Shock Rock

Shock Rock #1

by Jeff Gelb (Editor, Introduction), Stephen King (Contributor), F. Paul Wilson (Contributor)

ROCK AND ROLL IS HERE TO SLAY ...

Stephen King... David J. Schow ... Thomas Tessier... F. Paul Wilson... Richard Christian Matheson ... Nancy A. Collins... Graham Masterton ... Pay Garton ... Rex Miller ... and ten other stars of today's shock fiction know what metalheads and moralists, punksters and preachers have known all along. Rock and roll. With its hot licks and raw glitter, has a dark side too - where the party stops and the terror begins.

Put on your headphones. Open this electrifying book. Rock to the world of horror where martyred musical super-legends return from the dead at 120 decibels... where radio stations sponsor ghastly giveaways that no living soul could want ... where other-earthly pirates bootleg not records, but human souls... where people are strange ... and the devil rocks all night.

THE NEW SOUND OF HORROR

CONTENTS

Stephen King - You Know They've Got a Hell Of A Band
F. Paul Wilson - Bob Dylan, Troy Jonson, and The Speed Queen
David J. Schow - Odeed
Nancy A. Collins - Vargr Rule
Ronald Kelly - Blood Suede Shoes
Don D'Ammassa - The Dead Beat Society
Graham Masterton - Voodoo Child
Paul Dale Anderson - Rites Of Spring
Michael E. Garrett - Dedicated To The One I Loathe
Brian J. Hodge - Requiem
R. Patrick Gates - Heavy Metal
Rex Miller - Bunky
Bill Mumy & Peter David - The Black '59
Richard Christian Matheson - Groupies
Michael Newton - Reunion
Mark Verheiden - Bootleg
Ray Garton - Weird Gig
John L. Byrne - Hide In Plain Sight
Thomas Tessier - Addicted To love
John Shirley - Flaming Telepaths

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Music, Anthologies, Fiction, Fantasy, Splatterpunk

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Jeff Gelb is a former disc jockey and music columnist who created the SHOCK ROCK series of music-based horror fiction. He has also written a number of short stories, including Graveyard Shift, The Last Victim and The Portrait. In 2001, he collaborated with Max Allan Collins to create the anthology series FLESH AND BLOOD, tales of erotic noir from some of the finest writers in crime fiction. Mr. Gelb is now in his fifth decade producing the comic book fanzine MEN OF MYSTERY.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun old anthology celebrating sex'n'drugs'nrock'n'roll with a horror bent, from back in the days of when music was on MTV and there existed radio stations with a rock format without the word classic being involved. Many of the contents are nice, short, one-punch numbers, but I particularly enjoyed Graham Masterton's Hendrix story, Nancy A. Collins' werewolf story, a haunted guitar tale from Bill Mumy and Pater David, a weird story by Ray Garton, and a gonzo piece by John Shirley. My favorite was You Know They Got a Hell of a Band by Stephen King. Read it with your headphones on.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an anthology of short horror stories that all involve rock and roll music or rock and roll legends. Like all anthologies it has good stories and not so good stories. For the most part the stories were good with only a couple that were a waste of time.

My favorites were --

You Know They Got a Hell of a Band by Stephen King
Blood Suede Shoes by Ronald Kelly
Voodoo Child by Graham Masterton
Weird Gig by Ray Garton
Hide in Plain Sight by John L. Byrne

There are other stories that are good as well and overall a good book of short horror stories!

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll give it a 4 for concept and a 3 for content. The stories are good, but there wasn't a lot that really stood out. There's an interesting foreword by Alice Cooper.

The idea of horror stories all centered around Rock and roll was a good one, though.

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

1st Read: July 2, 1992 - July 8, 1992 (*** Rating)
Interesting reading material. Some of the stories were very good, some were alright, and others that left me thinking, "What if?", particularly, the Stephen King short story.

2nd/Final Read: February 16, 2017 - February 21, 2017 (** Rating)
I) FORWARD - ALICE COOPER (February 16, 2017)
Cool!

II) INTRODUCTION - JEFF GELB (February 16, 2017)
Nostalgic summary of rock/metal and horror mashups.

III) "YOU KNOW THEY GOT A HELL OF A BAND" - STEPHEN KING - (February 16 - February 17, 2017) (**** Rating)
To stumble into the small town of Rock 'n' Roll Heaven, Oregon would definitely be shocking for anyone who knows music. This is still not a half bad short story. I'd watched the short movie on You Tube a couple years ago and it was as good as the story in the book.

IV) "BOB DYLAN, TROY JONSON, AND THE SPEED QUEEN" - F. PAUL WILSON (February 17, 2017) (**** Rating)
This one left me wanting more, as the story seemed to just be getting started. It was alright.
V) "ODEED" - DAVID J. SCHOW (February 17, 2017) (* Rating)
Too short and too much chaos in the writing of it. Too much going on in too short of a story.

VI) "VARGR RULE" - NANCY A. COLLINS (February 17, 2017) (*** Rating)
Once again, another short story that left me wanting more. It sort of reminded of Whitley Strieber's, "The Wolfen".

VII) "BLOOD SUEDE SHOES" - RONALD KELLY (February 18, 2017) (**** Rating)
Interesting concept! Didn't mind this one.

VIII) "THE DEAD BEAT SOCIETY" - DON D'AMMASSA (February 19, 2017) (* Rating)
Nothing special here. Didn't care for it.

IX) "VOODOO CHILD" - GRAHAM MASTERTON (February 19, 2017) (** Rating)
Wasn't too bad. I like to believe that this is an original idea for a story.

X) "RITES OF SPRING" - PAUL DALE ANDERSON (February 19, 2017) (* Rating)
Too short for my liking.

XI) "DEDICATED TO THE ONE I LOATHE" - MICHAEL GARRETT (February 19, 2017) (*** Rating)
I'd rate it a three out of five. Would make a decent work of fiction if the author developed the story another three hundred pages or so.

XII) "REQUIEM" - BRIAN HODGE (February 20, 2017) (* Rating)
This one didn't do anything for me. The writing was okay.

XIII) "HEAVY METAL" - R. PATRICK GATES (February 20, 2017) (* Rating)
It started out interesting and then interest failed for me.

XIV) "BUNKY" - REX MILLER (February 20, 2017) (* Rating)
Starts off like concert banter from Ted Nugent ad becomes so much worse than it does better. Too much, "Ya dig?" and other nonsense in the writing style. Not for me,

XV) "THE BLACK '59" - BILL MUMY & PETER DAVID (February 20, 2017) (*** Rating)
Held my interest enough to enjoy it. It reminded me of the movie, "Trick or Treat" for the most part.

XVI) "GROUPIES" - RICHARD CHRISTIAN MATHESON (February 20, 2017) (* Rating)
What the fuck did I just read?

XVII) "REUNION" -MICHAEL NEWTON (February 20, 2017) (* Rating)
A lot of action but no chub!

XVIII) "BOOTLEG" - MARK VERHEIDEN (February 20, 2017) (** Rating)
It was okay. Had a couple good moments.

XIX) "WEIRD GIG" - RAY GARTON (February 20, 2017) (**** Rating)
Something straight out of "Tales From The Crypt"! Not bad at all.

XX) "HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT" - JOHN L. BYRNE (February 20, 2017) (**** Rating)
Another one which fits well with "Tales From The Crypt". Decent.

XXI) "ADDICTED TO LOVE" - THOMAS TESSIER (February 20, 2017) (*** Rating)
Potential for something good....but was just okay.

XXII) "FLAMING TELEPATHS" - JOHN SHIRLEY (February 21, 2017) (*** Rating)
This one too, would make an awesome mini-movie for "Tales From The Crypt"!

XXIII) CONTRIBUTING BIOGRAPHIES (February 21, 2017)
Backstory of authors.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since I live horror and rock n roll/heavy metal, I thought this would be a great read. Unfortunately, I found a lot if the stories lacking that special something. I'd still like to read volume ii. I'm thinking that maybe some of the stories were just too old, or else i've become more desensitized as I've become older and read more horror/thrillers.

[Mike Kazmierczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good collection of stories. All of them are based in one way or another on rock and roll music. It a cool concept and it was carried off fairly well here. The majority of the stories are short and all of them are fast reading. I don't know if this makes them better or worse, but they are still there and they are still enjoyable. And since I happened to recognize almost every author and like their respective styles, picking out favorites became difficult. But here they are.

"Bob Dylan, Troy Johnson, and The Speed Queen" by F. Paul Wilson - A nobody decides to time travel to become a somebody

"Requiem" by Brian Hodge - A band with pure motives comes back to find a fan of the same type

"Bunky" by Rex Miller - A convict is trained to be an assassin by reading a radio jock

"Weird Gig" by Ray Garton - A band gets together to refind that missing spark

"Hide In Plain Sight" by John L. Byrne - A classic monster story but with a new monster

[Coral · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is pretty much on par with how I feel about anthologies in general. A couple really great stories. A few good stories. But a whole lot of just alright stories.

I think my favorites would be:

Bob Dylan, Troy Jonson, and the Speed Queen by F Paul Wilson
Requiem by Brian Hodge
Groupies by Richard Matheson

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

[Yael · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when rock-&-roll mates with horror? The result is Shock Rock, 19 tales of shock fiction and horror about the universe of metalheads and moralists, punkers and preachers, the living dead and the barely alive. Rock-&-roll, with its hot licks and raw glitter, has a dark side, where the party stops and terror begins. Here, musical superlegends return from the dead to terrorize the living, where radio stations sponsor hideous giveaways no sane living soul could want, where other-earthly pirates bootleg human souls -- and where rock-&-roll is used successfully to exorcise the most vicious of demons. Here, people are strange, and the devil rocks all night -- and rock-&-roll is the door to redemption.

[GD · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty decent collection of mostly brainless horror stories. There was nothing really bad, but nothing extremely spectacular, though David Schow and John Shirley were almost there. Then again, those two guys deliver 10 times out of 10, just like Shaft. The Stephen King story was pretty funny, and the scene in Nancy Collins' story where a bunch of werewolves gang-rape a female dog in an alley behind a punk club kicked mucho asso. It only cost me about 90 cents at a book fair, and was well worth it.

[Keri · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mediocre themed anthology; it's obvious the editor started with the Stephen King story, which takes up almost one-third of the collection's length, and cobbled together a bunch of shorter, more average stories to fill the rest of the space. There are one or two standout offerings (Thomas Tessier's "Addicted to Love" is truly horrifying), but most of the stories are vulgar, unsubtle and forgettable.

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

The only thing I remember about this book outside of King's story was that I purchased it dirt cheap at the bookstore in the World Trade Center after the first bombing. They were selling off their entire stock as smoke damaged. This was one of many I took advantage of.

[Brian Sammons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horror and rock n' roll (specifically heavy metal) goes together like peanut butter and jelly. This book celebrates that with a bunch of fine stories.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

great short stories,I always want to make short films out of these.... +10 for Flaming Telepaths and the music as religion theme.

[Neal Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts quite strong, a decent drawn out Twilight Zone edged story from Stephen King, and ends very well with the usual mentalness from John Shirley.
Shame that there's a lot of filler in between.
There's a Graham Masterton tale that's looks like its going to be good. I was fully on board for the first few pages and expecting him to start ramping things up - quite sly, quite plausible (in context) but then just shuffles along with the rest of these short stories on a demonic contract riff.
And thats the problem, it gets repetitive very quickly. If you can't get enough of minor variations on the old 'artist sells their soul to satan, intentionally or otherwise' then your onto a winner.
If not just top and tail it.
Not nearly metal enough - except for John Shirley, that's hitting the spot. Just try and ignore his character's names.

[Tony C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shock Rock hit book store shelves during a time when “paperbacks from hell” were somewhat on the way out, but could capture readers (i.e., buyers) with the right gimmick. Okay, maybe it is unfair to call Shock Rock a “gimmicky” book. “Themed” would be more appropriate, as the collection features short stories that have a rock music angle. The original concept caught people’s attention, and deservedly so. Several excellent stories make the collection a solid addition to any 1980s horror pulp fan’s library.

[Jeanette Greaves · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I'm vacillating between three stars and four and then I remembered that this is about the fifth time I've read this collection. So I must like it.

OK, it's not literature. And the lack of female writers is one of the most shocking things about it (was it really usual for a horror anthology to be so male author heavy as recently as the early 1990s?) but I found myself really enjoying the stories again.

I'd conflated a couple of the stories together in my mind ...

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Rock music, so I was excited about a Rock-themed horror anthology. I wasn't impressed with the quality of writing, though.

My favorite story was "Weird Gig" by Ray Garton, in which a strange man offers a band $2 million dollars for a show. The band accepts, only to find a horror waiting for them.

[Frank Zegarra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuento Groupies de Matheson

El cuento me pareció crudo, directo y con un final incómodo. Te deja con una sensación de horror final, pero a la vez siento que se queda corto. No profundiza mucho en los personajes ni en lo que sienten, solo muestra lo crudo de la situación y listo.

El final es chocante, maldad y locura. Terror humano.

[Eric Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a forward by rock legend Alice Cooper then there are several Horror stories with the premise of rock and roll, heavy metal, or any music in general. There are some good stories and some that bored me. Hence the 3 stars out of 5.

[Hugo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rock 'n' Roll horror anthology, with a decent selection of authors, a few of which (and the book's being published in 1992) make this, in parts, an unofficial Splatterpunk collection from Schow, Ray Garton, Rex Miller, and John Shirley. Beyond that, an excellent range of stories.

[Brett Grossmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeff seems to always get the best collection of writers together

[Darlene Jilks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading these not so quite short stories-some humor and some scary moments-memories of deceased rockers.

[Georgina Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun short reads, there are lots of triggers though so be warned.

[Suvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not exactly the kind of horror stories I enjoy. I'm glad I didn't pay much for this.

[Natalie · Rating 1 out of 5]

"By Alice Cooper"? Please. He wrote the forward.

This was a collection of horror stories with a "rock and roll" theme to them. I can barely recall a single plot to a single one. Truly awful.

[Yvensong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story anthology are all horror stories with rock and roll as a major theme.
As with many short story anthologies, I enjoyed some of the stories and some of them were meh

[Morgue Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 84/150