I am quite impressed with your new album and find it to be your
strongest recording to date. Great production and well crafted. It was
easy to imagine I was listening to a film score! Very dramatic and I particularly
love the organ work.
Subtitled "Music and Sound Effects
for a Gothic Halloween," CLIVE MANOR lives up to the promise to actually
frighten listeners. The album was recorded specifically for the haunted
attraction industry, which means they couldn't afford not to have pure
horror oozing from every one of these twelve tracks. Points of influence
include DARK SHADOWS, CASTLEVANIA and RESIDENT EVIL, with results that
are mostly slow and apprehensive in a classical style. Mainly realized
..boards and recorded noises, CLIVE MANOR manages to frighten by insinuating
more than simply stating the obvious. In other words, they let your imagination
fill in the dark spots and, believe it, there are plenty here. We'll put
our name on it, if your flesh isn't goosed by the second track, you're
already dead. Rating-5 of 5 Skulls.
A
refreshing new addition to the Halloween music scene, Midnight Circus
and Clive Manor offer fans a whimsical yet macabre soundtrack to accompany
their festivities. Each CD entrenches the listener into a fantasy soundscape.
If gothic is your preference, Clive Manor takes you on an auditory tour
of a haunting residence guaranteed to elicit and heighten a variety of
emotions. Should the merriment of a circus tickle your fancy, Midnight
Circus will introduce you to the hypnotic underside that lures many an
innocent creature into its' arena.
Staying with the circus
theme, let's move on to the Michael Hedstrom CD Midnight Circus. This
one is more consistently devoted to the "dark carnival" setting than our
previous "clown'de hauntue." Most of these tracks are devotedly injected
into the circus vein, and their more restrained use of extraneous sound
FX and vocals will make this CD much easier for most Haunts to use. The
first track, Clown Alley, sounds so much like the theme from the movie
'Beetlejuice' that it could easily be mistaken for that soundtrack (or
a number of others by Danny Elfman for that matter). That said, if your
Haunt has a "funny bone," there are numerous musical (de)compositions
here that will perfectly capture a wacky, off-kilter mood without the
use of specific movie scores. Arrangement and production of the music
is quite accomplished, offering some of the most professional sounding
and complex melodies you're likely to find on a Halloween CD. If you plan
on doing scenes that involve clowns, freaks, humorous ghosts or other
tongue-in-cheek terrors, you'll find that the thoughtfully designed and
impressively recorded Midnight Circus is a useful collection of tunes
with a morbidly funny edge. The 11th and final track of the CD is a teaser
for Hedstroms' next album: Clive Manor.
Midnight
Circus and Clive Manor are two haunted attraction CDs from Michael Hedstrom
(Hedstorm Productions) that really grabbed my attention. They are very
different in their individual approach but equally effective in the medium
and style are directed.
Midnight Circus is based on, as you can probably guess, carnival and circus
themes, using all of the classic sounds and instruments you'd expect from
Ringling Brothers and dementing them. What I love about this CD are the
apparent and obvious influences of composer Danny Elfman. I'm a fan of
Elfman soundtracks and Midnight Circus could fit right in with the best
of them. The first track, titled Clown Alley, could have been taken directly
out of the film BEETLEJUICE. You'll also hear a lot of musical phrasing
throughout the album that could fit in with several episodes of TALES
FROM THE CRYPT.
Other track titles include The Dancing Firebeasts, Museum of Oddities,
The Tunnel of Fun (a track of music and a seperate track of sound effects),
Midnight Midway, and more. This CD is a lot of fun and it is very entertaining.
Anyone who plans on using clowns, circus themes, 3-D, etceteras in their
attraction needs to pick up a copy of Midnight Circus.
Clive Manor hits the other end of the soundscape spectrum. This CD combines
music and sound effects to support and promote a gothic atmosphere. Tracks
on this album include Forest, Hidden Passage, Dungeon, Big Game Trophies
(very adventuristic), Hall of Portraits and more. To give you an idea
of the sounds on this disc I'd have to refer back to Elfman, again. Some
of the tracks on this CD could be compared to those found on Elfman's
original BATMAN soundtrack. This is another very entertaining product
from Hedstorm Productions.
Michael Hedstrom has done an excellent job putting these albums together.
They are very slick, professional productions from the quality of the
recordings to the first rate packaging. Make sure you add these to your
Halloween collection!
Customer Reviews-Clive Manor
A pleasant trip to the macabre, February 2, 2002
By Dana Paull "teagal" (Reno, NV USA)
When I first heard this cd, I was blown away at the professional quality of the sound. This cd is an atmospheric experience that you will not quickly forget. Being a fan of Midnight Syndicate, a friend recommended I try this album, and I actually like it better as an overall piece of work. With each track, you walk through the different rooms of the manor, and each piece has its own unique chill to it.
If you are a fan of the macabre, even if just for a temporary escape, this cd is for you. I will add any new cd this artist puts out into my collection without even an advance listen.
Reminds me of Castlevania., December 26, 2005
By Jonathon Taylor
Brings back memories of walking through the cursed passages of Count Dracula's castle with the legendary whip of the Belmont clan.
Customer Reviews-Midnight Circus
author: Adam
This is just what I was looking for! The songs set the perfect atmosphere for any kind of halloween party or set up.
This CD is exactly what I need.
author: Li'l Bentley's Carnival of Horrors
The theme for my family's Halloween Party this year is "circus sideshow" with evil clowns and human oddities. I was concerned about finding the appropriate music, but, alas, my worries are over. This CD is exactly what I need for an atmosphere of madness in the midway.
This Cd captures the dark mood of the after hours circus
author: Merlin
Midnight circus is definitly in my top 3 evil circus music collection! Dance of the firebeasts has a unique dark organ sound.This cd should be in any serious haunters circus music collection.Michael Hedstrom definitly hit the perverbial nail-on-the-head with this collection of after hours circus music.Would love to see more of this in an even more evil twisteder version....Thanx
Creepalicious!
author: Ellen
Brilliant - perfect for our evil circus haunted house this year - songs are dark and moody, with the ever-present but not too overdone carnival theme. Love it!
author: Nick
Sounds like he took the best parts out of Danny Elfman's Big Top Peewee and Beetlejuice soundtracks and made them even more goofy and spooky. If you like weird melodies and minor chords you should check this out. The packaging looks good too.
Perfectly creepy!
author: Ericka
We needed creepy circus music for our haunted carnival this year, and Hedstrom's "Midnight Circus" fit the bill perfectly.
Hats Off to Midnight Circus! I can't wait to try other CDs from Michael Hedstrom
author: Linda@mlhauntedforest.com
Hats Off to Michael Hedstrom & Midnight Circus! It was the perfect addition to our clown house this year. I am very much looking forward to other CDs from Mr. Hedstrom!
Halloween junkies need this one
author: Stephanie
I have a neighborhood Halloween Party every year. This years theme is Carnevil. The music from this album will be playing during my party. I think it has that great kreepy Karnival sound that puts the chill in the Halloween air.been looking for great creepy music and I like this one a lot.
Circusy goodness!
author: Lord Tici Taci
The music is all good and the songs aren't too simaler.My favourites are Clown Alley for tune,Tunnel of Fun for creepiness and Midnight Midway for the classic Circus sound.
Midnight Circus - Perfect for Halloween or Performing!, October 6, 2004
By D. Meyer "Sword Swallower" (Nashville, TN USA)
After searching through dozens of CDs to find just the right music for my act, I finally came across Michael Hedstrom's "Midnight Circus" and have fallen in love with it. Hedstrom's music is the perfect blend of circus/carnival with an eerie haunted house and quirky "Munsters" or "Addams Family" feel to it. As a sideshow performer, I find that it works great as background music for acts like fire-eating, the human blockhead and sword swallowing. If you are a performer or are looking for some great music for your haunted house this Halloween, I would highly recommend giving this one a spin!
Gaming Music?, June 13, 2005
By TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States)
I'll be running a World of Darkness game in the "Midnight Circus" setting and needed some good music to help me out. I think several of these pieces will work well for the game, very moody and creepy but still the standard circus themes can be found adding to the creepiness. The Midway selection is the most genericly useful I think while the others conjure more specific images in my mind when I listen.
Michael Hedstrom--Bio??
MUSIC ROOTS
My Mother was a high school music teacher who played violin in The Peoria Symphony until 2 yrs ago when she retired at age 79.
My Father was a metallurgical engineer at Caterpillar who judged the state science fair, played french horn in his youth and sang in the church choir. Soooooo...
I grew up in a home where mandatory piano lessons began in 2nd grade.
After the basics were mastered it was STRONGLY recommended that additional instruments be learned as well. So, in 4th grade, I began trombone lessons.
Everyone else in school started band in 5th grade so I was always a year younger
and 6 inches shorter than my peers.....Good times.
In 5th grade I took up the string bass as well, eventually dropping it after 2 years
(Did I mention I was one of the shortest kids in school,
my arm still aches.)
Stayed with the trombone through college, won a bunch of awards, best in state...blah, blah blah.
I have 2 brothers who followed similar courses,
Steve plays tuba, string bass and pipe organ and
Bob plays trombone and violin
and all 3 of us were ever so gently prodded into singing in our Methodist Church choirs.
Steve even directed them for a while.
He had no idea how bad life could be until he got stuck directing me in a choir.LOL.
After school I put the trombone in the attic (where it calls me from time to time to make beautiful elephant sounds) and turned
to local rock bands, U. S. Steal, The Cause, The Deception and Boys With Toys
as lead-vocalist/frontman/keyboardist occasionally
moving behind the drums just to mix things up a bit,
even played bass once on Mony Mony.
Hey, it's only got 1 note.
A couple special
moments were opening for The Elvis Brothers "Fire in the City" and Elvin Bishop "Fooled Around and Fell in Love" and
playing for the cast party of "Grandview U.S.A."
I finally retired from that life in '92.
HALLOWEEN ROOTS
My Father was a huge sci-fi and murder-mystery fanatic.
My memories are of him sitting in front of the tube watching some sci-fi
series of the 50's or 60's while reading a Nero Wolfe in his lap.
But while I shared his love of sci-fi,
I discovered that horror
blended better in my little brain than murder-mysteries.
I couldn't get enough of the old Hammer films and the like. Pretty much anything that involved special fx.
I still remember mother being called in by my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Barth,
who was worried for me since I would only write stories about monsters,
Dracula and Frankenstein were my favs.
Well here I am 40 odd years later and haven't killed anyone yet. (That you know of)
Sometime during my youth we started holding Halloween parties and Spook Houses in our basement for the Methodist Church groups,
THE MOST FUN I had growing up, I really envy all the pro haunters out there.
Those spook houses were completely my Mothers' idea, by the way.
Odd, since now she refuses to play on my cds cause she doesn't want to be associated with Halloween.
What will I be like when the dementia kicks in?
.....or has it already? OOH OOH HAHAHA HAHAHA!!!!
Anyhoo, Tamara and I started doing this home haunt thing which I always wrote the music for
and along came some guy on the internet, Jon,
looking for creepy music suggestions to use in his haunted attraction "Midnight Circus."
We suggested Danny Elfman and also asked if I might
try writing something for him.(I'd just gotten a new Korg and couldn't wait to try it out)
I ended up writing all the tracks for his haunt and liked them enough to try selling them on a home-burned cd,
expecting to sell 1 or 2 just for fun.
The next thing I know I was getting a call from Jon, who was working as an actor at Knott's Scary Farm,
telling me they wanted to use my music
in their new "Carniverous Clowns" maze.
After I bounced off the walls for about 3 days I called Knott's and said
"uhhh okay." DUH!
That gave me the push I needed to sit down and finish "Clive Manor"
after which Kevin of "Gore Galore" invited me into his booth at Transworld.
I could not believe how quickly the cds I brought disappeared.
That did it, I was hooked.
So I have Jon, Knott's and Kevin to blame for my current state of mania.
Where I go from here, who knows.
I might just join a cult.
Catch a passing star.
Where are my red high-tops?
Tickets for the Chicago "FESTIVAL OF FIENDS" is now on sale. With the purchase of a weekend pass you will get. Access to the show and all events. One randomnly inserted autograph card, one autographed 8x10, a free dvd(see site for sample titles, and finally the April 2009 issue of Autograph Magazine featuring the Forrest (Famous Monsters Of Filmland) Ackerman collection. While supplies last.The Festival Of Fiends weekend pass also gets you entrence to the PRICK OR TREAT TATTOO FESTIVAL being held in the same hotel For more info head over to http://ultimatehorrorcon.com/
2009 Halloween University Classes @ National Haunters Convention
Halloween University is a combination of free and fee (fees are charged for classes that are considered "make-n-take") classes designed to help you be the most frightening you you can be!
Both types of classes are taught by the Masters of our industry including:
Ricky Dick! Monster Mud 101 Mike Krausert and the Bad Boys Scenic Design Team doing a phenomenal 3 HOUR SEMINAR! So go to http://www. nationalhauntersconvention. com and register for your classes now while seats are still available!!!
As you may or may not know, I turned twenty-five the other day. Instead of gifts this year, I'm asking everyone to join my Email List on www. jjhebert. net. Unconventional, my newest novel, will be published by Mindstir Media later this year, and joining the Email List will ensure that you receive updates regarding my book release, contests, giveaways, and more.
Hello! Thanks for taking the time to check us out and thanks for the add!
ShriekFreak Quarterly is a new Horror Magazine available as a pdf or Print on Demand. Horror movies, music, books, toys, comics, news, reviews and interviews!
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