Psychomania
Music composed by John Cameron
Available on Trunk Records (JBH 002 CD)
Running Time: 44:58
Amazon UK
Back to the quirky 1970s for a delectable dose of gothic pop and rock. With a story-line featuring bikers returning from the grave as the living dead, this very off-beat 1971 horror production was something of a one-off in terms of atmosphere and style and despite its many shortcomings has always held a fond place in my memory. But there is no doubt in my mind that the single biggest factor in creating such an individualistic identity is the wonderfully progressive rock score by John Cameron. A distant cousin perhaps to Ron Grainer’s exceptional work on The Omega Man (1971), there is a darkly poetic undercurrent to the electric guitar, keyboard, bass and drums based music that is very difficult to pin down. It just has that special ‘something’. What’s easy to identify is the uniqueness of it all, very much a time capsule of those years spanning the transition from the sixties to the seventies. Some may find this passé and unappealing, but for myself there is an endearing, inventive ambience that is irresistible and the oddball matching of seventies bikers and the occult, played out against this slinky, enigmatic rock score just brings a satisfied smile to my face.
A very big round of applause to Trunk Records for tracking this almost forgotten gem down and making it available. Now how about Chuck Cirino’s 976 Evil II or David Gibney’s amazing Superstition (AKA: The Witch)!
Mark Hockley
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