October 8th...

Back in 2002 I was in full Nobody Records/13thTrack.com Halloween Radio/Pumpkinland Studios swing. So much so that a local newspaper writer came over to interview me.

I don't think I've ever posted this so I figured I would...

Daily Review - San Leandro man hums an eerie tune

By Tasha Bartholomew STAFF WRITER

Thursday, October 31, 2002 -

FOR MOST FOLKS, Halloween is the one time of year for tricks and treats, ghosts and goblins, and witches and warlocks. But for Mark Harvey, it's his life's work year-round.
Harvey, owner of San Leandro's independent label Nobody Records and Pumpkinland Studios, wants to make sure that future generations will grow up knowing the same Halloween music he heard as a kid during his favorite holiday.

Harvey, 33, has archived any and all Halloween-related music, sound effects and ghost stories since he was 3 years old, when he received his first copy of Disney's Haunted Mansion album. He then made them available to the world for free from his online radio station at http://www.13thtrack.com/

"This is the only site that offers free Halloween music 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year," Harvey said. "It's a fun way to share my Halloween collection with the world."
Harvey said Internet radio is different from the sites violating copyright laws because the music is streaming. No one can download the music. Harvey keeps the site up and running through a sponsorship from TheHalloweenNetwork.com.

The Web site features Halloween music from different eras and categories including Classics Halloween Radio, a broadcast of fun ghoulish songs from 1930 to 1969; Modern Halloween Radio, a broadcast of creepy songs from 1970 to present day; Instrumental Halloween Radio, a broadcast of eerie soundtracks taken from movies; and a children's broadcast featuring "Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin" and "Fat Albert's Halloween."

Formative experiences

Harvey's fascination with the holiday began with his own great Halloween experiences as a child, and a visit to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion every year when he was a kid.
"Halloween is a great time of fantasy and frivolity," he said. "How many other times a year can you dress up and be whatever you want to be without anyone looking at you crazy?"
A collector of old vinyl, he is also a musician who decided to record his own Halloween CD three years ago when he moved to San Leandro.
Every year since then -- excluding this Halloween -- Harvey has had a child friendly haunt at his home.

Opportunity discovered

While he was putting things together for the first season, Harvey found that he didn't have any good CDs he could use for the haunt, and was disappointed by the various CDs on the market.
"I wanted creepy music and certain sound effects, but somehow I kept getting screaming and torture and other things that just wouldn't work for a children's event," he said.
That's when he decided to record his own soundtrack. Harvey has recorded a series of CDs called "Pumpkinland" that have been used nationally at theme parks and haunted attractions, including Fremont's own "Pirates of Emerson" haunt. His Halloween music has also been used on Radio Disney during the holiday season.

Leading authority

Harvey has been called the No. 1 authority on Halloween music. He has written for several Halloween magazines, and recently gave a lecture on it at the Global Halloween Convergence in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. That's where he met David Rogers, a prop master for ScreamWorks, a theatrical production company in Cupertino. ScreamWorks uses Harvey's Pumpkinland CDs in its "swamp scene" and "scarecrow alley" at the Conover Mystery Ranch in Hollister.
"His knowledge of the music is incredible," Rogers said. "He's very well respected in the Halloween industry."

For more information on Mark Harvey's online radio station, check out the Web site at http://www.13thtrack.com/ or contact Harvey via email at NobodyRecords@gmail.com.

Tasha Bartholomew covers the city of San Leandro and Ashland.

It is interesting reading this again and thinking back eight years ago. Where I was and where I've been since.

Back then there weren't any Halloween internet radio options and now there are many. I no longer broadcast mostly due to not having the financial resources to. There was a time when 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio had about 24 or so broadcasts. When Live365 started charging a per broadcast fee I reduced it down to 13 broadcasts and then eventually I had to let it all go.

I hope to someday get the broadcasts up and running. I have so much music to share.

Speaking of....I'll end this post with some music...

Mark Harvey

Rain Station's DARK RIDE up at eMusic

Hey there Halloween fans...

More late night blogging for me.  I just found DARK RIDE up at eMusic (here) and I'm pretty dang happy to have this CD all over the place this season.  If you  haven't already heard it (heck, I'm surprised since I've been bugging everyone to listen and REVIEW it on iTunes) PLEASE have a listen.  Most folks enjoy the CD if they're into Halloween music.  There's something on the CD for everyone. If you don't like the first track try listening to some of our favorites like "Candy", "Trick or Treatin'", "Haunted Man", "Broom Hopping" or "Day of the Dead".  There's loads of fun tracks on the disc.


You can purchase the CD here and download high quality MP3s here (unless you prefer going to iTunes or eMusic).

Pick up your copy of DARK RIDE today!

Mark Harvey