Shock Rock
edited by Jeff Gelb
1992 Pocket Books
I recognize pretty much everyone in this rock n roll themed horror anthology. Jeff Gelb tends to have some comic book writers in his anthologies who rarely turn to prose.
You Know They Got a Hell of a Band by Steven King: Lost travelers encounter a town taken over by the ghosts of dead rock stars. Pretty much just the premise, restated several times. "She and Clark had stumbled into Rock and Roll Heaven, only it was actually Rock and Roll Hell." Hacky, down to a "This is like something out of the Twilight Zone" conversation. This is the first King I've read in probably thirty years, and it's the worst thing of his that I can remember.
Bob Dylan, Troy Johnson, and the Speed Queen by F. Paul Wilson: A time-traveler uses his musical knowledge to impress Bob Dylan and take the place of the Byrds in rock history. There was a better version of this in the 80s Twilight Zone. There was a reason I've avoided ever reading Wilson that I can't remember, and this hasn't changed my mind.
Odeed by David J. Schow: A band rocks so hard they're a WMD. Schow does a great job capturing the vibe of ridiculous hard rock testosterone - looking forward to reading The Kill Riff.
Vargr Rule by Nancy A. Collins: Werewolf sex rock. I've made it this far in my horror reading career before encountering a pack of werewolves raping a dog to death.
Blood Suede Shoes by Ronald Kelly: Rockabilly with a cursed guitar. Vibes of the Friday the 13th TV series.
The Dead Beat Society by Don D'Ammassa: Revenge from beyond the grave via music video.
Voodoo Child by Graham Masterton: Jimi Hendrix returns to save his soul from the voodoo spell that gave him his talent.
Rites Of Spring by Paul Dale Anderson: Concert goes get mind controlled, bang each other, and forget about it.
Dedicated To The One I Loathe by Michael E. Garrett: Radio station van ironic serial killer. Felt like a proof of concept for a longer piece.
Requiem by Brian J. Hodge: A bootlegger records the ghosts of a dead band. There are two stories about how music bootleggers deserve violent death - I didn't think folks who traded Dead tapes in the 90s were that reviled?
Heavy Metal by R. Patrick Gates: Comedy Poe tribute about a sculptor's plan to silence a troublesome boombox.
Bunky by Rex Miller: A DJ is trained to lure in a grossly overweight serial killer. What is it with Rex and fat psychos?
Bill Mumy & Peter David by The Black '59: Cursed guitar
Groupies by Richard Christian Matheson: A quick interview with an underaged S&M groupie. Dark, if maybe trying to hard.
Michael Newton - Reunion: Riff on the Stones/Hell's Angels Altamont killing.
Bootleg by Mark Verheiden: In Russia, bootleg plays you.
Weird Gig by Ray Garton: Band plays an undead corporate.
Hide In Plain Sight by John L. Byrne: Groupie werewolf story with a twist straight out of a 50s horror comic. Yes, this is the same John Byrne from Fantastic Four and the X-Men.
Addicted To Love by Thomas Tessier: Music snob does necrophilia on a Robert Palmer fan.
Flaming Telepaths by John Shirley: Possibly demonic beings and a tele-evangelist at an alternative club. Captures the kind of scene in the early 90s, where punk, industrial, metal, new wave, goth, and a little country all mixed together.
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