2026 PCGG Day Eight: The Big Bad “Hexed” on Vinyl

Today’s first pick in The 2026 PopCult Gift Guide is featured on Radio Free Charleston today, with tracks from it opening the first and second hours of the show.

HEXED
by The Big Bad
Horror Hound Records
Vinyl-only release
$30 Available only from The Big Bad website, or at live shows

What we have here is a great, long-awaited album by West Virginia’s The Big Bad. It’s local, it’s on vinyl, and it’s music that has not been released before.

It’s a perfect gift for anybody who wants to support local artists, or anybody who loves horror-infected Rockabilly, or anybody who just enjoys great, independent music.

And, I can’t really be objective about it because I’ve been friends with these guys for a long time. The Big Bad were on the RFC video show many, many times, and on this album, my wife an I are among the guest musicians.

Mel was invited to a recording session to be part of a local all-star choir for one song, and while there I was drafted to contribute backing vocals and handclaps (along with Mel) on the title track. We had great fun hanging out at Crow’s Nest Studio, and it was wild making my singing debut on a record with no warning.

I was not expecting that, but it was fun, and I don’t think I hexed the recording session or anything.

However, that song is the title track, “Hexed,” and the recording session happened in 2019, with the record just now coming out, so I can’t promise that my participation didn’t curse things.

Seriously, though, the band has been through many line-up and life changes in the COVID horrors that followed the recording session, and for now, this is a vinyl-only release. CDs and downloads will happen after additional mastering sessions take place, but right now you can get the primal, vinyl mix of this killer album directly from the band.

And you should. There are loads of killer tracks on the album, and there’s even a mystery bonus track on side two…which is not to be confused the mystery bonus tracks on RFC. 

If you tune into the episode of Radio Free Charleston that debuts November 10, you can hear “Hexed” open the show, and “The Storm,” with the choir, open the second hour. The third hour features an artist who will be the basis of our next entry in The 2026 PopCult Gift Guide.