Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers - The Original Monster Mash (1962)

"Rabian - The Fiendage Idol" by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds

(Wa-ooh) Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds

(Wa-wa-ooh) The Coffin Bangers were about to arrive

(Wa-ooh) With their vocal group, The Crypt-Kicker Five

Bobby Pickett released his Halloween classic single "Monster Mash" in 1962 and its album The Original Monster Mash the same year on Garpax Records.

The album starts with the "Monster Mash" and builds upon the world established in it. Bobby Pickett's Dr. Frankenstein-like "Boris," henchman Igor, pop idol-aspirant Wolfman and rival "Drac" all return to pad the album with their own dance craze hits and graveyard skits. At its best, Bobby Pickett and his producers hit a Frank Zappa (for kids) level of satire, but that sense of wit is short-lived as the songs feel ever longer and tiresome and the interest in spoofing loses ground to world-building. After a few non-hit singles as just Bobby Pickett, "Boris" and the gang would return to recording every now and then either to spoof the latest trend (Woodstock, Rap) or advocate for social issues like the environment and anti-smoking.

Here is the discography surrounding Bobby Pickett's debut album:

The International Twist (1962 single with The Cordials)

Monster Mash (1962 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers)

The Original Monster Mash

Monsters' Holiday (1962 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers)

Graduation Day (1963 single)

Simon the Sensible Surfer (1963 single)

The Monster Swim (1964 single as Bobby Pickett and The Rolling Bones)

Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) (1964 single as Bobby Pickett and The Filter-Tip Kickers)

Blood Bank Blues (1965 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett)

Wake Up My Mind (1965 single)

Monster Concert (1970 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett)

Monster Man Jam (1970 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett)

Me and My Mummy (1973 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett)

Monster Rap (1984 single as Bobby (Boris) Pickett)

"Monster Mash" by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)" by Bobby Pickett and The Filter-Tip Kickers

"Monster Concert" by Bobby (Boris) Pickett

"Monster Rap" by Bobby (Boris) Pickett

Pass the Headphones!!

Crypt Kicker Five - Crypt Kicker Five (1986)

"4th Hole" by Crypt Kicker Five

Jack Endino produced Afghan Whigs's label debut.  It wasn't a very big or successful or necessarily well-organized label, but at the time, Sub Pop was a step up from the Whigs's self-released debut.  Endino, whilst producing, also played in a handful of bands throughout the late eighties, and his debut recording was on the 1986 self-released, self-titled Crypt Kicker Five (often shortened to Crypt Kicker 5 for... space reasons?)

While a lot of the music Jack Endino produced, and produced, favored hard rock and heavy metal influences, Crypt Kicker Five prefers surf rock and post-punk.  The allure of the band is in the interwoven guitar and bass and in the unique keys and tunings used to build songs that can sound at times oriental or aquatic or horror punk.  The lyrics are unintelligible without any liner notes (though they hardly seem necessary,) and Jaime Caffery's voice in the mix unfortunately doesn't have the force it needs to anchor the meandering compositions as Endino's drums do.  The album is one of two sides and Side B shows off the band in a live context: energetic, humorous, improvisational and imperfect.  Not much would be gained from the addition but for filler in a shoestring production if not for Side A which hypnotizes with its complexity and texture.  In turn, Side B becomes a fascinating microhistory of a band that could have been so much more.

Here is the Crypt Kicker Five discography:

Ya Ya Love Song (1984 song on The Sound of Young Seattle compilation album)

Crypt Kicker Five

Shoot to Kill (1988 song on Secretions compilation album)

Mecca (1988 song on Bands That Will Make Money, Too compilation album)

4th Hole (1990 single)

Shoot to Kill (1993 song on A Far Cry compilation album)

4th Hole/Bedouin Stomp (2011 song on C/Z Records Unreleased Singles 1987-1993 compilation album)

"Shoot to Kill" by Crypt Kicker Five

Crypt Kicker Five by Crypt Kicker Five

Pass the Headphones!!