Howl you doing boys and girls? What's up, my witches?
Spooky season is drawing nearer, and with Halloween falling on a Thursday this year, it means that there is only one weekend to curate a spooktacular party playlist, and one opportunity to throw a fa-boo-lous Halloween party. It is no easy task, but if you want your guests to shake their BOOty, eat, drink, and be scary all night long, Popdust has just the playlist that will give your friends pumpkin' to talk about.
Itsy Bitsy Spider by Carly Simon
Have you ever heard such an elegant and moving interpretation of this spooky nursery rhyme? In this version, I wasn't rooting for the rain to "wash the spider out"; instead, Simon's mash up of the nursery rhyme with her hit "Comin Around Again" paints a darker picture. "I know nothing stays the same, but if you're willing to play the game, it's coming around again," Simon sings. The Spider's journey is a complex one: He is tenacious in his dream of scaling the water spout and is an inspiration to us all. "Nothing stays the same," little Spider, keep climbing. One day, you may just turn your dream into a reality. It's a reminder of our mortality and serves as the perfect song to kick off the night as your guests eat hors d'oeuvres and pour their first cup of spiked punch.
"At the end of the day, good music resonates with people regardless of the instrumentation."
The Huntertones — a seven-piece instrumentalist band based in Brooklyn — have made a splash with their viral tribute video to Michael Jackson. But the group isn't just about covers, they offer fans original music, too. Their recently released studio album, Passport, features a selection of songs that draws on inspiration from their travels all over the globe. The band is taking their show on the road soon, touring North America with shows in the US and Canada.
Members of the band spoke with Popdust about their upcoming projects, the album-producing process, and more.
Your band made a big splash on the scene last year when you filmed a tribute video to Michael Jackson. How did that decision come to pass? What other artists have impacted your music?
Jon Lampley: We'd already been experimenting with covering different types of songs in that trio format. The songs we decide to play are based on artists that have influenced us as musicians and created music that we love. Michael is one of our favorites and he has so much timeless music from every era of his career, so we tried to fit as much as we could into the arrangement and make it feel smooth. We were all surprised with how well the video did!
The list of artists that inspire us is a ridiculously long one. Here are a few that have influenced us as a band as well as individuals: Louis Armstrong, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, Oscar Peterson, Herbie Hancock, Frank Zappa, Led Zeppelin, Weather Report, Stevie Wonder, Dave Matthews Band, D'Angelo, A Tribe Called Quest, Snarky Puppy
What do you think about the current instrumental music scene? Why don't you think the genre is more popular?
Dan White: I think there are a lot of people who dig music without vocals. It's an uphill battle in the US though. The way we think about it is, if you take away something from the music like the lyrics and a vocalist, then you have to make up for it in another creative way. As instrumentalists, we think of music differently and love to collaborate with vocalists. At the end of the day, good music resonates with people regardless of the instrumentation.
Tell us a little bit about the writing and recording process for the new album, Passport? I read it was inspired by your travels in South America, Europe and Africa.
DW: Each track is inspired by a different place we experienced as a band. We had the opportunity to travel and collaborate with local musicians from Togo, Egypt, Peru, Georgia (the country), Zimbabwe, and many others. The music we wrote varies widely, but what ties it all together is the band and how we play together no matter what the style or groove is. Many of the compositions start with a very simple idea that gets spun out and layered upon.
thehuntertones.com
Diversity is one theme of the album. Why was that important to you?
DW: We collaborated with more people on this album than we ever have before. While working together, our differences were a very positive thing musically. If we all were the same, touring and playing shows night after night would get very boring. For Huntertones, our differences make the band stronger.
Do any of you have favorite tracks off the album?
JL: My favorite songs on the album are Hondo, Change, and Togo. I'm really proud of how the entire project came out, but these are my personal favorites.
What's next for you?
JL: So we're celebrating the release with a show in New York City on Friday, October 12th, which we're very excited about, followed by a show in Connecticut on the 13th. We also have some shows coming up later in the year where we're supporting other bands on tour. We were out on the road for about four months of 2018 and in 2019 we will be on the road quite a bit so we are looking forward to spending some time at home this fall. We're always working on new content so keep an eye out on all of our social media pages and website!
Rachel A.G. Gilman is a writer, a former radio producer, and probably the girl wearing the Kinks shirt. She is the creator of The Rational Creature and suggests you check it out. Also visit her website for more.
It has been ten years since the world lost a legend.
Michael Jackson was one-of-a-kind; a talent who topped the charts and blew our minds. From childhood he was a pint-sized show-stopper, displaying a gift that kept on giving and growing over the years.
From "ABC" to "PYT," and every tune before, in-between, and up until his untimely death, the music Jackson made was pure gold with some killer moves to match. That's why watching his videos was so thrilling. Nobody could capture the camera like the crowned King of Pop. Emotional and energetic, every moment had us at the edge of our seats, listening to every nuanced note and watching as Jackson's body was driven by the beat.
Who knows what Jackson would have been doing if he were alive today. At 60, his music may have metamorphosed and his dancing may have taken a different direction, but we'd still be watching and wondering how the man could be so unique.
Let's take a trip down musical memory lane and celebrate what would have been the King of Pop's big 6-0. These 10 music videos are unforgettable…but in case you forgot, take a few Michael-inspired moments to celebrate a sensation and sing along to the magic that is Michael Jackson.
"Thriller"
For a scare that's cinematic, check out Jackson's video for "Thriller." Not only is the song a stunner, but the visual component was ahead of its time and tremendously inventive. The plot was perfect, the costumes chilling, and the choreography creative. If this video doesn't thrill you, nothing will. Watch it when "it's close to midnight…" for the full effect.
“Man in the Mirror”
If anyone was "gonna make a change," it was Michael Jackson. His poignant perspective turned into fuel for the betterment of mankind was not only moving, but music to our ears. The video helps us see the bigger picture, yet suggests how change can start simply by taking that first small step ourselves.
“Black or White”
Special effects aside, the statement behind the song and video for "Black or White" was a conversation piece. As Jackson took the concepts of racial equality and divide into the realm of pop culture, he was willing to use his larger-than-life platform to bring people together to display our sameness by using a modern "morphing" technique nobody could turn away from.
“Billie Jean”
OK, we get it, Billie Jean was not Michael Jackson's lover. But that didn't stop us from watching the "Billie Jean" video over and over again. The creative storyline paired with Jackson's toe-tapping twists and turns made this music video just as entertaining as the strong song itself. As the first short film produced for the Thriller album, "Billie Jean" was one to beat.
“You Are Not Alone”
Some may have felt that Jackson was, in many ways, all alone. Sure, he had millions of fans worldwide, but with such levels fame comes a sense of loneliness. Who else could share such a feeling than the daughter of another music legend, the lovely Lisa Marie Presley. Were the two married or was it some kind of publicity stunt? Who knows, but the media made the most of it. And the video for "You Are Not Alone" was our way of being flies on the wall peering into what may have been one of the most unusual pairings in history.
“Remember the Time”
From the celeb cameos to the over-the-top, opulent production of the video for "Remember the Time," this Jackson music video was full of mystery and history. Who could resist seeing the likes of Eddie Murphy, Iman, Magic Johnson, and the rest of the cast act out the theme of Jackson's song against an Egyptian royal backdrop? Enchanting and extravagant, once again, Jackson took a concept and crushed it.
“Scream”
Paired up with his little sister Janet, Jackson created a futuristic and fantastic video for his song "Scream." The look was like something shot in outer space and the sizzle that simmered off the star siblings was as hot as fire. Seeing these two talents making music together was nothing short of sublime. Scream with excitement as you experience these two members of the Jackson family do something truly terrific.
“Beat It”
The whole street fight concept combined with cool choreography puts the video for Jackson's "Beat It" on the top 10 list. And who could forget that signature red leather jacket that became a classic wardrobe piece forever linked to Jackson's unstoppable style? Looking tough and holding his own, Jackson brought grit to the set and shook things up. Hey, "no one wants to be defeated," after all.
“Say Say Say”
When the Beatle and the "Bad" singer joined forces for "Say Say Say," fans from all generations were saying, "Yay!" Paul McCartney is an icon, Jackson was a legend, and the two of them together made music history. The song was catchy and the video was fun to watch, making the collaboration a classic.
“ABC”
While not a "music video" per se, we can't leave The Jackson 5 off the list. After all, that's where Michael got his start in the biz. The band of brothers are feeling the beat as they perform "ABC" for Dick Clark and his amazed audience. Look at that mini-Michael take the stage and show his brothers who will one day rise to receive the title of King of Pop. Sorry Jermaine, but Michael's the man.
We miss you Michael! Happy birthday from your fans to you, and thanks for the soundtrack of our lives.
Melissa A. Kay is a New York-based writer, editor, and content strategist. Follow her work on Popdust as well as sites including TopDust, Chase Bank, P&G, Understood.org, The Richest, GearBrain, The Journiest, Bella, TrueSelf, Better Homes & Gardens, AMC Daycare, and more.
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