Who do you think of when you think of a talk box? Probably Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh, and/or Stevie Wonder pop in your head, or maybe Richie Sambora, right?
Well, check this guy out. Apparently there’s some controversy as to who really invented the talk box, but it might be Pete Drake, who pulled it off in a song called “Forever” in 1964.
Wow. This clip is so gloriously and deliciously creepy, I hardly even know what to say. Be warned: the song will stalk your soul. You’d rather think of Michael Myers coming down the hallway than have this weirdness pop in your head the next time you go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. I mean, this is messed up shit. Okay, but you’re going to click it anyway. Go ahead.
Independent of the music, I love everyone’s look, which to me, is positively sinister. Couldn’t you just pour all of these people straight into Blue Velvet‘s Lumberton (or Twin Peaks)? Yeah, they’ll sell you an umbrella or a ham and cheese omelet, but come on over here, sonny, and I’ll bash your skull right the hell in for you. Oh, and guess who’s chained up in the basement? Yeesh.
Hat tip, Scott Roberts.
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It makes me think of ‘Children of the Corn’. That look can still be spotted in parts of Iowa, you know. 😉
Heh! I just keep seeing these people hanging around Ben’s living room in Blue Velvet.
“Creepy” sums it up nicely. I have to admit the thing running through my mind on the first watch was: “This guy’s 15 minutes were probably more like 12 minutes…”, so I was pretty shocked to google a bit and find out he was sought out and played with the likes of George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Bob Dylan (amongst many others) on some of the classic records of our time.
By the way, great site! I’m enjoying going through the archives and catching up a bit; added your link over at Hard-boiled.
Hello, JoeC! Thanks, and welcome. I’m enjoying and have linked Hard-boiled Dreams of the World.
I cannot stop listening to this. It really is haunting.