Tell Them Boris Sent You

[filkertom]

Sadness in the land of Dementia. Bobby "Boris" Pickett, who sang the all-time classic "The Monster Mash", has passed away at the age of 69.

Here's Pickett performing with Richard & The Young Lions in 2005, and this machinima video is pretty good, and of course has the original music.

Comments

[drzarron.livejournal.com]

Oh, this will make Diana sad. She's a HUGE fan of his. One X-Mas, she had mentioned that she used to have the LP with all his best songs on it and missed it. I went looking for it on CD. What I found was Bobby's web site. I happily ordered a copy, autographed and personalized. He sent that along, with a nice note and included another CD of some other songs that he had recorded but never released.

"What Ever Happened To My Transylvania Twist?"

Yes

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to turn on a video, mostly because I'm here at work, but I have a different reason for responding to this. There was a song played on Seattle radio in 1966, "Open Up Your Door" by Richard and the Young Lions. I got to the Twin Cities and found out that nobody had ever heard of it (and in fact, never heard it again). It was a great rocker (presumably still is) and I remember regretting that I would never hear of Richard and the Young Lions again. One of my fantasies (that never even came close to fruition) was that I'd play in an "originals" band; we'd do 25 songs by me, 10 songs by other band members (since when I had this fantasy, it was highly unusual for rock'n'rollers on any local scene to write their own material) and the rest would be songs that were known to Seattle rockers but not to Twin Citians; "Open Up Your Door" would have been one of these. Here that name comes again. I did like "Monster Mash" -- which I have played on stage -- but the sequel, "Monster Holiday," was nowhere near as good. Still this death is a milestone, as are so many others.

Nate

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

"The Monster Mash" may have been his only big hit, but in a way, it's like a Christmas carol. You know that you're going to hear it every year. Halloween just won't be the same.

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Oh, man!

Thanks, Bobby. Thanks for using your time to leave behind something that so many people love so much.

[wildcard9.livejournal.com]

I am deeply saddened by this news. And the fact that, while Monster Holiday was mentioned, the official sequel song, It's Alive, was left out of the news article. I never heard of the song Graduation Day so I will have to track that one down.

[shaharazad.livejournal.com]

Years back I saw Bobby perform at Spooky World in Massachusetts. He had great stage presence, and didn't mind poking fun at himself with lines like "I will now perform a medley of my hit." He will be missed.

pre-tribute and the way prepaired

[archiver-tim.livejournal.com]

I did a kick-ass version of "Monster Mash" at the karaoke party on Friday night of PenguiCon. The hosts even remembered me doing when I talked to them on Sunday, a bit after they worked on that keg of Woodchuck cider in their room.

It is the day after we lose 'Sir Graves Ghastly' (http://www.sirgravesghastly.com/), who must have been there to open the rusty swinging gate for Bobby 'Boris' Picket.
Lawson J. Deming created the movie host character after returning to Detroit to work at WJBK-TV2 in 1967. He hosted monster/horror movies on Saturday afternoons for 15 years, ending in 1982. He was 94.
Follow the above site's links to the message board for that announcement.

-Ryan

Re: pre-tribute and the way prepaired

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Aw, damn.

[gardnerhill.livejournal.com]

Damn. 69 is young these days; leukemia sucks.

I'll never forget how hard I laughed the first time I heard "Monster Mash" at a junior high talent show. (The students did a kickass job -- the Creature instantly changing from a lurching monster to a dancing fool, boogying with Igor in the lab.)

[ifics.livejournal.com]

I got to meet Bobby "Boris" Pickett once back in 1977 at Space Con 4. Cool guy. In addation to Monster Mash on 45, I have both versions of Star Drek on 45. About 5 years ago, I ordered a CD with many of the monster songs on it and Boris sent along some other goodies. The only song I never got a copy of was King Kong Your Song.

[devospice.livejournal.com]

He appeared at the Chiller convention last October which was less than an hour away from my house. I was planning to go, specifically to meet him, but something came up and I couldn't make it. Now I'm even more pissed that I didn't go.

As It Happens

[nimitzbrood.livejournal.com]

I was listening to WPR (Wisconsin Public Radio) today and they had a clip of an interview with him many years ago from As It Happens and I was gladdened to hear that The Monster Mash actually made the man money and paid his bills up until his death. That was actually pretty cool to know.

And his Boris was always "spot on". ;-)

A time on the earth well spent Bobby. Thanks for the song!