Bonus Halloween Playlist # 2

Right after I published the first of one of my many Halloween playlists, I kept thinking about all the other great songs I could have included. My husband kept reminding me of others, I'd hear them on the radio or when playing my iPhone on shuffle, and some of you gave suggestions. Due to this, I thought "what the hell" (oo I made a Halloween punny!) I'd start another bonus playlist for fun. There are so many songs that would/ should make the cut, but I've narrowed it down to the traditional Witches Dozen as before, and every year. As before, these are not in order of importance, I'm a child of Eris (goddess of Chaos) so its quite a mishmash, but makes sense to me.

1. There are two bands on this playlist that I really dislike. Bruce Springsteen is the first. Never was a fan, never will be. But, this little ditty -- "A Night with the New Jersey Devil" -- about the legendary NJ Devil doesn't sound like him at all, and I love it, probably because it sounds so unlike him! I also happen to think he looks better than I've ever seen him in this -- sinister is a good look for him! (This coming from one who doesn't find him attractive in the least.) Just realised he looks like he's emulating Robert Mitchum's psycho preacher in "The Night of the Hunter", excellent creepy movie (not horror, just really creepy.) Our local paper did a "top 10 film psychos" yesterday, and Robert Mitchum in this role was on there.

2. Concrete Blonde "Bloodletting", vampires and New Orleans, nothing more to be said.

3. Tom Waits "Whistlin' Past the Graveyard". The song is filled with folk magick superstitions, and Tom Waits does a brilliant job of making it sound eerie, while he's really talking about something entirely different. (Okay, Tom Waits can make anything sound eerie if he really wanted to, I adore him, and Blue Valentine -- which this is on -- is one of my fav albums.)

4. Inkkubus Sukubus "Belladonna and Aconite". Thank you to Sandy from Bella Morte for reminding me. I had meant to include this in the first playlist, but got sidetracked. Sung by a band of real Witches, any of their albums in their entirety would be appropriate as a Halloween playlist on their own. This one is about one recipe (of many) of the infamous "Flying Ointments" that go back to antiquity. Don't go trying to mix any up though, both belladonna (botanical name Atropa Belladonna) and aconite (commonly known as wolf's bane, botanical name Aconitum Napellus) are highly poisonous and quite commonly found, even in NYC! FYI: If you like to garden, work with herbs in any way, have plant allergies, have children, or just like picking wildflowers, I highly suggest you get a good book about herbs to educate yourself about poisonous plants as they are so easily found all over the world -- even as previously mentioned in someplace as unlikely as NYC. A great book is called "Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities" by Amy Stewart.

5. Laika "Black Cat Bone". I have Sandy from Bella Morte to thank for this one as well! I haven't been able to get the chorus out of my head since first hearing it!

6. Rush "Witch Hunt". This is the second band you will never find on the blog again. I'm posting this one under extreme duress, due to the fact that Getty Lee's voice is to me the most grating male voice I've ever heard. However, Neal Peart writes most of the lyrics and I will admit that the lyrics to this are very good, as well as very Halloween appropriate. Plus since its Halloween and our anniversary, I'm throwing my husband a bone as Rush is his favourite band. 22 years and I'm still wondering how I managed to marry a Rush fan. It really was love!

7. The Ramones "Pet Cemetery", how I managed to not include this in the first list is a mystery!

8. Jimi Hendrix "Dolly Dagger", a classic! "Voodoo Child" would work as well. Had to put a live video even though the sound is iffy, there is nothing like watching Hendrix. (Side note: I had the honour & privilege of wearing one of his jackets for a short time once, and have spent many happy hours in his old apartment in the West Village, not to mention my first shop was above Electric Ladyland! Geez I gotta start writing this crap down before the memory goes!)



9. Fields of the Nephilim "Psychonaut". The title was taken from the book "Liber Null and Psychonaut" by Peter J. Carroll, a book about choas magick (see, told you in the beginning I was a child of Eris!) and magickal theory. A good portion of their songs have magickal themes, and this video is quite disconcerting, perfect for the season.

10. DeSol "Chango". This is from their first self-titled album. Their music has that great mixture of rock 'n roll with a Latin beat, like a modern version of Santana. (Its my "happy feet" music as I can't stay still and have to dance whenever I hear them.) They are fantastic live, at times there can be 15 or so band members on the stage at once, and I guarantee you will be up and dancing with the first notes! "Karma" would have been the more "witchy" song to play (a very beautiful song, do check it out); but I decided to mix it up with what is essentially a Yoruba ritual song, conjuring Chango the Yoruban god.

11. Donovan "Season of the Witch". How could I have left this out before? Duh. Found a rather trippy version, but its the song that matters!

12. Alice Cooper, "Black Juju" off Love it to Death. Sorry about it being coupled with "I'm Eighteen" (another classic IMO) but the best I could find live. Another song that reminds me of some wild ritual music. Did they borrow "Old Sparky" from Sing Sing? :shudder: (Trivia: Donovan sang back-up on Billion Dollar Babies.) After seeing all these old videos, how funny is it to see cords on guitars and mics? And oh! those guitars and outfits in this video are so classic glam!



13. The new release from the Rolling Stones is not typically "Halloween" music, but the title is "Gloom and Doom" and Mick does mention killing zombies (oh man I hate zombies... wait until you see my zombie post, I've lost it...) I quite like it, as it sounds like old school Stones to me.

I can think of a ton of others to add, but two playlists is all you're getting this year!

XXX

Halloween Playlist

Every year I come up with some kind of Halloween Playlist for our house, even if its just using spooky noises to creep out the kids. So this year, as I was coming up with yet another, I was inspired to share. Some of these songs are def NSFW, nor the ears of little ones (O'Malley's Bar comes to mind, yipes!) So here goes...

*Please note not in order of importance, only how I happened to run across them in my iTunes library and found youtube links.

**I'm so sorry, when I originally wrote and tested the links, the songs all played on the blog. Now many are saying you have to watch on youtube due to restrictions. I apologise for that, but will also say it'll be worth it if you do!

***After I published the post it seems all the videos are playing fine, so no need to go to youtube!

1. "Put A Spell on You" by various artists. The original by Screamin' Jay Hawkins is a classic. I chose this one because it was put together as a charity effort to help with Haiti after the earthquake, but also I like the different voices mixing and mingling.

2. "Lullaby" by The Cure. If you have arachnophobia skip this one! (SO not a lullaby, google the lyrics... creepy and I LOVE spiders!) Don't you love that Robert Smith goes to bed with a full face of makeup?

3. "This is Halloween" from Nightmare Before Christmas, covered by Marilyn Manson. I love how he sang this so much that I wish it was on the original soundtrack!

4. "Goo Goo Muck" by The Cramps. Classic Cramps in a classic venue (CBGB's '81) during an amazing time to be around the music scene. I'm sure I'm in the crowd, I never missed a Cramps show! (I miss Lux ): )

5."Mommy Can I go Out and Kill Tonight?" by The Misfits. "Halloween" was too predictable, and I like the creepiness of this. Its live so the sound isn't so clear, but you can find loads of studio versions on youtube. Sorry, you're subjected to watching them live here! (Really the only way to hear the Misfits.)

6. "O'Malley's Bar" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. A grisly tale from the "Murder Ballads" album. Actually that whole album is a great macabre Halloween choice.

7. "Spellbound" by Siouxie and the Banshees. Siouxie is always great for Halloween!

8. "The Forest Theme" by Jarboe and Kris Force. I was turned on to this gruesome little song by the Punk Glam Princess. Its the theme song to the video game "The Path". Long but the end is particularly terrifying! (Google the lyrics, such a sweet angelic voice singing of such a menacing tale, perfect for Halloween! Guess who has a new Halloween ringtone... I cant wait until it goes off someplace inappropriately... so mature eh?)

9. "Right Where it Belongs" by NIN. Not an outright Halloween type song, but listen to the lyrics, they can be quite disconcerting, and I don't suggest listening to this if you're felling the least bit blue. Personally, the lyrics and music really speak to me -- I've often felt it was something I could've written years ago and used as the soundtrack of my life at various times (the happy, interesting parts of my life -- interesting, as most find it quite depressing.) But for many it will bring up deep seated, frightening feelings and thoughts. Perfect for Halloween, don't you think? Okay honestly "Right Where it Belongs" is a total mindfuck, non?

10. "Mr. Crowley" by Ozzy Osbourne. I will forgive Ozzy for pronouncing Crowley's name incorrectly, because the song kicks ass!

11. "Dragula" by Rob Zombie. As fun as this video is, he was amazing live back when I saw him play his first CBGB's gig a gazillion years ago!

12. "Bad Things" by Jace Everett, theme to "True Blood" series. The first time I heard this when the opening credits for the first episode of True Blood came on, I flipped. I'm not a country music fan (only use it for exorcisms), but I think the rockabilly sound of it is why I like it so much. Okay and I can't resist a song where someone howls like an animal. Rather than show what everyone is used to seeing, I elected to show you the original video.

13. "Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones. Last but definitely not least! The opening hand drums (and throughout) always remind me of a VooDoo or Yoruba ritual where drumming is frequently used to raise spirits. This is from "Rock 'n Roll Circus", definitely a fun watch! (Loved the whole Mick taking off his shirt while not missing a beat, and John Lennon rocking out!)



So there you have my "Witches Dozen" of songs to get you inspired for Halloween. What would you add? I'd love to hear!

XXX

Jet

New Liberty of London Collaboration... Ron Wood?

Photo from VogueUK

Well here we have yet another celebrity collaboration. This time according to VogueUK its with Rolling Stone Ron Wood. I had the pleasure of presenting a fashion show at Woody's, his club in NYC back in the late 80's and I must admit, I liked his artwork. Didn't expect to, but I did. So I find it interesting that his artwork being so different from what is normally what we've come to expect from Liberty of London is being translated into both a men's and women's line. Hmm, could go either way I suppose!

Photo From Amazon.Com

I read his autobiography when it first came out, and found his writing style quite easy to read and amusing. If you love the Stones, and hearing tales of debauchery, I suggest it! Click on the cover to get to the amazon link.

Cheers!