Are YOU one of the Frightened?

No, this isn't a genuine scan! Just a little photoshop magic... Boris Karloff read scary stories to the tune of some kooky, creepy music on two albums: Tales of the Frightened Volumes I and II. Far as I know, no bona-fide soundtrack to this collection was ever released, under that name.

...However...

There was an album, simply called 'Electronic Music', released, by a band called the Electrosoniks. I was lucky enough to grab it from another sharity blog-- don't ask who, I can't recall-- about a year ago. As I was listening to it, I realized it sounded eerily familiar. Eventually I figgered out it was the same music from the Tales of the Frightened records!!

Here's a little info about the Tales of the Frightened Series. I got this from the Scar Stuff blog, who is quoting someone else:


"The vignettes in this series were written by Michael Avallone and read by Boris Karloff. Each issue of the magazine contains one of the vignettes, neither individually titled or bylined. Several years later Karloff's readings were released as a phonograph record and the texts were published as a book by Avallone."

"The music that runs underneath Boris's voice slowed down and twisted about is Tom Dissvelt and Kid Baltan's masterpiece recording of "Song of The Second Moon"... reissued as "The Elektrosonics-Electronic Music" "


Once I knew where I'd heard it before, I was quite annoyed at how FAST the tunes were on the Electrosoniks album. Seems to me, there'd be some other lovers of this album series, might want an honest-to-goodness soundtrack, at the proper speed, to include as part of the set. So I put myself to the task of editing the songs, saved 'em as 128 kbps mp3's and.. well, here ya go:

Tales Of the Frightened, The Soundtrack

Enjoy...

10/28/06 -- Well, gonna try & re-up these all. I really want to share these for Halloween, On Halloween-- so try the link above again, or any other of my links. Boo!

Bloodcurdling Stereo!

"Bloodcurdling Stereo!!"

That's what I always thought the cover said; that weird juxtaposition in the right-hand corner of the album cover of 'Sounds To Make You Shiver'. This was (and is) my favorite Halloween album of all time-- I'd play it year round. My best friend & I would pretend to be walking thru the obligatory haunted house, on that fabled night. I'd stare into the huge recesses of that mansion on the front, and try to make out the weird & curious items inside....


"What is that, a blimp?"

I can almost recite the written enticement from memory:

"Listen in terror to Count Dracula!
Scream along with his victim!
Go MAD in the Haunted House!
Hear Frankenstein Break Loose!
Horrific Sounds for Halloween Fun!"

Loved the little tombstone that said "R.I.P-- YOU!" Heck, this is how I first learned what "R.I.P" meant-- I asked my Mom why it was on the tombstone, on this album cover.


Ohhh, the stories I could tell. We used to cover our ears during the screams-- my mother was afraid we'd turn into murderers if we listened to all that screaming & started to like hearing it.

I brought the album along with me to college, even... As my new room-mate perused my record collection, I blurted out in annoyed, oh-so-cool fashion, that my father hadn't let me pack any of his Beatles albums--- the guy pulled out my 'Sounds to Make You Shiver', took one look at it:

...and said "Oh, but he lets you keep one with a blazing skull on the cover."

Ahh, a little Deadpan humor.

Submitted now for your enjoyment is my first stab, no pun intended, at trying to make a Halloween audio mix. An updated version, in loving tribute, of the famous Haunted House track from 'Sounds To Make You Shiver'-- Mine's only 7 minutes long, though(the original is about 15 minutes)--- but filled to the brim with some original creepy music of my own & lots more of those great retro-sounding effects.

10/28/06 -- It's back! Shiver 2006, and hopefully it will stay here until Hallowen Night. The file now includes a kooky Halloween dance mix, as well...

Sounds to Make You Shiver 2006

Thanks loads, to Jason and his 'Scar Stuff' blog, for providing me with loads & loads of great old Halloween records to help modernize the ol' Shiver sound-- and yet, to keep it retro as well...

Scar Stuff!

Get the original album from him, too...

I hope you enjoy your visit to the Haunted House...

The Exotic Carribean.....

"Ahoy there!"

Here's a little file I created a while back-- a twisted spin on the famous Pirates ride that spawned a couple'a movies... I suppose I'd call this a 'parody'-- as well as a tribute to that nutty aforementioned ride, using the music of the Exotica Masters Denny & Baxter.

If anybody gets their feathers ruffled, I'd like to point out that haven't used the full songs, only low quality, edited versions of them-- any other 'Pirate' audio is from sources which are not currently available for sale.. so NO, I am NOT competing with anything you can buy on Amazon!!

In fact, if you enjoy this music, I urge you to respond by purchasing the 'Mondo Exotica' album from the Ultra-Lounge series, or any of the Les Baxter & Martin Denny classic album reissues on cd, which may be available at your local cd store or Amazon.com.. Plus, this file may serve as advertising & encourage people to see the Pirates film, still in theatres. You're welcome, Mr Mouse.

And remember.... Dead guys sing no high-notes, Baby...