HORROR HOOTENANNY II
THE END
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2005
BANDS (in order of appearance):
THE CODENAMES
THE EXOTIC ONES
THE CREEPING CRUDS
ALL AMERICAN WEREWOLVES
Mrs. Longlegs and I decided to take a rare break from the little shortlegs in the house and check out the Horror Hootenanny II at The End. This is an annual benefit show for Chiller Cinema, the local cable-access show hosted by Dr. Gangrene. I was unable to attend the first Hootenanny so I wasn’t totally sure what to expect. Dr. Gangrene emceed the opening of the show, introducing his assistant, Nurse Monique and kicking off a raffle for the show. Prizes included CD’s by The Creeping Cruds, a DVD by Noisecult and a gift certificate for a tattoo! After the early business, it was time to get down to the music of the night.
THE CODENAMES:
The Codenames are a comedy-based trio out of Greenville Kentucky. Born out of pure boredom, these guys decided to put together a group as a joke and now have three CD’s recorded with no end in sight. Their set had a few clunkers that you couldn’t really put a finger on but there were more than enough entertaining songs to make them memorable. ‘Vampires’ is a funny song about what it would be like to be a vampire living in the backwoods country of Kentucky. ‘Aliens’ is a song about a guy that gets dumped and rationalizes the situation by blaming it on his girlfriend being abducted by aliens. Highlighting The Codenames’ set were the last two songs; ‘Pure Evel’ and ‘Arrows’. ‘Pure Evel’, obviously is a tribute to incredibly brave (or incredibly stupid, depending on your opinion) stuntman, Evel Knievel. The idea that anyone would write a tribute to this guy is funny in itself but the song comes off as oddly endearing. The final song, ‘Arrows”, delivers a country/western vibe that had the crowd clapping in time. This one featured a hilarious call-and-response segment between singer, Stumble Lee and bassist, Jonny Two-Times. Guitarist, DJ Snapps impressed throughout the set with some solid guitar work. The Codenames had the unenviable task of being the first group but did an admirable job getting the crowd’s attention at the end of their set with their hilarious, toungue-in-cheek humor.
THE EXOTIC ONES:
I recently reviewed a CD sampler by The Exotic Ones and loved it. So, naturally, I was looking forward to seeing how the music would translate to a live setting. Before I get into the review of music, I must mention the attire. This is a group that understands that a show is just that; a show! Each member was equipped with clothing that coincided with their musical alter-ego. The Exotic Ones opened their set with ‘The Doctor Is In’ with lead vocals by Mr. Ghoul. If you don’t know, this is the theme song for Chiller Cinema and featured some very powerful drumming by Space Fink. ‘The Mummy’ is a strange but fun tune featuring a keyboard solo that helped to build the audience up. Other highlights of The E-1’s set included an ominous, retro song entitled ‘I Drink Your Blood, I Eat Your Skin’ and a faithful cover of 60’s classic ‘Monster Mash’ featuring a guest vocal by Dr. Gangrene himself. An entertaining bunch of songs rounded out the E-1’s set such as ‘My Daddy is a Vampire’ featuring vocals by The Tartan Phantom, ‘On the Prowl’ featuring vocals by The Purple Astronaut, ‘Green Slime’ featuring a theremin solo; yes, you heard that right A THEREMIN SOLO by Zoomga. ‘B-9 Robot’ finished the set with a mix of 50% retro, surf-rock 50% Ramones-style punk rock. While all of the hijinx in The Exotic Ones set may seem a bit over-the-top, take a second to relax your perceptions of what is going on in today’s music scene and writhe around to the sounds of the appropriately described, Yesterday’s Band of Tomorrow.
The Creeping Cruds are a group that have been making noise in the local rock scene for quite some time. If Motorhead and The Stooges smoked some crack and decided to make a horror movie, you’d get this group. This isn’t to say that they aren’t original. They are VERY original and put on a memorable performance at this show. Fronted by the monstrously entertaining Wolfie, The Cruds shot out of the gates with a BANG, launching into ‘Blood on the Bannister’. You could tell from the first notes that this was going to be an intense ride. Lead guitarist, Jeano Roid ripped into some free flowing leads while rhythm guitarist, Ziggy A. McNasty and bassist, Manthon provided a thundering bedrock of power chords. But the MVP of this night was drummer, Phil Crudd. This guy tirelessly beat his drum set like his life depended on it and it certainly left an impression on this reviewer. Highlights of the Cruds set were sing-along tunes such as ‘I Sold My Brain’ and ‘I Eat the Living’. A bit of drama was had during ‘I Kicked Dracula’s Ass’ when Frankenstein, bearing a striking resemblance in attire to Dr. Gangrene, did just what the song title suggests in kicking Dracula’s ass. With a real sense of entertainment and a knack for quick in-your-face songwriting, The Creeping Cruds put on a very energetic set. They must be seen to be believed!
The wife and I had to retire into the night after the Cruds set but I’ve heard that we really missed a great set by Kentucky-based All American Werewolves. I was told that they had a number of obstacles that delayed their arrival but that they took the bull by the horns and really put on a show. I’m sorry to have missed it but plan to review them in the future.
I heard that this was a rather successful benefit show and I’m happy about that. Chiller Cinema is one of the standout DIY projects in Nashville and this show was a testament to the hard work and friendship that goes into this labor of love for Dr. Gangrene and all of the bands and fans that made this show possible. I’ll be sure to be there next year. You should too!
Until next time, I’m out like vinyl and The Thundercats!
Message from Uncle Daddy: “Remember, only YOU can prevent a lame local music scene!”