John's. Could it be that we've never heard Tommy Lee Wallace before this moment and that those three-part harmonies we heard before incorporated recordings of Nick? Or could it be that this is a recording of John, and he's capable of even deeper registers? The Coupes always leave us with something to think about.

"You took off this mornin'
Said if I ever needed you
You'd be there
I believed you
Now I can't find you anywhere
Was it too long between the nights we had in Detroit?
Was it too long between the days we need to have?

You said I'm not really leavin'
Said if I ever needed you back
Well, it's alright
Now I'm lonely
And I'm cryin' all in through the night

Was it too long between the nights I didn't call you?
Was it too long between the days I wasn't there?

Take my word for it
I'm a whole new man
I'm gonna find a seat on that midnight train
Comin' back to you

Take my word for it
I've got a whole new plan
I'm gonna find a way to catch that midnight train
Comin' back to you

You slipped away this mornin'
Said if I ever need to cry
You'd be there
Now I need you
And I can't find you anywhere
Was it too long between the nights we spent in New York?
Was it too long between the days we need to have?

Take my word for it
I'm a whole new man
I'm gonna find a seat on that midnight train
Comin' back to you

Take my word for it
I've got a whole new plan
I'm gonna find a way to catch that midnight train
Comin' back to you

Take my word for it
I'm a whole new man
I'm gonna find a seat on that midnight train
Comin' back to you

Take my word for it
I've got a whole new plan
I'm gonna find a way to catch that midnight train
Comin' back to you"

In all, it's a solid album of catchy, listenable eighties pop infused with the twang of early Rock n' Roll and a touch of the synths that Carpy & Co. were using circa BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA. The lyrics offer insight into these filmmakers' personal joys, frustrations, creative energies, and dissatisfactions. They paint a picture of men entrenched in a society (and an artistic system) that seems to be spiraling out of control, careening irrevocably toward greed and artifice. They yearn for simpler times- jukeboxes, pointed shoes, love songs, and RIO BRAVO. And this is the end result: WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES. They're holdin' their horses, they're takin' a load off, they're indicting the times, and they're having a hell of a time. All in a day's work for the Coupe de Villes, God bless 'em.

-Sean Gill

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Music Review: WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES: PART 1 (1985, The Coupe de Villes)

Stars: 5 of 5.
Running Time: 40 minutes.
Publisher: "RRRRRRictus Records."
Best line: "I'm waiting for heaven...back in nineteen sixty-seven."


[Author's Note: While there is a wealth of information about John Carpenter in general, there is a dearth of actual information about the Coupe de Villes. If there are any corrections to be made- for example, I am sure that I have confused the voices of the three on occasion- do let me know.]

Readers of this site will note that I possess perhaps an unhealthy obsession with the The Coupe de Villes- a rockin' trio comprised of filmmakers (and buddies) John Carpenter, Nick Castle, and Tommy Lee Wallace. Though they'd tooled around for years, and it took them until 1986- with the closing credits song to BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA- to find a mainstream platform for their groovy tunes, Carpy and the boys were obviously more interested in promoting their filmmaking than their songwriting. Case in point: they recorded an entire album in 1985, and didn't even try to release it- they simply handed out a few copies to family and friends. This album was entitled WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES, and as a direct result of the digital era, we can now easily bring its soothing strains into our homes without the benefit of being Tommy Lee Wallace's nephew. Now I've gone on about the concept of The Coupe de Villes in my music review of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, and in my John Carpenter Fan-fiction Volumes 1, 2, and 3, so I'll dispense with the pleasantries and get straight to the music.

This is a terrific album. And I say that with a straight face. I know that you can't see my face from there, but the expression upon it is unreservedly earnest. I probably listen to at least one track from this album every day. My girlfriend wishes that was an exaggeration.

#1. WAITING OUT THE EIGHTIES.

The title track, and it lives up to the heightened expectations that generally accompany title tracks. Probably the best song on the album, it's got a catchy melody, impassioned vocals, and some kickass three part harmony. We begin with a heated soliloquy by Nick Castle, and it's mostly the Nick Castle show, but John Carpenter shows up at the chorus with his calm, collected, Jim Morrison-style inflections, and then the finale is a whirlwind of overlapping, melodious pleadings (Tommy gets into the mix, too, I believe), which made a transcription difficult.

"Loving you- is so hard to do- you're in the wrong time, baby– Loving you...I should forget you...I should get you outta my life!

I saw you runnin' and I saw you smile, my heart had started to beat...
Pulled up beside you and you ran for a while, I started cursin' the lead...
You told someone else was in your heart
You thought I looked outta style
You turned away and you tore me apart

I'm waiting out the eighties, I am waiting for you
I am waiting out the eighties, I am waiting for you
I'm waiting (It's what you think you are) out the eighties (It's what you think you do), I am waiting (You say that's over now) for you (You say that's up to you)
I'm waiting (The way you let me down) out the eighties (The way you walk away), I am waiting (Move on and walk away) for you (Move on and walk away)

You do the workout when you get the blues
You say it helps you survive
You need the money for your upscale shoes
The ones from Rodeo Drive
You told me someone else was near your heart
You thought I looked like a loser
You turned away and you tore me apart

I'm waiting out the eighties, I am waiting for you
I am waiting out the eighties, I am waiting for you
I'm waiting (It's what you think you are) out the eighties (It's what you think you do), I am waiting (You say that's over now) for you (You think it's up to you)
I'm waiting (The way you let me down) out the eighties (The way you walk away), I am waiting (Down and walk away) for you (Down and walk away)
I'm waiting (It's what you think you are) out the eighties (It's what you think you do) [LOOOVIN' YOUUU], I am waiting (You say that's over now) for you [SOOOO HARD TO DO] (You think it's up to you)
I'm waiting (The way you let me down) out the eighties [TRY TO FORGET YA, HONEY] (The way you walk away), [TRY TO FORGET YOU] I am waiting (Move on and walk away) for you (Down and walk away) [LOVING YOU...]"

Lyrically, I'm not quite sure if this song is about a crazed stalker (Michael Myers?) or a stuck-up bitch. A few of the songs on this album are about glassy-eyed, upwardly mobile females (think Meg Foster in THEY LIVE), so I'm gonna go ahead and side with the Coupe de Villes in this tiff.

What's it really about? I think Carpy & Co. are disillusioned with the consumer, Reaganist 'new morning in America' yuppie bullshit (again, think THEY LIVE), and they're hoping that it'll blow over with the end of the decade. 'Maybe when the 90's begin, little miss jogger will become a little more human and a little less corporate shill.' We all know how that turned out. Perhaps the fact that the 90's didn't bring consequential socio-economic change is why the Coupe de Villes have never released another album. They were just too disillusioned.

#2. 1967.

This one's got Carpy front n' center. A few of the 'Eastern' synth sounds from the BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA soundtrack get some play, too, but pay 'em no mind. And there's an infectious bass-line that makes me wanna reflect on my life:

(John):
My lovin' you is like an empty night
There's somethin' in me and it just ain't right
Too many people in their fancy clothes
Too many people all alone

(Tommy and Nick):
No more empty nights
No more empty nights
Make me feel all right

(John):
Baby, don't go
I have to say I'm sorry
Baby, you knowww
I'm out of time and place
I'm waiting
For heaven
Back in Nineteen sixty-seven

My lovin' you is something I don't feel
We're pushin' midnight and it just ain't real
Too many people bein' movie stars
Too many people all alone

(Tommy and Nick):
No more empty nights
No more empty nights
Make me feel all right

(John):
Baby, don't go
I have to say I'm sorry
Baby, you knowww
I'm out of time and place
I'm waiting
For heaven
Back in Nineteen sixty-seven

I was alive...
Nineteen sixty-seven
I was alive...
I was alive..."

John Carpenter is not a real emotional dude. As far as I can tell, he's a bona fide Stoic. When faced with injustice in the world, he possesses the necessary detachment to stand back and make a parable about the times (THEY LIVE, IN THE MOUTH OF MADNESS, et al.). His singing voice is stoic, too- it's harder to tell when things really have weight to them, because he always tackles a song with the same booming honesty, whether it's about big trouble in little China or about his personal life. "1967" is a fairly haunting ditty, and I certainly get the sense that the material is near and dear to Carpy's heart. I don't wish to wax too philosophical, but Carpenter- in his hatred for the superficial eighties- reflects back on a time when he was nineteen years old, and life meant something different. He looks around at the world of 1985 and sees that he doesn't belong. He's out of time, he's out of place, and there's no way to escape. When he's pouring his heart and soul into THE THING and the world is embracing E.T. instead, how do you come to grips with that? It's also an apology to a loved one (who? Adrienne Barbeau? But I don't think it's my place to hypothesize) about his position in that foul industry called entertainment, and how it has robbed him of the exhilaration of youth- that which made him alive. As he repeats the line "I was alive...", there's a real quality of sincerity that shines through, and I think you'd have to be made of stone not relate. There's a compulsion to revisit his nostalgias and his regrets, but he never really can go home again. There's something strangely private about it, and you almost feel as if you're intruding on a personal moment merely by listening, which is one of the highest compliments I could ever pay a song. Probably the emotive core of the album.

#3. SHE HAS FRIENDS IN L.A.

Another lament, but this one has a little more hope at the bottom. It's catchy, too. I'm pretty sure John sings this one, but it sounds a little higher than usual for him, so there's the chance it could be Tommy.

(John):
"She has friends in L.A.
Tattoos and cocaine
They hide their eyes
She hides their pain

She has friends in L.A.
They all drive new cars
They all know exactly who they are

(All):
I know she works at night
She doesn't drive
I know she'll see the light
Keep our love alive
Keep our love alive

(John):
She has friends who know me
Not on speaking terms
They thinks it's clear
I have to learn

(All):
I know she works at night
She doesn't drive
I know she'll see the light
Keep our love alive
Keep our love alive

(John):
She has friends who miss her
Say I'm not to blame
They turn their heads
They feel ashamed

(All):
I know she works at night
She doesn't drive
I know she'll see the light
Keep our love alive
Keep our love alive
I know she works at night
She doesn't drive
I know she'll see the light
Keep our love alive
Keep our love alive
Keep our love alive"

Well this one certainly keeps alive the themes of the album thus far. I'm pretty sure it's about a hooker, and the "she doesn't drive" line may or may not be a reference to Missing Persons' 1983 single "Nobody walks in L.A." Anyway, this hooker-buddy is caught up in the wrong crowd of cocaine-snorting, nouveau-riche shitbirds of the 1980's. The Coupe de Villes are having none of it. And well, I don't want to beat a dead horse. You see where I'm going with this.

#4. MANHOLE.

This one's a little funky, a little Elvis-y. Hey, it's from the man that made ELVIS, the movie. This song's pretty upbeat, despite the fact it's about an unfortunate, cuckolded gentleman, who's taking it pretty well, all things considered. I'm unsure if the lyrics are meant to be sexually graphic or more theoretical in nature, but I suppose it doesn't matter. I guess you could see this as a continuation of the theme of humans being degraded by the values of the eighties, if you'd like. Again, I'm pretty sure it's John singing, but it's got that rockabilly-ish twang to it, so it's hard to tell.

"I was your man
Or so you said
And I was always there to hold you in your bed
Well I heard
Heard that you were runnin' around
You're a manhole, baby, you take it underground

I was your king
Bought you a car
But I never got to drive it very far
Cause I heard
Heard that you had leased it out
You're a manhole baby
They open you a lot

You take me down, baby, down, baby, down
To where it started from
Down, baby, down, baby, down
To where I came undone
Round, baby, round, baby,
Until I lost control
Down, baby, down, baby,
Lost my soul
Let's twist
Let's twist

I was your (unintelligible)
Your only man
But there are only certain things that I can stand
Cause I heard
Heard you were playin' your hand
You're a manhole, baby
I'm sure you understand

You take me down, baby, down, baby, down
To where it started from
Down, baby, down, baby, down
To where I came undone
Round, baby, round, baby,
And then I lost control
Down, baby, down, baby,
Mmm...lost my soul

Let's twist
Let's twist
Mercy!
Alright!"

#5. HARD ON ME.

Nick Castle (for the most part) takes over for a bit with a heartfelt love ballad. This one's got a lot of two part and three part harmonies, some soothing keyboards, and a tempo that kinda drags. Musically and lyrically, it's probably one of the weaker points of the album, and its nearly four-minute running time doesn't help. Know, however, that I generally have a prejudice against ballads in general (and especially against quasi-generic break-up ballads that don't incorporate existential undertones). They do get some bonus points, though, for mentioning The Monotones' "Book of Love" (which Carpenter featured in CHRISTINE!).

"It's curtains, baby
Act three is over
And the school of love is closed forever
We tried
To keep it goin'
All those empty nights we spent together

Baby, can you understand
What I say
Understand about me

Baby, can you take a stand
If I say
'Go on without me'

Easy
Just let go
Well you can
Take some time before you go

Oh, come on baby
(Come on baby)
Come on, darlin'
(Come on darlin)
Know you make it hard on me
Real hard on me

It's finished baby
It's history
And the book of love is closed forever

We tried
To make it happen
All those lonely days we spent together

Baby, can you understand
What I say
Understand about me
Baby, can you take a stand
If I say, 'Go on with out me'

Easy
Just let it go
Well you can take some time before you go
Mmm, come on, baby
(Come on baby)
Come on darlin'
(OH MY DARLIN')
You know you make it hard on me
Real hard on me
Hard on me
You-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo hoo, baby
Hard on me
Hard on me"

#6. SHE DOESN'T WANT YOU ANYMORE.

I'm pretty sure Nick continues on with a quasi-southern rock/synth-pop lament, full of three-part harmonies and gritty guitar riffs. As counter-intuitive as it seems, I would almost compare the song to Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes." Despite the 'downer' status of the song, the final thirty seconds gives Tommy a screamin' guitar solo, and his greatest opportunity to rock out on the album thus far. Lyrically, I'm gonna be honest: I'm not sure what this is about. Is the 'she' of the title the heroine of the song and 'you' the singer, or is the 'she' the heroine's mother and the 'you' the heroine? Hard to say. I'm probably giving this a little too much thought.

Your daddy don't take it hard when you cry
Mama tears you apart when she lies
Will they save you?
Will they save you?
She doesn't want you anymore
She doesn't need you anymore
She doesn't hope you take her home
Mmmmmmmmmm

Daddy won't see your eyes anymore
Mama won't sympathize like before
Will they save you?
Will they save you?
She doesn't want you anymore
(I can hear her say goodbye)
She doesn't need you anymore
(I can hear her say goodbye)
She doesn't hope you take her home
(I can hear her say goodbye)
Mmmmmmmmmmm

She doesn't want you anymore
(I can hear her say goodbye)
She doesn't need you anymore
(I can hear her say goodbye)
She doesn't hope you take her home
(I can hear her say goodbye)"



To be continued with part II...

And though it's a little late to officially remain part of Radiator Heaven's John Carpenter week, do yourself a favor, head over there, and catch up on some great Carpy-related articles you may have missed.

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Music Review: BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986, The Coupe de Villes)

Stars: 5 of 5.
Running Time: 3 minutes, 22 seconds.
Best line: "Take us away.... Take us away.... Take us awayyyyyyyyy......"

John Carpenter- Vocals, Bass guitar. No introduction necessary.

Nick Castle- Vocals, Keyboards. Donned the mask of Michael Myers, aka The Shape, in HALLOWEEN. Co-wrote ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK and HOOK. Directed THE LAST STARFIGHTER, THE BOY WHO COULD FLY, and um, MR. WRONG. Wrote and directed TAG: THE ASSASSINATION GAME, a precursor to GOTCHA!

Tommy Lee Wallace- Guitar. Converted the $1.98 William Shatner mask into the Michael Myers mask fans know and love, and briefly wore it in the final scenes of the original HALLOWEEN. Edited HALLOWEEN and THE FOG. Directed HALLOWEEN 3: SEASON OF THE WITCH, FRIGHT NIGHT PART 2, and STEPHEN KING'S IT.

Together: these men are the Coupe de Villes. One of the most rockingest bands of the 1980's, or any other decade. I'm serious. And the music video for their little ditty, "Big Trouble (in Little China)"- a song which played over the closing credits of the film of the same name- gives us an unprecedented glimpse into Carpenter's creative process.

Set in BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA's editing room, this music video blurs the lines of reality and fiction as Carpenter, Castle, and Wallace encounter all manner of villains, creatures, and 80's lightning as they simultaneously cut the film and bring down they house with this absolutely kickin' tune:



Alright- I hear you jag-offs sniggering in the back row. Sure, they don't exactly look like rock stars. But may I remind you: this predated the bland, airbrushed perfections of today's repulsive music scene. This was the 80's.

Dire Straits was hot shit:


Yello enjoyed moderate success:


Why not the Coup de Villes? Maybe it has something to do with the fact John Carpenter was too busy making the best films of the 80's to focus on properly marketing his band?

Regardless- onto the song:


"You can feel the wind is risin', baby, now the truth is near..."

Whoa- who is that? Is that Jim Morrison, back from the grave? John Carpenter's voice is really that sonorous? That resonant?


"Outta the dark they're comin, baby, all the things you fear..."

Could that enthusiastic, high-pitched inflection really be the voice of 'The Shape' himself?

"MmmmMMM....we'd better run...."

Listen to that infectious bass line! I challenge you to name me a better bass line from '86. And that little 'Eastern' pitch-bendy thing they're doing? I wanna hear some more of that.

"Runnin' through the mystic night...run until they take us away...take us away ...TAKE US AWAYYYYY! Big trouble...IN little CHYYYY-na!


You can feel the thunder movin', baby, like an evil dream...


"And there's no one in the world to save us, baby, nothin's as it seems..."

"MmmmMMM....we'd better run.... Runnin' through the mystic night...run until they take us away...take us away ...TAKE US AWAYYYYY! Big trouble...IN little CHYYYY-na! We got big trouble... HERE IN LITTLE CHi-na-nuh.... We better run...Mmmmm-running through the mystic night- runnin' through the rolling fire... Runnin' through the burning blades... runnin' through to call it's name... Runnin' through the midnight pain... runnin' till they take us away, Take us away.... Take us away.... Take us awayyyyyyyyy...... Big trouble....in little china...We got big trouble.... in little China...We got big trouble... in little China..."
And here's a picture of Tommy Lee Wallace rocking out, because I don't want to feel like I'm neglecting him:


Now, lyrically and musically, it remains relatively uncomplex, but that only works to its advantage. My only complaint, perhaps, is the use of a drum machine where a live drummer could have brought some serious character: what other Carpenter cronies could have done the job? I don't know, does Larry J. Franco play the drums? Donald Pleasence? Hey, why not go with the sexy female drummer vibe and get Jamie Lee Curtis up there? PERFECT revealed her to possess certain sense of rhythm. But, whatever- I'm not going to criticize. When a song has got as irresistable a bass line as this one, it can pretty much do whatever the fuck it wants. Plus it ends with an explosion, which, personally, I think is pretty goddamned great.

Anyway, there's a lot more going on here than just the song, which doesn't quite lend itself to an in-depth, scholarly analysis- it's about what it says it is: "big trouble in little China." Let's look at the visuals:

It seems that the post-production process of BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA brought with it some unexpected hazards– like Lo Pan's eye-zapping energy escaping the screen and imbuing a shocked and traumatized John Carpenter's bass guitar (which is actually a 1962 Hofner Violin Bass, the same as Paul McCartney used in his prime) with the power of 80's lightning and the ability to thrive on persuasive riffs:



And when John finishes cutting the sequence, Nick Castle has to grab the next reel from the shelf... which happens to contain an escaped beastie from the film! It's a good thing Nick didn't take a big sip of water right before he opened this reel, or else we'd have a major spit-take on our hands:




John's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, and his personality appears to become fused with that of Lo Pan himself.

Nobody seems to care much because he starts rocking out harder than ever.


'Thunder' (from the film) appears behind John's shoulder, puffs up, and explodes– just as a knife slices the picture in two and ends the music video (and the resultant psychogenic fugue state between John Carpenter/Lo Pan), freeing Lo Pan's evil spirit to roam elsewhere.

This is what it's all about, ladies and gentlemen. Stay tuned to this station for perhaps more Coup de Villes coverage in the future....

-Sean Gill

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Television Review: THE LETTER PEOPLE, EPISODE 23- MEET MR. G (1974, Thomas McDonough)

I've decided to skip ahead a bit in this ongoing retrospective to THE LETTER PEOPLE: EPISODE 23, which contains the 18th letter person to be introduced- Mr. G. One of my all-time favorites, Mr. G and his gooey gum have been series regulars in my nightmares to this very day, and I, for one, am proud to call him 'friend.' The sleazy announcer, as always, does his best to make the letter at hand sound as unsavory as possible (...meet Mister Geeeieeee....), and we're off–

Episode 23: Meet Mr. G.
Stars: 4 of 5.
Running Time: 15 minutes.
Notable Cast or Crew: Written by Gayle Waxman, puppets and sets by King Hall.


We begin with a quandary– Gordon the Green Grocer discovers that all of his good green grapes are gone (grabbed by some ghoulish galoot), and he is reassured by a trembling Mr. M who's wearing a goofy sideways ballcap for no apparent reason. (Perhaps he's trying to cover up that terrifying toupée?)

Mr. M desired said grapes for some kind of a creepy solo picnic, and he does his best to make Gordon the Green Grocer feel better, but Gordon is inconsolable. As the trembling continues, it becomes unclear if Gordon is simply frightened or suffering from a bout of the DTs. Regardless, Mr. M is assuredly not the ideal companion in such a situation.

Mr. M- the apotheosis of restraint.

Thankfully, the snooty Miss U appears to relieve the tension, but none of the three can make heads or tails of how best to recover the purloined grapes. Suddenly- an eerie, dissonant jingle reverberates from beyond the wilds of Letter People Land. An ominous portent of things to come, delivered by xylophone, bass, and guitar... It's Mr. G.

(sung)
I'm grouchy.
My gorgeous gooey gum is getting stuck all over the place.
Gooey, gummy, I am Mr. G.
Golly, my gooey gum got stuck on the garden gate.
(errrrrrrsssssssshhhhhwinnnnkkkkkk.....POP!!!)
Good, now I can go again.
Goodness, gracious, I am Mr. G.
Oh grasshoppers, my gooey gum just got stuck in the green grass.
(errrrrrrsssssssshhhhhwinnnnkkkkkk.....POP!!!)
Good, now I can go again.
Great Scott, grapefruit, I am Mr. G.
Oh goose feathers, my gooey gum just got stuck in the garbage can by the garage.
(errrrrrrsssssssshhhhhwinnnnkkkkkk.....POP!!!)
Good, now I can go again.
Gooey, gummy, goodness, gracious, Great Scott, grapefruit, gee.
I got stuck again.
(errrrrrrsssssssshhhhhwinnnnkkkkkk.....POP!!!)
I'm Mr. G,
I've got gooey gum all over me.

Now you can watch it all here, but it's really quite unnverving, so I must warn you in advance. Mr. G is kind of a purple, hunched-over ghost whose hands- like many a letter person's- seem to work independently of his brain, flitting here and there, playing with random fabric, or swooping up to accentuate words that aren't actually being said.

Atop Mr. G's head is a crown constructed from a bounty of gum. One large piece in particular, however, resembles the hilt of a black switchblade- no, Mr. G is not to be trifled with. What lies behind those googly, vigorous eyes? Benevolence? Malevolence? It's not immediately clear. His teeth are equally off-putting, cut from the same cloth as Mr. T's ginormous chompers- and lolling about within his gaping maw, like a rigid tongue, is yet another (still packaged) stick of gum. To top it off, Mr. G is generously garnished from head to toe with gooey, pre-masticated gum, which means he has a frightening proclivity toward getting stuck on anything and anyone who crosses his path.

Furthermore, his singing voice resembles that of a nefarious English professor, yet his speaking voice is straightfoward and heroic. This juxtaposition of deliberate, measured villainy and all-American straight talk makes his mere presence all the more disquieting. Not to mention his propensity for the phrase, "Oh, Grasshoppers!"

So Mr. G, Miss U, Mr. M, and Gordon get to gabbing about the glorious green grapes which are, for lack of a better word, gone. There's a lot of talk about this gallivanting ghost who loves all things "G" and lives in a greasy old garage- he's the culprit. Now I assumed at first that Mr. G was somehow the actual culprit because HE IS A GHOST WHO LOVES ALL THINGS "G." Is that such a ridiculous conclusion to draw? I don't think so. But I have to tell you that he's not the thief... It's another G-luvin' ghost named 'Godfrey.' Of course, this begs the question of whether or not Mr. G is in fact intended to be a ghost or if he is simply some regular dude who happens to look like a ghost because he has lathered, bedaubed, and encrusted himself in several layers of chewed-up gum and saliva, which is actually way scarier than a ghost, conceptually, so I'll keep pretending that he's a ghost, even if he's not. You may debate this in the comments section.


Anyway, the gang heads out to Godfrey the Ghost's greasy, grubby, grimy garage in the hopes of getting back the good green grapes. Godfrey sounds a lot like "(Gol-ly, Golly!") Jim Nabors, in yet another one of the Letter People's many celebrity references.

Mr. G proves himself to easily be the most headstrong, assertive letter person, and he commences to tell the ghost what's what. This scene in Godfrey's garage goes on for, oh, about ten minutes (you can watch most of it here), and for every excruciating second of its duration, a theremin is in the background going absolutely hog wild so that we'll have that patented 'ghostly atmosphere.' It's nearly unendurable. Anyway, G begins to negotiate. For starters, to foster a sense of goodwill, he hands over upper and lower case version of his own letter-

"Godfrey, here's a little gift. You can hang them on your wall and give your garage a little class." I'm not sure where Mr. G keeps those letters, but that's probably one of the least disturbing unanswered questions pertaining to Mr. G.

Gordon the Grocer tries his hand at compromise, and offers to pawn off his own Grandmother. Despite the prospect of trading a few grapes for a captive, live human being, Godfrey decides to turn down his generous offer.

Sorry, Granny- you are expendable.

"Well, Granny," explains a defeated Gordon, "I guess we won't be needing you."

So what did we learn today, kiddies? Well- we learned some shit about the alphabet, the letter G specifically, and we learned that grapes can be more valuable than human lives- specifically, the human lives of useless old people.

It must also be noted that Granny has no lines, and, like Mr. M, shivers uncontrollably for the entirety of her performance, which really makes the whole affair kind of depressing.

There's a great moment in puppeteering when Godfrey the Ghost feeds himself an actual grape, then (as he does not have an actual esophagus) surreptitiously tries to pull it back out of his mouth so that the audience won't notice.

Nice try, Godfrey, but I totally noticed.

I guess my question is- why even feed him a real grape? Why not just pretend via sleight of hand? Well, folks, this is the Letter People. We got real puppets doing real things- live with it.


After a failed attempt to placate Godfrey with a guitar,

they play the 'catching game,' and the reason why Mr. G, Miss U, and Mr. M have been called together becomes all too apparent– they are needed to spell "G-U-M." ...Which they do.

Guhhh-Uhhhh-Mmmm.

Gordon declares, "this ghost is a real gasbag," and Godfrey is gifted with Gwendolyn the Goldfish, with whom he promptly falls in love.

Then he gives the grapes back. At this point, you're so happy to just close the book on the Godfrey storyline that you're completely willing to forgive the whole 'falls in love with a fish' plot development. Finally, Mr. M greedily intones two words which will haunt you for years to come: "PICNIC TIME!"

PICNIC TIME

Then there's a cartoon about a Gorilla named Gort that frankly made me kind of uncomfortable. It feels tacked on, and it cheapens the entire story arc which we've just witnessed.


Still- four stars. Until we meet again...

-Sean Gill

A compilation of prior Letter people reviews can be found here.

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