Coming up this October, the public will be provided a chance to get an up-close look at an impressively large collection of horror masks curated by a Chillicothe-based YouTube creator, all while mingling with a full line-up of celebrity guests from the world of horror-themed art and media.
Chillicothe’s AJ Good is inviting the public to look behind the curtain of his downtown studio known as The House of Masks. It's part of the Horror Convention titled Palefest scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 8th at Good’s downtown Chillicothe studio.
“Palefest is the combination of my House of Masks entity and my best friend Bishop Walker’s Paleface company,” said Good. “We held an open house last year for fans of the channel and locals who’ve always wondered what’s in this building that you can’t go in. I had Paleface at the open house because it’s a sister company to me. I promote his items on my channel and he makes really cool stuff for the hobby. As soon as the open house was over, we were like ‘that was unbelievable, we have to do something else!’ So, since then every spare second has gone in to planning for this convention.”
Good, at the age of 29, has spent a significant portion of his life amassing a large collection of horror and Halloween masks, some entirely original, others based on popular horror franchises, and some worn by members of theatrical Metal music acts.
Hundreds upon hundreds of horror masks currently line the walls of Good's 51 East Main Street studio, where he also shoots video content for his YouTube channel that operates under the name House of Masks.
Good started his YouTube channel in 2011 and today it boasts a respectable subscriber count of more than 140,000 and growing. House of Masks videos typically chronicle new procurements for Good's continuously growing collection but also deal in his various pop-cultural and musical interests. Good's channel even offers a few in-depth interviews with members of theatrical Metal bands such as GWAR's Don Drakulich and Chuck Varga, and Mudvayne's Chad Gray.
The success of AJ's YouTube channel has allowed him develop relationships with some his most admired musical performers and others that design and create the very type of masks that initially sparked his passion for the hobby. In fact, The House of Masks and its supporting YouTube channel have become so successful that its become AJ's full-time profession.
October's Palefest convention will make the second time Good has provided the public a glimpse at his collection. A similar public event was held in October of 2021, and it received such a large turnout that this year Good and his longtime friend and collaborator, Bishop Walker, chose to extend the event's runtime and bring in even more items and personalities for curious visitors to see and experience. Last year's open house began at 9:00 p.m. and this time, AJ says his studio will open at noon. He'll then continue to invite visitors through all day until the crowd fizzles out.
Palefest comes with a $10 admission and offers an impressive list of guest appearances.
One of those guests will be the previously mentioned Paleface mask company helmed by Good’s friend and collaborator Bishop Walker.
Walker’s Paleface company operates online and specializes in what AJ calls "nostalgia lines” which he defines as vintage replica masks that have been discontinued or have become difficult to find. You can check out the Paleface website HERE.
One of the most notable featured personalities at Palefest will be Sleazy P. Martini of the Richmond, Virginia-based Metal band GWAR.
Formed in 1985 by a group of musicians and art students, GWAR is known for their highly elaborate stage shows where members dress in detailed costumes and perform graphically violent but overtly over-the-top and cartoony mock executions of their enemies, which range from current celebrities and politicians to past historical figures and villains existing within the band's own mythos. Subsequently, all manner of bodily fluids get spewed onto the live viewing audience below.
Musically GWAR provides a mix of Punk-fused-Metal and Trash Metal, rife with violent, profane, and sexually charged lyrical content featuring heavy doses of satirical socio-political commentary.
Rather than a band, GWAR should more accurately be viewed as an artist collective dedicated to bringing to life a comicbook-esque mythology centered around a group of barbaric interplanetary warriors banished to Earth for their numerous crimes.
Over the decades GWAR has included a revolving door of artists and musicians, some responsible for writing and performing the band's songs, others dedicated to designing and producing the band's detailed costumes, props and stage dressing.
Sleazy P. Martini is a long-time member of the GWAR-tist collective and portrays the band's manager who discovered the immortal space-faring pillagers frozen deep inside of an icy Antarctic fortress. He's recognizable by his exaggerated pompadour hair style, gaudy gold chains and brightly colored pimp-like suits.
Photo: Sleazy P. Martini
The mythos is: Fearing his arrest, Sleazy flees the United States and while flying over Antarctica, his helicopter crashes. He soon discovers a cave where the band of ancient warriors are frozen in an icy tomb. GWAR had previously been banished to Earth by a cosmic being known as The Master for their unruly behavior and were then frozen away in the Antarctic after further angering The Master by procreating with apes and creating the human race. Sleazy awakens the creatures and is nearly executed by them but manages to win their allegiance. He soon learns the murderous band of monsters possess a knack for music and lures them back to the U.S. to exploit their talent.
The man beneath the pompadour is artist, writer, director, and film-maker Don Drakulich. After graduating with a Fine Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984, Drakulich joined GWAR in 1986 and has since been one of the group's chief artistic forces. Over the years he's been responsible for a significant portion of band's conceptual design and the engineering its many elaborate costumes and stage props. He's also provided vocals for some of band's songs along with performing in and directing some of their music videos. Drakulich is even credited with introducing the live spew effects that the group is likely best well-known for.
Drakulich has since stepped back from full-time involvement with GWAR. He no longer tours with band, but he does continue to contribute to the fabrication of its costumes and props. These days he runs his own production company Hypereal Productions and maintains a couple of YouTube channels. His main channel Sleazy P. Martini focuses on the Sleazy P. character and offers fans live discussions on a wide variety of topics including, but not limited to, internet culture, news, and politics. His second channel What Did You Do in the GWAR Daddy? features musings and reflections on his time with band. Don also runs a Twitch channel under the Sleazy P. Martini moniker where he treats fans to a weekly movie viewing party. Drakulich also sometimes takes commissions for custom art pieces.
Over the past decade, GWAR and its fans have been dealt a couple of painful losses. The first came when guitarist Cory Smoot a.k.a. Flattus Maximus died as the result of a blood clot in late 2011. The second came in March of 2014 when the band's iconic frontman and lead singer Dave Brockie a.k.a. Oderous Urungus also passed away unexpectedly. Despite the tragic losses, GWAR has forged on with members old and new and are set to invade Cleveland this Thursday, September 15th in support of their 15th studio album The New Dark Ages.
It's important to note that GWAR deals in subject matter that is considered by some to be offensive, but if you'd like to see GWAR in action, you can click the link to find a clean-lyric video version of GWAR's Zombies March from the Oderous-led GWAR era featuring Sleazy P. Martini, or you can watch the clean-lyric video Ratcatcher from the current Blothar the Berserker era of GWAR. Visit GWAR's website HERE.
AJ's collection includes a healthy assortment of GWAR masks and props. Some of his GWAR items are recreations while others are pieces made by GWAR's production company Slave Pit Inc. but not used by the band. Other items in his GWAR collection though include actual costumes, masks and stage props used by the band during past live performances.
Another distinguished guest to appear at Palefest will be Ed and Marsha Edmunds, owner operators of the Colorado-based Halloween prop manufacturing company Distortions Unlimited.
Photo: Distortions Unlimited
The Edmunds and their team of artists for more than 40 years have been creating the type of high-quality Halloween and horror-themed props, costumes, masks and animatronics that are often found at haunted houses and theme parks, or any other event or attraction in need of a touch of the frightening and macabre.
You may have seen some of the world-renowned creations from Distortions Unlimited on the television show Making Monsters, which aired during fall months on the Travel Channel in the early 2010s. The show ran from 2011 to 2013 and followed the behind-the-scenes efforts of the company as they worked to provide their creepy-themed art to those in need at various haunted attractions, private events and even undertakings by well-known musical acts and entertainers such as rock-greats Alice Cooper and Megadeth, and the legendary actor and comedian Dick van Dyke.
If you'd like to learn more about Distortions Unlimited, you can visit their website or their YouTube page.
Other notable names set to appear at Palefest are:
Aunt Donna - Lead vocalist of the theatrical Industrial Metal band Kissing Candice. Check out the video for their single Hallowed Ground.
Photo: Kissing Candice
Lindemann Haunt Studios - Hosts a collection of high quality masks and art hand-crafted in Gypsum, Ohio.
Machete Man Customs - Online mask manufacturer and vendor that specializes in replicas of masks and props from the Friday the 13th series.
The Devil's Reel - Photography business that specializes in portrait and product photos with a dark twist, primarily consisting of masks and busts created by independent artists.
Lani Mask - Mask sculptor and YouTuber.
Stay Metal Ray - YouTuber and musician whose video content focuses on music tips as well as instrument and gear reviews.
Joshua Everetts - Artist, sculptor and mask maker.
Alexander Titanium - Professional costume fabricator and mask maker for the haunt industry, theme parks, and musicians.
Mark Nosler - Graphic Artist and Producer.
Other exhibitors scheduled to appear at Palefest are Sad Clown Studios, Psychosmil3y and Jared Smalley.
Again, Palefest is set to begin at noon on Saturday, October 8th at the House of Masks, located at 51 East Main Street in Chillicothe, Ohio. $10 gets you in the door.