Iconic musicians in vampire films
October 12, 2022 1:50 PM Subscribe
Got to thinking about how Bowie was in The Hunger and Tom Waits was in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Are there other vampire movies with iconic musicians? Other horror works too .
Aaliyah in Queen of the Damned
posted by iximox at 2:02 PM on October 12, 2022 [11 favorites]
posted by iximox at 2:02 PM on October 12, 2022 [11 favorites]
Best answer: Here are some bigger names:
-Tom Waits is also in Wolfen
-And Peter Murphy is also in The Hunger
-Henry Rollins is the star of He Never Died
-Foo Fighters recently starred in their own horror film, the demonic possession horror comedy Studio 666
-Iggy Pop and Lemmy are both in Richard Stanley's 1990 sci-fi/horror Hardware
-Alice Cooper is in John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness
-Debbie Harry is the second lead in David Cronenberg's Videodrome
-Sting is in The Bride, though I don't recommend The Bride. Or Sting.
-Ozzy Osbourne is the 1986 film Trick or Treat. So is Gene Simmons. Simmons is also the villain in the sci-fi-horror Runaway
-John Doe from X is in The Rage: Carrie 2
And here are some lesser-revered names:
-Vanity is in Terror Train though that was before she was a famous musician
-Tito & Tarantula are great in From Dusk 'Til Dawn
-NRBQ play zombie extras in Day of the Dead
-Sonny Bono is in Troll
-Tiny Tim is in Blood Harvest
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:06 PM on October 12, 2022 [15 favorites]
-Tom Waits is also in Wolfen
-And Peter Murphy is also in The Hunger
-Henry Rollins is the star of He Never Died
-Foo Fighters recently starred in their own horror film, the demonic possession horror comedy Studio 666
-Iggy Pop and Lemmy are both in Richard Stanley's 1990 sci-fi/horror Hardware
-Alice Cooper is in John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness
-Debbie Harry is the second lead in David Cronenberg's Videodrome
-Sting is in The Bride, though I don't recommend The Bride. Or Sting.
-Ozzy Osbourne is the 1986 film Trick or Treat. So is Gene Simmons. Simmons is also the villain in the sci-fi-horror Runaway
-John Doe from X is in The Rage: Carrie 2
And here are some lesser-revered names:
-Vanity is in Terror Train though that was before she was a famous musician
-Tito & Tarantula are great in From Dusk 'Til Dawn
-NRBQ play zombie extras in Day of the Dead
-Sonny Bono is in Troll
-Tiny Tim is in Blood Harvest
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:06 PM on October 12, 2022 [15 favorites]
Some more:
-Iggy Pop and Tom Waits are both in Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Won't Die
-Grace Jones is one of the top line stars of Vamp
-Kris Kristofferson is in the Blade Trilogy
-Harry Nilsson is the lead (and does the songs) in the Ringo Starr-produced 1974 Son of Dracula
-Roger Daltrey is in The Legacy
-Micky Dolenz from the Monkees is in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween
-Debbie Harry and David Johansen are both in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
-Alice Cooper is also in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
-Dee Snider from Twister Sister stars in and wrote Strangeland
-Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers has a part in Gus Van Sant's weird Psycho remake/homage
-The Offspring are in Idle Hands
-Henry Rollins is in the Project Greenlight horror film Feast as well as Wrong Turn 2
-Meat Loaf is in Bloodrayne and Urban Decay
-Chester Bennington is in Saw 3-D
-Cherrie Currie from The Runaways is in Parasite and Twilight Zone: The Movie
-Blackie Lawless and the other members of W.A.S.P are the villains in one of the segments in the horror anthology film The Dungeonmaster
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:24 PM on October 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
-Iggy Pop and Tom Waits are both in Jim Jarmusch's The Dead Won't Die
-Grace Jones is one of the top line stars of Vamp
-Kris Kristofferson is in the Blade Trilogy
-Harry Nilsson is the lead (and does the songs) in the Ringo Starr-produced 1974 Son of Dracula
-Roger Daltrey is in The Legacy
-Micky Dolenz from the Monkees is in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween
-Debbie Harry and David Johansen are both in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
-Alice Cooper is also in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
-Dee Snider from Twister Sister stars in and wrote Strangeland
-Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers has a part in Gus Van Sant's weird Psycho remake/homage
-The Offspring are in Idle Hands
-Henry Rollins is in the Project Greenlight horror film Feast as well as Wrong Turn 2
-Meat Loaf is in Bloodrayne and Urban Decay
-Chester Bennington is in Saw 3-D
-Cherrie Currie from The Runaways is in Parasite and Twilight Zone: The Movie
-Blackie Lawless and the other members of W.A.S.P are the villains in one of the segments in the horror anthology film The Dungeonmaster
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:24 PM on October 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
Are you also considering TV shows? American Horror Story had Lady Gaga (Season 5, Hotel, the vampire-y one) and Stevie Nicks (Season 3, Coven, the witch-themed one).
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 2:33 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Sockin'inthefreeworld at 2:33 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
-Sting is in The Bride, though I don't recommend The Bride. Or Sting.
His role in Quadrophenia was a good match, but that was before he got famous. And it wasn't a horror film anyway.
posted by Stoneshop at 2:34 PM on October 12, 2022
His role in Quadrophenia was a good match, but that was before he got famous. And it wasn't a horror film anyway.
posted by Stoneshop at 2:34 PM on October 12, 2022
Glenn Danzig was in Death Rider in the House of Vampires (and probably a lot of other stuff)
posted by music for skeletons at 2:38 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by music for skeletons at 2:38 PM on October 12, 2022 [1 favorite]
Kiss was in Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.
I recommend neither.
posted by box at 2:44 PM on October 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
I recommend neither.
posted by box at 2:44 PM on October 12, 2022 [5 favorites]
More, trying not to repeat, shoutout to several listicles, and some of these are, uh, more iconic than others:
Adam Ant is in Spellcaster
Ashanti is in Resident Evil 3: Extinction
Toni Basil is in Slaughterhouse Rock
Joey Belladonna is in Pledge Night
Beyonce in in Obsessed (more thriller than horror, one of the few movies on this list I've seen)
Jon Bon Jovi is in Vampires Los Muertos
Sonny Bono was in Troll
Brandy is in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Busta Rhymes is in Halloween Resurrection
Alice Cooper is in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Jonathan Davis is in Queen of the Damned
Bruce Dickinson is in Chemical Wedding
Guitar Wolf stars in Wild Zero
Debbie Harry (and David Johansen) is also in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
Paris Hilton is in House of Wax
Ice Cube (and Jennifer Lopez) is in Anaconda
Ice-T is in Leprechaun in the Hood
Iggy Pop is also in The Crow: City of Angels
Ron Keel is in Bad Channels
Lee Ving is in Nightmares and Grave Secrets
LL Cool J is in Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later
Lordi is in Dark Floors
Christina Milian is in Pulse
The Misfits (2000 Danzig-free version) are in Bruiser and Campfire Stories
Dave Mustaine is in Halloween Pussy Trap Kill Kill
NRBQ are extras in Day of the Dead
P!nk is in Catacombs
Henry Rollins is also in He Never Died
Kelly Rowland is in Freddy vs. Jason
Snoop Dogg was in Bones
Donnie Wahlberg is in Saw II
Tom Waits is in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Wolfen
posted by box at 3:04 PM on October 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
Adam Ant is in Spellcaster
Ashanti is in Resident Evil 3: Extinction
Toni Basil is in Slaughterhouse Rock
Joey Belladonna is in Pledge Night
Beyonce in in Obsessed (more thriller than horror, one of the few movies on this list I've seen)
Jon Bon Jovi is in Vampires Los Muertos
Sonny Bono was in Troll
Brandy is in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Busta Rhymes is in Halloween Resurrection
Alice Cooper is in Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Jonathan Davis is in Queen of the Damned
Bruce Dickinson is in Chemical Wedding
Guitar Wolf stars in Wild Zero
Debbie Harry (and David Johansen) is also in Tales from the Darkside: The Movie
Paris Hilton is in House of Wax
Ice Cube (and Jennifer Lopez) is in Anaconda
Ice-T is in Leprechaun in the Hood
Iggy Pop is also in The Crow: City of Angels
Ron Keel is in Bad Channels
Lee Ving is in Nightmares and Grave Secrets
LL Cool J is in Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later
Lordi is in Dark Floors
Christina Milian is in Pulse
The Misfits (2000 Danzig-free version) are in Bruiser and Campfire Stories
Dave Mustaine is in Halloween Pussy Trap Kill Kill
NRBQ are extras in Day of the Dead
P!nk is in Catacombs
Henry Rollins is also in He Never Died
Kelly Rowland is in Freddy vs. Jason
Snoop Dogg was in Bones
Donnie Wahlberg is in Saw II
Tom Waits is in Bram Stoker's Dracula and Wolfen
posted by box at 3:04 PM on October 12, 2022 [9 favorites]
We accept the challenge! How could anyone forget Jon Mikl Thor in Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare?!
posted by iamkimiam at 3:16 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by iamkimiam at 3:16 PM on October 12, 2022 [2 favorites]
Peter Murphy also had a terrible bit part in one of the terrible Twilight movies…but it is a vampire movie!
posted by vanitas at 4:09 PM on October 12, 2022
posted by vanitas at 4:09 PM on October 12, 2022
This list definitely isn't complete without acknowledging Reba McEntire in Tremors. (Not vampire film, but kinda horror.)
posted by straw at 4:21 PM on October 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by straw at 4:21 PM on October 12, 2022 [6 favorites]
From Dusk 'Til Dawn featured super dope chicano rockers Tito and Tarantula as the house band at the Titty Twister.
Not a big fan of that flick, I think it's kind of up its own ass, but I adored those guys and when Sex Machine says "now let's kill that fucking band," it is 100% earned.
posted by Sauce Trough at 4:41 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
Not a big fan of that flick, I think it's kind of up its own ass, but I adored those guys and when Sex Machine says "now let's kill that fucking band," it is 100% earned.
posted by Sauce Trough at 4:41 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
Paul Williams starred in Phantom of the Paradise.
posted by hydrophonic at 5:47 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by hydrophonic at 5:47 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
One of the central characters in Only Lovers Left Alive is vampire who is an iconic musician within the world of the movie. I know that's not quite what you asked, but it takes your question and makes it the plot!
posted by dizziest at 5:47 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
posted by dizziest at 5:47 PM on October 12, 2022 [4 favorites]
The cast of Suck, a "rock and roll vampire musical black comedy horror film" includes Alice Cooper, Moby, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Dimitri Coats, & Alex Lifeson.
posted by superna at 7:35 PM on October 12, 2022
posted by superna at 7:35 PM on October 12, 2022
The Foo Fighters made a horror movie called Studio 666.
posted by matildaben at 8:54 PM on October 12, 2022
posted by matildaben at 8:54 PM on October 12, 2022
Penny Ford (Snap!, Soul II Soul) was in the first Killjoy film.
Snoop Dogg was in Hood of Horror (maybe voice only--I haven't seen it)
Donald Glover was in The Lazarus Effect
posted by hydrophonic at 10:21 PM on October 12, 2022
Snoop Dogg was in Hood of Horror (maybe voice only--I haven't seen it)
Donald Glover was in The Lazarus Effect
posted by hydrophonic at 10:21 PM on October 12, 2022
Will Smith in I Am Legend
Peter Frampton appears in Ringo Starr's The Son of Dracula, referenced in a previous answer
Various horror:
Levi Stubbs voiced "Audrey II" in Little Shop of Horrors
Yasiin Bey/Mos Def in Island of the Dead
Meat Loaf in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Stage Fright
Art Garfunkel in Boxing Helena
Frankie Avalon in The Haunted House of Horror and Blood Song
Janelle Monáe in Antebellum
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:07 AM on October 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
Peter Frampton appears in Ringo Starr's The Son of Dracula, referenced in a previous answer
Various horror:
Levi Stubbs voiced "Audrey II" in Little Shop of Horrors
Yasiin Bey/Mos Def in Island of the Dead
Meat Loaf in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Stage Fright
Art Garfunkel in Boxing Helena
Frankie Avalon in The Haunted House of Horror and Blood Song
Janelle Monáe in Antebellum
posted by Iris Gambol at 12:07 AM on October 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
Not sure if she counts as iconic but Ronee Blakley is in A Return to Salem's Lot
posted by Chenko at 11:00 AM on October 13, 2022
posted by Chenko at 11:00 AM on October 13, 2022
Adam Ant is in Spellcaster
And also, Love Bites, a specifically vampire movie!
posted by notoriety public at 7:06 AM on October 14, 2022
And also, Love Bites, a specifically vampire movie!
posted by notoriety public at 7:06 AM on October 14, 2022
Micky Dolenz from the Monkees is in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween
More importantly, he's also in the psychotronic The Night of the Strangler.
Jon Mikl Thor in Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare?!
He also wrote and starred in the sequel, the Intercessor. He was also in Zombie Nightmare.
posted by Ashwagandha at 11:47 AM on October 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
More importantly, he's also in the psychotronic The Night of the Strangler.
Jon Mikl Thor in Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare?!
He also wrote and starred in the sequel, the Intercessor. He was also in Zombie Nightmare.
posted by Ashwagandha at 11:47 AM on October 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
Dare we forget Tim Cappello's inexplicably oiled chest in The Lost Boys?
Australian diva
posted by Jilder at 1:11 AM on October 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Australian diva
posted by Jilder at 1:11 AM on October 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
One of the central characters in Only Lovers Left Alive is vampire who is an iconic musician within the world of the movie.
Well the actual musician appearance of note in that film is Yasmine Hamdan's performance of 'Hal' - she's not precisely a character in the narrative, but the characters are attending one of her shows.
posted by FatherDagon at 12:39 PM on October 25, 2022
Well the actual musician appearance of note in that film is Yasmine Hamdan's performance of 'Hal' - she's not precisely a character in the narrative, but the characters are attending one of her shows.
posted by FatherDagon at 12:39 PM on October 25, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by canoehead at 1:59 PM on October 12, 2022 [10 favorites]