Mark Harvey is the owner/operator of Nobody Records, Pumpkinland Studios and 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio.
In my world it tends to be Halloween much of the time. Strange most of the time. Busy all of the time. Join in on the fun, leave a comment and enjoy your stay...
I just thought after having a great dinner and a beer that I'd post a song about zombies....hey, why not? "Insatiable Hunger" is from the Fleshrot: Songs from the Dead CD I put out to support my buddy John Pearson's graphic novel (Fleshrot: Tales from the Dead). This is what I call "stripper rock" - it has a good beat and rockin' guitars (if I do say so myself) and although I've never been to a strip club (seriously) I figure this track would work well in what I envision a strip club would play (if they're playin' rock music). So...have a listen and let me know what you think.
Goodnight friends...have a fantastic holiday weekend!
Saturday, October 9th brings a few 'HauntScapes' from "Fleshrot: Songs from the Dead". These are perfect tracks for your Zombie Halloween party (for those that plan to have Zombie Halloween parties that is), your haunt or to play when trick-or-treaters are present.
The Fleshrot CD was a lot of fun to put together for my buddy John Pearson. The CD is a companion to John's graphic novel Fleshrot: Tales from the Dead. You can purchase the CD here or download high quality MP3s here
I want to start of this entry with a link - click it and enjoy one of my favorite tracks (and video) from Rain Station's DARK RIDE CD...Trick or Treatin' (here). Jay has created a bunch of really cool Flash animated videos for DARK RIDE and they can all be seen at jackolantern.org (here). You'll love all the videos off the DARK RIDE CD!
My blog says, "in my world it tends to be Halloween much of the time" and although I think about the Fall and Halloween a lot throughout the year come September I start to REALLY get psyched about Halloween. I keep waiting for the "Back to School" stuff to disappear and the Halloween goods to come out. Halloween music has started playing (both at work and at home)and I'm getting ideas on the 2010 Halloween compilation disc I put together.
I finally got the Animated Rising Reaper With Pumpkin I was looking at last season (pictured above on the left) - a sort of lame prop that I saw at the Spirit Halloween store. I found it on sale and I just decided to get the darn thing. Of course I like it, it has a pumpkin, right? I ordered two Jack-O-Lantern Fog machine "accessory" (also pictured left) that attach to fog machines. Check out the video of the Jack-O-Lantern Fog machine "accessory"in action here.
I am working on getting both Pumpkinland II and Pumpkinland III up for download and should complete that tonight or over the weekend (the original Pumpkinland will also go up, but that might take a little longer). My friend Lev Perrey has mastered both discs for me, but I've failed to provide him with a clean copy of one of the tracks so the process of making "physical" product has failed so far - one reason to make the discs downloadable for now. My friend John Pearson has created the new CD art for both discs to give them a more creepy feel. The first Pumpkinland, Fleshrot: Song of the Dead and Rain Station's DARK RIDE are all available in physical form at 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio (here). The downloadable discs will be available here shortly.
Have a great Labor Day weekend everyone! Halloween is COMING!!!
I'd like to invite you to listen to Fleshrot: Songs from the Dead. This is a compilation CD containing tracks that I put together for my buddy John Pearson's zombie comic book. Each track was recorded (or taken from a previous Nobody Records' release) to connect with a story in his graphic novel. There's something for everyone here, folks. Have a listen!
That's pretty much it...have a listen...scare your friends...scar your neighbors!
I've written about the Fleshrot disc before, but since it is up on Bandcamp I thought I would talk about it yet again (bear with me). I enjoy doing work for hire (or at least I did when my studio was operational). I like fusing ideas from other people together with my own. It is probably why I like recording with Jay so much - multiple minds on a project brings magic.
My buddy John Pearson (pictured on the left) and I had worked on a few soundtracks for video games he was making for Ra-Dev (a game development team) and he asked me to put together a CD for his graphic novel (Fleshrot:Tales from the Dead) so I accepted the challenge. I recorded a number of rockin' tracks, some ambient ones and used a couple of tracks that I had already composed. It was a very fun project.
My buddy Ed Cagnacci (All About Evil, Gary Floyd Band, Spokepoker, Charm School Dropouts - and many other bands - pictured on the left) helped me out with "Misty Graves" - and it was a little more than helping me out. He played guitar, bass and lent his vocals to the track - so the song is pretty much Ed with me on drums and backing vocals - THANKS ED, I love you, man...
Another buddy of mine, Erik Frykman (a multi-talented guitar player, a guitar "gun slinger" - pictured left) lent his guitar solo prowess to "Fleshrot Anthem", "Insatiable Hunger" and "Last Stand". His solos REALLY made the tracks POP and without them I don't know where I would have been. I love you too, Errrrrbang.
Then after the mixing was done I brought the whole project over to Lev Perrey at Title Studios to master the disc. Lev is AMAZING - ears of magic - plus he has an understanding of gear that would boggle your mind. I got a lot of luv for Lev.
The reviews came in, but here's the best (and most complete)... Fleshrot review: Any serious zombie fan or comic collector will now have a copy of the Fleshrot: Tales From The Dead graphic novel. The Fleshrot team don't just stop there, they like to take it up a notch by having a soundtrack as a companion piece to the comic.
The main man behind this is Mark Harvey. Mark Harvey has been writing and recording music for 17 years. He founded Nobody Records in 1987 at age 18 to promote and release his first LP. He opened Pumpkinland Studios to record various solo and band efforts. In 1999 he released his first Halloween 'HauntScape', Pumpkinland, for use in theme parks, haunted attractions and by home haunters. His work includes commercials, custom haunt tracks, soundscapes and sound effects. His work has been heard on radio, television and film. So now you know a bit more here are my notes on each track.
1) FLESHROT ANTHEM: The opening track starts of with dark instrumental and the sound of zombies, then explodes into a brilliant thrash metal experience clocking in at about just over 9 minutes!. Pure audio adrenaline.
2) THE FAMILY PLOT: The first of the ambient tracks on the album. (Originally titled "Caverns" from Mark's Pumpkinland 2 CD) Now sharing the same name as one of the darker tales in the book, this is the musical equivalent of that bad dream where you are trapped in a dark nasty place, trying to find a way out. Looking behind you the whole time.
3) THE DEAD HAVE RISEN: A short distorted guitar track with a drum n bass like feel to it. Playing over an eerie instrumental. Cool.
4) ETERNAL TORMENT: Inspired by the comic "Whatever" Written and Illustrated by YoungwooCho. With no actual lyrics, the tortured vocals are the zombie version of those chants wise men make when performing rituals. Set to a melancholy soundtrack.
5) DRINK TO THE DEAD: Plucking strings and rolling drums, makes for easier listening with this rock-lite celebration of the dead.
6) ZOMBIES: Exactly what it says on the tin. A dread filled musical score with an army of moaning flesh eaters. This is what the rise of the zombies would sound like.
7) INSATIABLE HUNGER: Inspired by the comic "The Collection" Written and Illustrated by John Pearson. A full on head banger with attitude and solid vocals from Nova Brown.
8) NIGHTMARE: Turn off your lights and listen to this at high volume, and enter goose bump city. (Song taken from Pumpkinland III)
9) DAY OF THE DEAD: A guitar fest with a deep bass line and gritty vocals.
10) RESTLESS SEASON: A twisted tune with spooky xylophone to boot!.
11) LAST STAND: Imagine you and a few friends are the last humans facing off an army of zombies, everything is in slow motion as you look around and it seems hopeless...Then BAM! you whip out the guns and start kicking ass big time. This song is the music version of that scenario. Awesome.
12) ZOMBIE YARD: This ambience is the sound you hear while hiding from Zombies, as they take over the earth.
13) MISTY GRAVES: If you have read the graphic novel you will know who Misty Graves is. For those who don't, she is Fleshrot's version of the Crypt keeper. The major difference being, she is a hot Goth chick and not some wise cracking bag of bones.This fast upbeat rock song is a tribute to her.
Mark Harvey and Co. have created a superb CD. Right up there with many horror sound tracks,and actually better than most of them.So if you are into rock and cool ambient tracks this will be right up your street.
Nice one.
KP
And without further rambling....here is that darn disc...
Misty Graves - Free MP3 and quite the Halloween hottie
HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!!! Wow...amazing how quickly this month has flown by.
In keeping with the promise of a free tune every day during the final week of October, here's a FREE MP3 download of Misty Graves taken from my Fleshrot: Songs of the Dead CD. Click here to download the track. (link disabled)
When my buddy John Pearson (pictured on the left) asked me to put together a CD for his graphic novel (Fleshrot:Tales from the Dead) I accepted the challenge. I recorded a number of rockin' tracks, some ambient ones and used a couple of tracks that I had already composed. The theme song for Misty was something that I was struggling with. He wanted something that fit her goth/punk vibe. So I enlisted my friend Ed Cagnacci (All About Evil, Gary Floyd Band, Spokepoker, Charm School Dropouts - and many other bands) to help me out - and help me out he did. We composed a great song together - he played guitar, bass and lent his vocals to the track - which means this is pretty much him with me on drums and backing vocals - THANKS ED, I love you, man...
So here's yet another chance at shameless self promotion (surely not the last though).
I have an appended review of Fleshrot below (just for Misty Graves). Fleshrot review - by KP MISTY GRAVES: If you have read the graphic novel you will know who Misty Graves is. For those who don't, she is Fleshrot's version of the Crypt keeper. The major difference being, she is a hot Goth chick and not some wise cracking bag of bones.This fast upbeat rock song is a tribute to her.
Enjoy the FREE track and drop me a comment.
Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at HauntedCDs.com. Be sure and support 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio by purchasing CDs from us!
Thanks,
Mark Harvey
Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song. (link disabled) Pictured left is a Munny John customized for a contest. From his blog, (click here) "A lot of pre-work here. Using scuply I added the hair boots etc. And below is the final version. It's hard to see some of the detail in this picture. Her wrists, boots, and belt have little spikes."
Here's a FREE MP3 download of Restless Season taken from my Fleshrot: Songs of the Dead CD. Click here to download the track(link disabled). (artwork to the left is by John Pearson the mastermind behind Fleshrot: Tales from the Dead and buddy of mine - his blog here) So here's yet another chance at shameless self promotion (gotta get it in before THE SEASON is over, right?) I have an appended review of Fleshrot below (just for Restless Season).
Fleshrot review - by KP RESTLESS SEASON: A twisted tune with spooky xylophone to boot!
Enjoy the FREE track and please drop me a comment.
Remember, all of my CDs are available for purchase at HauntedCDs.com. Be sure and support 13thTrack.com Halloween Radio by purchasing CDs from us!
Thanks,
Mark Harvey Click here if you can't figure out where you're supposed to click to download the song. (link disabled)