List: 8 Memorable Songs from Horror Movies
The great new folk horror flick Hellbender (now streaming on Shudder), prominently features the music of the band H6LLB6ND6R, which is an actual existing musical project from filmmaker/stars of the film, Tobey Poser and Zelda Adams. This got us at BGH thinking about some of the most memorable appearances of bands (fictitious and otherwise) in horror movies. Here are eight of our favorites, plus a bonus song from H6LLB6ND6R.
Headmistress - Rocktober Blood
In 1984’s Rocktober Blood, Billy “Eye” Harper takes the concept of making some killer tunes a bit too literally. If he isn’t wailing into the mic, which sounds closer to a couple of alley cats fornicating, he is murdering his bandmates in gory fashion. Billy is stopped when he fails to kill backing singer Lynn Starling and is judiciously executed for the murders of 27 people. Que Rocktober Blood’s hit “I’m Back” and we are reminded that rock ‘n roll never dies and apparently neither does Billy. Things don’t really kick into high gear until the 3rd act when Billy and the band, now under the moniker Headmistress, are back on stage. The band channels Alice Cooper with their stage setup. Multiple platforms, decent lighting, fog galore, and a coffin holding their new lead singer, Lynn, Headmistress captures a spooky metal vibe that the “Godfather of Shock Rock” would be proud of. It’s so perfect in fact, that the masked frontman uses it as a ruse to murder helpless women to the aptly titled song “Killer on the Loose”. Unaware of the reality of the situation, the crowd screams for more. This finale has enough spirit to make you wanna break out the leather and hairspray and watch Billy take another stab at stardom. (Joe Ferry)
"Free Love" (actually Wess & The Airedales) - Orgasmo and A Quiet Place to Die
In Umberto Lenzi’s proto-giallo Orgasmo (AKA Paranoia), Caroll Baker attends a swinging Austin Powers era nightclub to dance to a propulsive soul song called "Just Tell Me" played by a band who, if their bass drum is to be believed, are named Free Love. Later the shady brother and sister pair who took her to the club ply her with drugs and J&B scotch and use the song to torment her. Lenzi must have really liked the song (or at least already had the rights to it and wanted to make every lira go as far as possible) because it shows up again in his next film A Quiet Place to Die (also AKA Paranoia - long story). The truth is that the song isn’t from a band of mop-topped Jagger wannabes, but from Wess and the Airedales, a band of black American Airmen who began playing together when they were stationed in Italy. Lead singer Wesley Johnson would go on to a long career in Europe, including earning Italy a third-place finish in the 1975 Eurovision contest. “Just Tell Me,” the song from the Lenzi movies, is a true forgotten soul gem that fits right in alongside its more well-remembered stateside contemporaries coming out of Stax and Motown. (John Shelton)
Low Shoulder - Jennifer’s Body
The stereotypical devil-worshiping band in a horror movie usually tends to be heavy on the spandex and hairspray, so it was a revelation in 2009 when Jennifer’s Body introduced the world to Low Shoulder, a Satanic emo band fronted by Adam Brody. True, he might try to sacrifice a virgin in the woods or be a little too eager to show you his really cool van, but it’s so dreamy when he sings about “heal[ing] the ruins inside you.” (JS)
Babel - The Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf
This one is a real woof, though it suits a movie you're probably only watching to laugh at with your friends. It's a low rent version of a Depeche Mode/Talking Heads, with some background chanting of “HOWL”. The song becomes too busy with sound effects and a droning high pitched guitar solo at the end. We sadly do not get to see Babel play this one as the music is non-diegetic in the opening, although we do get a kind of fun music video. Overall, a campy song that you may enjoy if you like a self-referential theme song, but not the pick of the litter.
Leviathan the Fleeing Serpent - Lords of Salem
Leviathan the Fleeing Serpent actually seems out of place in Lords of Salem, and as Zombie claims “is not a part of any sinister plot.” Rob Zombie simply fell in love with early black metal (the more lo-fi the better) and wanted to include the sound and imagery in the movie. I actually find the one song that the pseudo-band recorded for the movie to be Zombie’s most interesting musical work in many years. Although Mr. Zombie did not speak about any modern influences, the processed vocal styling sounds like it could have been ripped from actual black metal band Leviathan’s (coincidence, huh?) extensive catalog. I’d actually be interested to see Zombie, guitarist John 5, and dummer Aaron Rossi explore the style more, but considering that this was recorded in 2013 I doubt we’ll see that. (Mando Aguilar)
D.C. Lacroix - Hack O’Lantern
Imagine you are kicking back on your mattress on the floor, headphones on your walkman are in, and you begin to dream about a rock goddess telling you “You’re the Devil’s Son”. Suddenly a problematic depiction of a woman of color dances and fires lasers from her eyes that turn cymbals into shrunken heads. D.C. Lacroix was a real band formed in 1983 and active till about 1990. The song used in the film is an original off an early album, and was catchy enough despite appearing to mirror the progression from Motley Cru’s Shout at the Devil. Is it a little on the nose to have a rock song explain to our lead that he is satan’s spawn - sure. It is even weirder when you realize that the song was written before the film and that the band just played themselves (excluding our hero?) in the movie . But as an excuse to feature a mini music video and a memorable tune this moment in the film excels. Plus after they finish the gig they will do their own cleanup and there’ll only be hell to pay. (Adam Norton)
Sammi Curr - Trick or Treat
The QUINTESSENTIAL version of an evil band in a film. Sammi Curr, played by Tony Fields, is electric (literally) in this role. Tony Fields was originally a dancer known for Solid Gold and A Chorus Line, which explains the wicked rock moves. Sammi Curr is hair metal glory, with the heavy metal flair of backmasking (hiding a backward message) on his album and dying in a ritual ceremony turned house fire. Him haunting a loyal metal fan was perfect for the time period and makes the movie a definitive piece of the era. Sammi Curr’s song Fastway is thematic, as expected, discussing rock and roll stealing your soul. Sadly it could not steal Gene Simmons goatee in this film. The song starts with a rock chant to the guitarist slamming his chains together and ends with half the audience being blown up by a demonic metal guitar solo. For showmanship, Sammi Curr is a true rock icon of horror film - but for musical talent you may not throw this onto your playlist unless you are searching for sort of secret satanic songs. (AN)
Unnamed all-girl rock band (actually Wednesday Week) - Slumber Party Massacre II
Friends & protagonists Courtney, Amy, Shelia, and Sally make up the (sadly unnamed) all-girl rock band in 1987’s Slumber Party Massacre II. Although clearly modeled after seminal 1980s LA-based all-girl rock bands The Go-Go’s and The Bangles, the talent behind the songs featured in the film actually came from a different (and only mostly-girl) LA band named Wednesday Week. Two songs off their album What We Had, “If Only” and “Why,” are played by the band in the film. The Driller Killer 2.0 featured in the sequel might have his own rockabilly grooves and bitchin’ guitar / murder weapon, but try as he might he is never able to match the musical stylings of Courtney and her friends. Personally, I think their next ep should feature a cover of First Born’s “Tokyo Convertible”...if they make it out of the movie alive, that is. (Natalie Feinblatt)