H13: Tom Croxton – Impaler
Thursday, 31 October 2013 03:30
Bill Lindsey, frontman of Minnesota horror metal legends Impaler, writes a monthly column for Uber Rock and was a bloody victim of our 13 Days of Halloween a few years ago so, to celebrate the band’s ’30 Halloweens’ US tour, we grabbed drummer Tom Croxton to answer the 13 horror-related questions…..
1.) What are your most vivid childhood memories of Halloween?
Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved the atmosphere of Halloween. The smell of decaying wet leaves, the costumes, people terrifying each other. Autumn has always been my favorite time of the year. I remember going out to Trick Or Treat for Unicef for school with my brother. I was, of course, in a devil mask!
2.) Why do you think that the worlds of horror and metal/punk have always been so closely linked?
The imagery and attitude are hand in hand! It just makes sense. It always was clear to me and my bandmates and it is good to see that there are so many like-minded!
3.) Has there been a horror remake yet that has bettered the original movie?
Well…that is hard to say. To me, in most cases, no, but I did like the new Evil Dead. It is so far removed from the original that I did enjoy it. Similar in title only. If it was the same story reshot, what’s the point?
4.) What’s the greatest ever horror movie kill?
Hmmmm…tough one. I was going to say the Phantasm ball drilling into the guy’s forehead, but then I remembered the original Texas Chain Saw when Leatherface bashed Jerry’s head in with the mallet and he is convulsing on the floor. Absolutely magical cinema!!!
5.) Who is the baddest ever horror movie villain…and why?
“You think that when you die, you go to Heaven…you come to US!!!!” My current vote is The Tall Man from Phantasm. Leatherface is stunted in development and doesn’t realize he’s doing anything out of the ordinary. Michael Myers is disturbed mentally with family issues and Jason Voorhees is a vengeful drowning victim that saw his mother get beheaded. The Tall Man is just evil for no particular reason, therefore baddest!!
6.) Who is the greatest ever Scream Queen?
Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween. Honorable mention to Linnea Quigley
7.) Name your Top 5 favourite horror movies of all time…and tell us why!!
In no particular order….
1.) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) – So disturbingly raw and visceral. Messed me up as a young lad!
2.) Halloween (1978) – One of my first encounters with the genre. This movie is HUGE to me!
3.) Phantasm (1979) – Another early favorite that stuck with me all these years!!!
4.) The Exorcist (1973) – Just gets funnier and funnier every time I see it!!
5.) Prince Of Darkness (1986) – John Carpenter rules! Also, something about movies with religious connotations that add so much to the evil! Plus Alice Cooper is in it!
6.66) The Omen (1976) – This makes six, but I love this one too!
8.) What underrated horror movie would you recommend to our readers just in case they have never seen it?
I’d say Hell Night, Not many people mention this movie whilst pondering the subject. I’ve seen it many times and still really like it
9.) What is your guilty pleasure, the trashy horror flick that you hold dear but everyone else runs away from?
I am probably the only one ever to say I didn’t mind Halloween III: Season Of The Witch!
10.) What is the greatest ever horror movie poster?
I love the original Texas Chain Saw poster with Leatherface starting the chainsaw with Pam hanging on the meathook. Very iconic!
11.) Have you ever had a ghostly supernatural experience?
I grew up in a house with a lot of strange things going on. The whole family had different experiences through the years. The house I grew up in was a huge place that used to be an old hotel. When I was around 6 years old I remember waking up to the sound of men talking playing pool in the other room. We did not have a pool table. I could see lights on through the curtain. (My room had a curtain, not a door) When I drew the curtain back to see…. NOTHING BUT DARKNESS!!! (gasp!)
12.) What ‘star’ of the music world would you like to see slaughtered in gory horror movie style?
Without a doubt I would eliminate Bieber fever!!!!
13.) What are your plans for Halloween this year?
We (Impaler) are on tour through part of the season out on the East Coast. We plan on taking in any Halloween sites along the way that we have time for. Halloween night, we are playing our home town, but hey…every day is Halloween in my world!