How Goblin and Massimo Morante Almost Never Played Los Angeles
Drew Tinnin
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The Italian prog-metal legends known as Goblin inspired generations of horror fans and musicians to reimagine what a horror movie score could be. Their atmospheric brand of syncopated, moody funk breathed new life into cinema classics such as Dawn of the Dead and Suspiria. The loss of guitarist and founding member Massimo Morante last week signaled the end of an era for the band. Morante’s recent passing at the age of 69 also gives us all an opportunity to look back at their enduring legacy.
Ten years ago back in 2013, Goblin’s notoriety reached new levels internationally when the band reunited and toured the U.S. for the very first time. A full tour was never really the plan, however. Performances featuring the original lineup of Morante, keyboardist Claudio Simonetti and original bassist Fabio Pignatelli were becoming increasingly rare. It was simply unclear if a reunited Goblin could sell out theaters in America.
Goblin’s very first show in Los Angeles took place at the Egyptian Theater on October 21, 2013, in Hollywood. The founders of L.A.’s genre film festival Beyond Fest, Christian Parkes and Grant Moninger, decided to go big or go home for their very first year. So, they booked Goblin to perform a full, live set pulled from their most iconic scores, including giallo classics Suspiria, Tenebrae, and Deep Red with a screening of Suspiria to follow. Looking back, it’s not surprising that the event sold out in record time. But it almost never happened.
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Speaking with Dread Central, Moninger explained how he was talked into green-lighting the concert. The decision would either be the triumphant beginning of Beyond Fest or its abrupt and tragic end.
I work and program at the Cinematheque and one day this guy comes in off the street and pitches a genre fest for three weeks, which is something we wouldn’t do. We didn’t really know him from Adam but we got to talking and he said he had the band from Goblin lined up. Goblin could play and we could show Suspiria, Tenebrae, that kind of thing and I was sold. So I said, alright, if you bring Goblin here we’re doing it.
That “guy” was Christian Parkes, an idealistic, probably over-confident promoter and Cinematheque regular. Parkes revealed how he used the Egyptian theater location to lure Goblin to Los Angeles.
I’d been going to the Cinematheque for a bunch of years, they used to have this horror program there but it would do old stuff, classics like King Kong would be one day and the next day would be Takashi Miike’s Audition. So there was this real clash but it really stuck with me because LA is such a fragmented city and I really loved this strange piece of programming that pulled people together. I went into the Egyptian and, as Grant said, I kind of rolled up and said I’ve got Goblin. But the reality was I actually didn’t have Goblin, it was a bit of a bluff. I had the phone number for a booking agent who was apparently going to bring Goblin over. Then I called the booking agent and said I’ve got the best theater in LA and he was like, ‘Who are you?’ That was the first year. I was really hesitating as I was about to send the wire transfer. I had just sent the wire transfer and I just thought I hope somebody comes. Tickets went on sale a week later and sold out in a minute.
Parkes essentially tricked Moninger and Goblin’s booking agent into agreeing to a deal that could only happen if they actually believed that Parkes could deliver. It was a gamble that paid off for both parties. It also proved to be a win-win for the splintered L.A. genre community and horror fans nationwide. The mammoth success of Goblin’s first show at the Egyptian continued to propel the band on a whirlwind tour of the U.S. It also solidified Beyond Fest as one of the fastest-growing genre festivals in the country.
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I was lucky enough to see Goblin’s first U.S. tour at Webster Hall in New York. Everyone in the local horror community was there, reveling in attending a show that seemed like a surreal, religious experience. It felt like a concert, a film event, and a horror convention wrapped up in one (I’ve never seen a longer line for merch since). Massimo Morante was center stage playing “Dr. Frankenstein” with flying fingers and a devilish grin.
On their way to New York, Goblin also performed Suspiria live in Austin, TX at the short-lived Housecore Horror Film & Horror Festival founded by Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo. It was only five days after the concert at the Egyptian. Noticeably energized, the aging rockers were in a state of disbelief, still astonished by the historic response from American fans. With Argento’s images ablaze on the screen behind him, diehard fans erupted when keyboardist Maurizio Guarini acknowledged the occasion from the stage. He said simply, “thank you for waiting for us…we are here.”
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