Old-School Ghoul

Bobby "Boris" Pickett and the Crypt Kickers were rushed into the studio to complete an album of 13 more finger-snappin' graveyard tunes, populated with ghoulies, ghosties, mummies and wolfmen. By then, Philadelphia's John Zacherly, a cadaverously painted DJ turned horror host, had released his own version of "Monster Mash," which Pickett says "stole a little of our thunder."

Soon after, Pickett wrote a play with Sheldon Allman, a like-minded ghoul who had had a minor hit with "Sing Along With Drac." Performed by schools and community-theater groups worldwide, I'm Sorry, the Bridge Is Out, You'll Have To Spend the Night was transformed in 1995 into Monster Mash: The Movie by Toy Story co-writer Joel Cohen. Featuring Pickett as the diabolical Dr. Frankenstein, Mink Stole as a werewolf's mother and Jimmy "J.J." Walker as a pimpish music promoter, the flick is "suitable for children and snotty adults" and can be ordered, along with Monster Mash the CD, on Pickett's Web site, themonstermash.com.

"I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR," SAYS Pickett, who performs each Halloween on the East Coast. The singer, who will be 62 in February, has recorded a number of other novelty songs, including the Dr. Demento favorite "Star Drek" and "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette," a Texas-style whooper from the '40s that Pickett gave an anti-nicotine spin. With a repertoire of more than 100 celebrity voices, he would love to crack the competitive voice-over market, but as Pickett himself says, "I'm not one of these guys that wakes up every morning and has to accomplish something. I wait for the inspiration, and that can take years!"

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