The unheralded “first and last single” from The Corpsemen comes a mere 32 years after they allegedly recorded a four song demo. A fan video of the song can be viewed below. And for more on the story behind the music, read “American Ghoul” by Walt Morton.
American Ghoul is a horror novel in the tradition of Shelley and Stoker, and yet brings a sense of freshness and humor to the genre, as author Morton tells the story of a high school outsider in the late 1970s. It’s fascinating to read Morton’s account of 17-year-old Howard Pickman, and realize you feel a profound empathy for his protagonist despite the rather gruesome secret he must strive to protect. What’s also fascinating is how Morton recreates the high school experience of the late 1970s, complete with jocks, freaks, and the dark artists who came of age in the heyday of punk rock. This is a book rich in spirit, and transcends the usual exploitation of the horror genre to offer a redemptive tale of Howard and his friends Sebastian, Gerald, and Dwayne, who form a bond, and a band, while trying to stay alive in a world that doesn’t take kindly to strangers, individuals, or ghouls. But maybe it should.
This original and compelling tale of a drunk in Venice attempting to survive — and keep his beloved dog alive as well — has been described as “a rewarding story of a man’s unconditional love for his faithful companion” by Kirkus Reviews. It’s really Raymond Chandler and Charles Bukowski and The Cohen Brothers by way of a very talented writer. You can visit Eric Coyote’s writer’s retreat here.