Imagine Buck Owens’ twangy guitar riffs and a Hee Haw-style backing band, but with a dash of humor. From the world of Country-Western novelty comes JSqrd & the Mixed-Up Zombies, whose debut offering is sure to leave you chuckling – like a cross between a Weird Al Yankovic parody and a Monty Python sketch, but with a decidedly country flair. If you’re a fan of country music, comedy, or just plain weirdness, ‘Do The Wilhelm Scream’ is a refreshing and entertaining ditty that’s sure to leave you smiling.
Inspired by an iconic sound that has echoed through theaters for generations, the San Francisco collective has taken inspiration from a Hollywood tradition dating back to 1951, JJ (JSqrd) Holoubek brings this effect from the silver screen to the music scene in a fun and upbeat country-rock song that will have you tapping your feet to sounds once synonymous with thrill and suspense.
Based in San Francisco, JJ Holoubek has spent decades playing guitar and bass in bands – both original and cover bands – spanning California’s central coast and the SF Bay Area. However, he is best known as a founding member of the Trees of Mystery, a much-beloved band of semi-alcoholic musical misfits and troublemakers from San Luis Obispo, CA, who grabbed for the brass ring only to come up empty-handed.
“I wanted to keep the “original” version of this song simple, fun and easily recognizable, while offering a similarly goofy hip-hop(ish) version. The kernel for the tunes was planted long ago upon learning the history of “The Wilhelm Scream”, an often-used sound effect used in many Hollywood films, and popularized by directors George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. It was my intention to sprinkle the tunes with everyday people’s interpretations of the iconic shreik to induce nothing more or less than than a goofy chuckle, the ultimate purpose of the novelty song,” says JJ Holoubek (JSqrd).
“In an effort to join the pantheon of humorous American novelty songs, and a purely Halloween-related one at that, I recruited/strong-armed my family and friends to give me their best versions of the iconic movie sound effect, the Wilhelm scream, with the fervent hope of providing a dose of much needed silliness for all to enjoy.”
Guitars, guitarists, and their bands have been of a lifelong interest to JSqrd. From the likes of Duane Allman, the Steve’s of Howe & Hackett and Tom Verlaine, he’s taken chunks and/or tidbits from them all, added a dash of Capt. Beefheart and punk what-have-you to form, however misshapen, an approach and tone uniquely his own. Serving up a novelty song seemed like the only right and proper thing to do; a quite natural outcome when mixing blues, prog, new wave and noise.
An avid Burning Man attendee, JSqrd has been bringing half- and nearly full-assed art to the event for better than a quarter century. His “art” has lived, crashed, burned and risen by the event’s unofficial moto: One thousand great ideas, poorly executed. Also a seasoned voice-over artist and actor, JJ Holoubek has never been shy to put a smile on an horribly written infomercial or butcher any accent from any continent.
Get your freak on as JSqrd & the Mixed-Up Zombies invites you to… Do the Wilhelm Scream!! The single is available everywhere online, including Spotify, Apple Music and Bandcamp.
CREDITS
Music and lyrics written by JJ Holoubek
Performed by JJ Holoubek, except drums by Phil Gonsalves
Produced by JJ Holoubek
Engineered & mixed by Wesley Price at Sauce Pot Studios (San Luis Obispo, CA)
Song recorded, mixed and mastered by Wesley Price
Video created by Wesley Price and Xander Bissell
Artist photos & single cover image by Xander Bissell
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