Boo! It’s Halloween! Throughout October, HollywoodLife is running The Sound Of Halloween, where some of your favorite fiends of music, movies, television, and pop culture pick songs that should be on your Halloween 2022 playlist. Today, The Invincible Czars, the Austin-based experimental rock group, swing by the crypt to take a bite out of this year’s playlist.
The Invincible Czars — started by Josh Robins (guitar, bass, samples, percussion) in 2003 and currently featuring Phil Davidson (violin, keyboards, percussion), Skunk Manhattan (piano, keyboards, bass), Louis Landry (drums, percussion, keyboards) and Zelda Younger (flute, clarinet) — are best known for developing and performing original scores for classic horror films. Since the start of September, the band has been touring its score to Nosferatu in honor of the landmark silent film’s 100th Anniversary. The band has been visiting art house cinemas, playing along to F. W. Murnau’s chilling celluloid masterpiece.
The tour culminates in “a big finish in our hometown of Austin, where my girlfriend’s kids will see what I do for the first time!” Josh tells HollywoodLife when discussing the band’s plans for October. Beyond that? “In 2023 we’ll release our re-imagined version of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures At An Exhibition in collaboration with our friends Bee vs. Moth.” Until then, listen to their selections for The Sound of Halloween, which fittingly includes a few choice cuts from some iconic soundtracks.
The Invincible Czars Halloween Playlist Picks
“Prelude” from Psycho
Fast, dynamic, tense, alarming and sophisticated, this piece epitomizes melodic horror soundtracks. It kicks off my October every year
“Clown Dream” from Peewee’s Big Adventure
As horrifying as the simple title implies. If you’re scared of clowns, this is the one.
Mr. Bungle, “Quote Unquote” aka “Travolta”
This tune is disorienting, confusing, scary, surprising, and wacky — just like Halloween
Godflesh, “Like Rats”
The robots are coming for you. Perfect for our Black Mirror-like future.
Dumbo, “Pink Elephants on Parade”
Terrifying children since 1940
HollywoodLife: What is your most prominent Halloween memory? Like, when someone says “Halloween,” what’s the first thing that jumps into your mind from your past?
My first haunted house experience as a 10-year-old kid in Cleburne, Texas. Back then, actors would still reach out and touch you! There was a guy with a chainsaw at the very end that chased me out. I knew out. I nearly peed my pants.
3. What do you think will be the most popular Halloween costume this year? What SHOULD be, in your mind?
Popular: Vladimir Putin.
Should be: Climate change
Do you have any particular October/Halloween traditions?
Touring the nation playing live silent film soundtracks like Nosferatu.
If given a budget and free range to do whatever, what horror movie would you star in? You can remake any film of the past, or you could create your own.
I’d love to do an update on Disney’s Child of Glass.
What’s on tap for October for you — and the rest of the year?
Finishing up The Invincible Czars NOSFERATU CENTENNIAL TOUR with a big finish in our hometown of Austin, where my girlfriend’s kids will see what I do for the first time! In 2023 we’ll release our re-imagined version of Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures At An Exhibition’ in collaboration with our friends Bee vs. Moth.