Wednesday, March 19, 2008

THE BAT - Alvino Rey - "The Bat Theme" (1959)

Sometimes we can't even believe it ourselves, but it just keeps getting better, and tonight is a perfect example! The theme from "The Bat" is a jazzy little piece, totally unlike any of the rest of the music in the film, but the intriguing part is, that when you listen to this music, you'll hear, no, it's not a theremin this time, but instead, an odd guitar slide in a couple of places to lend that eerie effect, and that is because the man who composed the music for the theme was Alvino Rey, who is also known as "The Father Of The Pedal Steel Guitar" because of his early involvement in the development of the pedal, and electric steel guitar. Alvino was inducted into the "Steel Guitar Hall Of Fame" in 1978, the year of it's inception, he really was that important! As a side note, he was also the brother-in-law of Dwrayger Dungeon favorite, actor Robert Clarke. 
 
The Girls, Cornelia, and Lizzie. Great names, how time's have changed! 
 
Split the screen and you've got spooky and corny all at the same time! 
 Now, I do think it's almost beyond amazing that I've sat here and written over 325 posts and never once mentioned the name of Vincent Price until tonight. It's even more amazing when you consider what a connoisseur of the arts Vinnie was, and he, more than most, would probably have had the most appreciation for some of the jazzier music presented here! 
 
A lot of people only know Vincent Price as the poor man's Forrest J. Ackerman, but he was also a fine actor, a chef, and an artiste of some great renown!!! 
 
Super Extra Bonus Feature: Every guys favorite girlfriend from the "Little Rascals," Darla Hood, in one of her rare adult acting roles, meets an untimely demise! 
 
In 1935 Alvino Rey was hired by Gibson Guitar to produce a prototype pickup based on the one he developed for his banjo. The result was used for Gibson's first electric guitar, the ES-150. The prototype is kept in the Hendrix Museum in Seattle! Thanx Alvin!!

1 comment:

Greg Goodsell said...

The loving biography on Vincent Price by his daughter is worth tracking down. It doesn't shy away from the "dirt," either ....

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