I can’t say I’ve ever been a huge fan of western films.  I mean, I’ll watch “Tombstone” whenever it’s on (because it’s awesome).  But I’ve never watched most of the classics. 

But somehow the music from those films like “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly” and “A Fistful of Dollars” has infiltrated my brain over the years.  Ennio Morricone, who wrote the scores for all those old spaghetti westerns, is an amazing composer.  Who doesn’t know “ooweeooooh!” 🙂

I was going through the Roadside Attraction archives (which are in my closet next to the red shirts) looking for some cool vault item to release this month.  I found one little western instrumental called “El Bandido” on a disc of songwriting demos.  And I found another called “Haunted Spaghetti” that I recorded for a project in college.  Many years apart, but they both tapped into that Ennio Morricone western vein, filtered through my jazz sensibilities.

I brought them into my studio to remaster and thought it might be fun to record a new one to go along with them.  After a few days of playing around, I came up with “Out To Get Them”.

3 tracks, just over 5 minutes of music, 15 years in the making.  That must get me some sort of world record for procrastination. 🙂 

So that’s “A Fistful of Spaghetti” On the player below, click Play, click Share, click Download.  Downloads are free or donation, so don’t be shy.

Stories of the Songs:

El Bandido – El Bandido rides the trail on the way to his next adventure, keeping a wary eye around him at all times. Suddenly he sees him mark coming up over the rise, a coach laden with gold bars from the bank, but also something far more valuable. He makes his run at it, a fight ensues, and El Bandido walks away a little richer and with that really cute pink hat one of the ladies on board was wearing.

Haunted Spaghetti – Two cowboys asleep by their campfire are awoken by a scream as a phantom in the form of a pantless Milton Berle bears down on them and chases them through the forest until they meet their mysterious end.

Out To Get Them – The Sheriff and his men head out of town at mid-aftenoon for a long hot ride to get their man. As they cross over the ridge out of sight they realize that they’re all in this together and they might not come back. Unless one of them forgot his toothbrush. Then they may have to go back and start over again.