Let’s face it, when it comes to the 1962 smash-hit single ‘Monster Mash’ by Bobby “Boris” Pickett And The Crypt-Kickers, there are as yet undiscovered tribes in the heart of the Peruvian Amazonia who’ve heard that song. A number 1 hit single that continues to earn $1,000,000 annually in royalties, it’s a staple of Halloween along with pumpkins and witches. Lesser known (though no less fun) is the album which it inspired; The Original Monster Mash and that album finally gets a reissue on spooky-as-hell, glow-in-the-dark green vinyl.

The global smash of ‘Monster Mash’ tended to overshadow it’s parent album somewhat and The Original Monster Mash peaked at a lowly 120 in the Billboard Chart. That’s a shame because it’s an inventive record that’s bursting at the seams with great ideas and whilst parodying the latest hits and dance crazes, it touched upon everything from vaudeville to proto-punk. The tracks contained herein might be kitsch, but they’re of the very best variety and that makes tracks such as ‘Bella’s Bash’ akin to crashing a party at Dracula’s pad. The Transylvanian-styled vocals and cheesy sound effects might seem a tad pastiche nowadays, yet the song (and, indeed, the whole album) has a freshness that’s missing from much modern music. Taking the melody from the Russell/Medley penned ‘Twist And Shout’ and adding some vampire-esque vocals makes ‘Blood Bank Blues’ a real winner. Elsewhere we get the romantic send-up ‘Me & My Mummy’ along with alternative takes on (then) modern dances; ‘Sinister Stomp’, ‘Transylvania Twist’, ‘Skully Gully’, ‘Monster Motion’ (the locomotion) and, of course, the song that started it all, album-opener ‘Monster Mash’ (a variation on the mashed potato craze).

While bands such as MC5 and The Stooges are credited as as the propagators of punk rock, I’d argue it all started on this album, and with the spiky ‘Rabian The Fiendage Idol’. It’s pure visceral punk sung by a teenage werewolf who was the ultimate delinquent. It’s sung with a carefree coolness that has echoed throughout the years and if you want to know from where horror punks like the Misfits, the Undead, the Murderdolls, and countless others of that ilk learned their chops then I suggest you look no further than ‘Rabian The Fiendage Idol’.

While many holiday albums are only pulled out once a year and played for a few weeks, The Original Monster Mash is the exception to the rule and is an album that can be enjoyed all year round, so remember; The Original Monster Mash is for life…not just Halloween!

• The Original Monster Mash is released via Decca Records on Friday 13th September 2024.

Track List:

Side A:

1. Monster Mash
2. Rabian The Fiendage Idol
3. Blood Bank Blues
4. Graveyard Shift
5. Skully Gully
6. Wolfbane
7. Monster Minuet

Side B:

1. Transylvania Twist
2. Sinister Stomp
3. Me & My Mummy
4. Monster Motion
5. Monster Mash Party
6. Irresistible Igor
7. Bella’s Bash
8. Let’s Fly Away