Song Of The Succubus

published in Fatal Visions No.4, Melbourne, 1989

Jehovah's witness! What in hell do we have here? Song Of The Succubus (1974) is neither a film nor an episode of Thriller, but a direct-to-video rock teleplay starring a group called Moon led by one Kim Milsford. Boy, is it a time capsule or what!

Flashback to the credit sequence: a whole panorama of Los Angeles billboards for albums like Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery and David Bowie's Pin-Ups, so I figure we're talking 1974, what with those releases getting a big push in the States by Atlantic and RCA respectively. The best thing Song Of The Succubus does is remind us of how much the cosmo cities of the States (and in particular LA and its glamour capital, Hollywood) picked up on Glam Rock - which is contrary to how rock histories portrayed West Coast Rock at this time with the pumped up rejuvenation of wimpy country/folk roots through the Eagles and the like. Let's not forget that Bowie's second major Glam opus - Aladdin Sane - was totally based on how much the States freaked him out. Anyway, the point is that Glam hit big in the American Underground of the time (especially via the Bowie/Iggy/Reed ties) and Song Of The Succubus is a fascinating document of this transatlantic epoch in rock music.

Okay, Song Of The Succubus is pretty bad - make that real bad - but the performance of Moon (in their songs, their acting and their image) has to be seen to be believed. Kim Milsford looks like a Jim Dandy (remember those redneck cock-rockers Black Oak Arkansas whose front man, Jim Dandy, wore white tights and long blonde hair?) who has been dipping into his mum's wardrobe. Like, bad Glam. Imagine Pilot with too much hair on their chests. Yeuch! Those Americanos always looked too tough for Glam; it always looked better on English whips. And what about the rest of Moon? What can I say but picture Skyhooks on a real bad night - like on a comeback tour in 1979 or something: cheap make up, cosmic frills, a dash of shock rock, all presented in a pseudo-outrageous tone. Moon were one dud of a band. Their bass player looks like the Beaver grown up wrong (goofy teeth and bad acne); the drummer looks like a hamburger version of Billy Bunter (with crushed velvet overalls and tie-dye T-shirts - those crazy drummers!); and the foxy chick co-lead singer looks like Joan Baez impersonating Amanda Lear (check it out!).

Was there a story in this telly play? Yeah, something about Kim having visions of this old Hollywood starlet from the 20s who was murdered (by Punky Brewster's adopted father, no less) and who's trying to get him to uncover the mystery. Meanwhile the rest of the band think Kim is flipping out (like, insane for real) and are pissed he is screwing up a new record deal by wanting to record a 'modern rock' version of this old ballad the dead starlet had originally made famous. But forget the story and listen to the songs they perform, with music Bowie wood have rejected from his The Man Who Sold The World, and lyrics that even Robert Plant would have rejected. Plus, all the band members seem intent on showing us what wonderful all-round performers they are with their acting - which ain't much better than the two youngest brats from The Partridge Family (you know, the drummer and the tambourine girl). And I haven't even mentioned the audience at the club where Moon have their residency! Look - I'm breathless. Song Of The Succubus hit our screens like a time capsule from another planet late one starry night. If you see it listed again and you can appreciate the finer things in life (like Glam Rock) do not miss it!

Text © Philip Brophy 1989. Images © respective copyright holders