Horror + music

Horror and music go so well together. Like peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, and horny teenagers and rampaging maniacs. It just works.

We all have songs that we instantly associate with a particular movie and vice versa. John Carpenter knows a thing or two about that. So, why do books not get the same opportunity for connection to songs as movies do?

When writing Eight Bone Stew (shameless plug), I wanted to provide background and origin notes for each story. This is obviously common practice. However, I also imagined a type of soundtrack—or at least a song—that I consider to best fit the story, mood, or atmosphere. I thought this was quite an innovative idea.

As I’ve come to discover, this is not quite as original as I had thought (like most of my greatest ideas, apparently someone beat me to it). In any case, it is certainly not common practice (why not?), so I stuck with my original thought. Please find below my hand-picked list for each story in Eight Bone Stew that you will find at the end of the book. If you approve, please like this post and grab a copy of “The Stew”, coming October 15th.

Song (Eight Bone Stew Story)

• Black Sabbath - “I” (A Mother’s Eyes)

• Melvins - “A History of Bad Men” (At What Price?)

• Dio, Tommy Iommi, Rudy Sarzo and Simon Wright - “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” (‘Twas the Night of the Culling)

• Soundgarden - “The Day I Tried to Live” and Nirvana - “Heart-Shaped Box” (The True Cost of Genius)

• Alice In Chains - “Get Born Again” (What Fresh Hell is This?)

• St. Vincent - “Hell Is Near” (Remission)

• Radiohead – “Codex” (Keepers of the Dead)

• Metallica - “My Friend of Misery” (Getterie’s Last Supper)

Which begs the question. Who was the first to provide a soundtrack for a book?

As for the photo - of course, that is the one and only Buckethead. We're fortunate enough to be one of the regular stops when he tours (photo from side stage, May 2026). Anyone that can play guitar like that, let alone while wearing a Michael Meyers mask, is not of this world.

If you're not familiar with his work, I highly suggest starting with the wonderfully unhinged "the Hand" off Enter the Chicken. You will not be disappointed.

All the best,

EDP