Horrortorio: The Story Behind the Music

In 1989, Caruso band members Mike, Joe and Rob Caruso released the album “I Love You… And Other Stories.” Although Dave Caruso had officially left the group a few years earlier, all four brothers continued to collaborate periodically in songwriting, in the studio and onstage.

In 1990, Allen Park Symphony conductor Jim Hamman decided to bring his symphony and the Caruso band together in a single evening of entertainment. A performance date was set for Sunday, October 28th, 1990, Halloween weekend. Hamman chose several haunting orchestral pieces suitable for the holiday, added the four songs from “I Love You… And Other Stories” and then wrapped everything together with an original narration to be read by a local radio personality in between songs. He called the finished product “Horrortorio.” In the narration, he referred to it as "Rock meets Bach."

The story told of a fictional character named Rob and his girlfriend, Mary Ann. The stage production took on a Sgt. Pepper flavor, with the members of Caruso as the story's heroes, dressed in band uniforms and other costumes, while the orchestra and the rock band played side by side. Dave Caruso appeared as a guest performer and vocal director for Caruso.

Newspaper photo advertising "Horrortorio"

"Scarboro Fair"

For Simon & Garfunkel's "Scarboro Fair," Mike, Rob and Dave Caruso appeared in funeral dress -- trenchcoats and dark glasses -- and sang the canticle with the stage cloaked in fog.

"I remember the rehearsals for 'Scarboro Fair,' said Dave. "That was challenging to sing because of the key and because it put each of our voices in very exposed positions in the arrangement. The song began with each of us singing a line of lead vocal, then the rest of the song was call and response. We rehearsed the song both together and separately and everybody did a terrific job. I don't normally get nervous onstage but that was a big undertaking for three guys with no vocal training. Performing the finished product onstage with Mike and Rob was a very memorable moment for me."

For the Caruso songs, Jim Hamman wrote special orchestral arrangements for his symphony, who played right along with the band. Dave: "I read somewhere that the orchestra members at the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper sessions were pretty unsettled by the experience. For 'Horrortorio,' there were at least a couple of times when we noticed some of the symphony members wincing at our stage volume."

After the last note was played, the front of the stage erupted in a sizzling pyrotechnic display. For the encore, Joe played a classical clarinet solo with the AP Symphony, followed by the four brothers playing "London," from their previous album, “In the Face.” Halfway through that last song, the bass guitar amp gave out. Otherwise the evening was a great success.

Caruso in Pepperesque uniform

Rob, Dave, Mike and Joe Caruso taking their bows

More Horrortorio:

Scarboro Fair (Edit)

Every Little Thing (Edit)