A Talented Musician Struggles to Make It Big

The Sunday travelers jostled toward the exit of the ferry as it drifted toward the dock and dropped anchor. The day was so bright and hot that light shimmered off the surface of the bog making the muddy brown water almost pretty.

Sammy St. Bachrock was so nervous about playing his first big professional show that he barely noticed the heat or the water. There were supposed to be a lot of music industry executives at this party and he wanted to make a good impression and get a break in the business.

In an attempt to calm his nerves, Sammy leaned over the side of the small ferry boat and dragged his hand in the cool water. Without warning a crocodile leapt up out of the water like a dolphin and snapped at Sammy with his mighty jaws.  Luckily, Sammy only lost a fingernail, but didn't lose any of his anxiety. Even when he realized the crocodile's real target wasn't Sammy's arm but a large trout that happened to be passing by right near Sammy's hand, he wasn't any calmer, but he was relieved to still have all of his fingers. He sure couldn't play his calliope without fingers!

Once on the dock, Sammy St. Bachrock headed toward the large federal-style mansion where the party would be held and his calliope was already set up and waiting for him. He hurriedly put on his tuxedo in the make-shift dressing room that the building manager provided for him and took his place in the dining room at his instrument.

The privileged people at the party were so busy with the abundant food selection including lobster, steak and lasagna and the seemingly bottomless champagne bottles that they barely noticed him standing ready to play.

The manager took the stage and commanded everyone's attention, then directed their attention to Sammy who started his set with his favorite rock anthem, Love Hurts by Nazareth. He played the rock anthem on his calliope from his heart and soul, yet some people were visibly repelled by the music.

Others, though, were charmed and intrigued and kept Sammy busy answering their questions between songs. One woman dressed in black lace and diamonds insisted all calliopes are haunted and that Sammy should be careful that he didn't attract any demons with his soulful playing. It turned out after a long conversation on demon hunting that she was married to the most powerful record executive at the party and she promised to talk to her husband about getting Sammy a record contract or at least a private meeting. Sammy was finally on his way up!

Frankenstein and Romeo Void's "Never Say Never"

Old couple walks by, as ugly as sin
But he’s got her and she’s got him

Never say never (Romeo Void)

I thought of Frankenstein's creature while I was listening to this song recently. I had just read the chapter where the creature convinces Frankenstein to make him a female companion and he'll give up his violent quest for revenge against Frankenstein's bitter abandonment of his creation. The creature believes that a companion of his same species will provide him the comfort and sense of belonging he needs to stop taking out his lonely rage on humans, particularly Frankenstein's loved ones. 

What neither one considers is the possibility of the new creature accepting the original as one of her own and a partner in life. On the other hand, when I was listening to Romeo Void's "Never Say Never," I was reminded that very often couples do seem to share some of the same general physical characteristics. Although he didn't need it, the creature could have used this song as a selling point in his pitch to Frankenstein!

However, all Frankenstein considered was creating a partnership of over-sized, exceedingly strong, vengeful murderers roaming Europe killing humans, especially his family. 

Pantera, Cemetery Gates (1990)

Listening to the Pantera album Cowboys From Hell yesterday morning as I performed my Sunday slave labor (chores that are too time and energy consuming to be done during the work week), I was reminded that this is a GREAT album and Cemetery Gates is one of the best metal songs ever produced. I hadn't listened to the album in quite some time, maybe a year or so, but wanted to hear it because the night bugs outside my window reminded me of the last minute or so of the song Domination from the same album. 

When I first got the album back in the 90s, I would play Cemetery Gates over and over. It was so good I couldn't get enough of it. Then I had babies and had to put the tunes aside for the most part. Now in modern times, I have it on my iPod so I can listen to it anywhere, like out in the yard. It helps set the pace for snow shoveling, leaf raking, etc., hours of fun and great for the abs!

It's a nicely Gothic song, taking place in the cemetery where the gates are usually that beautiful wrought iron that is so expensive. A few years ago, when a loved one died, I had a strong urge to stay with him in the cemetery forever, just jump in the grave and pull the earth in around us, but then I realized I had to move on, just like the song says, and pass the cemetery gates. It's amazing how you can just keep living with a big chunk torn out of your heart. But bodies are buried and the spirits live on.

Fall Out Boy - Uma Thurman (and The Munsters)

When I first heard the song Uma Thurman by Fall Out Boy, I was so delighted to hear the sampling of the theme song to The Munsters, one of the great gothic TV shows of the 60s. Imagine the great Uma Thurman in her dance scene in Pulp Fiction or her ass kicking as The Bride in the Kill Bill movies set to the tune of The Munsters theme song! Every time I hear Fall Out Boy's Uma Thurman I think of Uma Thurman dancing in a Lily Munster-esque dress. 

Only Uma Thurman could pull that off and make it so very cool!

Ramones: Prelude to Goth

 No other music makes me want to just let loose, jump around and laugh and love like the music of the Ramones. No band makes me feel hopeful to one day be out from under the thumb of the oppressive rule of the establishment like the Ramones. To me, the Ramones are the true definition and leaders of punk rock and influential in the movement toward gothic rock. I was fortunate enough to see them perform at the former Rossalini’s in Pawcatuck, CT around 1981. Of course, it was a powerful kick ass show, and even though my friend and I were pretty buzzed, we managed to dance non-stop amongst the slam dancers and get out without any cuts, bruises or abrasions.

The Ramones music showed love and respect and compassion for those free thinkers who refuse to conform to the oppressive realm of society where free thinkers of past decades were threatened with lobotomies, shock treatments and in recent decades, pharmaceuticals. 

You know when you hear “1,2,3,4!” you’re free, free, free body and soul and nothing can stop you from joyfully being yourself for at least the length of a song.

2014 Going to Hell

As the final day of 2014 fades to black the word black reminds me of the ever popular 1980 ACDC album Back in Black. The term “fading to black” reminds me of death which makes me think of hell, which I don’t believe in except in a metaphorical sense or as an idiom such as, “You’re going to hell for that.” The state of “being back in black” makes me think of a badass which is what one could describe the speaker in the song “Hell’s Bells” which is the first track on the ACDC album Back in Black. However, in the case of ACDC, the term “back in black” may be a double entendre referring to the band members still being in mourning for their former lead singer, Bon Scott, who had recently died an untimely and tragic death. Even the album cover art resembles a headstone.

This song, as well as the title of the album is absolutely loaded with gothic elements. Once the gothic tolling of the bells diminish and the kick-ass music begins gothic elements drip from the lyrics like fresh blood from an open vain. Right at the start the lyrics describe an apparent sidekick of Satan as a raging storm. He’s going to kill all and drag them down to hell unless they’re as evil as he is, because he considers other appreciators of evil as friends.

The song describes an overpowering aggressive monster that promises to blow through the world, tear up the sky like a raging storm, gather up all the corpses he creates and spirit them down to hell and ring the bells to let Satan know that all have arrived. Perhaps the speaker in the song refers to the alcohol poisoning that took Bon Scott’s life.

Who is Your Favorite Gothic Musical Artist?

My original copy of Master of Reality. The title has black raised lettering which makes it almost impossible to read in this picture.

In the fall of 1972 I started 7^th grade which was the first year of middle school where I grew up. During art class one day a smart-ass kid trying to annoy the teacher who had given us permission to bring in records to play during class, put on a record which began with a strange echoing coughing sound. Some of the boys snickered (probably hoping for the teacher to be shocked and embarrassed or something to that effect) and I wondered what was going on when the most AWESOME guitar I had ever heard began to play and I don’t remember the other kids’ reactions. All I remember was a feeling of rapture and joy as I experienced a musical awakening I’d never known before. I was eleven without the benefit of older siblings to introduce me to these things. I hadn’t heard much more music than my mother’s Sinatra or my aunt’s Beach Boys. I didn’t know what Sweet Leaf referred to until a few years later. I was so excited about my new found favorite band I asked all the kids I knew if they liked them as well and was surprised at the negative reactions. In fact, I didn’t meet any girls who liked Black Sabbath until the 80s. Most people I asked responded by accusing me of listening to satanic music which really annoyed me because none of the lyrics on that album give any reference to being in league with Satan! Well, OK, “Lord of This World” has a single line (“The soul I took from you was not even missed”), so I suppose that could be interpreted as the speaker being Satan, but it could be any evil being! Come on! In fact, “After Forever” could be classified as Christian Rock.

I was thrilled to find that Master of Reality was their 3^rd album giving me two other albums to behold and consume-or have them consume me. As unaware as I was what Sweet Leaf referred to, it, of course, didn’t occur to me that the song titles “Children of the Grave,” “After Forever,” and “Orchid,” are all gothic references. Even the band’s name, Black Sabbath, didn’t ring (or toll) a bell in my mind that this was anything but a gloriously superb new sound ravishing my virgin ears. 

Black Sabbath remains my favorite band and Master of Reality is still my favorite album. What is your favorite gothic band, album and song?