Scream, Dracula, Scream! is an album by the San Diego, California rock band Rocket from the Crypt, released in 1995 by Interscope Records. It was the band's first major-label release. Music videos were filmed for the singles "On a Rope," "Born in '69" and "Young Livers," and the band embarked on extensive tours of the US, UK and Europe. They experienced a surge of popularity in the UK, where "On a Rope" entered music charts at #12 and was a hit on MTV Europe, earning them rave reviews in New Musical Express and allowing them to play Top of the Pops.
The album also made the band an alternative rock hit in the US, where their videos were featured on MTV and the album received many positive reviews in both mainstream and underground music presses. A large headlining tour in support of the album ensued in 1996, as well as supporting tours with Rancid and Soundgarden. During these tours the band gained a reputation for a series of interesting and, at times, seemingly ludicrous gimmicks and stage antics which included holding raffles during live performances, spinning a large game show wheel to determine set lists, onstage fire breathing, annual Halloween and New Year's shows, and the wearing of coordinated and progressively more ornate stage costumes. In Europe the band also hosted a German variety show, played children's shows and morning shows, and did interviews with fashion magazines. While unorthodox, these antics increased the band's reputation as an energetic live act and helped to increased album sales.
Scream, Dracula, Scream! was the last of three releases by Rocket from the Crypt in 1995. The EP The State of Art is on Fire and LP Hot Charity had preceded the album that year, and singer/guitarist John Reis would later refer to these three records as a "trilogy".
Recording the album
Scream, Dracula, Scream! was Rocket from the Crypt's most ambitious recording to date. Using the extensive recording budget granted them by Interscope, the band employed numerous guest musicians, a string section, additional engineers and mixing sessions, and experimented with several instruments they had not used before. According to the album's liner notes the album was rehearsed and recorded over a 2-month period, with the basic tracks recorded live on a 4 track machine and overdubs of the backing vocals and orchestra recorded later. The album's title was taken from the lyrics of a Wesley Willis song.
The album's liner notes also state that the band intended Scream, Dracula, Scream! to consist of one cohesive body of music, with traditional silence between track separations replaced with string, woodwind, and brass passages. However, Interscope demanded a more standardized album so the master tapes were cut and edited into traditional-length tracks.
Track listing
- "Middle"
- "Born in '69"
- "On a Rope"
- "Young Livers"
- "Drop Out"
- "Used"
- "Ball Lightning"
- "Fat Lip"
- "Suit City"
- "Heater Hands"
- "Misbeaten"
- "Come See, Come Saw"
- "Salt Future"
- "Burnt Alive"
Performers
- Speedo (John Reis) - guitar, lead vocals
- ND (Andy Stamets) - guitar, backing vocals
- Petey X (Pete Reichert) - bass, backing vocals
- Apollo 9 (Paul O'Beirne) - saxophone, backing vocals
- JC 2000 (Jason Crane) - trumpet, backing vocals
- Atom (Adam Willard) - drums
- John Reis, Sr. - accordion on "Used"
- Geoff Harrington - Hammond B3 organ on "Come See, Come Saw"
- Eric Christian - guitar solo on "Come See, Come Saw"
- Raymond Kelley - cello
- Don Palmer - violin
- Jay Rosen - violin
- James Ross - viola
- Mick Collins, Frank Daly - additional vocals
- Diane Gordon, Natalie Burks, and Latina Webb - backing vocals on "Born in '69" and "Come See, Come Saw"
- Roger Freeland, Gene Miller, and Joseph Pizzulo - backing vocals on "Used" and "Misbeaten"
Album information
- Record label:
- Conducted and produced by John Reis, Jr.
- Recorded and engineered by Donnell Cameron at Gold Star Studios with assistance by Eddie Miller
- Overdubbing of backing vocals and orchestra conducted at Ocean Way (Studio 1)
- Tracks 2-5, 7, 8, 10, 12 & 13 mixed by Andy Wallace with assistance by Steve Cisco
- Tracks 1, 6, 9, 11 & 14 mixed by Mark Trombino at Lighthouse Recorders in Los Angeles
- Additional engineering by Mark Trombino at Big Fish Studios in San Diego
- Production coordination by Kelle Musgrave
- Recording supervision by Henry Kadinski
- Photography by Miki Vukovich
- Layout, videograbs and type by Mike Nelson
- All songs published by Mr. Buttermaker Painting, BMI
