Michael, the former Green Jellÿ musician recording as Freetoe Feet, has a dating problem for one of cinema’s most famous monsters. On “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” a song written by Rockpile’s Billy Bremner, the Gill-man gets his own tale of romantic frustration, with Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist Peter Keys supplying the piano and bayou charm. Bremner himself has heard the recording and given it his blessing.

The premise suits Michael’s appetite for unruly characters and carefully built songs. A father of three autistic children, he fits recording around family life and takes the craft seriously, even when his protagonists are causing absolute havoc. In our conversation, he discusses the Creature’s prospects on Tinder, the musical standards behind his humour, his contentious departure from Green Jellÿ, and the growing catalogue he’s building under his own name.

Hi Michael, it’s great to speak with you. Let’s begin at the exact moment Creature from the Black Lagoon started taking shape. What arrived first—the title, the riff or the punchline?

Creature from the Black Lagoon is a song written by Billy Bremner of Rockpile fame. The song was suggested, and I jumped at the chance to record it. Billy has since heard the recording and gave his blessing. It’s really an honor for me to work with such a great song writer.

The Creature has spent decades as a monster, a romantic outsider and a pop-culture celebrity. Which version of him did you want singing through this song?

I think it’s the Gill-man from the Creature Walks Among Us. After he starts shedding his gills. I envisioned him on tinder dates, and being misunderstood. Something everyone can relate to.

Take me inside the session with Peter Keys. What did he play that immediately sent the song somewhere you had never considered?

Peter Keys was a complete champion when it came to giving this song its bayou charm. He played the piano throughout the whole track. He plays the solo in the middle. He really is a great musician. I have a history of calling upon my fellow professionals in the music business. Peter was no different than Matt Starr, Riki Rachtman, or Blothar (professional musicians that were on my previous single). I needed a pro, and he was there to help. It’s not everyday you get the keyboardist from Lynyrd Skynyrd to play on your song. He was a difference maker!

You have said you want this to become a Halloween classic. Which seasonal song taught you that one great character and one irresistible hook can keep returning for generations?

I recorded Green Jellÿ Xmas in 2018, and the fans loved it. I recorded Eat Santa’s Ham a few years after, and that was received well. It’s an easy sell to be honest, and it’s something everyone can get behind. I try to keep the new songs clean, so parents feel safe enjoying the music around their kids. I really am trying to make as many people as happy as possible with a catchy song like Creature from the Black Lagoon.

November 1 is the brutal test for any Halloween release. Where does this song belong once the costumes return to the wardrobe?

It’s a love song at its core, lol. I don’t think it’s like the Monster Mash. I think the song has a vibe that can be enjoyed year round, but definitely lends itself well to a Halloween playlist. Maybe, some heartbreakers will find the song as well.

Comedy and heavy metal both depend on timing, exaggeration and total commitment. Where does the joke end and the part you want listeners to take seriously begin?

In Green Jellÿ we prided ourselves on being the worlds worst band. As Freetoe Feet, I pride myself on being the best! I’m the father of three autistic kids, and I do this in my spare time. Because my time is limited, I don’t want to waste time releasing garbage. I’m trying to make quality songs that get back to songwriting basics. The words may be a tad silly, but the music is complete quality. Well composed, and well recorded.

How straight did you have to perform the vocal before the humour started working properly?

So far, as Freetoe Feet the solo recording artist, I’ve taken the approach of a story teller. I want you to feel the song, I want you to experience it like a short story. As a singer/narrator, I take it extremely seriously. But, I’m also trying to get a chuckle out of you, and that’s where the characters come in. Think “Metal Ray Stevens”, or something of that nature. Ray could sing Everything is Beautiful, but could also Boogity on the Streak!

Your time with Green Jellÿ placed you inside a band where music, theatre and absurdity constantly collided. Which habit from those years still sneaks into a Freetoe Feet session?

When I found Green Jellÿ, they were playing in a storage unit outside Indianapolis. Bill Mamspeaker had fallen as low as you could go! When we recorded their first newly recorded single in twenty years, my song Fr3tö F33t, the press took interest. Particularly, Faygoluvers, which led to the juggalos, and ICP taking interest in the band. We would go on to play Gathering of the Juggalos, Hallowicked, and even made it onto the Trailer Park Boys. Eventually, recording a new record, Garbage Band Kids. After our ugly split over an Ozzy meme, which gained national attention, where is their new material? Where is the fun that brought the band back from obscurity? It really wasn’t an issue to transition into making new material as Freetoe Feet, because all of the great stuff is still here with me. I’m the one working with stars, and releasing new material. Did I learn a thing or two from playing 3 Little Pigs for a decade, sure. They aren’t making new songs, I am! Evidence that their unfounded claims about the level of my involvement were complete fodder. I’m the future, my old band is in the past.

I’m curious whether your sense of humour has become sharper or simply stranger over the years. Which song gives the clearest answer?

I feel my wit is getting sharper. I no longer rely on foul language, and try to keep the songs interesting, but just as filthy. Goldieloxxx w/ Blothar of Gwar is my favorite so far. That song tells the tale of Goldieloxxx, but I made her into a punk rock derelict that destroys their home out of spite. She even smears poop on their wall! I know it’ll never compete with a song like Three Little Pigs, but it’s very much in the same vein. Maybe, a tad better.

When the Creature returns to the lagoon and Halloween is over, what are you planning to unleash next?

I’m rereleasing some Christmas songs in late November. Green Jellÿ filed a copyright claim against me, and I don’t have the money or lawyers to fight it. The Christmas song Green Jellÿ Xmas was quite popular, and they removed it for whatever reason. So, these songs will live on as Freetoe Feet material. Past that, I’ve got an EP in the works with my producer John Hehman. That’ll be released in 2027. I’d also like to make a Valentines single all by myself. No other musicians or writers. One thing is for sure, Freetoe Feet is far from done. You can expect more quality tunes for years to come, God willing! You can also look forward to my new claymation video for Goldieloxxx directed by Adam Laughlin, coming soon.