H13: Gavin Robinson – Among The Dead
Written by Gaz E
Monday, 20 October 2014 03:33
Uber Rock’s 13 Days of Halloween continue, today splattering the diseased thoughts of a Satanic scoundrel over the pages of the website to excite. Lost in the watery depths of Crystal Lake after Fell On Black Days shuffled off this mortal coil, Gavin Robinson has resurfaced as the psychotic mouthpiece at the front of Among The Dead. Read on for his horrific thoughts…..
1.) What are your most vivid childhood memories of Halloween?
On Halloween Night I remember my parents would string up apples from the ceiling instead of bobbing for them in water. It took a few Halloweens to master successfully taking a bite without smashing my teeth in. Scariest Halloween Memory: I remember being really young and I was mucking about on my own in the living room. I had the awesome idea to press all the buttons on the fancy toploader VCR player. Little did I know that my parents accidently left a VHS tape of Salem’s Lot (1979) in the VCR player and it was cued up on the scene where the Master Vampire awakes (I still hope to this day it wasn’t deliberate). I hit the play button and suddenly on the TV screen this big fanged, shit scary vampire bastard appeared about two feet away from my dumbstruck face. I remember screaming until no noise came out and running away from the bald blue bloodsucker as fast as I could, up the stairs, into my bedroom and dived straight under my vampire proof duvet.
2.) Why do you think that the worlds of horror and metal/punk have always been so closely linked?
They emphasise each other perfectly. I think it’s alot to do with the rebellion/outsider culture. If you loved Metal/Punk you would be an outsider just like a horror fan. Album cover art, imagery and subject matters have crossover appeal to many horror fans and vice versa.
3.) Has there been a horror remake yet that has bettered the original movie?
Never, but it’s come close. Let Me In (2010), the remake of Let The Right One In (2008), was really good, and I was impressed by Rob Zombie’s Halloween (his Halloween sequel was a complete letdown though).
4.) What’s the greatest ever horror movie kill?
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) has an awesome kill where Freddy Krueger slices a mental patient’s arms and legs open to reveal his veins and tendons. Using the newly revealed tendons, Freddy turns the boy into a human marionette, walks him up to the roof of the hospital and ‘cuts him loose’. Stay Classy Frederick!!!
5.) Who is the baddest ever horror movie villain…and why?
I think it would be Michael Myers. Creepy looking, Expressionless, Relentless and Unkillable. Like Jaws with legs and a big sharp knife.
6.) Who is the greatest ever Scream Queen?
I’d have to say Janet Leigh. She was on the sharp pointy end of the most Iconic Horror Movie Kill in cinematic history – The Shower Scene in Psycho (1960). Extra kudos for being mother to Jamie Lee Curtis, a Scream Queen in her own right (Halloween).
7.) Name your Top 5 favourite horror movies of all time…and tell us why!!
Nosferatu (1922) – Ancient but still has the full power to creep you out. The Vampire’s make-up is incredible for the time.
The Exorcist (1973) – I rewatched this classic not so long ago and was lucky enough to see it in the cinema when it was re-released. Everytime I watch The Exorcist it manages to find a fresh facet of my being to scare to the core be it religion, death, the unknown, etc. Good tip is to skip Exorcist 2: The Heretic and go straight to the excellent Exorcist 3: Legion.
The Evil Dead (1981) – Low budget, plent of gore, Bruce Campbell and some great slapstick elements. My favourite scene is the “Jack of Diamonds… JACK OF CLUBS!!!!!” ……… soiled pants.
An American Werewolf In London (1981) – Manages to successfully mix Black Humour and Horror. Features the best Werewolf transformation scenes in any werewolf film, Creedance Clearwater Revival’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ and has a quick ‘blink & you’ll miss’ cameo from Rik Mayall (R.I.P.).
The Ring (1998) – I came across this gem when I popped down my local Global Video. Global Video, now sadly defunct, stocked great titles such as Erotic Castaway and Planet of Erotic Apes – Babes in Kongland. Genuìnely terrifying, as in The Ring is terrifying, Babes in Kongland was OK…… allegedly.
Honourable Mention: The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971) – My first ever Vincent Price film. Loads of brilliantly Old Testament themed murders. Good cheesy ’70s Horror.
8.) What underrated horror movie would you recommend to our readers just in case they have never seen it?
Trick R Treat (2007) – It follows the anthology tradition of horror movies like Creepshow and V/H/S. A few short stories all tied in with a common theme. Good quality stories and excellent atmosphere.
9.) What is your guilty pleasure, the trashy horror flick that you hold dear but everyone else runs away from?
It has to be Zombie Nightmare (1987). It stars ’80s metal sex viking John Mikl Thor, Adam West and a pre-Wayne’s World Tia Carrera. It’s a classic so bad it’s good. A young man is a victim of a Hit & Run by some young ‘Breakfast Club’ looking thugs. The young man’s mother, stricken with grief, employs the service of the local Voodoo Queen and BOOOOOOM, the young man is now a baseball bat-wielding zombified weapon of cheesy vengeance. The soundtrack features Motörhead, Girlschool, Thor plus many not so eternally famous bands such as Fist and Death Mask. **Bonus** The viewing pleasure is increased if you watch the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 version of Zombie Nightmare which can be easily found on youtube.
10.) What is the greatest ever horror movie poster?
The creepiest is definitely Poltergeist, but one of my favourites is The Thing.
11.) Have you ever had a ghostly supernatural experience?
I dont think so, I’ve had creepy feelings of a scary old woman behind me when I go to the toilet in the middle of the night. I try and keep my cool until I reach the foot of the stairs and just bolt as fast as I can up the stairs. I think it’s more mental illness than a haunting though.
12.) What ‘star’ of the music world would you like to see slaughtered in gory horror movie style?
I’d love to see Dappy from N-Dubz meet a grizzly end. His hat gets infested with a fast acting, flesh eating bacteria that eats him from the scalp down; or Jason Vorhees swings his machete, then you’d just see Dappy’s head, shite hat included, bouncing down some steps and into a wheelie bin, lid slams shut. Cheers Jase!!!
13.) What are your plans for Halloween this year?
Me and the missus are going to the Viking Hell Halloween Night at The Evi in Ebbw Vale to see Children of The Gravy (Black Sabbath tribute), The Dweller (more metal than your nan’s kettle) and His Royal Highness Lord Ivor Beynon. Then rush over to the Uber Rock Midnight Movie Massacre and soak in the horror classics until dawn.
Live photo courtesy of Ashlea Bea Photography