20 ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nightmares’ on Vinyl: Exclusive Book Excerpt
In the upcoming book Blood on Black Wax: Horror Soundtracks on Vinyl, more than 200 album covers showcase the history of horror-movie soundtracks over the years.
From the orchestral scores of the classic Universal Monster movies to legendary music from The Exorcist and Jaws to more recent films like Get Out, the book uncovers some familiar poster art as well as some rare sleeves that have graced soundtrack LPs for decades.
Co-authors Aaron Lupton and Jeff Szpirglas come from the acclaimed horror magazine Rue Morgue, so their expert insight is as much about the movies as it is the awesome cover art found throughout the hardback book, which also includes interviews with some of the composers behind the music.
"It delves into what makes each score the beautiful and frightening work of art that it is," Lupton tells UCR. "We've done all of the dirty work, scouring hours of the wildest soundscapes ever designed for human ears, whether composed for esteemed classics or the most loathsome trash," Szpirglas adds.
The book comes out on May 13, and is available for pre-order now.
Its seven chapters include detailed entries – including cover art, reviews and stories about the music – on subjects like "Supernatural Horrors," "Creature Features" and "Italian Terror." Some of the highlighted movies feature tailor-made scores by progressive rock artists like Keith Emerson and Tangerine Dream.
There's also a chapter about "Rock 'n' Roll Nightmares," movies where music drives the action or where they just have killer rock-inspired soundtracks. "Pop music and horror have gone hand-in-hand for decades," Szpirglas notes.
"This chapter highlights those special moments when rap, metal and punk songs were handpicked for a horror film with care, resulting in some of horror fans' favorite and most enduring records," Lupton says. "These records make for the most funnest chapter in the book and the best part of any great Halloween party."
We have an exclusive excerpt from Blood on Black Wax featuring the 20 films spotlighted in the "Rock 'n' Roll Nightmares" chapter. Below you'll find the soundtracks' cover art, as well as Lupton and Szpirglas' abridged summaries of the albums.