07/16/2018
From my CD: "A Little Fright Music; Songs for Monster Movies"
The little story that will be included in the booklet. Each song has a story to tell.
“Nightmares” (1982)
I wrote this song in 1982. It was my way of saying thank you to all of the black and white horror films that I grew up watching on TV. Prior to my songs being heard in the “Sleepaway Camp,” horror films, other film production companies were interested in some of my songs for their Horror Movies and New Line Cinema was one of them. I was offered the opportunity to submit music for the upcoming feature, “A Nightmare on Elm St. 3: Dream Warrior,” (1987). This was exciting for sure. My friend David Chaskin, had written the screenplay for the movie, “A Nightmare on Elm St. 2: Freddy's Revenge” (1985) which was also produced and released by New Line Cinema. So the possibility of having my song in the next feature in the “Freddy” series was such an honor.
Soon, I was booked at Roxie Rehearsal Studio in Long Island City, NY, to go into the studio with Bob Stander to record a “rough” version of my song, “Nightmares.” Frank Carrillo was there as well and he helped us in producing the song and played piano in that rough version.
“Nightmares,” was received with excitement and approval with those responsible for the music and songs in the “Nightmare on Elm St.” film series. All was looking very positive for me and my song. But like everything else in the Art business, never become too excited until the money is actually in your personal bank account. As the weeks progressed, all seemed well regarding my song and its association with this upcoming feature.
But now, a young and upcoming producer had been hired by New Line Cinema who was now responsible for many areas in the upcoming “Freddy” movie. He enjoyed my song “Nightmares,” but felt it was better to get a more established singer/songwriter to write the theme song for the movie. The new producer had hired someone else and as they say, “the rest is history.” .
In early 1989, I received a phone call from the same young producer, who had replaced my song “Nightmares,” with the song by another musical artist. He said he would like to use my song in the new and upcoming TV series, “Freddy's Nightmare.” Once again, my song was still alive and breathing. This proposition seemed to be a perfect marriage between sight and sound, but like the previous opportunity, my song never did make the short lived TV series.
John Altyn: Rhythm and Lead Guitar. Lead Vocals, Background Vocals.
Music and Lyrics.
Shawn Murray: Drums
Bob Stander: Bass Guitar, Guitars and Sound FX.
Adam Minkoff: Keyboards.
Producer: Bob Stander.
Engineer: Bob Stander.
Mixing: Bob Stander
Recorded at: Parcheesi Recording Studio - Huntington Station, NY
Mastered by: Gene Paul G & J Audio. Union City, New Jersey.
Model: Erin Hochstein
Photographer: November James copyright 2007
"Nightmares" "Family Property 2; More Blood" (2024) Directed by Derek Young. Was to be the theme song for the movie: "A Nightmare on Elm St 3; Dream Warrior" but at the last minute New Line Cinema, ha
