You Know They Got a Hell of a Band - what are *they*?

[megrez]

I reread this the other night. Each time I do, I come out with a lot of world/dimensions-type questions. Do any of you know of any story connections to this?

More to the point, what are the town's more famous residents? Creatures who have physically taken the form of deceased rock stars?

And what do you suppose are the "other things" in Umpqua Swamp?

[blunthead]

As I read it, your first question has to do with where the famous residents--rock 'n rollers who've prematurely died--are. What town is it? [btw, when you refer to "story connections", do you mean Stephen King stories?]. Personally, I think they are not other beings than themselves; which returns us to where are they?

I think sK, at the Righteous Brothers tune Rock and Roll Heaven, saw, reasonably, a horror idea worth exploring. Death is horror; premature death, more horrible. So, the town is a uniquely horrible place.

The protagonist, Mary, despite forebodings, allows herself to arrive there--she makes a bad choice.

Maybe she ends up where she belongs?

[CCAL]

Hmm, are you referring to that short story of SK's about a couple who take a road trip & end up cornered in that little town after dark? Is it something to do with corn fields? I'm confused....:eyebrow:

[wally wonder]

And what do you suppose are the "other things" in Umpqua Swamp?

dunno for sure...frogs maybe...or maybe things that offer rare recreational activities and inspiring scenic beauty? things that have that long boy look to them? i was reminded of mrs. todd's shortcut there...that's why i said frogs...i think there was some big horny frogs there....connected to duma key...lisey's story...every link in the chain dripping w/blood...

[GNTLGNT]

Fist and fartmost(or somethin' like that)welcome to our universe...as to the story which is a fave, I've never tied it into another story or stories of SK's-though they ALL tie in somewhere in HIS universe... The "Swamp Things"(apologies to Len Wein and Berni Wrightson)IMO, are another "mood setter" and a tip of the ink bottle to H.P. Lovecraft...the "Woodstock of the Departed", is side slip world through I feel, one of the infamous "thinnys"...where once reality TV, The Star, The Enquirer and others of that ilk, plus the paparazzi plague leave the stars alone and they shuffle off the mortal coil, either naturally or by their own hand-they go to absolutely prove that "rock and roll will never die"(it just gets a little evil, coz, ya gotta have an audience!)...and I can never hear the Righteous Brothers tune "Rock and Roll Heaven" quite the same way again...

[GLewman]

This was a favorite of mine too. Maybe because I lived only a few miles from where the story took place :) My impression was that this "heaven" was actually hell. SK is a big AC/DC fan and it seemed he maybe made a connection that rockers were on a "Highway to Hell". Or maybe they sold their souls to the devil for fame and fortune. The story did have a Mrs. Todd's Shortcut feel. Either way, playing and listening to the same songs night after night for eternity definately sounds like hell to me :)

[blunthead]

...they shuffle off the mortal coil, either naturally or by their own hand-they go to absolutely prove that "rock and roll will never die"...

I think this states the horror of it, absolutely. And why...I can never hear the Righteous Brothers tune "Rock and Roll Heaven" quite the same way again... Me, neither.

I think the story speaks to those of us who know why Rock and Roll Heaven matters; so, it tries to give us a way, while hating our loss, to escape anyway.

The protagonist couldn't escape. It was too late.

[wally wonder]

anyone else reminded of the oompa-loompa? was that willi wonka? doctor doolittle? large feral infants? high on hormones and hungering to gnaw on pink flesh? ooompa! loompa! some kind of steam calliope and that grandfather clock on captain kangaroo...

[arsepoetica]

I've always thought this story should be updated to include a whole new generation of dead rock stars...Kurt Cobain, Shannon Hoon, Brad Nowell, Tupac Shakur, Layne Staley...

[A Guest from Roanoke]

You gotta love the rock star characters in the story ... especially Jim Morrison who incidently was also mentioned in The Stand .... As a huge Doors fan I'm delighted that SK is keeping Jim's legacy going :grinning: As for who they are they're mere performers in musical Hell for the unfortunate lost travellers :wow:

[motocop]

If they didnt have blood running out of their eyes and maggots coming out of their mouths I think it would be pretty cool for the first few shows. Then of course the hell part would sink in, but playing pool with the lizard king and watching Stevie Ray jam out would be something. The sheriff mentioned there was nothing that way but the swamp with nasty creatures, but couldnt they steal a car and drive back the way they came?

[Dave Sartin]

I pretty much see it as "rock and roll hell" the "rockstars" being the lost souls of that hell or possibly its just hell and the "rockstars" are demons. Either way the 2 characters are screwed in the end.

[aKINGreader4ever]

Hey All,

I read the story and saw the short story from the DVD, did any1 find this as one of the best stories from the book? When I read it, I pictured myself in the story and found it alittle unnerving, when zI saw the short on DVD it was even creepier, but well done. I thought it was one of the best ones on the DVD next to Crouch End. I agree with, Arsepoetica it should be updated with recent musicians who have past, especially Micheal Jackson. I do think they mentioned Kurt Cobain in the DVD @ the end of the movie; but a remake with recent musicians who have past while keeping the older ones would be BITCHIN'. What do you all think?

-Kris-

[GNTLGNT]

...only as long as Tiny Tim is prominently featured...that way it IS a little slice of Hell...

[blunthead]

Tiny Tim. Satan himself. That works for me.

[GNTLGNT]

Tiny Tim. Satan himself. That works for me.

No, no, no....Barney the Purple Hell Beast is Satan, Tiny Tim simply an imp thereof...

[Dave Sartin]

honestly i just took them as demons. possibly ghosts.

[Ericw]

Steve left it to the imagination! Spooky things, obviously! That's why you don't want to be too detailed when you're writing; you want to leave it up to the imagination. I know one thing...this was one heck of a story, and one of my favorites!

[Ericw]

It's a good thing they were driving a Mercedes-Benz into the town. The horror would have been complete if they'd arrived in a 1958 Plymouth Fury...

[Dave Sartin]

It's hard to say what "They" are, my friend. Personally I see this as hell on earth. You see, Demons can take the forms of anyone they want. This seems to be some kind of gateway to Hell, luring unweary travelers to their eternal demise. That's what I think at least.

[Samantha_]

Just one thought, and I have other thoughts about the story. So, this is one take on the story.

Clark and Mary were lost in a marriage turning bitter and took a final, wrong turn. The rock stars, in the story, were lost souls, as well.

It's end game; and the music played on ... .

[Box Office Poison]

I loved this story! Like a number of other members have said, I would also love to see an updated version of this tale with all the dead stars of the last 20 years or so added. As I was reading I was immediately thinking of Kurt Cobain, & then how creepy would Michael Jackson be...from "Thriller" onwards he cultivated, perhaps unwittingly due to all the bad plastic surgery, an undead kind of look! And how about Amy Winehouse & Whitney Houston? Undead divas! And now Jim Morrison has just been joined by his keyboard player, Ray Manzarek. His spooky keyboard style would fit right in, it always did sound rather funereal...
And since SK is such a big ACDC fan, then he should have included ACDC's original (& best) lead singer, Bon Scott. I can totally imagine him raising hell on stage in that hellish little burg...
Funnily enough, I have always found that Righteous Brothers song extremely morbid (I guess I'm just one of those people who always look on the dark side of life, can't help it)....even before I read this story. Oh, & isn't Bill Medley, one of those aforementioned Brothers also in Rock & Roll Heaven himself now?