The Misfits
Last week I put together a Halloween workout mix, which included mostly fun novelty songs. For this week, let’s continue the Halloween theme, but this time around it’s a collection of artists who actually dress up in Halloween-like costumes as their stage persona.
Gym Music Playlist of the Week: Halloween Workout Mix 2
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The Misfits – Monster Mash
The inventors of the so-called horror punk genre, The Misfits blended punk rock with horror film themes and imagery. So it’s only natural that they would consider covering the classic “Monster Mash.”
Kiss – Strutter
Kiss formed in the early ’70s and went on to be one of the biggest hard rock bands of all time, due in large part to the adolescent appeal and mass marketing of their stage make up and wild costumes. In 1983, Kiss abandoned the makeup, and still kept their fan base. While they’ve since returned to doing shows in full costume, it’s obvious that they connected with fans on a deeper level.
GWAR – Lords And Masters [Explicit]
I know very little about GWAR, other than the fact that they dress up in crazy monster costumes and play loud and obnoxious thrash metal. But I do know that they do so tongue-in-cheek. I don’t believe everyone gets the humor part of their routine. That said, according to their Wikipedia entry, the band has sold 30 million units worldwide. I think I might need to consider a career change.
Marilyn Manson – This Is Halloween
I’ve never been a fan of his music, but I’ll give him props for effectively branding his horror and shock-rock image. Manson came from South Florida, the same scene I toiled in for years. In fact, his band shared a rehearsal space with a friend of mine (and ex-bandmate) in the early ’90s. I have nothing more interesting to add to the story beyond that.
Twisted Sister – I Wanna Rock
More glam than horror, maybe this is a good addition to the mix to lighten things up a little.
Lordi – Hard Rock Hallelujah
I came across this Finnish band a couple weeks ago. Pretty much in the same vein as GWAR, as far as the monster outfits go, but it seems that they have a bit of a slicker almost ’80s metal style.
Alice Cooper – School’s Out
I know Alice was in last week’s Halloween mix, but I think the inventor of theatrical rock ‘n roll deserves a little extra exposure.