SAL & THE WATCHERS - Spooky / The Watchers - Horror Halloween 45rpm

$

55

 SAL & THE WATCHERS - Spooky / The Watchers (Pio P 105) MEGA RARE 45rpm Horror/Halloween/Novelty in VG/VG+ Condition!

An extremely hard to find single, featuring two incredible and criminally overlooked tunes in the vein of "Monster Mash" recorded on an obscure, NYC area label in 1962.

This record is so obscure and rare that most guides don't even list it and Google only returns a little info, including a sale or two in the past for this record in the three digits!!!

I can't stand a rock and roll mystery, so I spent most of my morning trying to find more information about this rarity. Luckily I was able to get contact info for one of the co-writers and called him up!!!

John Dentato is the co-writer of these two wonderful songs and shed a lot of light on the story behind this recording with me (which even he was stunned that I had in my hands). PIO records was named after Saint Pio, and the investors had high hopes for the labels success (and thought that these two novelty songs would be a sure hit with the kids of the time) but due to poor promotion and little airplay, the single and the label went nowhere and likely the only recordings now rest in the hands of collectors! John also produced this single an is credited on the label as Johnny Dentato. He went on to compose songs for Frankie Laine and Connie Francis, as well as work with jazz legends including Nat King Cole and the avant garde songs of Yoko Ono. We had a great conversation and he seemed amazed that someone had a copy of this single in their hands - he even sang the chorus of "The Watchers" to me while reminiscing about the tune on the phone this morning. John is still out there performing as well in the NYC area! What an honor to talk with him about this. Mystery solved!

Both songs here belong in any serious record collection, not only for its rare status but also as examples of great novelty, horror themed recordings of the time which included stuff like Monster Mash, Purple People Eater, Dinner with Drac, Witch Doctor, etc. It's worth noting that the song "The Watchers" is a grand paranoia song which also includes a reference about "sparkin' up" (a possible early drug reference? I will have to ask John about this next time I talk with him) and "Spooky" is about as cool as any monster themed rock gets, complete with squeaky doors, screams and other sound effects!

Record HAS been tested and played - solid VG/VG+ condition with just light surface noise in the quieter parts! NO skips, NO pops.

Offering this for one time only - I seriously doubt you're likely to find another one for sale (and definitely not for what I'm asking here). Good luck!


(See grading description below for more information on condition)

I WILL COMBINE SHIPPING ON ALL MY ITEMS - if you are buying more than one item from me, PLEASE wait until I send you an updated invoice before making payment. Thank you - and YES, I will gladly wait til the end of my auctions to combine your order to save on shipping costs for you - all I ask is that you send me a quick message to let me know you are bidding on other items as well. Rock on!


Goldmine Grading Guide © Goldmine magazine:

Mint [M]: Absolutely perfect in every way - certainly never played, possibly even still sealed. (More on still sealed below). Should be used sparingly as a grade, if at all.

Near Mint [NM or M-]: A nearly perfect record. Many dealers won't give a grade higher than this implying (perhaps correctly) that no record is ever truly perfect. The record shows no obvious sign of wear. A 45 rpm sleeve has no more than the most minor defects, such as almost invisible ring wear or other signs of slight handling. An LP jacket has no creases, folds, seam splits or any other noticeable similar defect. No cut-out holes, either. And of course, the same is true of any other inserts, such as posters, lyric sleeves, and the like. Basically, Near Mint looks as if you just got it home from a new record store and removed the shrink wrap.

Very Good Plus/Excellent [VG+/EX]: Shows some signs that it was played and otherwise handled by a previous owner who took good care of it. Record surfaces may show some slight signs of wear and may have slight scuffs or very light scratches that don't affect one's listening experience. Slight warps that do not affect the sound are OK. The label may have some ring wear or discoloration, but is should be barely noticeable. The center hole is not misshapen by repeated play. Picture sleeves and LP inner sleeves will have some slight wear, lightly turn-up corners, or a slight seam-split. An LP jacket my have slight signs of wear also and may be marred by a cut-out hole, indentation or corner indicating it was taken out of print and sold at a discount. In general, if not for a couple of minor things wrong with it, this would be Near Mint. All but the most mint-crazy collectors will find a Very Good Plus record highly acceptable.

Very Good [VG]: Many of the defects found in a VG+ record are more pronounced in a VG disc. Surface noise is evident upon playing, especially in soft passages and during the song's intro and fade, but will not overpower the music otherwise. Groove wear will start to be noticeable, as will light scratches deep enough to feel with a fingernail that will affect the sound. Labels may be marred by writing, or have tape or stickers (or their residue) attached. The same will be true of picture sleeves or LP covers. However, it will not have all of these problems at the same time, only two or three of them.

Good [G], Good Plus [G+]: Good does not mean bad! A record in Good or Good Plus condition can be put onto a turntable and will play through without skipping. But it will have significant surface noise and scratches and visible groove wear. A jacket or sleeve has seam splits, especially at the bottom or on the spine. Tape, writing, ring wear or other defects will start to overwhelm the object. If it's a common item, you'll probably find another copy in better shape eventually. Pass it up. But if it's something you have been seeking for years, and the price is right, get it.

Poor [P], Fair [F]: The record is cracked, badly warped, and won't play through without skipping or repeating. The picture sleeve is water damaged, split on all three seams and heavily marred by wear and/or writing. The LP jacket barely keeps the LP inside it. Inner sleeves are fully seam split, and written upon. Except for impossibly rare records otherwise unattainable, records in this condition should be bought or sold for no more than a few cents each.

Still Sealed [SS]: Let the buyer beware, unless it's a U.S. pressing from the last 10-15 years or so. It's too easy to reseal. Yes, some legitimately never-opened LPs from the 1960s still exist. But if you're looking for a specific pressing, the only way you can know for sure is to open the record. Also, European imports are not factory-sealed, so if you see them advertised as sealed, someone other than the manufacturer sealed them.