Written by: Luis Vox
Kentucky crossover thrash maniacs BELUSHI SPEED BALL are back with a ridiculous new video for “How Tough Am I?” and it’s exactly the kind of chaotic nonsense you want in your life. The clip features a cameo from everyone’s favorite deranged uncle, Lloyd Kaufman, and sticks hard to the classic Troma Entertainment formula. Micro budget, gallons of fake blood, toxic sludge, and plenty of things going horribly wrong.
In the video, the band can’t be bothered to actually play a gig, so they kick back and watch a VHS tape from Kaufman explaining how to build a monster to haul their gear. What follows is pure stupidity in the best way, the kind that has you laughing one second and throwing elbows the next.
We caught up with vocalist Vinny Crastellano to talk about the madness, his favorite horror films, and how they roped Uncle Lloyd into the whole thing.
WATCH THE VIDEO FOR "HOW TOUGH AM I? BY BELUSHI SPEED BALL BELOW
Truly Disturbing: Hey Vinny, thanks for taking the time to chat with us. Your video for “How Tough Am I?” is straight-up chaos. How did you get Lloyd Kaufman involved?
VC: “We tricked him! Uncle Lloyd is on Cameo, and for some extra money, you can remove the watermark. As many know, Belushi Speed Ball lore is that we are just a Municipal Waste rip off. Kaufman directed a Municipal Waste music video years ago, so we had to make sure we kept up appearances. We firmly believe in asking for forgiveness instead of permission. However, we did not have to do either. Uncle Lloyd shared the music video to his story, which is our stamp of approval (image included for proof, ignore that my dumbass misspelled his last name). He also ended up following us before we followed him!”
TD: That’s way too good. You can’t have the mayor of Tromaville involved and not have a favorite Troma film. What’s yours?
VC: “I’m a basic ass bitch. Toxic Avenger 1!”
TD: Same here. No shame, Toxie rules. Alright, we’ve got to ask. What are your top five horror films of all time, and why?
VC: “I am by no means a movie aficionado. However, from 1991 to 2009, my father took me and my brother to see a movie once a week. I have seen my fair share. For context, my dad never paid attention to ratings. Usually, he would pass out five minutes in and wake up when the credits rolled, having no idea what we just watched. The horror genre quickly became my favorite. As an adult, I lean more toward paranormal films. We also grew up in a couple of creepy old houses, one of which still gives me nightmares.”
“Fair warning, I love a good slasher, but none are on this list. A good horror film, to me, is something that sticks with you. Something that keeps you up at night. This was harder than I expected, but here we go.”
5. House on Haunted Hill (1999)
“This is the one that started it all for me. I was ten when I saw it in theatres and couldn’t sleep for a week. Watching it now, it still holds up. The pacing is a little messy, very late 90s energy, but the atmosphere is incredible. The ghosts are pissed and relentless. When I moved to Louisville at 17, I was hyped to learn about our own ‘House on Haunted Hill,’ the Waverly Hills Sanatorium.”
4. The Shining (1980)
“An incredible film. As a kid, you relate to Danny trying to survive his dad. As an adult, it becomes something else entirely. It’s a warning about isolation and losing your mind. There’s a constant sense of dread the whole time. I’ve read the book, and honestly, I think Kubrick nailed it. Also, we needed Scatman Crothers. And the Grady Twins are iconic.”
3. The Witch (2015)
“I first heard about this through our guitarist Jamison Land. He wrote a review for it when he was in Gwar. I usually don’t love ambiguous movies, but this one balances psychological horror and hysteria perfectly. And that ending? One of the most quotable scenes ever. I spent years quoting Black Phillip. It even made its way into one of our songs.”
2. Sinister (2012)
“Any parent will tell you this one hits different. It’s intense. Grainy footage, ghost kids, and one of the creepiest villains ever. As someone who deals with writer’s block, this one hits hard. It’s about chasing inspiration no matter the cost, even if it destroys you.”
1. The Conjuring (2013)
“This is my favourite horror film. It’s the first one that genuinely scared me as an adult. The jump scares still work, even during the day. The whole universe that came from this is great, but the original still stands above the rest. That scene where Christine gets her leg pulled? Still chills every time.”
Honourable Mentions
Evil Dead 2
Poltergeist
Smile and Smile 2
It Follows
Session 9
TD: Solid list. Always good to see Session 9 get some respect. And yeah, people love to trash 90s horror, but House on Haunted Hill was a blast. Thanks again for taking the time to talk with us.
VC: “Thanks for having me!”
Artwork by Andrei Bouzikov (Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, High on Fire)
You can preorder Belushi Speed Ball’s new album "Toxic Waste Was Everywhere in the 80’s" now. It drops June 5th.