In the fourth grade, I went ape over Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine, edited by the ever young, now departed, Forrest J. Ackerman. In the back of each issue was a mail order section that featured grisly monster masks, spooky magic tricks, scary novels, repulsive giant rubber flys, creature posters, fake vomit, cut-off finger in a box, the hand that takes the coin, rubber skulls, monster make-up kits, plastic assembly kits, games and scary records.
The record section caught my eye and imagination and eventually I was able to order MUSIC FOR ROBOTS a cornball trip to the future narrated by the ever punning Ackermonster himself, on one side, and on the flip side an early electronic music soundtrack created by Frank Coe which sounded like an agitated cloud of manic space birds bush-wacking a tortured sentient locomotive on an Yves Tanguy scarescape. That MUSIC FOR ROBOTS turned out to be so amazing made me really want to hear all the other spooky LPs, but that was not to be. Nay. I never ordered anything else from the back of Famous Monsters of Filmland, but if i had…
If I could have ordered just one more record, from the back of Famous Monsters of Filmland, it would’ve been SPIKE JONES IN HI-FI fronted by an amazing Jack Davis cover. In the back of the mag, in smeary inkovison, the inch square black and white reproduction of the cover still communicated the excellence of Davis’s imagination and execution. One of Davis’s best illustrations, in which a demented surgeon Spike Jones is dead center clutching a jumbo size meat cleaver, as an incredibly gnarly Frankenstein’s monster rises up off his gurney, doing a super sit up, snapping his leather restraining straps, to join a dank gathering of monsters, beatniks and brides of Dracula. If the record was good, too, it would be extra.
Never got it until this last weekend. Robert Carey, sound collage guy, and I, went into FEEDING TUBE RECORDS in Northampton, MA and I came out with the SPOOKTACULAR IN SCREAMING SOUND pictured, and a couple of other records, too. It is pure corn and I haven’t digested it yet, yet the object, as fetish, doesn’t disappoint.
Hi
I’m one of the proprietors of Feeding Tube Records.
I’m pleased as punch that you came to our store
And I’m all about reverse journeys into childhood right now, so I’m glad we could provide the reverse rocket fuel.
Did you happen to see our “Pimania” record? I would be very happy to send you a copy. It is my labor of love and another powerful commemoration of sustained hebephrenia.
Carrie
Comment by cbren — September 23, 2010 @ 8:49 am
It is a great shop. I don’t know PIMANIA and would love to hear it. I will give you a call. Thanks.
Comment by Gary Panter — September 23, 2010 @ 8:54 am
Hey Gary! As soon as I saw “…it would’ve been SPIKE JONES IN HI-FI fronted by an amazing Jack Davis cover,” I was on eBay and ready to order a VG copy of the album and then try to figure out how the hell to get it to you.
Fortunately, I went back and finished the blog. ‘Tis an ill wind all the same, etc., etc., etc. NOW I get to order for myself! Still, wish I had that t-shirt from back in the day that you decorated with a dinosaur..who knew? I knew.
Thanks for the autographed “Gary Panter” Kate brought me. I looks good next to “Inferno” and “Purgatory.” Stay cool and don’t ever change…heh…heh…heh. M.C.
Comment by Mike Cherry — November 16, 2010 @ 7:53 pm
Hi Mike. Can’t remember if I answered your nice note. i have neglected the blog and updating the site. Contemplating getting back on it. I guess a lot of my micro mental energy went over to facebook.
The record is a little more about the schmaltz than about monsters, but that is fine. I hope that you are well. It has been too long since we shared a coke or a cookie.
Comment by Gary Panter — January 27, 2011 @ 1:27 pm