The Complete Misfits Discography: Authorized Releases and Bootlegs, Including Recordings by Danzig, Samhain and the Undead [1 ed.] 9781476636481, 9781476675619

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Also by RobeRt MichAel “bobb” cotteR And fRoM McfARlAnd The Age of the Great Monster Magazines: A Critical

Study of the Black and White Publications of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s (2008; paperback 2019) Ingrid Pitt, Queen of Horror: The Complete Career (2010; paperback 2018) Vampira and Her Daughters: Women Horror Movie Hosts from the 1950s into the Internet Era (2017) A History of the Doc Savage Adventures in Pulps, Paperbacks, Comics, Fanzines, Radio and Film (2009; paperback 2016) The Women of Hammer Horror: A Biographical Dictionary and Filmography (2013) Caroline Munro, First Lady of Fantasy: A Complete Annotated Record of Film and Television Appearances (2012) The Mexican Masked Wrestler and Monster Filmography (2005; paperback 2008)

the complete Misfits discography Authorized Releases and Bootlegs, Including Recordings by Danzig, Samhain and The Undead

RobeRt MichAel “bobb” cotteR

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Jefferson, North Carolina

♾

ISBN (print) 978-1-4766-7561-9 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4766-3648-1

libRARy of congRess And bRitish libRARy cAtAloguing dAtA ARe AvAilAble

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CONTROL NUMBER: 2019028355

© 2019 Robert Michael “bobb” cotter. All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. front cover: e title character in a promotional photograph from the 1946 Republic serial e Crimson Ghost, who also serves as the mascot for the Misfits Printed in the united states of America

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640 www.mcfarlandpub.com

dedicated to lucky the Wonder dog, dad, Mom, brownie, ingrid Pitt, basil gogos, Adam West, conrad brooks, tom Petty, stephen love M.d., stan lee, thom Moore, Pete shelley, “fast eddie” clarke, nancy sinatra, bettie Page, bruno sammartino, steve ditko, Julie Adams, Peter tork, Roky erickson, beverley owen, dick dale, larry cohen, lisa seagram, tura satana, haji, susan bernard, d. boon, John stabb, gabe Rivera, “chilly billy” cardille, david cassidy, Jasper, shelby, Jim, lima bean, and cocoa bean (R.i.P.), lori Williams, Al and Keri and boris the Pug dog, Paul bearer, sid and nancy, my wonderful wife cheryl, and all the guys that have ever been in the Misfits special personal thanks to Rachel Platten for “fight song,” and to Katy Perry for “Roar”

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table of contents Preface: All Hell Breaks Loose

1

The Discography 1. Authorized Releases

15

single/ePs Albums/cds

15 25

2. these bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’ single/ePs Albums/cds

43 44 82

3. chips off the old gravestone: Related bands and ex–Misfits

127

samhain danzig Kryst the Konqueror doyle Wolfgang van frankenstein the undead Michale graves Arthur googy dr. chad Joey image

127 141 173 174 178 188 198 199 200

4.tributes, covers and compilations

202

the crimson ghosts various Artists

202 206

Appendix 1: Complete Recordings of the Original Misfits: Studio, Live Recordings and Television

215

Appendix 2: Famous Magazines of Fanland

218

Appendix 3: Captain Video

227

Appendix 4: Earth A.D.—After Dollars

232

Bibliography

237

Index

239 vii

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Preface: All hell breaks loose “one more fuckin’ time, you asshole, and you die!”—glenn danzig from the Misfits’ EVILIVE

the author feels that it would be a little unkind to present this book without a word of friendly warning: the above quote might be the first vulgarity that the reader will encounter in this book, but it sure as hell ain’t gonna be the last. so if you do not care to expose your tender sensibilities to such a strain, now’s your chance to … well, i’ve warned you. i got something to say…. the Misfits are, without a doubt, my favorite punk rock band of all time (the Ramones are a very close second). if the Misfits fiend club had ranks like the old “Merry Marvel (comics) Marching society,” i’d be an f.f.l.—a fiend for life. that being said, however, this book is not going to be an uncritical look at their output, especially their late, late stuff. first, a little guide on how to use this book. this being a discography, you’re going to have to wade through a bunch of boring shite like record labels, release numbers, and release dates (not to mention the first part of this preface)—and for multiple countries at that. for this, i apologize in advance, but my editor tells me these things are necessary for discographies. if you’re into that, knock yourself out, but if you want to, skip over that so you can get to the juicy stuff and cool graphics. back to the boring stuff… the Misfits’ stuff is obviously listed first—all the authorized releases, and then all the unauthorized ones, known since time immemorial as “bootlegs.” then come the various members’ solo projects and ex-members’ solo bands. the last part of the discography deals with the various tributes and such. then there are four informational appendices: a list of the original Misfits’ complete recordings (both music and interviews); a list of magazines that feature the Misfits and reviews; a list of dvd and vhs recordings both of Misfits live performances and movies they base their songs on; and finally, an incomplete list of items available that bear the Misfits brand, illustrating simply how they’ve become a merchandising monster and how they’ve passed over into classic pop culture iconography. the terms seven-inch singles and ePs refer, obviously, to vinyl records, and everybody knows what a cd is. one final note on how this book is arranged: all of the albums and singles and ePs, by the Misfits or any variation thereof (samhain, the undead, etc.), are listed chronologically, not alphabetically. that includes both authorized and unauthorized releases. 1

2

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Happy Halloween from Plan 9! Now buy some stuff….

next, we have a little history and hopefully some context. As every schoolchild knows (or should know), the Misfits were formed by glenn danzig (real name: glenn Allen Anzalone, born June 23, 1955). he named the band after his favorite actress’s (Marilyn Monroe) last film, The Misfits. Jokes have often been made comparing the Misfits’ situation with drummers to spinal tap, but in truth, the same could be said of their revolving

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door of guitarists. in fact, they started out without any guitar at all. glenn, like so many others, had taught himself to play guitar, but when he formed the band, he played electric piano, aided and abetted by Manny (Martinez). it was Manny that recruited Jerry caiafa (born gerald caiafa, Jr., on April 21, 1959, a couple of months before your humble author), and despite having only recently taken up the bass, Jerry was brought into the band. (Jerry later returned the favor by referring to Manny as “some drunken jazz guy. i mean, he would be jamming to santana, and i don’t wanna hear Santana play santana.”) glenn danzig was the foundation of the Misfits, and Jerry only is the cornerstone. it was this lineup that released the band’s first single, “cough/cool.” they misspelled Jerry’s name on the sleeve, which prompted an outburst that demanded he be listed on future records “as Jerry! only Jerry!” inadvertently choosing the name by which he would become a famous monster. they played their first two gigs at the legendary cbgb in nyc. in August 1977, the Misfits found their first guitarist, and lost their first drummer. the guitarist’s name was frank licata, known onstage as franché (accent over the “e”) coma. glenn and Jerry found Manny to be ultimately unreliable, so they replaced him with “Mr. Jim” (James catania). it was this lineup that recorded the Static Age album in 1978 (which didn’t receive an official release until 1997, which sorta reduced the impact somewhat), as well as the Bullet eP, which was culled from those sessions. the Bullet eP was the first release on the Misfits’ own “Plan 9 Records” (after Plan 9 from Outer Space, naturally) label, which had been created after Mercury Records obtained the rights to use the “blank Records” name for one of their own subdivisions. “blank,” of course, was the label on which “cough/cool” had come out, so Mercury traded them 30 hours of studio time in exchange for the name, time they used recording Static Age. After Static Age, the Misfits began to change in a major way. not just in the music, which began to be more inspired by old “b” horror movies, but in appearance, with glenn painting skeletal patterns on his clothing (perhaps inspired by John entwhistle of the Who), or, his most lasting image with the band, wearing a shirt with a skull-andcrossbones design inspired by the animated Japanese tv series Captain Harlock. Jerry, who’d had pink, spiky hair, soon began to wear dark makeup under his eyes and grow his hair, which soon morphed into the famed “devilock” style. they also lost their guitarist and drummer. franché quit because he didn’t like touring, even though the tours had been mostly within the area and, like glenn, short. Mr. Jim quit because he didn’t care for the new direction. it didn’t take long to replace them. Within the space of two months, two new members were added, which i believe constitutes the first “classic” Misfits lineup: bobby steele on guitar, and “Joey image” (Joseph Poole) now occupying the drum seat. the new lineup began playing out again, and in June 1979 released the classic Horror Business eP, which marked the first time that the Misfits used the image of the crimson ghost from the 1946 Republic serial of the same name. the crimson ghost (now more commonly known as “the fiend”) is still their “mascot,” and remains part of their logo right up to the present day, to the point where a lot of people associate it solely with the ’fits, and have no idea that it’s a character from a chapter-play. the lineup remained relatively stable for a short time; they were the lineup that made the Night of the Living Dead eP, released right before the Misfits left for their illfated tour of england in november 1979. there are both good things and mostly bad

4

Preface

Clockwise from bottom: Joey Image, Glenn Danzig, Bobby Steele, Jerry Only.

things about that tour. the bad things first: they were supposed to open for the damned, which they had discussed when they opened for them in new york city. Apparently, the damned never took them seriously, and had not planned to have them on the tour, and they even booked other openers. dave vanian, the lead singer of the damned, tried in vain to get them some tour dates, and partially succeeded, but the Misfits played only two shows with the damned, neither of which they ever got paid for, and soon thereafter left the tour completely. Joey image quit the band and flew back to the u.s., while glenn and bobby went to see the Jam, got into a fight with skinheads, and got thrown in jail. this incident, oddly, inspired the only good thing about this tour, the classic “london

6

Preface

From left: Jerry Only, Doyle, Glenn Danzig, Arthur Googy, in a promotional photo for Walk Among Us. Photo by Eerie Von.

dungeon.” When they got back to the states, they released the Beware eP, and then took a break for a few months. After the time off, they added Arthur googy (Real name: Joseph Mcguckin) as the new drummer, and they set about recording the songs which would come to be known as 12 Hits from Hell. bobby was still the guitar player, but it was during this time that Jerry’s younger brother doyle (Real name: Paul caiafa, born september 16, 1964) began to learn the guitar, under the tutelage of glenn and Jerry. you can see where this was going. bobby steele was booted from the band in favor of doyle, but not before both had the chance to add their guitar tracks to the recordings, and altogether, the songs have a fuller sound due to the twin guitar attack. but say, isn’t it about time to change drummers? sure is, because in the midst of a national tour, glenn and googy’s all-too-frequent arguments finally came to a head with the infamous “cheeseburger incident,” the result being googy’s expulsion from the band. What was “the cheeseburger incident?” Well, for those of you who’ve been snowbound in the borgo Pass (ah, i was wondering when i’d get to use that) for the last 40 years, the cheeseburger incident basically boiled down to a paraphrase of a suicidal tendencies song: all googy wanted was another cheeseburger, and glenn wouldn’t give it to him. the gut response, i suppose, would be: he was kicked out of the band over a freakin’ cheeseburger? obviously, there were a lot of underlying tensions and symptoms, and the cheeseburger incident was merely the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. up until now, i’ve refrained from any personal comment on the many arrivals and departures from Air Misfits, and will continue to do so, but this incident is so typical of a touring band that i just have to say a few words. that being said, even now i will continue

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From left: Glenn Danzig, Arthur Googy, Doyle, Jerry Only, the lineup from the Walk Among Us era.

to equivocate, because having been in a successful hardcore band, th’ inbred, i can see both sides. Was it silly? of course, but i’ve seen bands argue over much sillier things, especially under the pressure of a tour. googy was hungry—i totally get that, and since cheeseburgers were so cheap at the time, what was the big deal, right? Well, here’s where the other side comes in. Most punk and hardcore bands “back in the day,” even most of the famous ones, operated not even on a shoestring, it was more like a thread. And sometimes, because of various circumstances, like getting ripped off by unscrupulous promoters or club owners, poorly attended shows, and just plain hard luck, that thread can get stretched to the breaking point. i remember an inbred tour where for almost a month, we ate nothing but tuna fish and peanut butter sandwiches (not on the same sandwich of course). At any rate, back to the revolving door. first they offered the position to eerie von, but he was already drumming for Rosemary’s babies, and loyalties, even with the chance to join a more famous band than the one you’re currently in, are strong, and you just don’t leave your brothers hanging. i mean, corrosion of conformity offered me the lead singer position, but we were right in the middle of our first tour, and i just had to say no. Anyway, upon the recommendation of henry Rollins, ex–black flag drummer Robo (real name: Julio Roberto valverde valencia, born 1955) was the next (and penultimate) drummer for the original incarnation of the band. i guess that he was sorta technically

8

Preface

The initial Geffen era linep: from left, Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein, Jerry Only (in front), singer Michale Graves, and drummer Dr. Chud. Photo by Rocky Schenck.

the last, at least in terms of the recorded output of the original band. Although the band still recorded Earth A.D., finally finishing it in July of ’83, danzig had already decided that he was outta there. Robo left in August, by which time glenn was already starting to audition musicians for samhain. still, a commitment is a commitment, and the ’fits still played their annual halloween gig, in detroit. danzig already had a new drummer lined up for the Misfits, brian damage, to fill out the tour dates, but at the detroit show, damage got drunk beforehand, and ended up being carried off the stage by doyle. todd swalla, the drummer for support act the necros, filled in for the rest of the gig, which of course was a shambles. danzig announced from the stage that it would be their final show, and so that was the end of that.

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Doyle, Dr. Chud, Michale Graves, and Jerry Only in a 1997 promotional shot from the Misfits’ ill fated attempt to become horror movie hosts. Photo by Frank White.

years upon years of bitter legal wrangling (is there any other kind?) were to follow, with the end result being a 1995 out-of-court settlement that allowed Jerry and doyle to record and perform as the Misfits while sharing the merchandising rights with glenn. After their short-lived Kryst the conqueror project, they finally revived the Misfits proper, with Michale graves (real name: Michael emmanuel, born 1975) as the singer whose job was only to fill the giant shoes left by danzig … no pressure there. dr. chud (real name: david calabrese, born 1964) completed the new lineup on drums. this new incarnation would remain relatively stable for a couple of years, the only real hiccup coming when graves took a sabbatical in 1998 and had to be replaced on a couple of tours by Myke hideous. but it seemingly wouldn’t be the Misfits if there wasn’t inner tension, and graves and chud quit in 2000, walking off the stage in the middle of a show. While doyle took some time off to deal with domestic and physical problems, Jerry set about assembling a “blind faith of Punk Rock” supergroup, with ex–black flag singer and guitarist dez cadena on (originally) second guitar and Marky Ramone on drums. doyle, though, by now an accomplished guitarist, wasn’t having it and quit the band, leaving dez as the sole wielder of the axe. this new, new lineup lasted until 2005, when Marky started to demand that the billing be changed to “the Misfits, featuring the legendary Marky Ramone of the World-famous Ramones.” it was Jerry’s turn not having it, and he replaced the bewigged Ramone with old hand Robo. they had booked a full european tour, but problems with Robo’s visa (problems that would come back soon to haunt them) forced them to cancel all of the shows planned for the uK. Robo stuck around for a few more years but was given the pink slip by Jerry, who cited “ongoing problems” with Robo’s visa/passport that prohibited the band from touring consistently. Robo was then replaced

10

Preface

The “25th Anniversary” Misfits, with Jerry Only, Marky Ramone of the “World Famous Ramones” on drums and Dez Cadena (not pictured). Photo by Keith Martin.

by eric “chupacabra” Arce of Murphy’s law. on June 22, 2015, dez announced that he was leaving the Misfits. no reason was given, but one was soon discovered: he had cancer. dez won the battle but never returned to the Misfits, and the guitar chores were handled by Jerry’s son. then came the day, the great wonderful day, in 2016 when it was announced to a shocked and stunned world that glenn, Jerry, and doyle would play together as the “original Misfits” for the first time in 33 years. dave lombardo of slayer rode the drum stool, and Acey slade (real name: emil John schmidt iv), former bass player for Joan Jett, handled rhythm guitar. it must be stated, though, that this earth-shattering news had its downside: they would only go on to do two festivals that year, two in 2017, and two in 2018. Where’s Evilive III? Where’s the dvd? Why don’t they do a real tour, and

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more importantly, are they going to record any new music together? As has always been the case with the Misfits, all the people involved have a different answer to that question, but at least it’s a start, and every journey begins with a single step … even if it’s on the highway to hell. And so it came to pass—Jerry only and doyle were free to use the name Misfits and start a new version of the band sans glenn danzig. the news was greeted by a combination of enthusiasm and querulousness, giving rise to a question that persists to this day—is it ever really the Misfits without glenn? i remember asking gein of the crimson ghosts (see “odds ’n’ sods”) what he thought of the American Psycho/Famous Monsters lineup, and he said, “oh, it’s good stuff, they just shouldn’t have called it the Misfits.” should they have changed the name? Well, it all depends on who you talk to—it says here they shouldn’t. i mean, people act like bands never got new lead singers before, or changed direction. While the new singer’s (Michale graves, of course) voice lacked the dramatic and demonic authority of glenn danzig, it possessed a bright purity that works

The reunion of (and as) the Original Misfits, a mere thirty-three years in the making.

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Preface

remarkably well. Punks will no doubt excoriate me for such an analogy (not to mention be somewhat horrified), but i liken it to the case of genesis. With Peter gabriel manning the mic (and costumes), genesis produced some of the finest Prog-Rock of all time while remaining, for most of the gabriel years, essentially a cult band. When Phil collins took over the lead singer’s duties, they remained in Prog mode for two more albums, and then started moving in a more streamlined Pop direction, becoming multi-platinum megastars. should genesis have changed their name? Well, considering some of the utter crap they would go on to record, maybe they should’ve—but, then again, the same thing has been said about the ’fits. yes, the Misfits with glenn danzig were, like gabriel-era genesis, a unique band with a unique sound that was never to be duplicated. the crucial difference is, too, that unlike genesis, who operated more as a musical collective with all of the members contributing lyrics or songs, the Misfits were glenn’s baby, songwriting and all. but in music, as with any other artistic endeavor, it’s all about the “brand.” i’ve submitted my last three or four books as simply bobb cotter, but i was informed that the “Robert Michael” was part of my brand … and i can see the point. it would be just like starting over, and after folks have poured a lot of sweat and graft into building up their particular niche, most simply don’t want to go through the process all over again. the Misfits certainly weren’t the same band, and they certainly had a new sound, and they were just as certainly vilified by some of the old guard, who resented their move into more speed-metal pastures and major-label territory. the same people probably still have their underwear bunched-up in a knot over the clash signing to a major. As they say though, it is what it is, and what it was and is, is still the Misfits. i’ve told you the “how,” and now i’d like to relate the “why” (as in why you’re reading this book). before my stroke, i was going to write a Misfits biography, because, amazingly, there was not one out there. After that, i took a few years off from writing while i got my mind straight (or at least as straight as it could get). imagine my surprise and disappointment when i found out someone had beaten me to the punch, which is why this book took the form it did; i was not allowed to write another straight bio. the bio was called This Music Leaves Stains (which i think is a really d-u-M-b title), by one James greene, Jr. of course i bought it, but i came away more than a little underwhelmed. i suppose it’s oK in terms of pure biographical facts, and i’m not trying to come off as “punker-than-thou” (although i’m sure that will be some people’s impression); his perspective just wasn’t right. When i received it, as is my habit, i flipped through it to see if anything particularly interesting or juicy caught my eye. unfortunately, the first thing that did is when he referred to Famous Monsters of Filmland as “the legendary horrorgeek magazine.” despite that statement, i started reading it from the beginning, and was almost immediately disappointed. greene said that he discovered danzig (the band) via “Mother”—but he did not know at that time that glenn had ever been in a band before. huh? Was he serious? how on earth A.d. could he not know about the Misfits? As i said, he gets most of his facts straight on a pure biographical basis, but there are plenty of indications that he’s (a) never been in a band—which is certainly not a prerequisite by any means, but it sure does help—or into punk rock in general, because if he had been, how on earth A.d. could he not know about the Misfits, and (b) not really into monster movies or magazines or comic books (among other things), which is a definite no-no. i mean, i’m glad he saw the light, but still … for instance, he cites “i turned into a Martian” as his favorite Misfits song, and while it’s a great song, he mentions nothing about the stan lee/steve ditko comic book story of the same name which inspired it. not to men-

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The many characters played by actor Stan Jolley, most notably (for our purposes) the Crimson Ghost.

tion that his book is distressingly low on photos and other graphic material such as show posters, and for such a visually oriented band, such a notion is equally disquieting. but i must also admit that, in his own way, he gave me the idea for this book. in the latter pages of This Music Leaves Stains he writes that listing just the bootlegs of the Misfits would be an entire book unto itself, and you’re holding the results of that suggestion in your hands, be it an actual book, a tablet, or an app on your phone (in which case you should stop reading immediately and pay attention to what’s going on around you). it’s not just about unofficial releases, of course, it’s about all the Misfits releases, not to mention current and former members’ various other bands, such as samhain or the undead. Plus there’s a lot more visual material to be had. so please think of this book as a celebration of the Misfits’ music and imagery, with any other pertinent info a bonus, from one, among many, who got in on the ground floor.

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the Misfits’ effect on music, horror fandom, and pop culture has been incalculable. even people who’ve never heard the music are familiar with the logo and the grinning visage of the crimson ghost. for instance, for all the fine Republic studios serials that have slipped into obscurity, the crimson ghost is enjoying a shelf-life far beyond what the people who made the chapter-play ever envisioned. in fact, i think it’s relatively safe to say that a lot of people don’t even know it’s a villain from a 1946 serial (“serial? you mean like cap’n crunch?”). by the same token, horror fandom in general might not have thrived and survived like it did if not for the ’fits. this is probably an extreme theory, completely unsupported by scientific evidence, but it is put forth nonetheless for fiends’ appraisals. consider this, though—although horror and sci-fi fandom had always been active, a good many of the creators and fans alike were geezers, and the younger fans had, as always i suppose, risked social alienation for their interests, labeled “geeks” or worse. Punk rock in general and the Misfits in particular made it cool to be labeled a freak, a geek, and yes, misfit. now, horror elements (it is, after all, the devil’s Music) have been present in rock ’n’ roll ever since screamin’ Jay hawkins first popped out of a coffin, on down through black sabbath to Alice cooper and up through the damned, but few had made the connection between horror movie-inspired songs and imagery so explicitly. by incorporating both elements of classic b-Movie horror imagery and song titles and graphic modern horror into their lyrics, the Misfits gave a shot in the arm of each genre. Just as dave stevens was in large part responsible for the renewed popularity of bettie Page, so were the Misfits responsibile for a newfound fame for Maila nurmi (vampira), turning her into the goth (and pop culture) icon that she always should have been. the same can almost be said for basil gogos; the legendary Famous Monsters magazine cover artist likewise found a whole new generation of fans through his work with the Misfits and Rob Zombie. And that, i think, is the reason for the Misfits’ legendary status (not to mention longevity) in the overall structure of pop music culture and its icons: they themselves are fans, and by their references and images they create new fans, and it has been an amazing selfperpetuating phenomenon. People hear the Misfits singing about “vampira” or Night of the Living Dead or This Island Earth, and in turn they will hopefully check out the films. or people already into horror films may be encouraged to think outside their musical box. either way, it’s an adventure into the unknown—and although those adventures may start out to be terrifying (and sometimes end up that way too), they can also turn out to be terrifyingly thrilling—just like the Misfits.

The Discography

 authorized releases Singles/EPs (Extended Play) Cough/Cool U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: Blank records (BLaNK 101), august 1977

Songs: cough/cool / she Notes: Jerry o once railed against all of the (to him) “artsy-fartsy crap” like Television and the Talking heads that he saw as dominating the New york scene at the time. so the Misfits cut their signature bloody swath through all that “crap” with their first single, right? in a word, no—in fact, “cough/cool” sonically sounds exactly like that “artsyfartsy crap.” Dark artsy-fartsy crap, granted, but still, at this stage, Television and the Talking heads did it much better. The only thing that really distinguishes it from the rest of the pack is Danzig’s voice, which sounds like the result of some unholy passion between elvis, Jim Morrison, and Dave Vanian. after Jerry had won the lawsuit to use the Misfits’ name for recording and performing, they actually asked Vanian to join, but he politely declined. The flip side, “she,” has a lot more bite, both literally and figuratively. it was ostensibly inspired by patty hearst, and the first verse bears that theory out, but then it spins around to become the first recorded instance involving glenn’s twisted sex tales, with Danzig bellowing about how she loves “naked sex” and he loves “evil dead.” Like many bands’ first single or album, it took them a while to find their sea legs and style, but once they did, they were unstoppable.

Bullet U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (pL 1001), June 1978

Songs: Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon Notes: There’s an old saying that goes, “almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.” The old saw might also be amended to include the Misfits’ second release, the Bullet ep, which is a quantum leap from “cough/cool,” but still not quite there in terms of the horror imagery, either in the music or the band. The sleeve was certainly designed to shock and offend, so in that sense, it was also more in keeping with the brutal punk worldview—it featured JFK being assassinated with a huge, vivid red burst of blood coming from the back of his head, the only color (besides the band logo) on an otherwise B & 



The Complete Misfits Discography

W sleeve. Thematically, “Bullet” resembles “she”—the former about the JFK assassination, the latter allegedly about patty hearst’s sLa misadventure. and like “she,” the song “Bullet” soon turns from a twisted look at real-life events into another of glenn’s Twisted sex Tales, exhorting Jackie o to “suck, suck, suck.” it’s hard to tell whether the song is anti– Texas, anti–Kennedy, or, as was the fashion, just plain ol’ anti-everything. “We are 138” was inspired by the early george Lucas effort THX-1138, and so was the ’Fits’ first real foray into the “B” sci-fi and horror, which they would fully embrace on their very next record. it was an anthem, and remained a show staple until the end. The same goes for “attitude,” another anthem, this one for people who are just sick and tired of someone saying stupid shit, and reveling in their willful ignorance besides. Danzig’s evercontinuing obsession with movies and actors is showcased in the mid-tempo classic “hollywood Babylon,” its title taken from the infamously lurid book by Kenneth anger. at least it is in the choice of title; god knows what the words are actually about, but it sure is catchy. The lineup at this time consisted of glenn, Jerry, Franché coma and Mr. Jim, the same one that would record the unreleased-until-1997 Static Age, from whence this ep came. That lineup, of course, was not long for this world—in fact, no Misfits lineup ever would be.

Horror Business U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (pL 1009), June 26, 1979

Songs: horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat Notes: Cough/Cool was oK, and the Bullet ep was better still, but this is the record where they really got down to the serious, er, business, and the business was horror. it wasn’t the first time they had sung about it; for instance, “return of the Fly” and “Teenagers from Mars” (which turned up on this ep) were both intended for Static Age, as well as “We are 138” (see above). But they now adopted it fully, in both the setting of the stage show and personal appearance. Most importantly, perhaps, was the fact that it was the very first Misfits record to feature the iconic crimson ghost, placed right up front there on the cover. inside the sleeve was a classic title track—inspired, reportedly, by hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), and updated to 1978. “Teenagers from Mars” was likewise inspired by another movie from the previous year, 1959’s Teenagers from Outer Space. That song’s sequel immediately followed; “children in heat” was about just that, except more demented, and is especially memorable for the way glenn pronounces “children,” which comes out sounding like “chill-drone.”

Night of the Living Dead U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (pL 1011), october 31, 1979

Songs: Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink Notes: The fourth ’Fits ep took its title (and title track) and front-cover graphics from george romero’s 1968 classic, and as usual, the song has little to do with the film, but it does offer up some great imagery, from corpses torn up like “shredded wheat,” to the not-so-subtle put-down of hippie culture—this wasn’t no “love-in” or “happening.” Danzig even sorta puts down the Misfits’ core audience, admonishing them for thinking that they’re “zombies” in a scene from “some monster magazine,” when the all-too-real

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horror is loosed upon them. “Where eagles Dare” is taken from the (also 1968) World War ii film of the same name, starring clint eastwood, richard Burton, and ingrid pitt, and features possibly the greatest shout-along chorus of any Misfits song, with glenn banging on about he ain’t no “goddamn s.o.B.” Who else would write such a chorus, but the man who also gifted us fiends with a refrain about Jackie o and fellatio? “rat Fink” had deep roots—the song “rag Mop,” originally done in 1958 as a single by the Jaye Brothers, became a theme song of sorts for Bob clampett’s character of cecil, the seasick sea serpent, on the animated series Beany and Friends. Due to this high-profile endorsement, in 1963 comedian/folk singer allan sherman used it as the B-side to his “hello Mudduh, hello Fadduh (a Letter from camp)” single, where it was re-titled “rag Mop (rat Fink).” and believe or not, the Misfits version is a faithful, pretty much wordfor-word cover! all that differentiates the two versions are some canned laughter, a horn section and the female backup singers; even the break comes in the same place, but instead of the Misfits’ screamin’ guitar, it has a screamin’ yakety-sax solo. it’s one of punk’s greatest (and most decidedly obscure) cover songs.

Beware U.K. 12" ep: plan 9 records (pL p9), January 1980

Songs: We are 138 / Bullet / hollywood Babylon / attitude / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Last caress Notes: Beware was a 12" vinyl ep compilation geared for British consumption. it’s basically the Bullet and Horror Business ep’s, with “Last caress” replacing “children in heat,” with “return of the Fly” (not listed on the sleeve) as a bonus. it has been unofficially reissued countless times, mostly as a 7" ep.

3 Hits from Hell U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (pL 1013), april 1981

Songs: London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out Notes: everybody knows the origin of one of the ’Fits’ greatest songs, “London Dungeon”—when the Misfits were on their ill-fated tour of Britain, glenn and Bobby went out to see a band while Jerry was visiting sid Vicious’ mum, got into a dust-up and ended up in jail. similarly, the account of “horror hotel” is that it draws its inspiration from the British film of the same name. That’s probably so, but there’s another possible source: in the 1974 skywald publications black & white comics magazine Nightmare (#17), there’s a story called “The Night in the horror-hotel,” written by stuart Williams and illustrated by Jesus Doran. The place is creepy, and it’s somber too, but otherwise the story bears no resemblance to the lyrical content of the song, except for the title—but then again, “horror hotel” doesn’t really have anything to do with the story from Horror Hotel, either, so if nothing else, it does provide an interesting point to speculate on.

Halloween U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: plan 9 records (pL 1017), october 30, 1981

Songs: halloween / halloween ii

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: The title of the a-side may have been inspired by the 1978 John carpenter movie of the same name; as usual, you wouldn’t be able to guess from the lyrics. it seems more like a rumination on things that people got up to on that most sacred of days, and it could’ve been anyone’s halloween—back in the days when halloween was fun and lasted all night, not the state- or church-sanctioned affair that it is now. you’re “allowed” to be out for one or maybe two hours, and woe to anybody caught out after, especially performing such innocuous tricks as soaping somebody’s windows—that’s a crime now, for chrissakes! and don’t even think about hanging any “burning bodies” on poles, much less the age-old favorite of putting dog shit in a bag, setting it on somebody’s porch, lighting the bag, and ringing the doorbell. and if you don’t know how that story ended for

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thousands of people, put this book down now and read the hardy Boys or some other crap. it’s another alltime classic ’Fits cut, and naturally has a boss sleeve, elements of which have survived to the present-day reunion shows. “halloween ii” is glenn’s revenge for all those years of catholic Masses when they did all or part of ’em in Latin. it’s basically just a word salad made up of evil words, and as such, it’s to be taken cum grano salis—“with a grain of salt.” it was also a good indicator of one direction he would take samhain in, at least before they (and he) would fully supplicate themselves at the altar of heavy Metal.

Evilive U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (pL 1019), December 1982

Songs: 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 Notes: “halloween” was the last 7-inch of original material, and this would be the last 7-inch of any kind featuring glenn, Jerry, and Doyle. it features ferocious, deathcomes-ripping versions of seven of their most classic songs, including the line that opens this book, shouted by glenn at an unknown perpetrator of some unseen affront, taking time out from “horror Business” to do so. it features henry rollins on “guest vocals,” but that somewhat overstates his actual contribution; rollins doesn’t know the words, so it’s more like “guest pain-in-his-mind screams.” First available only to Fiend club members, Evilive is basically the sound of the band releasing their own live

Only Fiend Club members had access to certain material upon its initial release.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

bootleg—and sonically speaking, the sound quality is about the same as yer average bootleg. in fact, there are some bootlegs with superior sound quality. The title, naturally, was dreamt up by that clever prankster Danzig, but if this is his idea of a play on words, then… Jesus. Not to mention that it probably didn’t require much thought—Miles Davis had already released an album in 1970 called Live Evil.

Die, Die, My Darling U.s. 12" ep: plan 9 records (pL9/03), May 1984 U.s. 12" ep: caroline records (1704–61903–1) 1991, 1994

Songs: Die, Die, My Darling / We Bite / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? Notes: Why they wasted twelve inches’ worth of vinyl on three songs that are even shorter than Danzig is beyond me, but it is what it is. “Die, Die My Darling,” of course, was inspired (at least the title was) by the 1965 hammer film Fanatic, which was known in the Us as Die! Die! My Darling! The cover art, of course, was from the relatively obscure 1950s pre- (comics) code horror comic called Chamber of Chills (# 19). once again, the “Misfits effect” on pop culture can be seen—due to its use on a Misfits record sleeve, that issue has shot from obscure to one of the most highly sought-after horror comics of that era. The manager of eide’s entertainment in pittsburgh tells me that anytime he gets a copy (which is in itself rare), he can always sell it for triple what the overstreet comic Book price guide lists it for. The 12" vinyl ep is rounded out by “Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight,” which had already been on Misfits Walk Among Us, and “We Bite,” a song title that is unintentionally humorous, and the chords in the chorus seem taken directly from—and this is no joke—“Three Blind Mice.”

Dig Up Her Bones U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: geffen records (pro-s-1112), July 1997 U.s. cD single: geffen records (pro-cD-1113), July 1997

Songs: Dig Up her Bones / hate the Living, Love the Dead Notes: arguably, the best song from the graves era, and the author is of the opinion that it’s one of the greatest Misfits singles from any era of the band, and features a boss cover adorned with a blue-tinted photo of elsa Lanchester from Bride of Frankenstein. When i had Doyle sign it, i suggested that he could sign next to his picture with the band on the back, but he said, “Nah, i wanna sign it on the front, right next to her mouth, so that it looks like she’s saying ‘DoooooyLe.’”

I Wanna Be a N.Y. Ranger U.s. cD single: No Label (No release Number), august 1998

Notes: This song began its unholy existence as an extremely limited edition cD single of 50 self-released copies by the Misfits (which explains why there is no release number), and was later included on Cuts from the Crypt. instead of Michale graves, the lead vocals were handled by John cafiero (osaka popstar), who also wrote the lyrics and music, as well as producing. The other musicians are those that comprised the band at the time, Doyle, Jerry, and chud. a lot of pro hockey teams now use the “hey-ho” chant

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from “Blitzkrieg Bop” by the ramones played over the arena sound system to get the fans fired up, and the only reason for the existence of this song was that Jerry must’ve wanted a piece of that action. he didn’t get it.

Scream U.s. cD single: roadrunner records (rr promo 461), september 1999

Notes: one of the best songs from Famous Monsters, “scream” was only distributed to radio stations as a promo, despite a great george romero-directed video, which naturally got little-to-no airplay on eMpT-V because of the mild gore. Does it make any sense to release a song to the radio and do what was no doubt an expensive video to accompany it, where fiends can hear it and see it, but then not be able to buy it?

Music from the Upcoming Famous Monsters Release September  ireland & U.K. cD single: roadrunner records (rr promo 422), september 1999

Songs: scream! / Witch hunt / Fiend club / Forbidden Zone / Lost in space / saturday Night Notes: This release is the source of the Famous Monsters Demos bootleg vinyl Lp, and was only available in ireland and the U.K., and was frustratingly just a radio station promo again. again, what’s the point of being able to hear it on the radio, and not being able to buy it? it’s like roadrunner was embarrassed that they were on the label, and the promotion budget was about $1.98. roadrunner didn’t so much release the Misfits’ records as let them escape and hope that nobody would notice.

Monster Mash U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (coM-MM45–0138), october 31, 1999 U.s. cD single: Misfits records (pro MMcD 0138), october 31, 1999

Songs: Monster Mash / Monster Mash Notes: The National anthem of Monster-Kids all around the world (and maybe beyond); the ultimate monster song as performed by the ultimate horror-punk band. ’Nuff said. Well, oK, the sleeve certainly deserves mention, as it features images from the classic Mad Monster Party—the puppet of the Boris Karloff character in his mad lad up front, and the skeleton rock ’n’ roll band on the back (naturally retro-fitted with devilocks). The image of the skeleton Misfits would later be recycled for the Famous Monsters in Buenos Aires bootleg cD (see below).

Day the Earth Caught Fire U.s. cD ep: Misfits records (Mis-01392), June 18, 2002 Japan cD ep: Diwphalanx records (pX-075), June 18, 2002

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Songs: Day the earth caught Fire (Misfits) / haunting / Don’t open ’til Doomsday (Balzac) Notes: The two bands pull the ol’ switcheroo on this cD—the ’Fits cover a Balzac song, while Balzac cover two from American Psycho.

Misfits Records Sampler U.s. cD ep: Misfits records (prcD V10643), october 2003

Songs: This Magic Moment (Misfits) / Wall (Balzac) / Wicked World (osaka popstar) Notes: This three-track promo sampler was given away at the Fiend Fest shows to announce the launch of Misfits records, which actually had already been launched with the release of the Day the Earth Caught Fire Misfits/Balzac split cD ep.

Psycho in the Wax Museum U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (Mr-pop-001), June 22, 2006

Songs: angel Baby / Death of the Fallen angel Notes: From the back cover of the record sleeve (the front of which features a great painting of the crimson ghost by Butch Lukic): “This special, highly-limited, collector’s edition vinyl 45 contains 2 never-before released and never-before completed Misfits tracks predating the American Psycho album. ‘angel Baby’ and ‘Death of the Fallen angel’

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(written by founding member Jerry only) were properly recorded by the Misfits in their entirety prior to the release of American Psycho, but the vocal tracks were never recorded. For that reason, the recordings were shelved and left in the vaults, seemingly never to be heard … until now. The rough mixes in their original instrumental form, untouched and exactly as they were left over a decade ago, have been restored from a deteriorating source, digitally re-mastered, and preserved in this vinyl 45 ‘wax museum’ for your sole enjoyment…. Free oF charge!” Well, sort of—this was indeed available via mail-order free of charge, but you had to send in proofs-of-purchase from three Misfits records releases, by the Misfits, Balzac, and osaka popstar, which you obviously had to buy first. it was pressed in an edition of 2,000 copies on clear vinyl, and authentic copies have a run-off groove pattern of the Misfits logo on one side and the crimson ghost on the other.

Twilight of the Dead U.s 12" 33⅓ rpM single: Misfits records (MrLp 01470), october 4, 2011

Songs: Twilight of the Dead / Land of the Dead Notes: “Twilight of the Dead” was the lead single taken from The Devil’s Rain (see below), and was released on the same day as the album. it has, to these ears, a weird feel—good weird, but still weird. Musically, it’s good ol’ fashioned Misfits circa 1980. But vocally—Jerry’s in good voice, and almost sounds if he’s trying to imitate Michale graves, and he has backing vocals that (seriously) would not seem out of place on an r.e.M. record. The flip side is more suited to Jerry’s new and improved vocal style, as “Land of the Dead” (again with the zombies!) harkens back to the quasi-metal style they’d experimented with for Kryst the conqueror and then carried over to the Michale graves era of the band. i think that 12" singles are quite frankly a waste of vinyl, and if you’re only gonna have a song a side, then that purpose would be just as well-served with 5 inches less of plastic waffle. at least we get gorgeous cover art by arthur suydam, who would also handle those chores for the Devil’s Rain.

Skulls U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: rhino records (r7–534927) (K1), april 20, 2013

Songs: skulls (Misfits) / skulls (Lemonheads) Notes: This graphically-appealing seven-inch split picture disc was a record store Day exclusive in 2013. side one is the original “skulls” by the ’Fits from Misfits Walk Among Us in ’82, while the Lemonheads’ acoustic version is from 1991.

Descending Angel U.s. 12" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (MLrp-01570), october 29, 2013

Songs: Descending angel / science Fiction Double Feature Notes: “Descending angel” was a song that had originally appeared on Famous Monsters which of course, had Michale graves singing. it’s a fairly decent mid-tempo metal ballad with a lot of crunch, but this version doesn’t add anything new or different … except, of course, the vocals, which were now being handled by Jerry. one youTube comment put it thusly: “This version blows.” i wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but again,

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The Complete Misfits Discography

i know Jerry tries hard, and even took singing lessons to improve his voice, but he’s simply not as good a singer as graves. “science Fiction Double Feature” was a song that had originally had been done in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but this version doesn’t even have a whiff of the irony of the original, not to mention the camp, and the Misfits were a lot of things, but they were never really camp, at least in the sense of the Dolls or the sweet.

Horror Xmas U.s. 2 × 7" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (Mr45 01590), December 2013 U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (01590), December 2013 U.s. cD promo single: Misfits records (Mr45 01590), December 2013

Songs: you’re a Mean one, Mr. grinch / Blue christmas Notes: This single was also released in a limited edition of 333 red vinyl copies as a two-record package (both the sleeves and the release numbers are identical), with a repeat of “Mr. grinch” and “island of Misfit Toys” serving as the additional songs. it’s a natural fit for the ’Fits, but they don’t quite pull it off—Jerry was no longer growling vocals, but instead using his new “crooning” style, which … well, as a crooner, he makes a good bass player. safe to say that glenn had nothing to worry about (on the B-side reboot of “Blue christmas”), much less Thurl ravenscroft (who did the song when it was featured in the 1966 original, animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas). The record leans on past glories, especially the sleeve, which is the Horror Business sleeve with the “Business” replaced by “Xmas” and the crimson ghost replaced by the grinch (slightly altered to incorporate the crimson ghost’s signature grin).

Vampire Girl U.s. 12" 45 rpM single: Misfits records (MrLp-01640), March 2015 U.s & caNaDa cD: Misfits records (MrcD-016041), March 2015

Songs: Vampire girl / Zombie girl Notes: oK, i’m sorry, but this one really does blow. The Misfits had become a true family affair with the addition of Jerry’s son, Jerry ii (who’s next on drums—Uncle Dudley Misfit?) who had assumed rhythm guitar duties and helped write the music for this song. Mark rizzo plays lead guitar, proving that it took two guitars to replace Dez or Doyle. “Vampire girl” is a ’50s-flavored power ballad that’s preciously short on power, and isn’t helped at all by Jerry’s sappy lyrics and paul anka crooning. at least “Zombie girl” rocks and sounds like the sequel to “The haunting” from American Psycho. The cover art, by rhys cooper, is great—a Marilyn-inspired portrait of said vampire girl, only with no fangs and Michale graves make-up. The cover art is so nice that it seems a shame that it was used to package such weak material; it brings to mind Bela Lugosi’s compliment/admonition to ginny simms after she sings a number with Kay Kyser’s big band in You’ll Find Out (1940): “you have a beautiful voice, my dear—it’s criminal to waste it on such trash!”

Friday the 3th U.s. 12" ep: Misfits records (MrLp-01651), June 17, 2016 U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcD-01650), June 17, 2016

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Songs: Friday the 13th / Nightmare on elm street / Laser eye / Mad Monster party Notes: Friday the 13th was the last ep of original Misfits material that was released by the Jerry-rigged version of the band before the reunion, and to date, the last original material released by any version of the Misfits. if this is to stand as their final testament, it can only be described not as a blood feast, but more as a half-baked devil’s food cake. Jerry Junior—who was by then plying his craft under the stage name of “Jerry other”— was the sole guitarist now, and chupacabra occupied the drum stool for the last time; he wasn’t invited to perform the task for the reunion shows. Friday the 13th is kinda like a football game that ends in a tie; no winner, no loser. it’s not especially bad, it’s just not especially good, either—four mid-tempo cuts with plenty of crunchy outsides but no center. Four songs, a couple of which try to update the Misfits’ horror-movie association into something a little more modern—but that’s just a relative term, and the crimson ghost face turned into a blood-spattered hockey mask on the front cover and outfitted in Freddy Krueger togs spoke to a desire to connect with newer horror-film fans (many of whom had admittedly never heard the Misfits), but it just seemed a cynical attempt to appeal to an audience for movies that were already well past their expiration date … maybe kinda like this version of the Misfits.

Albums/CDs Misfits Walk Among Us U.s. 12" Lp: ruby records (Jrr 804), March 1982 U.s. cD: ruby records (9 25726–2), 1988 U.s. cassette: ruby records (No release Number), 1988 italy 12" Lp: expanded Music (eX 32), 1982 canada 12" Lp: slash/London records (p2 28811), 1996

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / Vampira / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (Live) / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / Violent World / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Braineaters Notes: Quite simply put, Misfits Walk Among Us is one of the greatest officially released punk albums of all time. i say “officially released” because the author prefers 12 Hits from Hell (see below for the reason). But every song is a classic, and it’s all packaged in one of the most iconic sleeves of all time as well. it’s a monster-kid’s dream come true. The title was inspired by Universal’s The Creature Walks Among Us, and the background images are taken from Earth vs. the Flying Saucers and The Angry Red Planet (the infamous bat-rat-crab-spider concoction). The photo of the band has also come to be an iconic image in and of itself—and of course there’s a story behind it. glenn has said in interviews that since googy refused to dye his hair, he looks like a penis in the shot, but if he wasn’t so worried about that, he might’ve remembered to get a box to stand on. “20 eyes” starts off the album, and the song starts off with a crisp googy drum roll, and we’re off to the races. it’s one of the most rousing Lp openers in history, about a … thing which may be neither beast nor man. The follow-up, “i Turned into a Martian,” was (in case you missed it the first time) based on the stan Lee/steve Ditko classic from

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The Complete Misfits Discography

A promotional piece for Walk Among Us, with the iconic cover art.

Marvel comics, and is a total gas. “all hell Breaks Loose” is next, and one wonders if that was ever considered for the opening cut. it’s followed by “Vampira”—now, i can’t really say that i have a favorite Misfits song, because there are so many great ones, but i would say that “Vampira” is definitely in my Top 5. Maila Nurmi’s influence can be seen almost from the very start of the Misfits’ career; after the Blank records hiccup, Danzig named their label plan 9, which obviously is taken from ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space. The original title of the film, Grave Robbers from Outer Space, is given a shoutout in the lyrics to the song. as i wrote in Vampira and Her Daughters, when the punk and goth scenes both found an icon in Vampira, she gained a whole new generation of fans, and the Misfits are as responsible for that as much as anyone. They helped to cement her reputation with the song, and on one of their tours got to meet ’n’ greet her; she posed with the band for pictures and appeared at an in-store record signing with them. it’s hard to tell whether “Nike a go go” is about Nike missiles or glenn’s missile, but judging from the lyric sheet, it naturally sounds like a bit of both. The title may have been inspired by the 1965 sci-fi cult classic Monster a Go-Go. “hatebreeders” is one of the Misfits’ greatest songs, and is the only one to make reference to the cover imagery;

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glenn sings a line about your world turning “angry red.” During the break, Doyle plays a short, intense one-note guitar solo, but that’s not necessarily down to any deficiencies in his playing—Neil young has made a career of playing one-note solos. it’s down to whatever the song needs. “Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight?” became a fan favorite the minute it appeared and a preview of the thrash style they would exhibit on Earth A.D., but nowadays makes for slightly uncomfortable listening in the wake of columbine and what seems like a million other mass shootings in schools. “Night of the Living Dead” is exhumed and given a new, faster haircut, but it was always a great song, and this version still is, but it’s not really a significant improvement on the original. “skulls” is the album’s joyous ode to decapitation, and the perp’s collection of the gruesome remnant, kind of like a punk-rock predator. Tackling one of Danzig’s favorite subjects, “Devil’s Whorehouse” is the next groove, and another (obviously) of glenn’s Twisted sex Tales— not that there’s anything wrong with that. Jerry has said in a number of interviews that “astro Zombies” is his favorite Misfits song, and it’s certainly in my Top 5. it’s a monstrous rave-up based on the cult-classic 1968 Ted V. Mikels film of the same name, starring John carradine and Tura satana, and it turns the low-budget premise of the movie into a fullscale, Mars Attacks alien invasion. The album closes on a darkly hilarious note with “Braineaters,” which manages to be both an homage and a send-up of oi. The video, which they naturally wouldn’t show on MTV, is funny as hell, with the band and a few others gathered ’round a sumptuous feast of grey matter (sorry to dispel any notions, but they were cow brains, not human). Misfits Walk Among Us is one of the definitive mission statements of punk rock, it’s just a shame that the mission was to be aborted so soon.

Earth A.D./Wolf ’s Blood U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–02), December 12, 1983 U.s. cassette: plan 9 records (pL9–02/3 cass), 1988 U.s. cD: plan 9/caroline records (pL9-cD 02/3), 1992 germany Lp: aggressive rockproduktionen (ag 0024), 1983

Songs: earth a.D. / Queen Wasp / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Wolf ’s Blood / Demonomania / Bloodfeast / hellhound / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite Notes: Earth A.D./Wolf ’s Blood (commonly referred to by Fiends as just Earth A.D.) is a strange beast indeed. it saw the band move away from the “classic” punk style of 1977 and 1978 and into full-on hardcore/Thrash. it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise—the ’Fits had previewed a new, much faster, and even more aggressive style with “Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight?” on Misfits Walk Among Us, and their live shows became increasingly more aggressive and violent, so one might say that they were merely going with the flow. But, whereas the Misfits had been leaders, they seemingly now had become followers, just one more band that valued speed and velocity over silly things like melody, hooks, and song structure. it didn’t work for the ramones, and it worked only slightly better for the Misfits. Mainly because Dee-Dee sang most of the ramones’ straight-on thrash songs (which Rolling Stone thought were “parodies”—unfortunately, they weren’t) instead of Joey, and no one, not on any number of parallel earths in the multiverse, could compare Dee-Dee’s voice to glenn’s. it has been reported in some quarters that two of the songs that helped fill out Earth A.D., “Death comes ripping” and “Bloodfeast,” were intended for samhain. This seems doubtful, for a number

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of reasons: one, i can’t really see Danzig giving the ’Fits any more material, especially that which was intended for his new band. Two, if he thought that Jerry and Doyle and robo were such lousy musicians (the Thrasher interview), how could he trust them to do it justice? your author thinks perhaps a third reason (and most telling) is that he never re-did the songs, with samhain or Danzig. he never shied away from revisiting and revising past glories, like “horror Business” or “halloween ii,” so why shouldn’t he re-do “Bloodfeast” or “Death comes ripping” when he had (according to him) much worthier musos? at any rate, “back in the day,” the term “generic hardcore” was on all the punks’ pierced lips. it seemed as though there were a hundred-thousand hardcore bands, and only those that had a distinctive style, like the Dead Kennedys or Black Flag or the circle Jerks and other select acts, could escape the tag. The Misfits, with their by-now welldefined image and glenn’s voice, could never be mistaken for just another hardcore band—but on Earth A.D., they sometimes sound as if they’re trying their damnedest to sound just like that. originally clocking in at a fraction over 14 minutes, like the circle Jerks’ Group Sex, Earth A.D. was lengthened—almost a whopping five minutes—not by the almostsamhain songs, but by the addition of the three tracks from the Die, Die My Darling ep. To this day, it remains the Misfits’ most controversial album. in the 1993 Ugly Things Magazine interview, Jerry called it “Thrash shit.” That, it may or may not be—it all depends on the individual listener—but i think we can all agree that it’s at the very least mixed terribly. The bass and drums are pushed way to the back, and the guitar is feeding back so much that it threatens to turn some of the songs into pure white noise, with only glenn’s voice rising (barely) above the fray. “Devilock” is awesome, but the hairstyle is longer than the song. it’s not as though there are no other good numbers…. “Queen Wasp” is great, as is the aforementioned “Death comes ripping” and “green hell,” and “Demonomania” became a staple of their set-list. “green hell” is depicted in some popular folklore as having been inspired by the 1940 James Whale jungle melodrama of the same title (probably because of his having directed Frankenstein and The Bride of Frankenstein), but the title has been used for any number of movies with “green hell” in the title, including This Green Hell (1936) and The Green Hell (1938, 1995, 2016). Methinks the most likely candidates were something a little more recent: Monster from Green Hell (1957) or Green Hell from the Void (1968). anyway, they had utilized that set-list, according to Jerry, immediately before going to record the album. The gospel according to Jerry is (still quoting from the U.T. interview): you wanna hear something? We played at the Whisky, al’s Bar, and went to record that album the same night, oK? What happened was when we were there, glenn fell asleep, he didn’t have nothin’ to do with the recording of the music. it sounded fuckin’ like Motorhead on fuckin’ speed. it was great! Then what happened was (glenn) went back and remixed it later on, and took all the fuckin’ aggression out of it … he lost the basic tracks. The basic tracks got over-swamped with all of the extra.

er, “Motorhead on speed”? That statement was pretty comical—does Jerry know that’s how Motorhead got its name? Because Lemmy, god rest his soul, was a speed freak and “Motorhead” was his nickname in hawkwind. Ultimately, Earth A.D. is a great Misfits album, just because it was put out by the people it was put out by. Ultimately, all hardcore bands, i think, face the same question— just how much faster can a band play? how much more pissed off can you get? and most

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of the great hardcore bands eventually turned to something other than hardcore; Bad Brains became a reggae band, and the circle Jerks veered towards a heavy rock/heavy metal sound. of course, in a perfect world, the Misfits never would’ve broken up, but since they did, the next best scenario would have them at least to stick together to record one last old-school Misfits record, after having gotten the thrash out of their systems. it was the same thing that happened with the ramones. after having pretty much invented punk, and after years of putting out classic punk songs, they shifted direction and, searching for that never-to-be-found radio hit, lacked focus. When they jumped on the hardcore bandwagon, they said it was an attempt to find that focus again, and return to their “roots”—except their roots were never hardcore, they were punk itself, and made the band look like mere opportunists. The ramones, however, stuck around long enough to right the ship and the Misfits, in their original incarnation, didn’t. still and all, for those who had been with both bands since pretty much the beginning, it was jarring. Not that we didn’t want bands to evolve (although maybe deep down we didn’t want them to), but as i said before, the switch to hardcore didn’t really seem to suit either band. especially since both bands had such distinctive lead singers, who lost their respective distinct voices and were left gasping for breath. at the end of the day, though, it’s still a Misfits record, and still not a bad note to go out on—there have certainly been much worse exits (i’m looking at you, clash…. Jesus, Cut the Crap … that was a joke, yes?). Dammit, it’s a Misfits album by glenn, Jerry, Doyle and robo, and as such, is still in a class by itself.

Legacy of Brutality U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9/caroline records (pL9–06), september 1985 U.s. cassette: plan 9/caroline records (pL9–06 cass), september 1985 U.s. cD: plan 9/caroline records (pL9-cD06), october 1989 poland cassette: Mg records (Mg 1892), May 1992 eU cD: eMi (7243 5 63952 2 0), august 1995 eU 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–06), March 2002

Songs: static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / spinal remains / come Back / some Kinda hate / Theme for a Jackal / angelfuck / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / she / halloween / american Nightmare Notes: in regards to this release, Jerry didn’t mince words—he called it “a fuckin’ abortion.” he had a good reason: although the record was the first to contain Static Age songs (other than bootlegs), these and the other cuts were not the original versions of the songs. it was mixed and produced by satan’s pal, glenn Danzig, who decided to replace some instrument on every track with his own, be it bass or guitar—and on top of this, without the consent of whoever he overdubbed. it’s not that he does a horrible job (and glenn often spoke of replacing instruments he disdained in samhain, so it’s not like Jerry, or whoever, couldn’t see it coming), it’s just that the fiends thought they were getting something they weren’t, which was unvarnished and untouched original versions.

Collection I U.s. cD: plan 9/caroline records (pL9-cD1), July 1, 1986 U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9/caroline records (pL9–09), october 1988 U.s. cassette: plan 9/caroline records (pL9–09), october 1988

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Songs: she / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Die, Die My Darling / earth a.D. / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Wolf ’s Blood Notes: True Fiends already had about at least a dozen versions of the songs on this compilation, but if you are indeed one, well, you’d have to get it anyway. at least there are some previously-unreleased versions of stuff with better sound quality than if you previously heard it on a boot. graphics include the obligatory crimson ghost, and glenn dressed up in his trick-or-treat outfit (“one more fuckin’ candied apple, you asshole, and you Die!”)

Evilive U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–08), 1987 U.s. and canada cassette: plan 9 records (pL9–08 cass), 1987 U.s. cD: caroline records (pL9cD08), 1996 eU 12" picture Disc Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–08), 2002 eU cD: caroline records (7243 5 60605 2 4), 2004

Songs: 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Devil’s Whorehouse / all hell Breaks Loose / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / We are 138 Notes: This is a slightly expanded version of the original Evilive ep, adding “Nike” and “hatebreeders” from the ritz and “Devil’s Whorehouse,” “horror hotel,” and “ghouls Night out” from the on Broadway gigs. i say slightly expanded because even though it’s five songs longer, it still feels short, kinda like glenn. i know that i make jokes about glenn’s height at various points in the book, but really, it’s all in good fiendish fun … and i’m only an inch taller. i tell ya, people talk shit about Danzig; i can only tell ya this: i visited him once when he still lived in Jersey, and you know what? He was a pretty nice guy. he was no Norman Vincent peale, but he was a pretty nice guy. if he was an asshole, then i guess he was my kind of asshole.

Collection II U.s. cD: caroline records (caroL 7515–2), November 14, 1995 U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9/caroline records (pL9–09), November 14, 1995

Songs: We are 138 / attitude / cough/cool / Last caress / return of the Fly / children in heat / rat Fink / horror hotel / halloween / halloween ii / hatebreeders / Braineaters / Nike a go go / Devil’s Whorehouse / Mephisto Waltz / We Bite / Queen Wasp / Demonomania / hellhound / Bloodfeast Notes: Like the first Collection, this is another career-spanning retrospective, from “cough/cool” to “Bloodfeast,” and does just as good a job in showing the evolution of the band and its sound, from tentative proto-new-wave to the all-out thrash assault. Both Collections were part of the Coffin Box Set, not to mention the source of countless bootlegs.

Box Set Sampler U.s. cD: caroline records (car prcD #17), February 8, 1996

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Songs: Teenagers from Mars / London Dungeon / Die, Die My Darling / Vampira / horror hotel / she / some Kinda hate / Bloodfeast / i Turned into a Martian / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Queen Wasp / Night of the Living Dead / static age / halloween / american Nightmare Notes: This was a promo cD that was issued a couple of weeks before the Coffin Box Set. of course, the cuts are all choice and run the gamut of their career. it was sent to radio stations in the hope of ginning up interest in the box set, and maybe even some airplay out of the deal. Maybe it did, but in retrospect, it seems as though its main purpose was to end up in the hands of radio station employees and collectors to sell online.

Coffin Box Set U.s. 4 × cD: caroline records (car 7529–2), February 27, 1996

Songs: Disc 1, Misfits Collection 1 and Misfits Collection 2—she / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Die, Die My Darling / earth a.D. / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Wolf ’s Blood / We are 138 / attitude / cough/cool / Last caress / return of the Fly / children in heat / rat Fink / horror hotel / halloween / halloween ii / hatebreeders / Braineaters / Nike a go go / Devil’s Whorehouse / Mephisto Waltz / We Bite / Queen Wasp / Demonomania / hellhound / Bloodfeast. Disc Two, Legacy of Brutality, Evilive, and Earth A.D.—static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / spinal remains / come Back / some Kinda hate / Theme for a Jackal / angelfuck / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / she / halloween / american Nightmare / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / Nike a go-go / hate Breeders / Devil’s Whorehouse / all hell Breaks Loose / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / We are 138 / earth a.D. / Queen Wasp / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Wolf ’s Blood / Demonomania / Bloodfeast / hellhound / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite. Disc 3, Various studio and recording sessions—cough/cool / she (1977), Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat (Date Unknown, No studio), Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / Violent World / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / horror Business (Date Unknown, songshop), i Turned into a Martian / skulls / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii (9/5/80 Master sound productions), 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse (august 1981, reel platinum), Nike a go go (Date Unknown, Mix-o-Lydian or Newsoundland), hatebreeders (Date and studio unknown), 20 eyes / Violent World (Date and studio unknown). Disc 4, Static Age—static age / TV casualty / some Kinda hate / Last caress / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / We are 138 / Teenagers from Mars / come Back / angelfuck / hollywood Babylon / attitude / Bullet / Theme for a Jackal / she / spinal remains / in the Doorway Notes: This set was pretty much all a Misfits fan could ask for, all the stuff and more. it’s basically a collection of collections—Collection 1 and Collection II are both represented, as is Legacy of Brutality. The albums proper are here as well, except for Misfits Walk Among Us (because of legal reasons), but all of the songs that were on that Lp are included, just different versions. That’s the plus side—on the debit side, there’s nothing really new

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or revelatory here, no unreleased or unheard songs (Static Age proper was released for the first time in this set, but some of that had already comprised part of Legacy of Brutality, and the rest had been making the rounds in bootleg form for years). Jerry said in the Chord Magazine interview (which was published shortly after the release of the box set) that the band released the set “in an effort to make the bootlegs worthless.” it was close, but no cigar. if they really wanted to render the boots worthless, they would’ve included more rare live stuff, demos, and things that didn’t make it onto whatever record, if indeed there were any. so, if their aim was to render the bootlegs worthless, they fell well short of the mark—Misfits bootlegs continue to proliferate to this day.

American Psycho U.s. 12" Lp: geffen records (geF 25126), May 13, 1997 U.s. cD: geffen records (geFD 25126), May 13, 1997 U.s. cassette: geffen records (geFc-25126), May 13, 1997 canada 12" Lp & cD: geffen records (geFsD-25126), 1997 europe 12" Lp & cD: geffen records (geD24939), 1997 Japan 12" Lp: geffen records (MVcF-24004), 1997 Japan cD: geffen records (geFD-24939), 1997

Songs: abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho / speak of the Devil / Walk among Us / The hunger / From hell They came / Dig Up her Bones / Blacklight / resurrection / Dead Kings rise* / This island earth / crimson ghost / Day of the Dead / The haunting / Mars attacks / hate the Living, Love the Dead / shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday/ Bonus cD Track: hell Night *“Dead Kings rise” was only released on the vinyl Lp version, replaced on the cD version by the “hidden” track “hell Night.”

Notes: “The Misfits are signed to a major!” “The Misfits went metal!” “The Misfits sold out!” and so it came to pass—the Misfits, with a new singer and new drummer, finally put out a new record for the first time in over a decade. i must admit, i was among those bunched-underwear people i mentioned in the preface, and it took me a while to warm up to the new sound. But once i (and the band) accepted the fact that glenn was never coming back (or so it seemed at the time), and that new Misfits was better than no Misfits at all, then i started coming around, deciding to try and judge each version of the band on its own individual merits. Would i still listen to it if the band wasn’t called the Misfits? good question. remind me to ask me that sometime. positioning American Psycho as a grab for commercial and mainstream recognition makes for an easy narrative, but there are more than enough signs of the Misfits of old to suggest that American Psycho was both fresh blossom and conceptual continuation for the band. oK, on to the songs—and at this point, i think it would be fun to throw in some quotes from the American Psycho press kit for comparison and contrast, to see if the numbers lived up to the hype. The quotes are from Jerry, and the reactions are mine. of “abominable Dr. phibes” Jerry sez: “This is the spooky intro to our new underworld.” he also might’ve added that it was a totally different sound, much more metal than Misfits fans were used to, but either way, it’s still a great fanfare. “phibes” cuts right into the title

Opposite: One of the many promotional posters devised for American Psycho, this one touting a nonexistent film (not to be confused with the actual, later film, based on the novel. Obviously).

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track, which Jerry claimed was “the reason you’re buying our new album.” huh? could he have been talking about the controversial 1991 Bret easton ellis novel of the same name? (it was later made into a film in 2000.) i don’t know about that one, Jerry—more likely they bought it because it was the first album of new Misfits music in 13 or 14 years, or because of the now-classic front cover art of the crimson ghost by Basil gogos, which has been endlessly recycled on everything from binders to bootlegs. “american psycho,” though, is a ripping thrash-metal yarn that immediately shows the ’Fits hadn’t completely abandoned the need for speed (not to mention their trademark “whoa-oh-oh” choruses). Jerry called the next one, “speak of the Devil,” “a hometown kind of song for us—spook city,” in the process throwing some shade at Danzig. it’s an amiable-enough chug which apparently started life under the title “east of eden.” according to Jerry: “it was gonna be about James Dean. But Doc (chud) came up with ‘speak of the Devil,’ and i figured the Devil had the upper hand over James Dean.” Wonder what Maila Nurmi would have to say about that? Next up is “Walk among Us”—hmm, seems to me i’ve heard that somewhere. it seems that this song, more than most of the other ones on the album, trades on past glories—not only the title, which had previously been used on the Misfits’ signature Lp, but the content of the song itself, which Jerry said was “a song about being absorbed into an alien race—it’s really cool.” gee, Jerry, kinda like “i Turned into a Martian”? good song, but no way it compares with “Martian.” Jerry calls the next song, “The hunger,” the “main reason the Misfits are still around today; the essence of our longing to be where we need to be.” and just where would that be exactly? For “From hell They came,” Jerry sez “This was written in about five minutes; the lyrics took about two.” No … no … must … resist the … temptation to … to say, yeah, it sounds like it was. oh, well, time to move on. Michale graves wrote the next song, the magnificent “Dig Up her Bones,” when he was 16, “but the lyrics were really romantic-sounding.” Wait, what? “it’s a real pulse-pounder,” Jerry said of the next track, “Blacklight,” and then goes on to wax all philosophical about how that song is the group’s heart and the beginning of their foundation. agreed, it’s a pulse-pounder, but all i can think about when i hear it are those weird fuzzy blacklight posters from the ’70s. “resurrection” follows, and i swear Jerry goes on about it in the press kit for longer than the song lasts! he had a point, though: “it’s not how many times you get knocked down, it’s how many times you get back up.” amen. “This island earth,” although sharing the name of the classic 1954 sci-fi film, has absolutely nothing about Metaluna or big-brained Mutants (or, for that matter, a song of the same name by Bryan Ferry), but rather yet another alien attack on earth. The important thing to remember, again, is that just because a movie shares a name with a Misfits song title doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s gonna be more-or-less plot summary, but that’s the way it always was. possibly to stake a further claim to the trademark, the next cut is the chud-penned “crimson ghost,” a song that finally gives the iconic figure the proper attention and, yes, respect that it deserves. “ghost” veers between a staccato beat for the verses and creepy crawl of a chorus and the song also scores points for the video to promote it, which makes liberal use of footage from the serial. “(you’re the) Devil in Disguise” is an elvis song, and he’s in disguise on American Psycho as “Day of the Dead.” (For more on “Devil in Disguise,” see entry for Project: 1950.) Jerry admitted as much: “an elvis song—Doyle wrote it…. it always pays to have a little bit of elvis on your album.” “The haunting” is another graves-written song, arranged by Jerry: “in terms of the lyrics, it’s very abstract, about being tortured in your sleep.” Next up is “Mars attacks,” loosely based on the infamously gory 1962 trading card

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set. Jerry wrote it when he heard that a Mars Attacks movie was being made by Tim Burton. “We tried to get it to Tim for the movie, but we were too late.” another chud tune, “hate the Living, Love the Dead,” was “a Frankenstein concept—piecing together the dead body parts to make a bride for the monster he created.” of course, the title and the concept were inspired by 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein. “shining” is about “carol ann having the gift of the shining—being able to hear the dead speak. carol ann is the little girl from Poltergeist.” The song hits the ground running with a rousing “go!,” and continues the galloping pace through an irresistible sing-along chorus. yet another alien invasion song closes the album (supposedly), “Don’t open ’Til Doomsday.” But wait— if you let the cD version of the album play on, the Misfits take a cue from the clash and add a hidden track, “hell Night,” which replaced “Dead Kings rise” from the vinyl version of the album. it’s a more-or-less fair exchange; “hell Night” is suitably rabble-rousing, and could be about most anything, from a bad date to a bad gig. “Dead Kings rise” is lyrically vague as well; it could be about the Mummy or Jesus, if you like your Bible stories.

Static Age U.s. 12" Lp: caroline records (car 7520–1), July 15, 1997 U.s. cD: caroline records (car 7520–2), July 15, 1997 U.s. cassette: caroline records (car 7520–4), July 15, 1997 Japan 12" Lp: caroline records (caroL 7520–2), 1997 eU cD: caroline records (7243 8 60492 2 3), 2005

Songs: static age / TV casualty / some Kinda hate / Last caress / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / We are 138 / Teenagers from Mars / come Back / angelfuck / hollywood Babylon / attitude / Bullet / Theme for a Jackal / she / spinal remains / in the Doorway Notes: “shows promise; could do better.” The story behind this album could almost be a book in itself. it was recorded in 1977, and not released until 19 years later, on cD form in the Coffin Box Set (it was issued as a separate cD and vinyl album a year later). here’s the deal: The Misfits had released their first single, “cough/cool,” on Blank records. Later that year, Mercury issued a pere Ubu recording on what they thought was their imprint—Blank records. glenn Danzig, who owned the trademark to the name, agreed to a settlement. he would trade the name for thirty hours of studio time, and the band (consisting of glenn, Jerry, Franché, and Mr. Jim) set about recording their debut album. There was only one problem: they couldn’t interest a single record company in releasing the album. Jerry is of the opinion that if Static Age had been released when it was supposed to be, it would have been a game-changer, in terms of the punk scene in general and the music that was coming out of it. he may well be right, and while it was great to hear it the way god intended after all those years, it somehow just didn’t have the impact that it should have. how could it? With the exception of a few cuts, it wasn’t like the album was some sort of buried treasure—the impact was diluted by most of the songs having already been released in one form or another, either on succeeding ep’s or bootlegs. plus, the band’s horror image was so firmly entrenched 20 years later, it was weird to see that first album cover, where they looked only slightly less goombah-ish than on the cover of Cough/Cool. To be sure, the Misfits would go on to surpass Static Age in invention several times over. yet as a snapshot of where nascent punk rock found

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itself in 1977, Static Age would’ve fit very neatly alongside the ramones’ Rocket to Russia and Damned, Damned, Damned by the Damned as part of a defining canonical trinity.

Evilive II U.s. cD: The Misfits Fiend club (No release Number), august 14, 1998

Songs: intro (creepy church) / The abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho / Walk among Us / hunger / From hell They came / speak of the Devil / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / american Nightmare / Day of the Dead / hate the Living, Love the Dead / shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / This island earth / Where eagles Dare / Bullet / Vampira / haunting / Die, Die My Darling Notes: This cD of live performances from 1997 and 1998 was released only through the Misfits’ Fiend club, and is a good document of this phase of the ’Fits, although it must be said that bootlegs culled from the graves era contain about half again as many songs … just to be fair though, they rightly choose to give more space to the new numbers than the old, which they did a lot more of in performance. Featuring front cover art by the mighty pushead, this release, as with every official Misfits release, soon found its way into the hands of bootleggers, who not only booted the cD (in europe) in 2005, but produced an Lp version (in germany, see unauthorized releases).

Famous Monsters U.s./canada cD: roadrunner records (rr 8658–2), october 5, 1999 U.s./canada 12" Lp: roadrunner records (rr 8658–2), 1999 U.s cassette: roadrunner records (rr 8658–4), 1999 JapaN cD: roadrunner records (rrcy-1109), 1999 Japan 12" Lp: roadrunner records (rrJy-1002), 2000 eU cD: roadrunner records (rr 8658–5), 1999 poland cD: Metal Mind productions (Mass cD 7407), 1999 poland cassette: Metal Mind productions (Mass 0747), 1999 indonesia cassette: roadrunner records (M—1911199), 1999 eU cD Bonus Tracks: Devil Doll / 1,000,000 years B.c. / helena 2

Songs: Kong at the gates / Forbidden Zone / Lost in space / Dust to Dust / crawling eye / Witch hunt / scream! / saturday Night / pumpkin head / scarecrow Man / Die Monster Die / Living hell / Descending angel / Them / Fiend club / hunting humans / helena / Kong Unleashed Notes: after American Psycho, the follow-up, Famous Monsters, was, sorry to say, i think a distinct letdown. Not that it’s a bad album; there are some really good songs on it—but whereas the former was the sound of fresh, re-invigorated Misfits, the latter was the sound of the inner tension that would shortly rip this version of the band asunder. geffen had made the effort, it just didn’t pay off—and no, they didn’t “pick” Jerry’s “brain” and turn what they learned into making rob Zombie a solo success. at least that’s what Jerry’s claimed in several interviews, and quite frankly comes off (to this reader) as so many sour grapes. as i said though, geffen at least made the effort and gave them a push with a lot of promo, such as videos for MTV, whereas roadrunner more or less couldn’t be bothered (at least they made a promo video for “scream”). But, then again, look at it from roadrunner’s view to a kill: they could only work with what they were given, and what they were given was a middling work at best.

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it begins with promise with a “Dr. phibes”–style instrumental called “Kong at the gates,” and features Kong’s growls and Fay Wray’s whimpers from the original movie over chud’s insistent drums and Doyle’s heavy riffing. That leads straight into more ape-suit territory with “Forbidden Zone,” that zips along at a frantic clip and of course namechecks The Planet of the Apes, from whence comes the term. From there on out, though, the weather starts getting rough. “Lost in space” is a decent slab of punk (although with nary a Doctor smith in sight, much less any robots). But the next three songs, “Dust to Dust,” “crawling eye,” and “Witch hunt,” are all pretty much cut from the same cloth. Things pick up quite a bit with “scream,” which has a patented sing-along chorus, and promoted with a george romero–directed video. That’s followed by “saturday Night,” a straight-up 1950s ballad-by-the-numbers, good for crying along to in the malt shop after you’ve just killed your baby today, but otherwise kinda makes them sound like sha-Na-Na. “pumpkin head,” of course, has nothing to do with the movie that it got the title from, and “scarecrow Man,” despite an enthusiastic vocal performance by graves, fails to impress. “Die, Monster, Die” is a title taken from a Karloff film, but the lyrics sound like they were inspired more by the h.p. Lovecraft story that inspired the movie, “The colour out of space.” “Living hell” borders on generic, but “Descending angel” is something of a mid-tempo gem. “Them” veers back towards generic, and “Fiend club” strikes me as rather … what’s the word i’m looking for … elitist and ungrateful. The Fiend club wouldn’t exist if not for the fiends. “hunting humans” is “Food around the corner” for Fiends, and the penultimate cut, “helena” (which was inspired by the movie Boxing Helena), alternates again between a pounding mid-tempo beat and full-on thrash. The album closes out with a short reprise of “Kong at the gates” minus the growls and whimpers and—voila!—it is magically transformed into “Kong Unleashed.” as reprises go, well, “sgt. pepper” it ain’t … come to think of it, it ain’t even “all around the World” by oasis. it is Kong … but, overall, the graves era ended with a whimper, not a bang. since i don’t have much else to say about Famous Monsters, please allow me the opportunity to relate one of my favorite memories of the cover artist Basil gogos, god rest his soul. it was the first time i had met him, and i was wearing my hair, as i still do, in a Devilock. as i approached him, he was signing a print for somebody, and he looked up and said, “The Misfits! i did album covers for you guys! how are ya doin’?” of course, i was taken aback, and stuttered “oh, no, no, no…. i’m not Michale graves!” (i suppose i’m short enough to be mistaken for glenn, but my hair is red, so i thought graves must be the one he mistook me for). he said, “Wow, i thought you were him…” “oh, no, sir, but thanks very much for the compliment…” after all the usual fanboy stuff about how i’d loved his work for years, i said, “so, with your work for the Misfits and rob Zombie, you have a whole new generation of fans….” he said, “oh, it’s great! i have kids coming up to me that are probably only for my work for the Misfits and rob Zombie.” “so,” i asked, “who do like working for better?” “Well, i love ’em both, but rob Zombie pays me more!”

Cuts from the Crypt U.s. cD: roadrunner records (618467), December 29, 2001 Brazil cD: sum records/roadrunner records (6875–2), 2001 canada cD: roadrunner records (rr84672), 2001 europe & Netherlands cD: roadrunner records (12 084672), 2001 Japan cD: roadrunner records (rrcy-11153), 2001

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The Complete Misfits Discography

poland cD: Metal Mind records (Mass cD 0877), 2001 poland cassette: Metal Mind records (Mass 0877), 2001

Songs: Dead Kings rise (Demo version) / Blacklight (Demo version) / The haunting (Demo version) / The hunger (Demo version) / Mars attacks (Demo version) / Dr. phibes rises again (Demo version) / i got a right / Monster Mash / i Wanna Be a N.y. ranger / scream (Demo version) / 1,000,000 years B.c. / helena 2 / Devil Doll / Fiend Without a Face / Bruiser / No More Moments / rise above Notes: The Michale graves era officially ends with this compilation. Tracks 1 through 6 are taken from the legendary, unreleased Mars Attacks Demos ep. The enhanced cD also includes the “scream” video. The last contractually obligated releases from any band on any label are usually comps or live albums, and in this case, the ’Fits plumped for the former, signaling the final nail in the coffin for the graves era. at least it appears that some thought went into the contents—rather than just a collection of cuts, the band offer some rarities, like more demos for American Psycho, “i got a right” from the iggy pop tribute, and “Bruiser,” done for the george romero film of the same name, in which the then–’Fits also appeared in. The last song was a harbinger of the shape of things to come—Dez cadena (as well as robo) takes the stage (and lead vocals on) Black Flag’s “rise above,” with as fierce a rendition of that song as you’ll ever hear. The front cover art is by pushead, and features one of his patented, gloriously ghoulish creations framed by an ec comics–style design.

Project  U.s. cD: Misfits records (rcD 10643), July 29, 2003 U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcD 01600), 2014 (expanded edition) U.s. 12" Lp: Misfits records (DBK107), 2003

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U.s. 12" Lp: Misfits records (MrLp10641), 2014 (expanded edition) eU cD: Misfits records (rcD 10643), 2003 eU 12" Lp: Misfits records (raLp10643), 2003 Japan cD: Misfits records (VacK-1271), 2003

Songs: This Magic Moment / Dream Lover / Diana / Donna / great Balls of Fire / Latest Flame / Monster Mash / only Make Believe / runaway / you Belong to Me / Witchcraft / Daughter of Darkness / (you’re the) Devil in Disguise Notes: Tracks 11 through 13 were only included on the expanded edition of the North american Lp and cD. The first release of the cD included a bonus DVD of live footage. The Japanese version did not include the DVD, but substituted a 5" vinyl single containing the ’Fits’ version of “Day the earth caught Fire” backed with a previously unreleased live version of the same song, which has Jerry on lead vocals backed by Balzac from a show in Japan. The Misfits Mark iii (a.k.a. M25, for their 25th anniversary), with Jerry assuming lead vocal duties, Dez on guitar, and Marky on drums, played together for a few years before releasing any new material. The first was the Misfits/Balzac split single, which was more than enough to whet the appetite, but the first (and only) album released during the Legendary Marky ramone of the World-Famous ramones era was Project: 1950, an album of 1950s and 1960s cover songs, which managed to transform the mighty Misfits into a dodgy Midwestern bar band. you can’t argue with the musicianship or the talent involved—for instance, the very special ronnie spector adds her own special brand of “Whoa-oh-oh” to “This Magic Moment”—but, as Bela Lugosi said in rKo’s You’ll Find Out, “it’s criminal to waste it on such trash!” Well, not exactly trash, but one expected a bit more from such talent. personal gripe: to add insult to injury, the only thing dodgier than the project itself was perhaps Jerry’s taste in music. obviously, he’s entitled to do his own thing, and it was no doubt a sincere tribute to the music that inspired him. They even do a straight cover of “(you’re the) Devil in Disguise,” although it sounded better when it was disguised as “Day of the Dead.” Vocally, he’s no glenn (or even graves), but his enthusiasm and heart make up for any vocal deficiencies. But, Jerry, Jerry … paul anka’s “Diana”—i mean, seriously?

(The) Misfits X-Posed U.K. cD: chrome Dreams (cTcD7063), october 2010

Songs: Beginnings / Bootlegs / slash records / Devilock / san Francisco incident / playing in L.a. / The Fiend club / end of an era / reunion / Fiend club reborn / guitarists / hair & Makeup Notes: once again, first things first—These are obviously not Misfits song titles (although fiends could be forgiven for confusing “Devilock” and “The Fiend club” for such). They are the titles given to various interviews throughout their career, and the cD contains no actual songs. Many of them provide the source for a variety of the printed equivalents in magazines that are cited in appendix 2.

(The) Devil’s Rain U.s. 12" Lp: Misfits records (MrLp 01491), october 4, 2011 U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcD 01490), october 4, 2011

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The Complete Misfits Discography

A promotional poster for the th Anniversary “version” of the Misfits.

Songs: The Devil’s rain / Vivid red / Land of the Dead / The Black hole / Twilight of the Dead / curse of the Mummy’s hand / cold in hell / Unexplained / Dark shadows / Father / Jack the ripper / Monkey’s paw / Where Do They go? / sleepwalkin’ / ghost of Frankenstein / Death ray Notes: First of all, the cover art is by arthur suydam, not Basil gogos, as reported in This Music Leaves Stains. it’s still one of the best things about the album, which is the sonic equivalent of busting for a crap and having to cross a mile-wide plowed field in hip-waders to reach the outhouse on the other side—something good will come out in the end, but it’s a struggle to get there. The relative merits of “Twilight of the Dead” and “Land of the Dead” have already been discussed (see above). The title track is yet another plodding mid-tempo cut, made all the more ponderous by Jerry’s lyrics, which are fairly well-sung, up-front, and dead boring. Don’t get me wrong, it’s well-played (Dez shines especially), but the ’Fits seem, by this time, to have lost all talent for writing a decent hook or even a decent shout-along chorus, sounding dangerously close at times to just another rock band, which they most definitely were not. i mean, take “curse of the Mummy’s hand,” which, if, Danzig had written the song, would’ve been a lot more fun and a lot faster, and wouldn’t have had anything to do with mummies, except if they were fuckin’ in the temple of the vestal virgin or sumpin’. speaking of Danzig, it’s obvious that “Father” is Jerry’s answer to “Mother,” but other than that connection, there is no comparison between the two. “Jack the ripper” gallops along at a sprightly pace, and features some absolutely nuts guitar by Dez. The less said about “Monkey’s paw,” the better. “Where Do They go?” i don’t know, but couldn’t this song have gone to the same place? as for “sleepwalkin’,”… no, no, that’s too good a straight-line, let’s just leave it at that. The best

1. Authorized Releases

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part of “ghost of Frankenstein” is Jerry grunting like Karloff at the very beginning. Unfortunately, things just start to get interesting on the very last song, “Death ray,” but then … that’s it. To date, this is the last album’s worth of original material under the name of the Misfits, and where they should have gone out in a clap of thunder and an angel’s hair of lightning, they instead faded into the night like a gentle (devil’s) rain.

DeA.D. Alive! U.s. 12" Lp: Misfits records (MrLp-01550), 2013 U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcD 01551), 2013

Songs: The Devil’s rain / Vivid red / Land of the Dead / curse of the Mummy’s hand / cold in hell / Dark shadows / Death ray / shining / american psycho / Dig Up her Bones / scream! / helena / science Fiction/Double Feature / saturday Night Notes: Finally—an official live document of the Jerry-rigged Misfits. Notable not only for the performance of songs from their very latest and, as already noted, last original album to date, The Devil’s Rain (see below), but for Jerry singing songs that had previously been associated with the graves era, such as “american psycho” and “Dig Up her Bones.” The renditions certainly miss Michale, but what Jerry lacks in vocal ability is more than compensated for by his (and the band’s) enthusiasm. somehow, the live versions of the Devil’s Rain songs add something to what are not the Misfits’ strongest numbers. The performance is powerful and offers a nice snapshot of the band just a few years before they would officially reunite.

Ghouls Night Out Live! eU cD: rox Vox (rVcD1010), July 2015

Songs: intro / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies / Violent World / hatebreeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / Devilock Notes: The first official release of the Union Ballroom show from Detroit in 1983— well, it was authorized by a european label, anyway. see Last Caress directly below for a discussion of another such release.

Last Caress—Live in Detroit 3 FM Broadcast eU 12" Lp: radio. X (rXXX1983), July 2016 eU cD: radio. X (rXXX1983cD), July 2016

Songs: intro / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies / Violent World / hate Breeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / Devilock Notes: recorded live for a WcBN-FM radio broadcast. When is a bootleg not a bootleg? apparently, when it’s sold on amazon and put out by a real record label, albeit

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The Complete Misfits Discography

in a very limited edition and with a question as to whether the band actually approved its release. a few like that have turned up on the retail monster and evil-Bay in the last year or two (which will be listed and discussed later).

Wasp Queens U.s. cD: sonic Boom (soNo341), september 6, 2017

Songs: Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: Taken from a live FM radio broadcast recorded at irving plaza, New york city, New york, on March 27, 1982. Well, first, about that title … this sarcasm, if i may call it such, does not become you, oh my brothers. at first, i thought this cD might’ve been released by a Brit company, and the title might’ve been a sneaky way to get back at glenn for his “Fuck the British” comments, which often followed live after the boys had performed “London Dungeon.” But no, sonic Boom is a seattle company, so that shoots the initial impression down. still, the question remains: why? Why not just call it “Queen Wasp,” which is one of the songs? could they mean to imply “White anglo-saxon protestant Queens”? in any case, it’s an odd choice for a title.

 These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’ Bootleg records have always been a dodgy proposition, both in terms of quality and especially legality. Make no mistake about it, they are illegal, but with any popular band, they are also inevitable. having been both a faan and a band member, i’d like to think that i can see both sides of the story. My wife told me the other day that she saw a famous musician on a show (she couldn’t remember who it was or what show), and that the interviewer asked him how he felt about bootlegs. he said they didn’t bother him at all, because the fans already had all the legit releases, they just wanted more. Now, it may be splitting hairs, but i feel as though there’s a difference between “pirate” versions of authorized releases, which take money out of the bands’ pockets, and straight-up bootlegs. Most bootlegs sound like they were recorded inside a shoe box stuffed inside a garbage can that was then covered with cement and is now resting on the bottom of the ocean. To even entertain the thought of listening to something like that, you have to be a die-hard fan—and if you actually prefer stuff like that over an authorized release, well … some people like to eat frozen corn while it’s still frozen, too. heaven help you. Most boots are made in very small quantities, sometimes as few as 10 or even one, so i really don’t think that’s gonna send anybody to the poorhouse by taking a bite out of their record sales. so this section will focus as much on the packaging and sleeve artwork as anything else … and just as much as i salute the often-anonymous fiends who designed the flyers (not to mention the heavy lifting of walking around town for hours putting them up) used throughout this book, so too i doff my skull-cap to those who have designed sleeves for bootlegs, sometimes brilliant and always at least interesting. in some ways, they exemplify the D.i.y. ethic that lies at the very heart of punk. here’s another thing. if the Misfits (Jerry in particular) are so wound up about bootlegs, why don’t they try issuing them officially? i’m not talking about the studio stuff; i’m talking about the live shows, from every era. sure, they’ve issued Evilive and Evilive II and DeA.D. Alive, but they should know better than anybody that we’re not called fiends for nothing, and that ’Fits fans have an insatiable appetite for any and all things Misfit. More than a couple of the more bootlegged acts have responded to this “threat” by offering up official, remastered versions of significant shows, thereby obviously obviating the need for said bootlegs of those shows. That way, there would be winners all around—the money would be going into the band’s pocket, and the fiends would get to hear the shows the way they were meant to be. seems like a no-brainer to me, but then, what do i know?

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Singles/EPs Evil Is as Evil Does U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (No release Number), 1987

Songs: London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders Notes: This ep was reissued in 1989, 2006 (on “plan 69 records”), and countless times since then. This is not to be confused with a bootleg cD that goes by the same title (see below). great cover graphics—five Jerrys for the price of one! it’s a condensed version of the Live at Hittsville bootleg ep (passaic, New Jersey, 1981), and thereby contains not only the legendary “Bobby steele is a fuckin’ cunt” version of “Teenagers from Mars,” but the “i hate the fuckin’ British” finish to “London Dungeon.” (For the whole fuckin’ show, see: If You Don’t Know This Song Lp.)

Max’s Kansas City U.s. 7" ep: cr (cr 002), 1987

Songs: Teenagers from Mars / hatebreeders / We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / Last caress / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “all hell…”)

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Notes: also known as Fiends Forever because some copies came with a 14" × 21" poster so titled. Like some of the other boots in this section allegedly from Max’s, this is actually a selection of songs from the al’s Bar show in ’82. if you don’t believe it, just check out the track listing—they sure as hell weren’t doing “hatebreeders” or “i Turned into a Martian” at Max’s—or, for that matter, “all hell Breaks Loose.” if the front sleeve looks like it was taken from the first official, it might be because it was.

Famous Misfits of Filmland U.s. 7" ep: scatterbrainchild records (sr-003 plan 666), 1987

Songs: Where eagles Dare / Vampira / ghouls Night out / skulls Notes: This ep was reissued in 1992, 2006, and countless times since then. Like Evil Is as Evil Does, it is one of the most commonly legged of the Misfits’ boots. it’s still one of my fave ’Fits boots, much for the same reason as Rat Fink—superior images, plus an obvious title that shoulda been the title of an official Misfits release somewhere along the way. But back to the images, i mean, the songs are almost of secondary importance when you have a record sleeve with the crimson ghost and Vampira. and who can resist the back-cover blurb which proclaims F.M.O.F. as being taken “From the Forthcoming album Lucifer’s Penis Rising.” it’s easy to see why this is so popular. plus—for some reason, this is also referred to in some quarters as 4 Hits from Hell, although the track listing bears no resemblance to the “official” boot of the same name.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Psycho ’ Demos U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1987

Songs: return of the Fly / cough/cool / she Notes: yet another repackaged boot, this one takes the cake. Unlike with, say, Rat Fink or Spook City U.S.A., which contain the same songs but featured completely different sleeves (see below) and were pressed in quantity, i have only encountered one copy of this record for sale, either on evil-bay or on other lists, and that includes Discogs. Methinks it’s a distinct possibility that whoever made this either lost or didn’t like the sleeve (which is nuts because both of them are great), but in any case tried to pass it off as a “new” release. The sleeve features a badly-traced crimson ghost, and the whole package gives bootleggers or dealers a bad name.

Return of the Fly U.s. 7" ep: Monkey Business records (No release Number), 1987

Songs: return of the Fly / cough/cool / she Notes: This Monkey Business release was the first of no fewer than five 7" eps with the title Return of the Fly. Four of them have exactly the same songs, but they were issued in different years, by different companies, and all had different sleeves. This edition has a highcontrast shot (achieved by endless Xeroxes of Xeroxes) of glenn on the front, and Jerry and Doyle done in the same fashion for the back, only smaller—which is rich, considering that Doyle wasn’t even in sniffing distance of the band when any of these songs were recorded.

Misfits/Big Black U.s. 7" ep: illiterate Fuck records (No release Number), 1988

Songs: return of the Fly (Misfits) / Dead Billy / Ugly american (Big Black) Notes: also known as Return of the Fly (again with Return of the Fly!), this is one of the most elusive Misfits bootlegs. The cover photo is the famous shot from Return of the Fly where Vincent price is recoiling in horror from the Fly and he has a look on his face that suggests a soufflé gone wrong.

 Hits from Hell! Netherlands 7" ep: No Label (siN 101), 1988 U.s. ep: No Label (No release Number), 1989

Songs: Devil’s Whorehouse / attitude / Braineaters / Bullet Notes: The selections on this ep were recorded at the 9:30 club in Washington, D.c., in 1982. The excellently produced, heavy cardstock full sleeve features a great halftone photo of the robo-era ’Fits and the back features ad art from the movie The Undertaker and His Pals. The same images (minus the tag lines from the ad) were used on a single poster for the Misfits, although i don’t know which came first, the sacrificial chicken or the egg. sonically, of course, it’s mud, but it’s a ripping performance, the ’Fits tearing through their set list at warp speed. as is the case with most boots, the between-song chatter comes out the clearest, with glenn saying right before “Braineaters”: “‘Braineaters,’ c’mon up! Don’t break anything, ya fuckin’ dicks!”

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Live! ’: The Perfect Crime U.s. 7" ep: Vic Ledman records (Br 007), 1988

Songs: horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat Notes: This selection of songs was recorded live at the 4th street saloon in Bethlehem, pennsylvania, on september 15, 1979. The song selection on this ep is exactly the same as the Horror Business ep, except they’re live, and the sound quality is … well, remember all those Finnish hardcore records that sound like they were recorded inside a coffin housed in a mausoleum sunk to the bottom of the ocean? if you dig those, you’ll love this. as always, valuable relic, though. The photo that was used for the cover is both historic and amusing: historic because it features Bobby steele and Joey image—whose tenure with the Misfits doesn’t get that much love from bootleggers—and amusing because glenn, in his captain harlock shirt, actually has a better, fuller Devilock than Jerry, whose own is really short. it looks (although this may be due to the way in which the photo was cropped) like he actually has more hair on the top of his head, and for all the world resembles one of those hideous “man buns.”

Evil-Five U.s. 7" ep: Frisco’s Fave records (No release Number), 1988 germany ep: perverted productions (pp 002), 1990

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Songs: halloween / We Bite / attitude / Die, Die My Darling / Who Killed Marilyn? Notes: This somewhat shoddy package from 40 years ago contains the scattershot approach used by too many bootleggers, a mix of … everything, really. To be fair, though, many bootlegs simply consist of the individual’s personal favorites, providing a good gauge of the popularity of certain songs. This particular bootlegger liked “Die, Die, My Darling” so much that he didn’t know or care that it’s actually the samhain version.

Fiend Club U.s. 7" ep: i.F.M. records (iFM-1001), 1988

Songs: return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian Notes: also known as Return of the Living Dead, for some reason, this version of Fiend Club is identifiable because of the different songs on it and for the simple, elegant cover, which features the legendary circular Fiend club logo. Well, maybe “different songs” is an incorrect term—i should say that it features different songs from the first two eps with the same name listed directly above. To top it off, this ep is actually the Invasion from Mars boot, same label, but with a different cover. clever bastards!

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Ghouls Gold U.s. 7" ep: Braineaters records (777), 1988

Songs: she / cough/cool / ghouls Night out / Last caress Notes: Ghoul’s Gold was another assortment of studio outtakes, spiced up by some vintage Amazing Stories–style sci-fi pulp artwork of some future-folk running from a gigantic eye (with the crimson ghost skull leering from the pupil).

Astro Zombies U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (No release Number), 1988

Songs: astro Zombies / return of the Fly / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / halloween ii Notes: First of all, notes about any unofficial releases—any of them that say “Fiend club records” or “plan 9 records”—obviously have no connection to the real Fiend club or plan 9. Now, on to the contents: “return of the Fly” is the same studio version that appears on all the other bootlegs, and then was claimed back from the bootleggers on the Collection. The rest of the songs, all from Misfits Walk Among Us, sound like they were taken directly from that album. The best part is the sleeve art, with images lifted from the Frankenstein Portfolio by Berni Wrightson. it was pressed on red vinyl in a limited edition of 500 unnumbered copies and also came with a “Fiend” sticker which reproduced the record label.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Hybrid Moments U.s. 7" ep: i.F.M. records (iFM-1001), 1988

Songs: return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian Notes: sigh. Hybrid Moments is yet another version of the i.F.M. record known at various turns as Fiend Club and Return of the Fly. This record, label and all, sure do make it around, and sorely test the true fiend’s capacity for recycled material.

Invasion from Mars U.s. 7" ep: i.F.M. records (iFM-1001), 1988

Songs: return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian Notes: This boot was issued in four different versions, under three different titles, but all on the same label, i.F.M. records. The other titles are the Hybrid Moments and Fiend Club eps listed above, and this entry lists the other two versions with the “invasion from Mars” title. since the only difference is in the sleeve artwork, we’ll talk about the differences between the two. one version features the band’s pose from Misfits Walk Among Us on the front cover along with the title, the back features the same shot in negative with the song titles. The other version features the same back cover, but with a far more colorful front side. Featuring a heapin’ helpin’ of archetypal paste-up clip art, it’s a mash-up of everything from Buck rogers toy spaceships to, shirley Temple, chico Marx, Little orphan annie, charles Middleton as Ming the Merciless and Jean rogers as Dale arden from the first Flash Gordon serial, and—wait for it—the crimson ghost. Both are pretty cool after their own fashion, and of course, any true Fiend would want both.

Misfits Walk Among Us U.s. 2 × 7" ep: Fiend club (No release Number), 1989

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / Vampira / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (Live) / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / Violent World / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Braineaters Notes: This is exactly what it sounds like—a “Mini-Me” version of Walk Among Us on two seven-inch, red vinyl records. all in all, it’s really not a bad approximation of the official release—even though printed in black and white, the sleeve graphics are at least as clear as on the real thing, and the sound is almost as good as that one.

A Walk Among the Dead U.s. 7" ep: Fiend club records (My 107), 1989

Songs: astro Zombies / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / Devil’s Whorehouse / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian Notes: This ep was re-released as Bitch Goddess (see Bitch Goddess). it was a collection of studio outtakes from the Misfits Walk Among Us sessions, and as such, the sound quality is actually halfway decent. at least the songs are better mixed than on

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Earth A.D.; you can actually hear the bass and drums. curiously, while the songs are listed with the correct titles on the outer sleeve, the label itself lists them as “Zombie,” “go-go,” “Break Loose,” “Whorehouse,” “Vampire girl,” and “Martian,” with only “halloween” surviving intact. This release has proven to be one of the most durable of the myriad Misfits bootlegs—originally, 1,000 copies were pressed, 500 on red vinyl, 500 on yellow vinyl. Mine is pressed on green vinyl, attesting to its popularity. The front cover art is a graveyard cross taken from the flyer when the ’Fits played at the North park Lions club with Battalion of saints and The executives.

Bitch Goddess U.s. 7" ep: Fiend club records (My 107), 1989

Songs: astro Zombies (listed as “Zombie”) / Nike a go go (listed as “go-go”) / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “Break Loose”) / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Whorehouse”), halloween (listed as “halloween”) / Vampira (listed as “Vampire girl”) / i Turned into a Martian (listed as “Martian”) Notes: This ep was a re-release of the A Walk Among the Dead seven-inch, except with crudely-drawn dominatrix on the cover. also, in an attempt to disguise the songs, whoever put it out inadvertently came up with the title of an actual future Misfits song (“Vampire girl”).

Braineaters Netherlands 7" ep: Too great to stay Unreleased records (1/2), 1989

Songs: Devil’s Whorehouse / attitude / Braineaters / Bullet Notes: This Dutch ep was a re-boot of the 4 Hits from Hell ep (see 4 Hits from Hell).

Devil’s Whorehouse U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1989

Songs: Devil’s Whorehouse / attitude / Braineaters / Bullet Notes: The 4 Hits from Hell ep with a different cover, which features a badly-drawn nekkid devil-girl (as opposed to a crudely-drawn dominatrix). stick with the original that has the half-tone photo of the ’Fits and some of the graphics from The Undertaker and his Pals.

Horrorbullet germany 7" ep: arche Noire records (027), 1989

Songs: Vampira / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders Notes: one of the earliest of the Misfits bootleg seven-inchers, this german ep was recorded at the Detroit show on september 12, 1981. The sleeve is sturdy cardboard, a rarity in itself, and cover art appropriated from pushead. The back cover art is cool as well, a crimson ghost–like figure mixing chemicals and saying, “Not bad … but it could use a dash more revenge and a pinch of hatred.” Bon appetit!

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Night of the Living Dead germany acetate: plan 9 records (pL1011), 1989

Song: Night of the Living Dead Notes: This is a 7-inch one-sided metal, direct-to-disc acetate, of which only 10 hand-numbered copies were pressed. They are sometimes sold as rare official items. it’s certainly rare, but not an official release.

Creepshow U.s. 7" ep: plan 9 records (No release Number), 1989

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / Violent World / Braineaters / Demonomania / Death comes ripping / green hell Notes: This more or less covers the whole spectrum of Danzig and the Misfits’ career, in 6 songs, a mix of studio and live cuts. The sleeve art feature’s glenn’s drawing of the crimson ghost from the back cover of Evilive, except it’s gone from back to front. The credits that accompanied the original were replaced by the title of the ep and the sonorous lines, “Well, kiddies! here’s a little tale of 4 fiends who are just ‘dying’ for you to hear this record, for once you do then, and oNLy then, will they be able to crawl back into their graves to rest in piece [sic].” it was pressed on blue vinyl in an edition of 500 copies.

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Rat Fink U.s. 7" ep: Monsters records (No release Number), 1989

Songs: rat Fink / spook city U.s.a. / children in heat Notes: as stated previously, with some bootlegs, it’s not about the recycled music contained in the grooves, but about the sleeve art, and this one is just about as good as it gets, with well-placed pop-culture icons abounding. The main illustration, naturally, is of the titular legendary hot rod cartoon icon created by ed “Big Daddy” roth, holding up a sign with the Misfits’ “Famous Monsters” logo accompanied by a fantastic four crimson ghost skulls, and that’s just the beginning. The title of the ep is encased in a word balloon exclaimed by Jack Davis’s crypt Keeper from e.c. The back has a single central crimson ghost skull, and tucked away in three of the four corners are herman Munster, the phantom of the opera marker that was used on later issues of Famous Monsters, and maybe coolest of all, a drawing of Betty Boop that’s been re-worked into “elvira Boop,” complete with expanded cleavage and a slit skirt with fishnet stockings.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Violent World germany 7" ep: No Trust records (No TrUsT 01), 1989

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / children in heat / Violent World / i Turned into a Martian Notes: This ep was also released as Hammers—same label, same release number, same songs, but with a different sleeve featuring a promo photo from the Bobby steele/Joey image era. The sleeve of this edition is much more attractive graphically speaking—a B&W second-generation photo of the crimson ghost skull, with red borders.

Spook City U.S.A. U.s. 7" ep: plan 69 records (ccc 001), 1989

Songs: spook city U.s.a. / rat Fink / children in heat Notes: Spook City U.S.A. contains the same material as the Rat Fink ep (see above),

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but was issued by a different company (plan 69, clever) with a different label. The sleeve artwork is different as well, and features two illustrations by famed fetish illustrator eric stanton (not to mention the legendary Basil Wolverton being represented). Up front, the stern dominatrix’s face that appeared in the original (menacing a bound and gagged beauty in stockings, naturally) has been replaced by the crimson ghost skull, while the back contains not only the aforementioned stanton and Wolverton, but repros of the sleeves—backs and fronts—of Night of the Living Dead, Horror Business, and Who Killed Marilyn?

Static Age germany 7" ep: Dead ram records (s-09), 1990

Songs: static age / TV casualty / Last caress / hybrid Moments Notes: This ep is the first of two that were issued in 1990 devoted to Static Age.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

They’re on different labels from different countries, and also have different sleeves, different labels, slightly different titles, and one has more songs than the other (see below). This is probably the lesser of the two—not only is it the one with less cuts, but it’s got a really naff sleeve design which doesn’t say a thing about the Misfits! on the front, it simply has a generic skeleton (bordered by even more generic skeletons) holding up a sign that says “static age.” on the back, there are only the song titles and the samhain skull minus the horns—huh? it’s hard to find, but not really worth the effort.

Static Age Demos E.P. (January ) scandinavia 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1990

Songs: Last caress / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / We are 138 / static age / return of the Fly / some Kinda hate / Teenagers from Mars Notes: This is the superior of the two eps that feature material from the Static Age. it’s got more songs, slightly better sound, and a better sleeve design—simple, elegant, and black. Think spinal Tap’s Smell the Glove, only with lettering. The back cover lists the song titles and is bordered by crimson ghost skulls, so in addition to the logo on the front, at least with this record, you know who it’s by. But the label is jet black, and you ask yourself, how much blacker can it get, and the answer is … not much. Four hundred copies were pressed on … you guessed it, black vinyl.

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Misfits/Ramones portugal 7" ep: New Bootleg records (008), 1990

Songs: hollywood Babylon / attitude / Last caress (Misfits), i Don’t Wanna Be Learned/i Don’t Wanna Be Tamed / i can Not Be / Babysitter (ramones) Notes: again with the cover art from the Misfits/Battalion of saints flyer! Three tracks from each band on each side of this ep; somewhat amusingly, the first ramones song is listed as “i Do Not Wanna Be Learned/i Do Not Wanna Be Tamed,” which sounds frightfully formal, old bean.

…Lodi, N.J. … You Know germany 7" single: Let’s Talk about shit records (No release Number), 1990

Songs: return of the Fly / glenn Danzig interview parts 1 & 2 Notes: (see All Hell Breaks Loose—german version—and Angelfuck eps.) For all intents and purposes, this was the german version of the Fiend Club ep or Invasion from Mars ep—same record, same label, and the same stuff, just different sleeves.

All Hell Breaks Loose australia 7" ep: Bootleg city records (No release Number), circa late 1990s

Songs: she / Die, Die My Darling / return of the Fly / cough/cool Notes: This is an email that i received from my mate Jay, Down Under in oz: a bit of history about this record…. This was put out by a hardcore kid that once used to work at the now-legendary phantom records in sydney australia. he was a guy that used to do ’zines and manage the shop on saturdays and sundays. This was the first-ever release for Bootleg city, which was a very small and short-lived bootleg label. They only ever did four releases (possibly five), three of which were pressed on hand lathe-cut polycarb discs. The three releases were The Misfits, The Meanies, and Nation of hate/Kiarra split. The latter two bands are australian bands. There were only ever 20 made of each record, and all three records basically sold out in minutes at whatever gig they were sold at. Most were sold to other record collectors and stored away for good. i’ve never seen any of the three for sale in the last 20 years. These polycarbs were pressed in New Zealand by some old guy that did it for fun. it’s pretty old technology, and the pressings were never great, more of a novelty. i think he still cuts records today. i have had two copies of these Misfits records in my possession since its release, both un-played. The exact year of release is unsure, but i’m guessing it was between 20–24 years ago. it’s been rumored that these polycarb 7 inches wear away over time and due to the amount of play that they endure, but like i said, they were more for the collectors to say they had them in their collection.

i have one in my collection. No, it’s not for sale.

All Hell Breaks Loose germany 7" ep: Let’s Talk about shit records (No release Number), 1990

Songs: return of the Fly / glenn Danzig interview parts 1 & 2

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: This german ep was not only issued in three different colors of vinyl, but each color of vinyl had a different title! The total number of copies pressed was 600, and the breakdown of the colors and the titles is as follows: 200 on yellow vinyl with the All Hell Breaks Loose title, which features the same cover photo as the Uber Dem Jenseits Lp, which is again from the robo era. another 200 bore the Lodi, NJ, You Know… title, and these were pressed on green. The last title was Angelfuck (see below), and was pretty in pink. The interview with glenn was originally broadcast over WhrB-FM in cambridge, Massachusetts, on May 13, 1986, for the TaaNg records radio show.

Angelfuck germany 7" ep: Let’s Talk about shit records (No release Number), 1990

Songs: return of the Fly / glenn Danzig interview parts 1 & 2 Notes: The third and last version of the german ep All Hell Breaks Loose was, as stated above, pressed on pink vinyl and was issued in two formats: 150 copies were issued as just the ep, and had a sleeve photo of Marilyn Monroe. Fifty copies featured the same sleeve, but were packaged as a 12-inch box set that contained the ep plus several inserts (a show flyer, a Fiend club bumper sticker, a crimson ghost guitar pick, a color photo of the ’Fits from the googy era, and another flyer, this one a repro of a plan 9 records products order sheet. The photo on the boxed set cover also features Marilyn, standing with nothing but a sheet wrapped around her.

Return of the Fly germany 7" ep: perverted productions (pp 001), 1990

Songs: return of the Fly / cough/cool / she Notes: This german ep, issued three years after the first Return of the Fly boot, came in two different versions of packaging. The first was just the ep, with the same Danzig cover listed above. The second (which also has the Danzig cover) was released in a very limited edition box set of 15 hand-numbered copies that included the ep, a Misfits patch, and various stickers. The box art features the same cover as the Misfits/Big Black ep, the shot of Vincent price in the clutches of the Fly, looking as if the Fly has just farted.

Return of the Fly U.s. 7" ep: No Label (pL 000), 1991

Songs: return of the Fly / cough/cool / she Notes: Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the record store, another version of Return of the Fly appeared. same Bat-songs, same Bat-audio quality, but the front cover art features a photo of a skulking, fogbound Vincent price from House of Wax. The same photo was used as the basis for the lame cover art on the ramones’ Pleasant Dreams Lp, where, quite frankly, it made even less sense. i mean, for the ’Fits it was (sort of) logical; they may not have had a song “house of Wax,” but at least it was a photo of Vincent price, and the ramones didn’t have any songs that referenced price. But i digress….

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Hammers germany 7" ep: No Trust records (No Trust 01), 1991

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / children in heat / Violent World / i Turned into a Martian Notes: Hammers is a re-boot of the Violent World ep (see below). The song titles are listed correctly on the sleeve, but on the label is another story. “Who Killed Marilyn?” becomes “Mysterious Death,” “astro Zombies” is listed as “all i Want,” “Where eagles Dare” morphs into “son of a Bitch,” “children in heat” is shorn of the kids as “in heat,” and “i Turned into a Martian” somehow becomes “The creature from Martian.” The only one that matches up to the sleeve is “Violent World.”

Return of the Fly germany 7" picture Disc ep: There isn’t a label, stupid, it’s a picture disc, 1991

Songs: return of the Fly / cough/cool / she

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: This appealing little item was issued in germany in 1991 on thick vinyl with 777 copies pressed. it has the crimson ghost skull on one side, and a picture of a devilocked Danzig on the other (actually the front cover of the first Return of the Fly entry). There, that’s the last Return of the Fly—at least for now….

Back with a Bang! spain 7" ep: Discos columbia records (pLF 13723), 1992

Songs: Last caress / Who Killed Marilyn? (listed as “Who Kill Marylin”) / Devilock (listed as “Devil Lock”) / Devil’s Whorehouse Notes: “Last caress” is a studio mix of the song, but the B-side is puzzling, because the producers of this bootleg list the live recordings as being “alive” from Dc space on February ThirTy-FirsT 1983.

Horror Business EP U.s. 7" ep: Vic Ledman records (No release Number), 1992

Songs: horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat Notes: This ep was a re-boot of the Live ’79: The Perfect Crime ep, but featured the

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front and back graphics of the original Evilive 12" that was produced in germany. They’re great images, but poorly reproduced on simple, plain white Xerox paper.

Fiend Club U.s. 7" ep: Filmland records (No release Number), 1993

Songs: horror hotel / rat Fink / spook city U.s.a. Notes: This ep is supposedly also known under the title of Horror Hotel, but, personally speaking, i’ve yet to run across one under that title. This particular version can be distinguished from the other boots bearing the same name by, as always, the cover, which has the title Fiend Club and a pic of the crimson ghost against a checkerboard background. The back cover is taken from the back cover of the official, original Night of the Living Dead ep.

Return of the Fly U.s. 7" ep: Mermi Mini records (LD1), 1994

Songs: return of the Fly / she / horror hotel / Last caress / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / rise above (Live)

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: Finally, an ep called Return of the Fly that has different songs on it. Well, actually, two songs survive from the previous pressings, “return of the Fly” and “she” (“cough/cool” didn’t make the cut), but wait, there’s more! Five more, to be precise, including a shredding version of Black Flag’s “rise above.” The cover art by “Droopy” is kind of mediocre (sorry, Droop, whatever you are) but is at least mediocre in an enthusiastic way, and seemingly inspired by the “giant Bug” cards of the original Mars Attacks trading card series—a giant fly incinerates two people in a car trying to escape the apocalyptic destruction in the background.

Fiend Club U.s. 7" ep: robertshaw records (No release Number), 1994

Songs: horror hotel / rat Fink / spook city U.s.a. Notes: This version of Fiend Club is subtitled Three Old Songs, and is a re-release of the above with a different sleeve, which uses the Misfits’ flyer from the Florentine gardens as its root component.

Revenge Will Be Ours! U.s. 7" ep: Munk records (MUNK 06), 1995

Songs: London Dungeon / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business Notes: First, the good news: the front cover art is by pushead, taken from an old

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’Fits flyer. Now, the bad news: the back cover art is not by pushead, and looks like one of glenn’s wet dreams—a poorly-rendered Danzig, standing among ruins, with the torso of a man and the legs of a goat, holding a trident with one hand while the other hand is otherwise occupied, having been turned into a snake, not to mention his dick hanging out. Was the Revenge of the title foisting this piece of crap on unsuspecting Fiends? it certainly didn’t hurt its popularity (it may have even helped), as this is an evergreen Misfits bootleg that has gone through countless re-pressings.

The Vault of Horror (Pushead presents) eU 7" ep: pusmort/plan 9 records (No release Number), 1999

Songs: earth a.D. / We Bite / Demonomania (Misfits), Dream silent / Burial / Thaw (septic Death) Notes: The Misfits tracks are unreleased alternate takes from the 1983 Earth A.D. sessions, and the septic Death tracks are from 1983’s Core of Reality sessions. The cover art by pushead was originally used for the Thrasher magazine interview with glenn Danzig.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Max’s Kansas City spain 7" ep: Fiend 9 records (LiVe’78), 2005

Songs: Bullet / horror Business / static age / Teenagers from Mars / Blue christmas / We are 138 Notes: Finally, the show goes on as advertised—this is actually from Max’s Kansas city on November 12, 1978, before they got banned from the dive. The show was rough, but glorious, and most definitely a sign of bigger things to come. it was at this show that Danzig made the connection to elvis both obvious and tangible with their own version of that ol’ elvis holiday standard, “Blue christmas.”

Max’s Kansas City // spain 7" ep: Fiend 9 records (LiVe’78), 2005

Songs: Bullet / horror Business / static age / Teenagers from Mars / Blue christmas / We are 138 Notes: same show as above but pressed on pink vinyl and with a shot of elsa Lanchester as the Bride of Frankenstein on the front of the sleeve, echoing the earlier “Dig Up her Bones” sleeve.

The Misfits  australia 7" ep: plan 6 records (No release Number), 2007

Songs: children in heat / spook city U.s.a. / angelfuck / Who Killed Marilyn? Notes: all of the tracks are taken from the Misfits Coffin Box Set, so no real need for it, but it does have a pretty smart cover—a star from the hollywood Walk of Fame with a bass guitar on top of it and made to look as if it contains the ep title. it was issued in a hand-numbered limited edition of 300 and pressed on black vinyl. The back halfcover has the typed lyrics for all the songs featured, and oddly, the label features Doyle on one side (who, again, had nothing to do with any of these songs) and on the flip side, snatches of the lyrics of “Bullet,” which isn’t even on the record.

Die, Die My Catrina Mexico 7" ep: plan 9 (pL9 03), 2008

Songs: Die, Die My Darling / We Bite / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? Notes: This ep was a hand-numbered limited edition of 50, made on black vinyl, and recorded at the hard rock café in Mexico city. The songs are from two hot nights (august 4 and 6) in 2007.

At the Ritz U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), april 20, 2013

Songs: London Dungeon / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business Notes: This seven-inch is actually the Revenge Will Be Ours boot (re-booted, then?)

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with a different, fake “record store Day” cover. The front cover art is taken from Warren’s Eerie Magazine #117, December 1980, and was painted by famed Vampirella cover artist enrich Torres.

The Ritz, New York, N.Y., December ,  eU 7" ep: Boot ranch europe records (No release Number), 2014

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / London Dungeon / 20 eyes Notes: This ep is not to be confused with At the Ritz, which has a different cover and was a fake record store Day release, but it could be confused with that one because it features the same songs as that one, which was a reissue or repressing of Revenge Will Be Ours. But at least the songs are from the ritz, and the sound quality is very good. it should be, considering that it’s a condensed version of Evilive. it was issued in a handnumbered limited edition of 100, pressed on baby-blue vinyl, and has two different sleeves, both a mix of color and black and white. one has the Misfits logo and the title of the ep in yellow letters with red outlines, coupled with a black and white photo of glenn, Jerry and Doyle after a show, presumably this one, although bootlegs have never been exactly noted for their accuracy. The other has the Misfits logo in purple and the title in red, both with yellow outlines, and a photo mash-up of a red-cloaked crimson ghost standing beside a black and white glenn, at the height of his devilock, in a leather jacket and wearing a crimson ghost t-shirt.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

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Who Killed Marilyn? U.s. 7" Box set: plan 9 records (pL 1007), 2014

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat Notes: Ultra-rare, with only 50 copies made. contains two different versions of the record listed above, an unused sleeve, two inserts and a sticker. Beautiful packaging; one of the sleeves uses a photo from the Crimson Ghost serial with Marilyn’s face replacing Linda sterling.

Somekindahate spain 7" ep: Devilock records (LocK 001), 2015

Songs: attitude / Demonomania / horror Business / skulls / halloween Notes: This ep contains the same cuts as the Live My Darling ep, which was recorded live at the Wilson center in D.c in ’82. The cover art is weird: The front cover features a skimpily-dressed girl being held down by zombified hands while also being attacked by snakes, adding insult to injury. The back features the crimson ghost and the song titles … and the on the reverse side, a large reproduction of the poster for the gig itself, so if you don’t like one cover, it’s reversible!

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Braineaters in Dearborn 3 greece 10" Lathe-cut ep: No Label (No release Number), 2016

Songs: i Turned into a Martian (listed as “Martian”) / skulls / Devilock / Queen Wasp / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / hatebreeders / Braineaters / halloween / Bullet / horror Business / We are 138 Notes: Braineaters in Dearborn 1983 is a 10" ep, and only 30 numbered copies were pressed. The performances are from the Michigan Union Ballroom in april of ’83.

Dutch Misfits Con  greece 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2016

Songs: halloween / hybrid Moments Notes: recorded live at Dutch comic con 2015, with a limited-edition, numbered pressing of 50 copies. The front cover art is the same as was used for 1977–1984: The Singles Collection and the back cover is a shot of Doyle, who was not in the band at the time.

Horror Business in Kansas greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), June 2016

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Songs: Teenagers from Mars / hatebreeders / We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / Last caress / all hell Breaks Loose Notes: Like other boots that purport to be from Max’s Kansas city in 1978, this perpetuates the myth. same show and same quality; decent cover photo, but that’s not from Max’s either.

Hybrid Moments in Germany  greece 10" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), February 2016

Songs: halloween / i Turned into a Martian / Death comes ripping / all hell Breaks Loose / speak of the Devil / static age / TV casualty (listed as “TV causality”) / hybrid Moments / Last caress Notes: another 10" ep, this one is an expansion of The Dead Is Back in Germany 1997. The photo on the front of the sleeve (presumably from the show) features Jerry, Doyle, and chud, with Doyle holding chud in a headlock; considering the acrimony with which they parted ways, it’s tempting to see this as wish-fulfillment (or possibly a preview of the shape of things to come).

She greece 7" single: Wa138 (Wa138–002), august 5, 2016

Songs: she Notes: This very cool, very rare bootleg single was one of ten total copies pressed, on very thick clear vinyl, with “she” on one side; the other side is blank. if it didn’t list the song title on the sleeve you’d assume, quite naturally, that it was “Vampira”—after all, Maila Nurmi’s famous alter-ego is featured on the front cover, back cover, and even the label itself.

Live My Darling spain 7" ep: Devilock records (LocK 001), 2016

Songs: attitude / Demonomania / horror Business / skulls / halloween Notes: This is a different version of the Somekindahate ep recorded at Dc’s Wilson center on october 22, 1982. same songs, but this one has the edge in presentation—the front cover, as the title suggests, is from the Die, Die My Darling ep (which originally appeared on the front cover of harvey comics’ Chamber of Chills number 19, which was drawn by Lee elias from a sketch by Warren Kremer). The back is Basil gogos’ portrait of the crimson ghost from American Psycho.

The Live Experiment greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), 2016

Songs: The Devil’s rain / Vivid red / Land of the Dead / The Black hole Notes: recorded live at Manning’s Bar in sydney, australia on December 1, 2011, and issued in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 50 copies pressed on black vinyl.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

again, one of the few boots to feature the Jerry-Fits with Dez and chupacabra, and one of even fewer to feature songs from the Devil’s Rain Lp. however, Live Experiment goes right back to the source for the front cover, a picture of the crimson ghost and a couple of cronies cooking up a nefarious scheme over a hot cyclotrode (from the serial). The back features a full-color photo of Jerry—with chupie in the background—singing into that faintly ridiculous mic set-up with the skeleton torso attached, which i understand can be used to obscure rolls of middle-aged paunch.

Michigan League Ballroom portugal 7" single: infinite records (No release Number), 2017

Songs: Last caress / skulls Notes: This was recorded live in ann arbor, Michigan, on april 23, 1983. only 30 hand-numbered copies were pressed on clear vinyl. it’s dodgy sonically, but the graphics are right-on: a simple, well-reproduced crimson ghost skull on the front, and on the back, a couple of the skeletally-dressed horsemen from hammer’s Night Creatures. This has also proved to be an enduring image used in conjunction with the Misfits—not only on bootlegs, such as Walk Among You, but the Misfits themselves utilized it for their reunion gigs with the tagline “The original Misfits ride again!”

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I Killed My Darling Vampire greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), January 2017

Songs: Vampira / Die, Die My Darling Notes: recorded live in Moscow on March 18, 2016. historically significant because this is the first release (either authorized or unauthorized) of the re-formed original lineup. Nice, weird and slightly unsettling cover image of the crimson ghost smile grafted onto Vampira’s face.

Last Screams from California  greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), august 2017

Songs: scream! / Die, Die My Darling / static age / Last caress Notes: recorded live on June 18, 2015, in santa ana, california, only four days before Dez announced he was leaving the Misfits; you wouldn’t know it by his performance though. curiously (that term gets tossed around a lot in describing boots), though, although the front features a black and white photo of Jerry, the back cover photo is in full color … and is of Doyle, who had quit the band long before this.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Horror Business in Mexico  greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), october 2017

Songs: halloween / earth a.D. / horror Business / hybrid Moments Notes: The most negative thing about Misfits bootlegs is that people were recycling the same stuff that had been passed around for decades—although, to be fair, and i think it’s already been noted, for a lot of years, there was only a very limited pool of stuff to draw from. even after the first reformation, for a lot of years, there just wasn’t that much stuff available. Whether this was due to paucity of demand, or whether it was due to Evilive II (and much later, DeA.D. Alive)—perhaps proactively released for the very purpose of heading off bootleggers—there just wasn’t much in the way of post–Danzig Misfits around, particularly in the case of live recordings. Thankfully (or not, depending on your point of view), greece has filled in that gap in the last couple of years, releasing not only graves-era live stuff, but also the only-era lineup with Dez and chupacabra. The only shows that haven’t made the rounds now are the very last lineup of the Jerry-rigged version of the ’Fits, with, i don’t know, Uncle Dudley only on drums, and who knows, time may even coat that period with a warm patina of nostalgia. yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt. it’s got a very nicely produced full-color sleeve—a photo of Jerry in all his spikey glory on the front, and another with Jerry, Dez, and chupacabra on the back. The songs were performed live on Mexican television in 2010 for Sessiones con (“sessions with”) Alejandro Franco.

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Horror in Minneapolis  greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), august 2017

Songs: halloween / horror Business / Death comes ripping / Die, Die My Darling Notes: Limited to 50 copies on regulation black vinyl, this nicely-done boot features good sound and impressive graphics, as well as a slick, postcard-sized, two-sided insert which features band pics on one side and the crimson ghost on the other. recorded live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 11, 1997, this effort (somewhat curiously) chooses to concentrate on the Misfits’ old classics and bypass any graves-era material altogether.

Teenagers from Mars eU 45 rpM 7" single: plan 9 records (pL 1003), 2017

Songs: static age / Teenagers from Mars Notes: This was pressed in a limited edition of 150, in red, green, and blue copies, 50 of each color. it also comes with a lyric sheet insert, a different one for each color vinyl. although the title of the single is Teenagers from Mars, the a-side is “static age.”

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The Complete Misfits Discography

The sleeve features photos of the second lineup, and they are priceless because they are so of the time—before the horror image really took hold, when glenn looked like just another “guido,” Mr. Jim looked like Mr. Jim, Franché coma is wearing a (silk-screened) blood-spattered t-shirt that looks like vintage richard hell, except it doesn’t say “please Kill Me,” and Jerry is still on his sid Vicious trip. Looking back at the photos from this period, all one can say is “Thank god for the horror image!”

The Dead Is Back in Germany  greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), 2017

Songs: Last caress / i Turned into a Martian Notes: recorded live at Zeche carl in essen, germany, on april 24, 1997, and pressed in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 50 copies on standard-issue black vinyl. sound quality is good (and the whole show is available on DVD, see appendix 3) and the sleeve graphics are even better—they liberate pushead’s art for the back cover of Die, Die My Darling from the confines of its bourgeois existence and put it on the front cover of this one, and add a few colors. The back cover (and the label as well) is a collage of Misfits record covers, both official and unofficial. once again, even though the show is from the graves era, they select two songs of Danzig-era Misfits.

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Attitude—Live at Max’s Kansas City // greece 7" ep: red skeleton records (No release Number), 2018

Songs: attitude Notes: This was a limited edition of 30 one-sided copies on clear vinyl. i might as well get this joke out of the way now, with the first greek boot, because you know it had to come sooner or later. When it comes to new Misfits bootlegs, greece is the word! great performance, crappy recording, but glenn’s attitude manages to transcend the audio.

Chicago Riot Festival  greece 7" ep: Wa138 (Wa138–003), January 18, 2018

Songs: she / We are 138 Notes: riot Fest 2016 was the first performance of the reunited Misfits, and in the span of that show, they covered every phase their catalogue. it was one “hell” of a highenergy show, and both the presentation and the musicianship were first-rate, judging from what’s up on youTube. Unfortunately, the weakest link in the chain is glenn. i

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The Complete Misfits Discography

wouldn’t go so far as to say that he’s lost his voice, but it just doesn’t have the power it once did … ultimately, though, it doesn’t really matter because every audience member is singing along at the top of their lungs.

Death over Minneapolis  greece 7 single: Wa138 (Wa138–008), March 11, 2018

Songs: Death comes ripping / Die, Die My Darling Notes: another recent greek production, these two songs come from the height of the Michale graves era—again, odd, then, that they choose two glenn-era songs to represent the reformed lineup.

Devil Whorehouse greece 7" single: Wa138 (Wa138–010), March 11, 2018

Songs: skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Devil Whorehouse”) Notes: This one-sided, two-song single was pressed in a very limited edition of 10 (ten) hand-numbered copies on clear vinyl. The source of the live recordings isn’t listed, but they sound like they come from the chicago riot Fest 2016. and, by the way, whoever 138 records is seems to have a thing for Vampira (but don’t we all?) and she’s featured on many of their sleeves for Misfits eps and singles. The front cover is a shot of her and Bela Lugosi doing what he did best—going for the throat, and the back is a photo of her lounging in the backseat of a car, possibly from a parade, showing off her glorious fishnetted gams.

Dig Up Her Bones // greece 7" ep: Wa138 (Wa138–007), March 11, 2018

Songs: Dig Up her Bones / i Turned into a Martian (listed as “Turn into a Martian”) Notes: another single-sided, two song ep … another two songs from November 1997 in Minneapolis … another clear-vinyl limited edition of 10 … and another Vampira front cover, this photo from when she’s trudging through ed’s woods on the Plan 9 set (the film, not the record company), hoping that she doesn’t knock over one of the cardboard tombstones. The back cover is a photo of graves from that show.

(The) Early Days Demos  greece 7" single: Wa138 (Wa138–005), January 18, 2018

Songs: she / cough/cool Notes: This is certainly rare stuff, but it begs the question: Why? it’s not like there aren’t superior versions elsewhere … and the sleeve is puzzling. continuing WZ138 records’ fixation with Vampira, the front and back covers are adorned with the Misfits meeting Vampira in L.a. Not only has the photo been reproduced about a zillion times (see: Misfits X-Posed), but it’s not even remotely related to the demos contained in these grooves.

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Halloween chile 7" single: No Label (No release Number), 2018

Songs: halloween / halloween ii Notes: This is kind of a weird very limited edition record. it’s a picture disc single of “halloween,” with the pictures simply a reproduction of the front of the original sleeve on the front, and the back of the sleeve on the back. as noted, this was a very limited edition, ten hand-numbered copies in all, pressed on orange vinyl.

Halloween… in Denver  greece 7" ep: Wa138 (Wa138–004), January 18, 2018

Songs: halloween / We are 138 Notes: one of the nicest things about the decade-end spate of Misfits boots from greece was that, with a few exceptions, they were focused on the Misfits’ reunion shows, which, as of this writing, still haven’t had an official release. Denver was released, as was most of the Wa138 product, in a limited-edition, hand-numbered pressing of just 10 copies on clear vinyl. The material is great, but for once Wa138 records disappointed on the packaging—both the front and back cover are long shots of the stage at the Denver riot Fest … one with the lights off, and one with the lights on. although it gives a nice view of the overall stage set-up (and again, an impressive set-up), Jerry and Doyle are reduced to about half an inch high, which means that you can barely see glenn.

Hell-Bent for Vinyl U.s. 7" ep: impaler records (ir-1789), 2018 (Test pressing)

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / static age / attitude / hollywood Babylon / Blue christmas / We are 138 Notes: a quick scan of the hand-numbered cue sheet insert lets you know that this ep is yet another version of the Max’s Kansas city show from December 20, 1978. The unique sleeve (graphics on the front, blank back) features a promo photo of the ’Fits from Misfits Walk Among Us (see elsewhere in this book), and a photo from the 1966 hammer film The Witches. only 30 copies were pressed on black vinyl—the record is certainly rare, but the songs are readily available (and cheaper) on a number of other boots. an interesting aspect of it being just a test pressing is that the sleeve graphics, rather than being printed directly on the sleeve, are photos pasted on a plain white sleeve, kind of like a Mexican lobby card.

Live at :3 Club, Washington  greece 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), July 20, 2018

Songs: Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween Notes: This six-song ep was pressed on white, black, and clear vinyl, in a limited edition of 30 copies each worldwide, and like the Santa Monica 1982 and Live at Hittsville

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The Complete Misfits Discography

ep, 30 copies of each color. somewhat surprisingly, this is not a re-boot of 4 Hits from Hell—although both were recorded at the 9:30 club (D.c.) in 1982, the selection of songs is completely different. That wasn’t obvious from the front cover of the sleeve, which has a (quite good) design from an old Misfits T-shirt called “Braineaters”—featuring a skeleton devouring said brains—which indeed was a song featured on 4 Hits.

Live at the Chicago Riot Festival  greece 7" ep: Wa138 (Wa138–001), January 18, 2018

Songs: Vampira / she Notes: This was the first release from Wa138 records in greece, fine purveyors of the reunited “original” Misfits’ shows from the various riot Fests. it was pressed, as always, on clear vinyl in a limited, hand-numbered edition of ten. almost as always, they feature Vampira on the cover, and this single gives fiends two for the price of one: the front photo is of actress Lisa Marie as Vampira from the Ed Wood film, while the back cover is the original in all her ghoulish glory.

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Live at Elite Club portugal 7" ep: infinite records (No release Number), 2018

Songs: Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon Notes: recorded live at the elite club in san Francisco, california, on april 10, 1982, and issued in a limited edition of 30 copies. This is the infamous show where all hell really did break loose and Doyle clocked some asshole kid in the head with his guitar. Unfortunately, neither of the two songs included here contains any trace of said ultraviolence. More’s the pity, because the sound quality is pretty decent for a bootleg, and we could have heard every thud.

Live at Hittsville, Passaic, New Jersey,  greece 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2018

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business Notes: This four-song ep was pressed on clear, black, and white vinyl, in a handnumbered, limited edition of 30 worldwide (ten for each color), and is basically another condensed version of the If You Don’t Know This Song Lp. it’s got a great full-color front

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The Complete Misfits Discography

cover, taken from an as-of-yet unidentified 1950s horror comic (although the art appears to be the work of ec stalwart Johnny craig), along with the Misfits’ “Bat-Fiend” logo (which is based on the logo for the beloved 1966 Batman television series, with the crimson ghost skull replacing Batman’s face, and the Misfits name replacing that of Batman).

Live in Brazil ’ greece 7" single: Wa138 (Wa138–011), March 11, 2018

Songs: Dig Up her Bones / i Turned into a Martian Notes: Live in Brazil ’98 was another one-sided, two-song single that was pressed up on clear vinyl in a (you guessed it) hand-numbered edition of ten copies by Wa138. The front cover features (all together now) Vampira, in one of her most famous poses from Plan 9 from Outer Space, and the back an on-set shot from her show. The other note of interest is that this is only one of two boots that feature cuts from the short-lived Myke hideous era (see: The Horror Kid America Never Saw).

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The back side of Live in Brazil ’98 featuring even more “Vampirella”

The Misfits New York  portugal 7" ep: Underground recordings (No release Number), 2018

Songs: horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat Notes: This portuguese ep was pressed in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 30 copies on clear vinyl. although the record sez that it was in New york, this is actually The Perfect Crime, re-booted (and that show took place in Bethlehem, pa). also see the Horror Business EP (bootleg).

Santa Monica,  greece 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2018

Songs: earth a.D. / We Bite / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood / Queen Wasp / Devilock Notes: This six-song ep was pressed on white, black, and clear vinyl, in a limited edition of 30 copies each worldwide; like the Live at Hittsville ep, 30 copies of each color. The sleeve says that it was recorded live at the santa Monica civic center on october 3, 1982, but the show was actually about nine months later, on June 11, 1983. it does have very attractive sleeve art by enrich Torres, taken from the cover of Warren’s Vampirella Magazine #40.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

She Was in Minneapolis // greece 7" single: Wa138 (Wa138–009), March 11, 2018

Songs: she Notes: Limited to 10 one-sided, hand-numbered copies on clear vinyl, She Was in Minneapolis is yet another sampler of the November 1997 Minnesota show. only one song, but very nice packaging: a very good illustration of Vampira—artist uncredited— on the front cover (after all, this is a Wa138 release), and a shot from the show on the back.

Albums/CDs Wolfbane France 12" Lp: Wolfbane records (Wr33), 1986

Songs: she / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Die, Die My Darling / earth a.D. / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Wolf ’s Blood Notes: This is a pirate copy of the first Collection cD, which was later, of course, officially released on vinyl, cD, and cassette.

Fiend Club canada 2 × 12" Lp: stash records (sTash 2303), 1987

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / We Bite / Last caress / horror Business / ghouls Night out / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse (The Misfits) / all hell Breaks Loose / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Black Dream / Die, Die My Darling / The shift / Moribund / halloween / horror Biz / Who Killed Marilyn? / all hell Breaks Loose / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The shift / The howl / Die, Die My Darling / Unholy passion / Black Dream (samhain) Notes: Not to be confused with the several 7" eps of the same name, this one is a 12" double Lp (one record for the Misfits, one for samhain) in a single sleeve. The Misfits songs are taken (once again) from the al’s Bar show (1982), while the samhain sides are from the Jockey club, Newport, New Jersey, in 1984 and Wabash hall in san Diego, california, in 1985. Now about that sleeve—what do you think is pictured? a werewolf, perhaps? an astro Zombie, perchance? a Munster, maybe? No, none of the above—the sleeve pictures a … a production drawing of a World War ii airplane, the p-38 Lightning, to be precise (with the logo of the Fiend club in the corner). Uh, yeah … is this a Misfits bootleg or a Blackhawk comic book?

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Hate Breeder U.s. 12" Lp: hate 6 records (No release Number), 1987

Songs: Last caress / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / hatebreeders / Night of the Living Dead / Demonomania / Vampira / Who Killed Marilyn? / attitude / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Devilock Notes: Hate Breeder is another version of the WcBN-FM broadcast from 1983. They really needn’t have bothered, especially with all the other versions out there, and most especially, if they weren’t gonna put any more thought into the graphic design aspect of it. it’s just a plain black sleeve with Xerox cut-outs pasted on, the front a small repro of a famous Misfits flyer by pushead, and on the back, equally small reproductions of various and sundry Misfits items, plus a sleeve of Who Killed Marilyn?

I Ain’t No Goddamn Son of a Bitch U.s. 12" Lp: Bird Brain records (No release Number), 1987

Songs: skulls / green hell / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Demonomania / Violent World / We are 138 / Demonomania / 20 eyes / horror Business / Vampira / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / We are 138 Notes: sometimes mistakenly referred to as In Your Face, which has the same songs, this record was issued by a different company with a different sleeve design. The title comes from what may be the greatest chorus in any Misfits song. This front cover looks an awful lot like the first Collection cover, except it’s also got the title in death-comesripping letters and, may i say, not in a shy way. one might even say that it’s, er, in your face.

In Your Face! U.s. 12" Lp: instant analysis records (No release Number), 1987

Songs: skulls / green hell / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy”) / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Demonomania / Violent World / We are 138 (listed as “138”) / Demonomania / 20 eyes / horror Business / Vampira / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead (listed as “Night of Living Dead” / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “all hell”) / halloween / We are 138 (listed as “138”) Notes: Tracks 1–10 were recorded live at the p.U.N.X. #4 club in Los angeles, california, on april 8, 1983, and tracks 11–19 were recorded live at “ronnie’s headquarters” (actually the 9:30 club in Washington, D.c.) on February 28, 1982, thereby accounting for the repetition of some of the track listings. This record is a prime example of a “stone-age” bootleg—plain white cardboard sleeve and a Xeroxed sheet of paper (and only one sheet at that) listing the title and the contents. it’s kind of an anachronism, because by 1987, bootleg packaging had grown pretty sophisticated, and all the more puzzling because the label on the record itself is quite nicely done. The sound quality is not bad, so you can indeed, as the cover sheet says, “play it Fuckin’ Loud!”

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Live Night of the Living Dead! U.s. 12" Lp: Mad records (MaD 01), 1987

Songs: Demonomania / 20 eyes / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / We are 138 / hatebreeders / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Where eagles Dare / Die, Die My Darling / horror hotel / ghouls Night out Notes: recorded live at the 9:30 club, Washington, D.c., on February 28, 1982. This Lp, like practically every other ’Fits bootleg, was issued under several different titles, and even in different formats—some were the entire show (or large chunks of it), while a couple of different seven-inch ep’s were mined from the same jugular vein.

Night of the Living Dead germany 12" Lp: plan 11 records (pL11–0803), 1987

Songs: We are 138 / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / London Dungeon / halloween / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / horror Business / Nike a go go / skulls / Braineaters / We Bite / Last caress (listed as “green hell”) / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Bring out your Dead”) Notes: “Devilock” is listed on the back cover, but is not on the album, which contains the al’s Bar gig from 1982. The graphics are cobbled together from two official releases; the title and font from Night of the Living Dead, and the layout scheme and photos from 3 Hits from Hell. Not to be confused with another boot called Live Night of the Living Dead (see above). get this one for the graphics—even though it’s only the umpteenth reboot of Al’s Bar.

Vampirella U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1987

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / We Bite / Last caress / horror Business / ghouls Night out (listed as “gouls Night out”) / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse Notes: This Lp came in a plain black sleeve with a cut-out piece of yellow copy paper listing the tracks with an illustration of Vampi by Jose (pepe) gonzalez.

Al’s Bar ’ U.s. and germany 12" Lp: Fiend club records (No release Number), 1988

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / We Bite / Last caress / horror Business / ghouls Night out (listed as “gouls Night out”) / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse

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Notes: recorded live at al’s Bar, Los angeles, california, on april 17, 1982, this is one of the most popular and enduring of Misfits boots, having been issued not only under this name, but several others, and has routinely been included as part of larger record compilations (Fiend Club, Misfits/samhain) as well as cD comps. its perennial status is confirmed by the first listen in any form—it’s one of their best-ever shows. googy was still manning the drum stool, but not for long.

Attitude U.s. 12" Lp: Trademark of Quality records (TMQ 71104), 1988

Songs: We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Night of the Living Dead / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / Last caress / Demonomania / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / Devilock / Last caress / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon Notes: Tracks 1–11 were recorded at the ritz, in New york city, on December 17, 1981, and tracks 12–19 are from the Michigan Union Ballroom, on april 23, 1983. Kinda

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The Complete Misfits Discography

like At the Ritz (see below), only it pairs that show—minus one song—with another show from the great state of Michigan.

(The) Evil Dead IV germany 12" Lp: Nienawidze gliniarzy records (No release Number), 1988

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / 20 eyes / all hell Breaks Loose / skulls / green hell / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Demonomania / Violent World / Bullet / Vampira / We Bite / Last caress / Night of the Living Dead / horror Business / Devilock/We are 138 Notes: recorded live at pUNX # 4 in Los angeles, california, on april 4, 1983. The sound quality is kinda muddy, and the fact that they were playing so fast by this time didn’t help. great sleeve art on both sides of the fence, but they neglect to have an actual track listing, either on the back cover or on the label.

“If You Don’t Know This Song…. What the Fuck Are You Doing Here?” U.s. 12" Lp: Mis 81 (No release Number), 1988

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet Notes: recorded live at hittsville in passaic, New Jersey, on December 25, 1981, this show contains the infamous, legendary version of “Teenagers from Mars,” in which Danzig invents “new” lyrics aimed solely at Bobby steele, generally questioning his manhood and parentage (only in much more vulgar and emphatic terms, ending the song with the declaration that “Bobby steele is a homosexual!” side-splittingly funny, if you’re not politically correct … oh, hell, even if you are p.c., it’s still pretty goddamn funny. The sound quality is actually pretty good, although they didn’t include the last four songs of the set, and is pure punk for now people. it has been said that this is the biggest-selling Misfits bootleg of all—but despite the many merits, there’s one glaring boner: the frontcover photo used is not of the Misfits, but samhain, which is kind of like using a photo of Lugosi and labeling it Karloff.

At the Ritz eU cD: ai/punk productions (1281), 1989

Songs: We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Night of the Living Dead / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Vampira / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders / We are 138 Notes: although this cD is called At the Ritz, only tracks 1–12 were recorded at the ritz (Nyc), in New york city, on December 17, 1981, again the source for more than one bootleg, and ditto for Tracks 13–19, which were recorded at Bookies club 870 in Detroit, Michigan, on september 12, 1981.

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Demonomania germany 12" Lp: arche Noir records (024), 1989

Songs: Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: recorded live in New york city at the irving plaza gig on March 27, 1982, for an FM radio broadcast. This gig also appears, in whole or in part, on several other boots (see below, for instance).

(The) Misfits Michigan WCBN U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1989

Songs: intro / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies / Violent World / hatebreeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / Devilock

A simple but fitting front album cover of the oft-bootlegged WCBN broadcast.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: recorded live for a WcBN-FM radio broadcast on april 23, 1983. This is another show that comes in bootlegs of many shapes, sizes, covers, and formats.

Beyond Evil germany 12" Lp: halloween records (No release Number), 1990 eU cD: halloween records (hW 001), 1991

Songs: children in heat / rat Fink / halloween ii / Nike a go go / We are 138 / Teenagers from Mars / come Back / angelfuck / Theme for a Jackal / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / return of the Fly / Devil’s Whorehouse / Devilock / green hell / Last caress Notes: Tracks 1 and 2 are from the studio in 1979, and track 3 is a studio take from 1980. Tracks 4 and 13 are Walk Among Us demos. Tracks 5–11 are demos from 1977. Tracks 12 and 16 are from Mercury studios in 1978, and tracks 14 and 15 are Earth A.D. demos. This monster mash-up is all over the place thematically; not really a retrospective, in the sense there’s any continuity and no chronology to the selected cuts. The sleeve no doubt has something to do with its popularity—it has been repressed on vinyl as well as reissued on cD. it features a twelve-inch version of the original Halloween (except with purple replacing the orange) single and the back features a skull with a candle on it and … i can only describe it as a creepy nebbish, both from 1950s horror comics.

All Hell Breaks Loose germany cassette: U.s. Metal (Usc 112), 1990

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet Notes: a german cassette-only version of the show at hittsville in passaic, New Jersey, on December 25, 1981 (see If You Don’t Know This Song Lp).

Ghouls Night Out eU 12" Lp: out of Darkness records (oTD 003), 1990

Songs: Die, Die My Darling / hatebreeders / Queen Wasp / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / astro Zombies / Bullet / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / Devil’s Whorehouse / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian Notes: Tracks 1–6 are practice demos and tracks 7–12 are outtakes from Walk Among Us. This Lp’s cover art is one of the weakest of all Misfits bootlegs—an itchy ’n’ scratchy drawing of what looks like a blindfolded man as he’s being stood up against a (not shown) wall or sumpin’, certainly more appropriate for a D.K.’s or MDc album.

Eyes to Despise U.s. 2 × 12" Lp: Johnson records (MisF-01), 1990

Songs: Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy,

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can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / astro Zombies / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / all hell Breaks Loose (reprise) / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp / Devil’s Whorehouse / i Turned into a Martian / return of the Fly / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / We Bite / Last caress / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude Notes: Tracks 1–8 and 11–19 were recorded live in New york city in 1982. Tracks 9/10 and 20/21 are studio outtakes. Track 22 is an unreleased Static Age demo. Tracks 23– 29 and 31–39 are from al’s Bar. Tracks 30 and 40–42 were recorded live at the Bookies show. at least they mixed ’em up a little. one of the more sought-after ’Fits boots, and one of the few two-record sets (in a single sleeve), which is probably one of the reasons … it probably isn’t because of the title or the cover. i mean, Eyes to Despise? What’s up with that? it’s the same thing with the cover—sheesh. it’s supposed to be a pair of googlyeyes, but looks like a couple o’ fried eggs. it’s probably a good thing that it didn’t have a gatefold sleeve; it might’ve opened up to reveal the bacon and hash browns.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Evil Is as Evil Does germany cD: secret records (scT 502), 1991

Songs: 20 eyes / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / We are 138 / Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween Notes: a collection of live cuts from tours of the U.s. in 1982. The sound quality, naturally, varies from song to song, and the graphics are nothing to write home about (or write a book about). Not to be confused with the 7" vinyl bootleg ep of the same name.

Walk Among You U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), 1995

Songs: Demonomania / hate Breeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks

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Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: recorded live at irving plaza in New york city on March 27, 1982, at the Walk Among Us release party, sourced from the original sound board master tape. Not to be confused with a european Lp (see below) with the same title, but contains a different show.

Psychos in Sweden U.K. 12" Lp: alien records (WeirD 4), 1999 U.s. cD: alien records (000), 2004

Songs: abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho / Walk among Us / speak of the Devil / static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / i Turned into a Martian / crimson ghost / London Dungeon / Devil’s Whorehouse / hate the Living, Love the Dead / shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / We are 138 / halloween / horror Business / 20 eyes / Die, Die My Darling Notes: recorded live at the hultsfred Festival in sweden, June 1998. only 500 vinyl copies were pressed (before they switched to cD), in yellow, white, orange, red and “vanilla splatter.”

Heros [sic] of Danzig Luxembourg cD: Live Life records (LL cD 9109), 1991

Songs: i Turned into a Martian (listed as “Turned into a Martian”) / 20 eyes / all hell Breaks Loose / skulls (listed as “skull”) / green hell (listed as “Nike a go go”) / London Dungeon (listed as “London Dangeon”) / Nike a go go (listed as “Take My Life along With you”) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy, can’t go out and Kill Tonight”) / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Devils Whore house”) / astro Zombies / Demonomania (listed as “Demonmania”) / Violent World (listed as “Violent Word”) / Bullet / Vampira (listed as “Vampiria”) / We Bite / Last caress (listed as “Last carriest”) / Night of the Living Dead (listed as “Kill your Baby Today”) / horror Business (listed as “1978”) / Devilock/We are 138 (listed as “Medley: Devil Look/We are”) Notes: This is the cD version of The Evil Dead IV. Both graphically and grammatically, the album version is preferable—E.D. IV has a cool skeleton exploding on the front cover, while Heros has … a badly-drawn, long-haired skull adorned in a cloth cap festooned with buttons … uh, oK. Not to mention it easily matches the Psychomania cD (see Psychomania entry) for the loopiest misspellings and mismatches in the track listings … definitely in the “For completists only” (and i don’t mean Jerry) category.

Horror Business Japan cD: anxion inc. records (F 16), 1991

Songs: We are 138 / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / attitude/ horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Last caress / halloween / halloween ii / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 / London Dungeon / attitude/

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / astro Zombies / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / Devil’s Whorehouse / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian Notes: This is a bootleg compilation which consists of legit releases and other bootlegs. Tracks 1–7 are the familiar Static Age/Horror Business sessions, tracks 8 and 9 are the “halloween” single, tracks 12–18 are the Evilive ep, tracks 19–24 are the Evil Is as Evil Does ep, and 25–31 are from the Walk Among the Dead boot. The cover is the same promo photo that was used for the cover of the original Al’s Bar al-bum.

(The) Very Last Performance germany 12" Lp: scaroline records (No release Number), 1991

Songs: Night of the Living Dead / 20 eyes / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / astro Zombies / horror Business / halloween / Die, Die My Darling / Nike a go go / Who Killed Marilyn? / We are 138 / Braineaters / can’t Tell No one/ rise above / Last caress / We Bite / Bullet / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders Notes: This final show of the original Misfits (until the reunion) has already shown up a number of times under different titles, and different sleeves, of which this one is definitely the least interesting, but most bizarre—it’s simply a centuries-old depiction of christ dragging the cross on his way to respectability. Notable for two covers, which the original band never made a habit of—“can’t Tell No one” is a Negative approach tune, while “rise above” would become a set-list staple for the latter-day versions of the band (at least while Dez was a member).

Necronomicon germany cD: Brand-New Beat records (BNB-911004), 1991 eU Lp: Brand-New Beat records (BNBLp-911004), 2004

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii Notes: Tracks 1–13 are recorded live at hittsville in passaic, New Jersey, 12/25/81, and tracks 14–25 are demos from 1979–1980. The discriminating fiend (or simply one that’s skint) might want to pass on this one, as it doesn’t contain anything that hasn’t been packaged before with much better sleeve graphics.

Kill Your Baby Today germany 12" Lp: Metal Mess records (MMr 9206), 1992 germany cD: Metal Mess records (MMr 9206 cD), 1992

Songs: We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Last caress (listed as “Kill your Baby Today”) / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / hatebreeders

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/ horror Business (listed as “horror Biz”) / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hate Breeders / We are 138 Notes: recorded live at the ritz in New york city in 1981, this version of that show features completely different art on the cD and Lp versions, which is not always the case. The Lp contains a combination of a photo of anthony hopkins from Silence of the Lambs and simon Bisley artwork. The cD, somewhat bizarrely, has artwork that looks like it was taken from Monty Python and the Holy Grail…. run away, run away! No, really— there are plenty of other versions of the 1981 ritz show out there.

Return of the Records, Volume  germany cD: recorded collector Masturbator records (rcMr 001), 1993

Songs: interview part one / interview part Two /return of the Fly / Last caress / TV casualty /hybrid Moments / We are 138 / static age / return of the Fly / some Kinda hate / Teenagers from Mars / Who Killed Marilyn? / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / children in heat / Violent World / i Turned into a Martian / Last caress / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / Devilock / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Nike a go go / all hell Breaks Loose / Devil’s Whorehouse / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / Who Killed Marilyn? / Violent World / Braineaters / Demonomania / Death comes ripping / green hell (Misfits) / Last caress / The prince / Last caress (Metallica) Notes: The titles of the Return of the Records cDs are to be taken quite literally— they are collections of previously-issued bootlegs. Tracks 1 and 2 are from the Angelfuck 7"; Tracks 3–10 were previously known as the Static Age Demos (1978) ep; Tracks 11–16 are taken from the Violent World ep; Tracks 17–21 were the Back with a Bang ep; Tracks 22–28 take another Walk Among the Dead; Tracks 29–34 are from the Creepshow ep, and tracks 35–37 are mostly from the Metallifits ep, which is an ep of, duh, Metallica doing mostly Misfits covers. The return of the records substitutes “The prince” for “helpless,” which had appeared on the original Metallifits ep.

Seven Boots from Hell germany cD: gDiaa records (gDiaa/01), 1993

Songs: green hell / 20 eyes / Last caress / Blood Feast / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / hatebreeders / Devilock / Death comes ripping / Wolf ’s Blood / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / archangel (samhain) / attitude / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / We are 138 / halloween ii / Let the Day Begin (samhain) / astro Zombies (Live) / horror Business (Live) / London Dungeon (Live) / Nike a go go (Live) / hatebreeders (Live) / Devil’s Whorehouse (Live) / horror Biz (samhain) / Teenagers from Mars Notes: it says “The Misfits,” but it could, at first glance, a samhain boot, since it has the Demon Dairy cow skull on the front cover. This confusion could be compounded by the fact that the cD includes three samhain cuts.

Beware and the Rest U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), 1994

Songs: We are 138 / Bullet / hollywood Babylon / attitude / horror Business /

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Teenagers from Mars / Last caress / cough/cool / she / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / rat Fink / horror hotel / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / halloween / halloween ii / return of the Fly Notes: This cD comp from ’94, frankly, offers nothing that you can’t get anywhere else, even the cover art, which is the same as the official release. small wonder, then, that whoever put it out didn’t want their names on it.

Beware! The Complete Singles – italy 12" Lp: horror Business records (hBr 066), 1994 germany cD: Destroy Fascism records (TsD rD 9941), 1994

Songs: cough/cool / she / Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / halloween / halloween ii / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror hotel / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 Notes: This is a cD that came out on a vinyl 12" Lp first. all the usual suspects are

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here. The packaging is nice, and the sound quality is surprisingly good, although both the album and the cD were rendered rather redundant with Collection 1 and 2, which had good packaging as well, and, obviously, better sound quality. Tracks 18–24 were recorded live in 1981.

Demonomania Club germany 2 × cD: Meteor records (BaNg 2–018), 1994

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Braineaters / horror hotel / ghoul’s Night out / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / Violent World / We are 138 / astro Zombies / horror Business / Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp / halloween / 20 eyes

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The Complete Misfits Discography

/ i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet Notes: This two-cD set includes live selections from 1981 (hittsville, passaic, New Jersey) and 1982 (The irving plaza in New york city and—wait for it—al’s Bar). see what is meant by a limited pool of resources?

Vampira U.s. cD: Babyface records (BF010), 1995

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / We are 138 / Last caress / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / Nike a go go / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / skulls (listed as “skuls”) / Nike a go go / Where eagles Dare / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood Notes: This cD includes the otherwise unavailable recording of side one of the unreleased plan 9 version of Walk Among Us (Tracks 18–24). Tracks 1–17 were recorded live in passaic, New Jersey, on December 25, 1981. Tracks 25–27 are from New york in 1979. Tracks 28–32 are from Dearborn, Michigan, on January 7, 1983.

Psychomania U.s. cD: hurricane records (hUrr012), 1995

Songs: Demonomania (listed as “Mania”) / 20 eyes (listed as “They’re all the same”) / horror Business / Vampira (listed as “come a Little Bit closer”) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy”), London Dungeon (listed as “innocent”), Nike a go go (listed as “hideaway”) / Night of the Living Dead (listed as “We’re all one Tonight”) / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “anialation”) / halloween (listed as “Mighty Fine”) / We are 138 (listed as “Violence”) / hatebreeders (listed as “Where Do i go?”) / We Bite (listed as “see you in hell”) / i Turned into a Martian (listed as “War Field”) / Where eagles Dare (listed as “Devil’s heart”) / Queen Wasp (listed as “Been Lied To”), Die, Die My Darling (listed as “red Tears”) / horror hotel/ghouls Night out (listed as “With a Bullet”), Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “only once”) / attitude (listed as “all Who Died”), Braineaters (listed as “Mosh”) / Bullet (listed as “Mommy”), Night of the Living Dead (listed as “Mania”) / 20 eyes (listed as “pshyco [sic] Mysteria”) / i Turned into a Martian (listed as “For My own”) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “i Don’t Know”), attitude / Demonomania / horror Business / skulls / Nike a go go /all hell Breaks Loose / halloween (listed as “hideaway”) / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Devil’s heart”) / hatebreeders (listed as “anialation” [sic]) Notes: at first glance, some unsuspecting fiend would think that they were getting a whole shipload of unreleased cuts—would that it were so. some bootleggers, in an effort to disguise their product, will use fake song titles to try and ward off prosecution, which is pretty tough when you’ve already appropriated the band’s logo and imagery. as you can see, hurricane goes well above and beyond this ploy, carrying it to ridiculous,

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head-scratching extremes. By the way, some song titles are listed correctly, but that’s only because not only do they have mondo screwy song titles, they don’t even have the correct number of songs. Maybe it was just to conceal the fact that the shows had already been bootlegged quite a few times over—the 1982 shows from D.c.’s 9:30 club and Wilson center.

Blackristmas eU cD: Kobra records (KrhM 06), 1996

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / cough/cool / she / Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / halloween / halloween ii / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror hotel / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 Notes: Tracks 1–13 were recorded live in passaic, New Jersey, December 25, 1981, and tracks 14–36 are the Beware: The Complete Singles collection. so, as is often the case

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The Complete Misfits Discography

with bootlegs, nothing new or revelatory here but it does have a cool cover, in negative approach, featuring the “bat-rat-crab-spider” creature from the sci-fi classic Angry Red Planet, which was also featured, of course, on the cover of Walk Among Us.

Blood czech republic cD: Blizzard recordings (BLZD 130), 1996

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghoul’s Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies (listed as “astrozombies”) / Violent World / hatebreeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / Last caress / hatebreeders / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / We are 138 Notes: This cD claims “Tracks 1–21 Live at the Union Ballroom, ann arbor, Michigan, april 23rd 1978,” but this is obviously a typo. Blood also claims “Tracks 22–27 recorded live at the hewitt street club, Los angeles, california, March 28th, 1992,” which is also an obvious error. The actual shows are the Michigan Union Ballroom in Detroit and the famed al’s Bar show in L.a. The full-color front cover is taken from the Box Set booklet, and the back is a photo of Jerry and Doyle from a live show in the graves era. The front cover opens up to two more photos of Jerry and graves, surrounded by a vaguely psychedelic background.

Demonized Behaviour Japan cD: Demonomania records (DeM-01), 1996

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies / Violent World / hatebreeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / Last caress / hatebreeders / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / We are 138 / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / she / cough/cool / ghouls Night out / Last caress Notes: Tracks 1–20 are from (again) the Michigan Union Ballroom, tracks 21–26 are (yet again) from al’s Bar, and tracks 27–34 are studio outtakes. same bat-fiends, same bat-songs, just a different format and cover.

(The) Misfits U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1996

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose Notes: printed in a limited edition of only 300 copies on pink vinyl, but what really makes this one stand out graphically is that on top of the shocking pink there is an overlay stencil in black featuring a Misfits logo and seven crimson ghost faces. it’s not exactly

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The Complete Misfits Discography

a picture disc, but it still makes a pretty cool display. The songs are selections from the hittsville show in 1981. so you don’t actually even have to listen to it, because the true fiend already has about 100 versions of that show.

Misfits/Rocket from the Crypt U.s. 12" Lp: plan 69 records (No release Number), 1997

Songs: i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose (The Misfits) / My arrows aim / UFo UFo UFo / rid or ride / Light Me / Born in ’69 / young Lovers / on a rope (rocket from the crypt) Notes: The rocket from the crypt tracks are taken from radio and TV broadcasts recorded in the UK, 1995. The Misfits cuts were recorded live at, yes, hittsville, passaic New Jersey, December 25, 1981.

Shocking Return U.s. cD: Flood records (FLD1005), 1997 eU 12" Lp: Kissed by Death records (KBD-01), 1997 canada cassette: skull Fucking Metal records (sFM-016), 2010

Songs: halloween / horror Business / i Turned into a Martian / Death comes ripping / all hell Breaks Loose / The hunger (listed as “hunger”) / static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / Last caress / skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / she / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Violent World / Vampira / Black Light / The haunting / Night of the Living Dead / 20 eyes / hollywood Babylon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / angelfuck / attitude / London Dungeon / astro Zombies Notes: This is one of the earliest recorded shows of the old-newly reunited Misfits, recorded on the (what else) “shocking return” tour. The cD version differs from the Lp version—it presumably contains the whole show, whereas the Lp versions omits the following songs: “halloween,” “angelfuck,” “attitude,” “London Dungeon,” and “astro Zombies.” The cD also differs in cover art—the Lp features a photo of Michale graves, while the cD version features a photo of Jerry (who he?).

Monster Mash: The Powerplay Session U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcDp001), December 1997

Songs: american psycho / Walk among Us / Mars attacks (1st attempt) / american psycho (Take 2) / Walk among Us (Take 2) / Mars attacks (Take 2) / Day of the Dead / Monster Mash / speak of the Devil / Monster Mash (single edit) Notes: if this cD was released by Misfits records, you might ask, what is it doing among the bootlegs? a very good question and one well worth asking—although it was “released” on Misfits records, it was not … that is to say, it was not an official release. The cDr was produced in a stickered and numbered edition of only 100 copies, a Xmas present for “Misfits records employees only.” Does that mean that the only copies went only to the only family?

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Live at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go 3.. U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), 1998

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / We Bite / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / skulls / We are 138 / astro Zombies / hatebreeders / Braineaters (listed as “Brain eaters”), Bullet (with henry rollins) Notes: This was always a good show, as evidenced by its appearance on several bootlegs (for one example, see L.A. Woman above), so this version is kinda redundant, especially with the naff packaging, which features something from a rare silent film. is it Nosferatu? is it, perhaps, a selection from Cabinet of Dr. Caligari? Der Golem? No, it’s a … it’s a … nondescript crowd of people standing around! Wait, what?

Misfits Live U.s. cassette: Jolly Fat person (44), 1998

Songs: Nike a go go (listed as “Nike a gogo) / 20 eyes / attitude / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “all hell”) / Where eagles Dare (listed as “son of a Bitch”) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy”) / London Dungeon (listed as “London”) / Braineaters (“listed as “Brain eater”) / We Bite / Last caress (listed as “one Last caress”) / horror hotel (listed as “Whore hotel”) / ghouls Night out (listed as “ghouls Niite out”) / halloween / hatebreeders (listed as “hate Breeders”) / skulls (listed as “i Want your skull”) / Vampira (listed as “Vampire”) / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 (listed as “138”) / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies (listed as “astro Zombie”) / Teenagers from Mars / attitude / Demonomania / Devilock / Last caress / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy”) / London Dungeon (listed as “London Dongeon”) Notes: Tracks 1–20 were recorded live in L.a. on april 17, 1982 (al’s Bar), tracks 21– 26 are live from New york, November 1981 (on Broadway), and tracks 27–32 were recorded live in Detroit, 1981 (Bookie’s club 870), although you certainly can’t tell by the track listing.

Return of the Records, Volume  spain cD: Marca registrada De calidad (Mrc-cD-666), 1998

Songs: all hell Breaks Loose / Last caress / hatebreeders / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / We are 138 / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Vampira / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders / We are 138 / Devil’s Whorehouse / attitude / Braineaters / Bullet / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / spook city U.s.a. / rat Fink / children in heat / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / halloween / We Bite / attitude / Die, Die My Darling / Who Killed Marilyn? Notes: The title of this 1998 cD was, if nothing else, very literal, as it is once again a bootleg collection of previously-issued 7" bootlegs. Tracks 1–6 are the Max’s Kansas

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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City boot, tracks 7–12 are the Evil Is as Evil Does ep, 13–19 are Horrorbullet, 20–23 are 4 Hits from Hell, tracks 24–27 are one of the versions of the Fiend Club ep, 28–30 are Spook City U.S.A., 31–34 are Revenge Will Be Ours, and tracks 35–39 are taken from the EvilFive ep. again, if nothing else, they give a lot of bang for the buck.

Death’s Symphony U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), august 1999

Songs: rise above / London Dungeon-Last caress-green hell / We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Night of the Living Dead / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Vampira / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders / We are 138 Notes: Track number one was recorded at the graystone hall (Detroit) gig. Track number two is a rarity—glenn Danzig backed up by Metallica at the World Music Theater in chicago. Tracks 3–14 are from (sigh) the ritz, and tracks 14–21 are selections from the show (again) at Bookie’s club 870 in Detroit … basically a re-boot of At the Ritz, except for the Danzig/Metallica number.

Violent World eU cD: No Label (No release Number), 1999

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / horror Business / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders / We are 138 Notes: recorded live in New york city, December 24, 1981.

Uber Dem Jenseits germany 12" Lp: Joe’s plumbing service records (01), 1999

Songs: Night of the Living Dead / 20 eyes / all hell Breaks Loose / i Turned into a Martian / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy”) / London Dungeon / hellhound / green hell / astro Zombies / skulls / Wolf ’s Blood / Vampira / Demonomania / Devilock / We are 138 / 20 eyes / earth a.D. / We Bite / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood / Queen Wasp / Devilock / Devilock / horror hotel / skulls / Wolf ’s Blood / halloween / London Dungeon Notes: Tracks 1–15 recorded live at the santa Monica civic center, June 11, 1983, in santa Monica, california. “20 eyes” recorded at Newsoundland, Fair Lawn, New Jersey (date unknown), with arthur googy on drums. Tracks 17–22 recorded at the Unicorn recording studio, april 8 and 9, 1983. Tracks 23–28 recorded live in New orleans, Louisiana, January 30, 1983, at the pre-show sound-check. all tracks except 16 (“20 eyes”) feature the following lineup: glenn Danzig (vocals), Jerry only (bass), Doyle (guitar), and robo (drums). The title of the album translates as “The Beyond,” and the cover photo is from the robo lineup.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Famous Monsters in Buenos Aires U.s. cD: Doctor chud records (chUD-48649–2), 2000

Songs: The Forbidden Zone / Witch hunt / Lost in space / crawling eye / static age / TV casualty / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / speak of the Devil / crimson ghost / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / scarecrow Man / saturday Night / pumpkin head / return of the Fly / Them / Day of the Dead / hate the Living, Love the Dead / shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / We are 138 / abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho / Walk among Us / The hunger / From hell They came / Fiend Without a Face / helena / Die, Die My Darling / skulls Notes: recorded live in the graves era at The Museum, Buenos aires, argentina, on July 15, 2000. The cover is a scene from the classic Mad Monster Party, which had also been used as the back cover of the “Monster Mash” single. The sound quality could be better, but it could be much worse.

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Misplaced Stories U.s. cD: green hell records (cD-gh 22027), 2000

Songs: she / hollywood Babylon / Bullet / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Die, Die My Darling / earth a.D. / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Wolf ’s Blood / static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / spinal remains / come Back / some Kinda hate / Theme for a Jackal / angelfuck / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / she / halloween / american Nightmare / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies Notes: advertised as a “collector’s edition of 300 copies,” this cD is a compilation of the entire Collection 1, the entire Legacy of Brutality, plus five tracks from Misfits Walk Among Us. at least it doesn’t try to hide the fact; the cover is simply the covers for the first Collection and Legacy.

 Hits from Hell U.s. promo cD: caroline records (24381–1207–2), september 2001

Songs: halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii / London Dungeon (alternative Take) Notes: Truth to tell, i wasn’t sure whether to put this in with the official releases or not, the reason being that it was and it wasn’t, and all of the versions that have followed have been bootlegs. reportedly, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1,000 cD copies were pressed, before glenn and Jerry decided they didn’t like the cover artwork or the mixes. Vinyl copies soon surfaced, but they are all bootlegs, as are any of the cDs available. Tom petty once said, “it’s one thing to play a pattern on the drums, but another thing to make it swing.” 12 Hits from Hell swings. They found a groove that they wouldn’t quite match on Misfits Walk Among Us (as great as that album is). The beat is slightly slower on these recordings, unlike the somewhat herky-jerky sped-up versions on Walk Among Us, which sounds like a band that is champing at the bit to thrash, but couldn’t bring itself to for whatever reason, at least not yet. But the crucial difference between the two albums is really one song—“Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight?” its inclusion on Walk Among Us very clearly signaled the direction that their live shows were already taking, as well as being a signpost for Earth A.D. oK, here’s the story: in august of 1980, the band, which consisted of glenn, Jerry, Bobby, and googy, recorded twelve songs at Master sound productions (the legendary Msp sessions), obviously enough for an album. The album was mixed in september. in october, they kicked Bobby out of the band and replaced him with Doyle, whom Jerry had been grooming to take over from Bobby. although Doyle recorded and overdubbed tracks with his own axe, the resulting work was shelved. This is rather surprising, as Danzig was never one to waste money on something he wasn’t going to release … and it turned out that he didn’t, as least not totally. Five of the songs saw the light of day as the 3 Hits from Hell ep and the “halloween” single. The rest of the cuts would eventually crawl out of the grave on Legacy of Brutality, the Misfits Collections, and the Coffin Box

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Set. The leftovers were used as demos for W.A.U. But by combining Bobby and Doyle’s guitars, “Daddy Warbucks” Danzig, either consciously or not, had stumbled upon a fuller sound than the band had ever had, and maybe should have had all along. That’s another reason that 12 Hits from Hell swings. The new songs, like “London Dungeon” and “horror hotel,” rock with a vengeance, and the newer versions of old songs like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Where eagles Dare” are meaty, beaty, big and bouncy, leaving their original versions eating dust. The same goes for the songs that remained until the release of W.A.U., like “Vampira” and “astro Zombies,” which never sounded better than on 12 Hits from Hell. a reviewer for the allmusic website gave the album three out of five stars, reckoning that “this isn’t an essential item and will probably appeal mostly to the legions of Misfits fanatics, who will no doubt savor these long-unreleased recordings. Many of these songs are available elsewhere.” To quote Bruce Willis in Die Hard II: “hey colonel, blow me.”

Evilive/Wolf ’s Blood poland 12" Lp: children of the Night records (No release Number), 2001

Songs: earth a.D. / Queen Wasp / Devilock / Death comes ripping / green hell / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Wolf ’s Blood / Demonomania / Bloodfeast / hellhound / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 Notes: This polish Lp is pretty much exactly what it says it is—a combination of Earth A.D. and Evilive. The cover, i guess, is sort of thematically correct, but unexciting—a photo of a snarling wolf. Not a hell-hound with glowing eyes or some savage mutation with sabre teeth and fans dripping with blood, just yer basic timber wolf. Which makes it hard to tell if this is a Misfits record or an issue of National Geographic.

Horror Business U.K. cD: 77 Blade records (No release Number), 2001

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / Vampira / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / Violent World / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Braineaters / We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Last caress (listed as “Kill your Baby Today”) / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars Notes: Tracks 1–13 are taken from the Walk Among Us recording sessions, and tracks 14–23 are taken from the 1981 ritz gig. oddly, it came packaged in a DVD case, but didn’t contain a DVD of the Misfits or anybody else, which seems to be kinda wasteful—i mean, jewel cases are really not that expensive, especially in bulk.

I Turned into a Martian U.K. 12" Lp: sonically stealing records (pilly-01), 2001

Songs: We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Last caress (listed as “Kill your Baby Today”) / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London

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Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / horror Business (listed as “horror Biz”) / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse (listed as “Devil’s Whore house”) / hate Breeders / We are 138 Notes: Tracks 1–11 were recorded live at the ritz in New york city on December 17, 1981, and tracks 12–20 are from the Bookie’s club 870 show in Detroit, Michigan, on september 12, 1981. The album erroneously states that all the tracks are from the ritz. This is basically the same record as At the Ritz (Lp version) and Death’s Symphony (the cD counterpart), but with a much cooler cover: the famous shot from the Al’s Bar cover (which of course was a promo photo before that) on the front, and a trio of vintage flyers on the back. it’s a slick, glossy sleeve, all in black and white, except for the title and “all those eyes” in red, on both the front and back covers.

If You Don’t Know This Song…/Beware germany 12" Lp: culo Del Mundo records (No release Number), 2001

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / We are 138 / Bullet / hollywood Babylon / attitude / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Last caress

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: This Lp is a monster mash-up of both live and studio cuts, with the live stuff taken from the hittsville gig (see above) and the studio cuts being the whole of Beware. The sleeve, done in black and white with a green Misfits logo, is another great one: an extreme close-up of the crimson ghost on the front and a high-contrast photo of Doyle on the back. .

Psycho in Chile argentina cD: McD/pickwick records (No release Number), 2001

Songs: intro/The abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho/Walk among Us / The hunger / From hell They came / speak of the Devil / static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / i Turned into a Martian / crimson ghost / return of the Fly / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight?

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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/ London Dungeon / skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Day of the Dead / hate the Living, Love the Dead / The shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / We are 138 / halloween / horror Business / Death comes ripping / Devilock / Blood Feast / hatebreeders / Die, Die My Darling Notes: This is the first version of the show that was later to be reissued on the “grey Market” as The Horror Kid That America Never Saw.

The Seven-Inch Singles Collection eU cD: Misfits central records (No release Number), 2001

Songs: cough/cool / she / Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / halloween / halloween ii / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror hotel / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / We are 138 Notes: This cD, which uses Mark rude’s cover art from Earth A.D., is a re-boot of Beware: The Complete Singles (see above).

Horror Business Sessions – Vol.  poland 12" Lp: Fundusz Kofciotrupa records (No release Number), 2002

Songs: cough/cool / she / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Nike a go go / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii / hatebreeders Notes: The title of this and the second volume (see below) is misleading because it gives the impression that these are the sessions for the Horror Business ep. That material is included, but the sessions actually run pretty much the whole gamut of the Misfits’ career.

Horror Business Sessions – Vol.  poland 12" Lp: Fundusz Kofciotrupa records (No release Number), 2002

Songs: Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / Violent World / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / horror Business / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse / 20 eyes / Violent World Notes: Too many Horror Businesses! Tracks 1–7 are from songshop, tracks 8–12 were recorded at reel platinum 8/81, and tracks 13 and 14 are from parts and studio unknown. again, although the song and a session for Horror Business are included, these recordings range over a number of different sessions and years.

(The) Famous Monsters Demos germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 2002

Songs: scream / Witch hunt / Fiend club / Forbidden Zone / Lost in space / saturday Night / casket

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: Not only is this one not from al’s Bar, it’s not even from Detroit (go red Wings!) in fact, it’s not a live recording; it’s the old new lineup with demos of the good songs from Famous Monsters (well, i never really cared for “Witch hunt,” “Fiend club,” or “saturday Night”) except for “helena.” The “bonus cut,” “casket,” is a Michale graves solo song demo from 2001. The sound quality is excellent, as is the slick black sleeve— the crimson ghost skull in gray on the front, contents ’round the back.

Last Caress Japan cD: Fiend records (No release Number), 2002

Songs: i Just Wanna have something to Do / havana affair / i Don’t Wanna go Down in the Basement / i Don’t care / sheena is a punk rocker / Dr. phibes intro / american psycho / Walk among Us / From hell They came / Dig Up her Bones / The KKK Took My Baby away / pet cemetery / i Wanna Be sedated / Blitzkrieg Bop / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / attitude / some Kinda hate / Last caress / halloween / astro Zombies (listed as “astro Zombie”) / 20 eyes / Violent World / Vampira / rise above / Thirsty and Miserable / Jealous again / Nervous Breakdown / six pack / Death comes ripping / Die, Die My Darling / We are 138 Notes: recorded live at WFMU studios, Jersey city, New Jersey, on october 4, 2001, for a radio performance. This was to be the set list, with a few variations, for the next few years—i remember they performed a very similar set at the Fiend Fest (pittsburgh) in 2004. The Fiend Fest Tour was one of the greatest punk rock “caravan” shows of all time. Just check out this lineup: besides the Misfits, there were the original Brit-punk horror band the Damned, the Dickies, Balzac, D.i., and agnostic Front. all of the bands were in exceptionally great form, and a personal highlight for me (one of many, i might add, but this was the shit) was when they did “sheena is a punk rocker.” Just before the song, Jerry said from the stage, “okay, we’re gonna do a ramones tune … it’s called ‘sheena is a punk rocker,’ and anybody that thinks they’re cool enough can get up on stage and sing along.” Well, naturally, i leapt up on stage with about thirty other fiends and it was … so cool. i actually auditioned for them at one point—i was in touch with John cafiero, and i asked him if they were still looking for a singer. he said maybe, go ahead and send a tape. i sent a tape and a video, along with some other stuff related to my old band. Next time i talked with him, he said that it was a good tape and stuff, but the more Jerry thought about it, the more he thought that he didn’t wanna mess around with any other singer, and he’d just keep on doing it himself. i was just happy for the chance … so, at the Fiend Fest, i finally got my chance to sing on stage with the Misfits.

NYC/LA ’ U.s. cassette: No Label (No release Number), 2002

Songs: Demonomania / hate Breeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / We Bite / London Dungeon / all

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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hell Breaks Loose / halloween / skulls / We are 138 / astro Zombies / hatebreeders / Braineaters / Bullet (with henry rollins) Notes: This sparsely-distributed cassette contains the Walk Among Us release party from the irving plaza in New york city (the “Nyc” part of the title), and the Whisky a go go (the “La” part), both from 1982. The cover art is a scene from the Crimson Ghost serial.

Sessions—Rehearsals—Demos U.s. 3 × cD Box set: The Misfits (hDr 3–538), 2002

Songs: cough/cool / she / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Nike a go go / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii / hatebreeders / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / Violent World / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / horror Business / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse / 20 eyes / Violent World / Die, Die My Darling / hatebreeders / Queen Wasp / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / astro Zombies / Bullet / earth a.D. (No Vocals) / We Bite / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood (No Vocals) / Queen Wasp (No Vocals) / Devilock

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: To be perfectly honest, i can’t remember just where or how i got this particular 3-cD set, but i’m sure glad that i did, because i’ve never, ever seen another copy anywhere, not even for sale on evil-Bay. This sucker is so rare that they don’t even list it on discogs.com, and if there’s not a listing there, then…. it doesn’t look homemade, especially with a release number and all, but still, i haven’t been able to track another one down. Like the Return of the Records volumes (see above), it seems to be a compilation of various and sundry bootlegs, all in one handy set. sound quality ranges from “decent enough” to “shit.” it’s nicely packaged, though.

3 Hits from Hell U.s. cD: Fiend club special edition (No release Number), 2003

Songs: Where eagles Dare / We Bite / Teenagers from Mars / Wolf ’s Blood / Theme for a Jackal / Queen Wasp / come Back / Death comes ripping / Who Killed Marilyn? / return of the Fly / Demonomania / Mephisto Waltz / Devilock / Die, Die My Darling / skulls / TV casualty / green hell / earth a.D. / Night of the Living Dead / hellhound / children in heat / Violent World / Who Killed Marilyn? / horror Business / Bloodfeast / Night of the Living Dead / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Violent World / static age

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Notes: another career-spanning retrospective, kinda like Beware: The Complete Singles, except the songs are in a different order. cover photo features a photo from a live show, with a pre–nose job glenn, with Jerry wailing away in the background. Many of these songs are available elsewhere (snicker).

Brain Eaters Finland 12" Lp: hc Live classics (hcLc-074), 2003

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Braineaters / We Bite / Last caress / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian Notes: originally released as the Al’s Bar 1982 Lp, this reissue adds a couple of songs and deletes a couple others. great slick sleeve (in B&W with orange lettering), although it has nothing to do with the show itself—the cover photo is of the Bobby steele/Joey image lineup, and the back is decorated with four excellent vintage flyers.

Evilive II germany 12" Lp: The Misfits Fiend club (No release Number), 2003 eU cD: The Misfits Fiend club (No release Number), 2005

Songs: intro (creepy church) / The abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho / Walk among Us / hunger / From hell They came / speak of the Devil / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / american Nightmare / Day of the Dead / hate the Living, Love the Dead / shining / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / This island earth / Where eagles Dare / Bullet / Vampira / haunting / Die, Die My Darling Notes: The labels might still say Fiend club, but unlike the official cD version which was released through the Fiend club proper, both the european cD and the german vinyl Lp were not. obviously the same recording on both versions, but it says here that the edge goes to the Lp, which has a much sharper reproduction of pushead’s groovy ghoulish cover art.

(The) Unknown Tales U.s. cD: Boneless records (No release Number), 2003

Songs: static age / TV casualty / some Kinda hate / Last caress / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / We are 138 / Teenagers from Mars / come Back / angelfuck / hollywood Babylon / attitude / Bullet / Theme for a Jackal / she / spinal remains / in the Doorway Notes: can you say rip-off? some bootlegs are sincerely intended expressions of fan creativity; others fall under the heading of the question used to start this. This is actually a pirate copy of Disc Four (Static Age) from the coffin Box set (when the discs were released as four singles in cardboard sleeves instead of two discs in one jewel case). it uses a slightly different front cover image of the crimson ghost skull than was used in the Box set, but it uses the exact same back—they even leave “Disc 4” on it, and cover up the Static Age track listing with a “Boneless records” logo. yeah, it’s boneless all right; fiends are much better served simply supporting the Misfits and buying the Box set.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Buried in a Pet Cementary [sic] U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), January 1, 2004

Songs: i Just Wanna have something to Do / Teenage Lobotomy / havana affair / i Don’t Wanna go Down to the Basement / i Don’t care / sheena is a punk rocker / The KKK Took My Baby away / The garden of serenity / i’m affected / strength to endure / pet semetary / i Wanna Be sedated / Beat on the Brat / Blitzkrieg Bop Notes: Tracks 1, 2, 5, 10, and 13 were recorded live at paradise gardens in portugal on January 24, 2003. Tracks 3, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 14 are live from Mush Music in argentina, on July 25, 2001. Track 8 is from eastside, Missouri, on November 5, 2001, and tracks 4 and 9 were recorded live at the DirectTV Music hall in Brazil on July 28, 2001. This is good stuff, but, more to the point: why, exactly? oK, Marky was in the band at that time, and they did do a lot of ramones songs during that time, but having a collection of the Misfits doing ramones songs is like having a book about the Misfits and having the foreword be about, i don’t know, the Undead or something. Wait, what? oh … but what’s weird about this comp is that while they have the song spelled right in the track listing, they somehow manage to mangle it in the title (and it also wreaks havoc with spellcheck).

Die Ruckkehr Der Reitenden Leichen germany 12" Lp: Joe’s plumbing service (02), 2004

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / We Bite / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / skulls / We are 138 / astro Zombies / hatebreeders / Braineaters / Bullet / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / Nike a go go / Devil’s Whorehouse Notes: Tracks 1–14 were recorded live at the Nike … er, Whisky a go go in Los angeles, california, on april 13, 1982. Tracks 15–20 are alternate takes of what was to become side one of Misfits Walk Among Us. The title translates as “return of the riding corpses,” which seems odd until you look at the sleeve, which contains—you guessed it—the shot from Night Creatures, which as noted, has been used on a few bootlegs and the official reunion tour poster.

L.A. Woman U.s. cD: Wolf ’s Blood/hollywood Fiend club records (hFc001) 2004

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy, can i go out…”) / We Bite / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / skulls / We are 138 / astro Zombies / hatebreeders (listed as “hate Breeders”) / Braineaters (listed as “Brain eaters”) / Bullet / Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy, can i go out…”) / London Dungeon / intro / We Bite / Last caress / horror Business / ghouls Night out / halloween / hatebreeders / skulls / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Notes: Tracks 1–14 recorded at the Whisky, hollywood, california, april 15, 1982, and tracks 15–35 recorded live at al’s Bar, Los angeles, california, april 17, 1982. “Bullet” features guest backing vocals by henry rollins of Black Flag. The packaging of this cD is both slick and funny—the front cover features the famous cover from the Chamber of Chills comic book that was first used (by the Misfits) for the cover of the Die, Die My Darling ep, except here it’s printed in full color. The inside of the cover “booklet” (is it considered a booklet if it just opens up and doesn’t have any pages?) is a great parody of the severely overrated Doors’ L.A. Woman album cover. i guess that’s fitting, because Jim Morrison was a grotesque parody of himself by the time of the release of the original.

Der Mann Mit Der Totenmaske germany 12" Lp: Joe’s plumbing service (03), 2005

Songs: Bullet / Where eagles Dare / Who Killed Marilyn? / horror Business / static age / TV casualty / hollywood Babylon / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / attitude / Blue christmas / We are 138 Notes: This is the german version of the Max’s Kansas city show from 1978 (see below). The cover is a plain black sleeve with a Xeroxed cover which reproduces the sleeve from Bullet, but where the original sleeve was shocking in its B & W imagery brilliantly highlighted by the vivid red blood splatter, this repro doesn’t have quite the same effect, because (a) it’s printed in only one color (orange) and (b) whoever designed the cover felt the need to put a cartoonishly large (and cartoony) gun next to Kennedy’s head. interestingly, this was also the title of the Crimson Ghost serial when it was re-released in germany in the 1950s.

The  Inch Compilation germany cD: No Label (MF 001), 2006

Songs: We are 138 / Bullet / hollywood Babylon / attitude / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Last caress / earth a.D. / Queen Wasp / Devil’s Whorehouse / Death comes ripping / green hell / Wolf ’s Blood / Demonomania / Bloodfeast / hellhound / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / horror Business / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Devil’s Whorehouse / all hell Breaks Loose / ghouls Night out / We are 138 (w/ henry rollins) Notes: This is a curious cD title, because it neither came out on vinyl nor bears any noticeable resemblance to any 12" vinyl that the ’Fits issued. it’s a compilation of both live and studio cuts, perhaps the reason for the title is because it was culled from various foot-round plastic waffles and hence the duplication of song titles (not the first boot to do this). There is apparently a second pressing that features the cover artwork from the Die, Die My Darling ep (this one has the grinning mug of the crimson ghost).

Evilive eU 12" Lp: Brand-New Beat records (BNBLp-911004), 2007

Songs: halloween / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Vampira

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The Complete Misfits Discography

/ Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy, can i go out and Kill”) / London Dungeon / attitude / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / hatebreeders / Bullet / halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skull / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii Notes: Not to be confused with any of the official releases titled Evilive, this is actually a repress of the Necronomicon cD and/or Lp with the whole band photo cover version from the original Evilive 7-inch, and was issued in a limited edition of 338 copies. Tracks 1–13 recorded live at hittsville in passaic, New Jersey, 12/25/81, and tracks 14–25 are demos from 1979–1980.

Teenage Insemination australia cD: chord Blast records (cBr-001), 2007

Songs: cough/cool / she / Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / halloween / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / astro Zombies / Mephisto Waltz / skulls / return of the Fly / in the Doorway / We Bite / hatebreeders / american Nightmare / she / angelfuck / hybrid Moments / spinal remains / all hell Breaks Loose Notes: This is another monster mash-up, seemingly culled from Beware: The Complete Singles, Misfits Walk Among Us, and Static Age. Move along, folks, nothin’ to see here.

Horror Business U.s. cD: cellar Dweller records (cDr-001), 2009

Songs: Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: recorded live at the irving plaza in New york city on March 27, 1982, one of the most bootlegged Misfits shows of all time, as the reader will see; issued under many different titles and sleeves (see above, below, over, under, sideways, and down).

Max’s Kansas City New York // U.K. 12" Lp: a records (MFT 001), 2009

Songs: Bullet / Where eagles Dare / Who Killed Marilyn? / horror Business / static age / TV casualty / hollywood Babylon / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / attitude / Blue christmas / We are 138 Notes: This was also released as a picture disc, another of the seemingly endless permutations of this show.

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Pit Rehearsals & Earth A.D. Demos U.s. 12" Lp: pentagoat records (No release Number), 2009

Songs: Die, Die My Darling / hatebreeders / Queen Wasp / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / astro Zombies / Bullet / earth a.D. (No Vocals) / We Bite / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood (No Vocals) / Queen Wasp (No Vocals) / Devilock Notes: “The pit” is actually Jerry only’s basement studio, and what makes this boot really interesting is the amount of between-takes chatter, which is entertaining in and of itself.

The Complete Evilive germany 12" Lp: plan 9 (pL9–08), 2009

Songs: We are 138 / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Night of the Living Dead / attitude / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (part 1) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (part 2) / London Dungeon / 20 eyes / astro Zombies / Teenagers from Mars / Nike a go go / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / astro Zombies / Devil’s Whorehouse / all hell Breaks Loose / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / hatebreeders / We are 138 / Bullet / attitude / Teenagers from Mars Notes: contains the complete shows from December 17, 1981, at the ritz and November 20, 1981, at the on Broadway in san Francisco. The sound quality is only slightly less crappy than the official Evilive, and it’s got all the songs to, er, boot.

This Is for You, Henry U.s. cD: cellar Dweller records (cDr-02), 2009

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / horror Business / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / We Bite / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / skulls / We are 138 / astro Zombies / hatebreeders / Braineaters (listed as “Brain eaters”) / Bullet / Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / astro Zombies / Devil’s Whorehouse / all hell Breaks Loose (listed as “all hells Breaking Loose”) / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / hatebreeders / We are 138 / Bullet / attitude / Teenagers from Mars Notes: Tracks 1–14 were recorded live at the Whisky a go go in Los angeles, california, on april 13, 1982. Tracks 15–26 are from san Francisco, california, November 20, 1981. But who’s henry? henry Fonda? henry Ford? i can’t remember any famous henrys that were associated with punk rock….

Walk Among Us and the Spot Sessions Demos U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), January 2010

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / Nike a go go / Devil’s Whorehouse / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / Violent

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The Complete Misfits Discography

World / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / american Nightmare / Devilock / earth a.D. (instrumental) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Queen Wasp (instrumental) / We Bite Notes: Tracks 1–13 are from the Walk Among Us sessions: tracks 11 and 12 are from august 1980 at Master sound, tracks 7 and 13 are from June 1981 at Newfound sound studios, tracks 1–4 and 6 are from august 1981 at Mix-o-Lydian, as are tracks 5 and 8– 10. Tracks 14–18 are from the “spot” sessions (so named because spot was the producer) on october 3, 1982, at the Unicorn studio in santa Monica california. “spot,” whose real name is glen Lockett, was the in-house producer and engineer for ssT records. he played bass for panic, who later changed their name to Black Flag. he went on to produce, co-produce, record, and mix records for nearly all the ssT bands from 1978 through 1985.

Prime Directive: Exterminate the Whole Human Race! canada 12" Lp: Jersey Devil records (pUNK009), 2010

Songs: halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii

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Notes: This is a reconstruction of the unreleased 1980 debut album from The Misfits, 12 Hits from Hell, which was scrapped after guitarist Bobby steele was replaced by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein. some of the songs were instead released as 7" singles and the remaining tracks were used as a demo to secure a record deal and eventually rerecorded in 1982 as their seminal Walk Among Us. although 12 Hits from Hell was given a modern remix and remaster for a posthumous release in 2001, it was again vetoed and scrapped by vocalist glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry only because of errors in mastering, artwork and liner note credit. it was recorded on august 7 and september 7 at Master sound productions, Franklin square, New york, and produced by robbie alter.

Sessions Volume One U.K. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 2012

Songs: cough/cool / she / Who Killed Marilyn? / Where eagles Dare / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / Vampira / Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. / horror Business / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / Night of the Living Dead / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii Notes: as noted elsewhere, the Misfits (at least the classic lineup) only had so many songs and performances to go around, so there’s nothing here that can’t be heard on at least a quarter of the other releases listed. again, collect this one for its unique packaging. There’s not an album jacket in the conventional sense, made out of cardboard, but rather more like many of the eps listed here, the sleeve is printed on slick paper, and opens up to pretty much a poster, chock full o’ graphics and info. one curious aspect is the liner notes, which are written by the one and only eerie Von. The reason that it’s curious is that it makes him seem complicit (god, i’ve so wanted to use that word) in the project, which of course is unauthorized. so while it’s not exactly sturdy, it is unique.

Sessions Volume Two U.K. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 2012

Songs: 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / astro Zombies / Vampira / Devil’s Whorehouse / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Violent World / London Dungeon / halloween / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare Notes: Tracks 1–6 were recorded at Mix-o-Lydian in august 1981; track 7 was recorded at Newfoundland sound in June 1981; tracks 8 and 9 were recorded at reel platinum in 1981, not 1986 as it says on discogs.com. Tracks 10–19 are made up of the legendary Master sound productions sessions which produced 12 Hits from Hell.

Walk Among You eU 12" Lp: Bad Joker records (Boss 5–1987), 2015

Songs: intro / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / all hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out

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The Complete Misfits Discography

/ Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / horror Business / astro Zombies / Violent World / hate Breeders / Who Killed Marilyn? / Nike a go go / attitude / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / Devilock Notes: recorded live for a WcBN-FM radio Broadcast, live at the Michigan Union Ballroom, Detroit, april 23, 1983, this is the last vinyl version of this oft-bootlegged show.

Hits from the Static Age U.s. cD: Boot city Usa (BooT ciTy Usa 009), 2016

Songs: halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii / London Dungeon (alternative Take) / static age / TV casualty / some Kinda hate / Last caress / return of the Fly / hybrid Moments / We are 138 / Teenagers from Mars / come Back / angelfuck / hollywood Babylon / attitude / Bullet / Theme for a Jackal / she / spinal remains / in the Doorway Notes: This excellent boot is a monster mash-up of 12 Hits from Hell (which also serves as the cD’s cover art) and Static Age. one of the reasons it’s excellent is the sound quality, so if you can’t find a copy of 12 Hits (which still tends to be fairly pricey), then

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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this is a more-than-reasonable alternative. of course, everybody already has Static Age, but so what? it’s always good to have a backup copy.

To the Devil a Daughter U.s. 12" Lp: Dungeon records (DUNgeoN0138), 2016

Songs: Nike a go go / 20 eyes / attitude / Bullet / all hell Breaks Loose / Where eagles Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Braineaters / We Bite / Last caress / horror hotel / Vampira / Teenagers from Mars / i Turned into a Martian / Demonomania / Devil’s Whorehouse / Violent World / We are 138 / astro Zombies (listed as “astro Zombie”) / horror Business Notes: This new boot mines a familiar vein, al’s Bar from 1982, and was issued with two different covers. The more interesting, sepia-toned one appears to be from a lurid “romance” novel set in the 18th century, with some wavy-haired bloke (whose face has been replaced by a grinning crimson ghost skull) sliding his hand down an apparently not-unwilling girl’s panties. Did they have bikini panties and cross-your-heart bras in the 18th century? Wasn’t it more like pantaloons? The other is a full-color painting of a vampire carrying a maiden in his arms, which is well-rendered and looks as though it

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The Complete Misfits Discography

might’ve been lifted from a magazine cover or movie poster, but is not as witty or playfully sexy as the other sleeve.

(The) Horror Kid America Never Saw U.s. cD: sleepless Beast records (sBr-001), March 7, 2017

Songs: intro/The abominable Dr. phibes / american psycho/Walk among Us / The hunger / From hell They came / speak of the Devil / static age / TV casualty / hybrid Moments / Last caress / Dig Up her Bones / i Turned into a Martian / crimson ghost / return of the Fly / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Day of the Dead / hate the Living, Love the Dead / The shining (listed as “The shinning”) / Don’t open ’til Doomsday / We are 138 / halloween / horror Business / Death comes ripping / Devilock / Blood Feast / hatebreeders / Die, Die My Darling Notes: recorded live with Myke hideous in santiago, chile, on July 26, 1998. The sound quality of most live bootlegs can be charitably described as abominable at best, abysmal at worst. The sound quality of most Misfits bootlegs falls somewhere in between the two. Thankfully, this recording is the exception to the rule. all of the Misfits’ live recordings, whether the authorized or the bootlegs, are important historical documents, and The Horror Kid America Never Saw is more important than most. This is because

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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it’s the only available full-length live recording of the Misfits that features any documentation of the very brief Myke hideous era (see also the Live in Brazil 1998 ep). That era came about when Michale graves briefly quit the band in the middle of a south american tour. Myke hideous gives not just a good accounting of himself, but (whisper it) might have been a better choice to replace Danzig from the get-go. graves always sounded great on material from either American Psycho or Famous Monsters, but at times he sounds less convincing handling the ghoulden oldies. here, hideous not only does a great job on the graves-era songs, but, in my opinion, sounds better doing stuff like “hybrid Moments” or “return of the Fly” than graves does. he’s an excellent singer, and sounds like he’s really having fun … kinda like c.J. ramone, a fan of the band before actually being asked to join the band—except that c.J. was with the ramones for more than two weeks. “The shinning” may not be a typo, it may be an in-joke directed at Simpsons fans—during one of their halloween “Treehouse of horror” episodes, school janitor Willie says he’s going to tell the horrible tale of “The shinning.” Bart says, “Don’t you mean The Shining?” Willie quickly shushes him with “Quiet, boy, do you want to get sued?”

Descent into Evil eU 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–12), 2017

Songs: Demonomania / hatebreeders / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose / horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: Well, yes, and here we go again. recorded live at irving plaza in New york city on March 27, 1982, at the Walk Among Us release party, sourced from the original sound board master tape, just like all the others. This is one of the best-sounding ’Fits boots, considering the source (of the recording).

Teenagers from Mars Live on Air 3 eU cD: Laser Media (LM 5015), 2017

Songs: We are 138 / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / skulls / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Where eagles Dare / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Devilock / hellhound / London Dungeon / Violent World / halloween / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombie / Night of the Living Dead / attitude / horror Business / Bullet / hatebreeders / Demonomania / Wolf ’s Blood / Last caress / Queen Wasp / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Braineaters / Vampira / earth a.D. / attitude Notes: There used to be a bootleg record label called “TMoQ,” or “Trademark of Quality.” Their logo was a pig. They put out bootlegs of a wide variety of bands; although the sound quality of each release varied, they were generally pretty well-recorded, and lived up to the name of the label. any boot that had the TMoQ logo on it was a pretty safe bet. okay, i told you that story so i could tell you this one. The label that released Teenagers from Mars is called Laser Media, and had i known that’s who released it, i probably wouldn’t have bought it, even with my devotion to the Misfits. Laser Media is

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The Complete Misfits Discography

a company that specializes in public domain radio recordings, which are attractively packaged but sonically well below par. in addition, there are never any liner notes, no information of any kind as to the origin of the recordings, and even if they provide some on the sleeve, it’s more often than not conflicting. For example, this cD is subtitled “Live on air 1983,” and the scant indicia states that it’s from an “official radio Broadcast, 1993.” That’s it, other than the titles of the songs. For these reasons, i have avoided their product like the plague; any time i’m shopping for cDs, if i see that it was put out by Laser Media, i simply don’t buy it. purchase if you must, but don’t pay much and expect even less.

The  MSP Sessions U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–11), 2017

Songs: halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii Notes: This new boot is pretty much exactly the same as 12 Hits from Hell, except it doesn’t have the alternate take of “London Dungeon.” it was issued, for some reason, with the same front cover as Descent into Hell (see above), albeit in a different color. Buy it for a backup copy of 12 Hits from Hell, if nothing else.

Live! Belgrade 3 serbia cD: Misfits Live records (No release Number), 2018

Songs: hybrid Moments (listed as “Nightbright Moment”) / Teenagers from Mars / attitude / some Kinda hate (listed as “some Kind of hate”) / Last caress (listed as “The Last Quest”) / halloween / astro Zombies (listed as “asshole Zombies”) / skulls / i Turned into a Martian (listed as “i Turned to a Bar shade”) / 20 eyes (listed as “Twenty eyes”) / here Today, gone Tomorrow / Dream Lover (listed as “Twin Lover”) / Donna / runaway / i Just Wanna have something to Do / havana affair / i Don’t care / american psycho / Dig Up her Bones (listed as “Take Up her”) / The KKK Took My Baby away / pet semetary / Kong at the gates / helena (listed as “Would you Love Me anyway”) / i Wanna Be sedated / six pack / Die, Die My Darling (listed with an extra “Die”) / We are 138 (listed as “i Want 38”) / Beat on the Brat / The Day the earth caught Fire (listed as “The Day the earth got Fired”) Notes: recorded by an audience member at a show in Belgrade, serbia, May 30, 2003. it features the M25 lineup, so that’s the reason for so many Black Flag and ramones songs, and it surely at least ties Misfits Live (see below) for the most hilariously wrong titles given to the songs. The funniest thing is, they get pretty much everything right when it comes to the ramones and Black Flag song titles, but when it comes to the Misfits … oh, Lordy! The funniest is their title for “astro Zombies”—“asshole Zombies.”

Mommy, Can I Go to Riot Fest Tonight? greece 2 × 12" Lp: Devil’s Workshop records (No release Number), March 2018

Songs: Death comes ripping / 20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / Where eagles

2. These Bootlegs Were Made for Walkin’

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Dare / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / Vampira / all hell Breaks Loose / hybrid Moments / Teenagers from Mars / London Dungeon / earth a.D. / green hell / Devilock / horror Business / We are 138 / hollywood Babylon / Who Killed Marilyn? / halloween / Die, Die My Darling / astro Zombies / skulls / Last caress / Bullet / Night of the Living Dead / she / attitude Notes: recorded live at riot Fest in chicago, illinois, on september 18, 2016. This was a limited edition of 100 copies pressed on clear vinyl, and came packaged in a box set that also includes a poster. The front cover art is by Basil gogos from American Psycho, and the back cover is a photo from the show.

We Bite U.s. 12" Lp: (sUX 282), april 30, 2018 U.s. cD: (sUXcD 283), october 16, 2018

Songs: Demonomania / hate Breeders / Night of the Living Dead / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / skulls / Vampira / London Dungeon / all hell Breaks Loose

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The Complete Misfits Discography

/ horror Business / We Bite / i Turned into a Martian / Devil’s Whorehouse / We are 138 / halloween / attitude / Queen Wasp Notes: recorded live at irving plaza in New york city on March 27, 1982, this is basically Walk Among You (U.s. cD version), not to mention a couple of others, minus “20 eyes.” The cover art of the cD differs from the Lp version, although both focus on glenn.

–: The Singles Collection U.s. 12" Lp: Mars Zombie records (No release Number), october 2, 2018

Songs: cough/cool / she / Bullet / We are 138 / attitude / hollywood Babylon / horror Business / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / Night of the Living Dead / Where eagles Dare / rat Fink / halloween / halloween ii / London Dungeon / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / Die, Die My Darling / We Bite / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / static age / Who Killed Marilyn? / Last caress Notes: 1977–1984: The Singles Collection is a re-boot of Beware: The Complete Singles—but only to a point. Beware: The Complete Singles Collection doesn’t contain the Die, Die My Darling ep or “static age,” “Last caress,” or “Who Killed Marilyn?” it instead includes live cuts from 1981. The packaging is different as well: Beware: The Complete Singles Collection has a band shot on the cover, and this Lp features our ol’ pal the crimson ghost.

Misfits Live /3/ U.s. cassette: Fan club productions (No release Number)

Songs: Demonomania / 20 eyes / horror Business / Vampira / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Nike a go go / Night of the Living Dead / all hell Breaks Loose / halloween / We are 138 / hatebreeders / i Turned into a Martian / Where eagles Dare / Die, Die My Darling / horror hotel / ghouls Night out Notes: This cassette-only release comes with a plain white cover; no illos, just the track listing.

3 chips off the old gravestone Related Bands and Ex-Misfits

samhain and so it came to pass—as of october 31, 1983, the mighty Misfits were no more. Drowning in a sea of acrimony, glenn went his way and Jerry and Doyle went theirs. The brothers took a bit longer to find their direction, but Danzig didn’t let the coffin get cold and found an outlet for his creativity almost immediately. in the 1986 Thrasher magazine interview, pushead asked glenn what happened after the Misfits, and Danzig answered thusly: “There were various things i was doing at the time, but basically eerie (Von) and i had decided to start a band which was going to be called samhain or, if we came up with a better name, we would come up with a better name, but we had a song called ‘samhain.’” This would probably be a good time, if still needed, to clear up any misconceptions about the pronunciation of the term “samhain.” The popular pronunciation is of course, phonetically speaking, “sam hane” (which does sound cool), but it’s actually pronounced “sah”- (or “sow”) win, which was the ancient name of the celtic New year, which in turn became the modern halloween. at any rate, glenn and eerie (then playing drums, as he had for rosemary’s Babies) soon hooked up with al pike, formerly of reagan youth, who was never an official member of the band because, according to Danzig, he had a steady job and didn’t want to lose it by going on tour. Leave it to notorious nickel-nurser glenn though—even though al didn’t work out, and eerie had taken over on bass by that time, Initium still featured the version of “archangel” that pike had played on. Brian Baker and Lyle preslar, both formerly of Minor Threat, also almost joined the group—Baker was the first to leave, only having rehearsed with the band a few times before deciding that his style wouldn’t be a good fit, and Lyle soon followed, although he did manage to make it into the studio with samhain, playing on the songs “Black Dream,” “Macabre,” “horror Biz” and “The shift.” of course, Danzig used these as well. They finally settled on peter “Damien” Marshall, who was known by his nickname, because, well, glenn couldn’t very well have a guitarist with the same name as the host of television’s Hollywood Squares now, could he? his involvement with the band petered out in 1986, and he was replaced by John christ, who played on some sessions and some songs that ultimately ended up on Final Descent, which wasn’t released until three years 

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The Complete Misfits Discography

after samhain had morphed into Danzig. steve Zing (real name: steven paul grecco) didn’t even last as long as Damien, and was replaced by London May, formerly of reptile house, whom Th’ inbred shared a number of stages with. We always called him “London Dungeon,” little did we know…. London occupied the drum stool until the end, when he was due to be replaced by chuck Biscuits (real name: charles Montgomery, formerly of D.o.a., Black Flag, and the circle Jerks), who was never an official member of samhain because by that time, again, they had morphed into Danzig. he did record one track that was used on the post-mortem Final Descent (glenn played on the rest of the originals on what was formerly side one, but for more on Final Descent, see the entry below). samhain came to an end on July 14, 1986, after a show at the ritz. producer rick rubin was in the audience, and approached Danzig afterwards, dangling the idea of being vocalist for a hard-rock “supergroup” in front of him. it wasn’t like it was a big change in the direction of the music, as samhain had grown increasingly “heavy,” but to glenn’s credit, he refused unless he could bring eerie Von along for the ride (except the part that included their first solo song, “you and Me (Less than Zero)” for the film Less Than Zero, credited to “glenn Danzig and the power and Fury orchestra” … uh, okay). They reunited several times over the ensuing decades, the first coming in 1999 to hype the Box set. They did a national tour—but in support of Danzig. They reformed again in 2011, 2012, and 2014, as part of the “Danzig Legacy” tours. in 2011 and 2012, they were part of a three-ring musical circus—Danzig would do a set, then samhain, and then glenn would bring out Doyle for a set of Misfits songs. This time, however, eerie didn’t come along for the ride, and as is always the case with ex-members of any of glenn’s bands, it was a case of “he said/he said.” glenn has said in interviews that eerie wasn’t invited because he had slandered former members of the band, despite eerie’s already-stated views that he wouldn’t participate unless Damien was involved … despite the fact that Damien had been asked, but he had to turn down the opportunity because he was already involved in a tour with iggy pop. steve Zing and London May were on board, though, taking turns sharing the bass and drum duties. They reunited for the fourth (and apparently final) time at chicago’s riot Fest in september of 2014, and did some additional shows on the Left and Least coasts, per-

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forming the Initium album in its entirety, with peter adams (Baroness, Valkyrie) on guitar. in the end though, what is samhain’s legacy? They seem to have slipped through the cracks somewhat, between the Misfits’ legend and Danzig’s (the band) longevity. Not to True Fiends, of course, but as far as most of the world at large is concerned, samhain was merely the pit-stop between the Misfits and Danzig, which is unfortunate at best and just plain stupid at worst. But true fiend or not, i can’t think of anybody that i’ve met that prefers samhain to the Misfits. in the Thrasher interview, when asked about that very subject, glenn opined that nobody even talked about the Misfits and samhain in the same breath—which is true, although not in the way he meant it, because nobody talks about the two bands in the same breath … they always run out of breath before they get to samhain, or have to stop to take one after talking about the Misfits.

Authorized Albums/CDs and EPs Initium U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–04), 1984 U.s. cD: plan 9 records (pL9-cD2), 1987 U.s. cassette: plan 9 records (pL9–04 cass), 1989

Songs: initium / samhain / Black Dream / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Macabre / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named / horror Biz / The shift / The howl / archangel Notes: according to an interview with original samhain drummer steve Zing, this album had a, to say the least, very interesting production history, at least with the initial pressings: “The band needed records to sell for their tour. They called europadisk (the pressing plant), but no answer. so they drove up to Long island and arrived after the pressing plant had closed, but saw the owner’s car, banged on the door, and glenn said ‘you promised us albums. We are not leaving until we get records—ToDay.’” reportedly, there were no other employees there, so Danzig, Zing, the owner, and another friend of the band “turned all the machines on” and pressed the records, which could account for some of the first pressings having a small, album-sized center ring and others having a large center ring (if all the machines were running). Just for shits and giggles, i decided to pull out what original pages exist of The Misfits Collector, and see what i said about some of these records 14 or 15 years ago, to see if i still felt the same, or whether time had provided a fresh perspective, so here’s what i wrote then: glenn’s first post–’Fits work is also the strongest connection to it. half the songs make you wonder why he had to leave the Misfits to do them, at least on side 1. side 2 starts off with promise, (with) an updated version of “horror Business,” but as for “archangel,” well, if ya had to leave ’cause you wanted to sound like echo and the Bunnymen, don’t let the door hitcha in the ass on the way out! seriously though, greaT record, more “serious” than the ’Fits (glenn: “it’s not BaT caVe horror!”), but judging from what his music eventually became, mebbe he shoulda stayed in the Bat cave.

Well … y’know, the language could have been a little more eloquent, and the review could have been a little more in-depth, but mostly, i still believe what i wrote (although i’m sorry for the echo and the Bunnymen bit … yeah, sorry for anybody who likes echo and the Bunnymen). in his 1986 Thrasher interview, Danzig admitted that samhain was

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The Complete Misfits Discography

basically “the Misfits with a different name,” and as was said all those years ago, it’s his strongest stylistic connection to the Misfits. originally, i said that Initium was more “serious,” but that’s certainly a relative term—i mean, let’s look at the subject matter of glenn Danzig’s songs, not just with the Misfits and samhain, but all the way up to the present day: sex, satan, murder, sex, satan, rape, demons, sex, whores, satan … well, you get the idea. so for him to make a comparison of the Misfits’ songs to “Bat cave” horror, well, he’s sung about the same stuff all his life, and nothing like sex or rape or satan never happened in the Bat cave—at least, not the Bat cave of the adam West Batman TV series, to which he was presumably referring. oh, well, on to the music: Initium starts off spooky with, er, “initium,” which has lots of phase-shifted wind effects and a spoken-word piece by glenn, before it shifts into mid-tempo gear with “samhain.” it’s not quite metal (no wanking guitar solos … yet), with Danzig weaving a typically opaque fever-dream about paradise and sacrifice. The beat picks up for “Black Dream,” the first song to make me question exactly why he had to leave the Misfits to do songs like the Misfits had always done, short, sharp and brutal (kinda like glenn). it also showcases his early flair for writing songs with insanely catchy, strong melodies and sing-along choruses. This continues with the next cut, “all Murder, all guts, all Fun,” as hummable an ode to dismemberment as you’ll ever want to hear. it all goes mid-tempo again with “Macabre,” which is a spiritual descendant of “halloween ii,” except for the Latin, substituting glenn prattling on about pain and spines of cats (which, coming out of Danzig’s mouth sounds like “spinal Tap”). “he-Who-can-NotBe-Named” steers the record back into Misfits territory, complete with the ’Fits’ trademark “Whoa-oh-oh-oh” chorus. The title of the song seemingly makes up half the lyrics, the rest being ruminations on an apparently ancient, “intricate entity.” “horror Biz,” is of course, a reworking of “horror Business,” but other than a slightly different beat, is really no different from (nor a noticeable improvement on) the original. “The shift” shifts gears down a notch again, an old-fashioned stomp-along with an opening riff seemingly pinched from “rock and roll part 2” (by convicted pedophile gary glitter). The midtempo continues with “The howl,” a meditation on human slaughterhouses and such, basically a cautionary tale that a boogie-man (or serial killer) will get you if you don’t watch out. Initium ends with the longest song on the album (clocking in at over five minutes), the aforementioned “archangel,” a bottom-heavy tune, with a bassline that is vaguely reminiscent of “London Dungeon,” but “London Dungeon” never sounded like echo and the Bunnymen, and dammit, i still say this does. in live performances of the song, glenn would strap on a guitar, so that Damien could play bass along with eerie, which conjured up images of “Big Bottoms” by spinal Tap (if spinal Tap had been covered in Kensington gore).

Unholy Passion U.s. 12" ep: plan 9 records (pL9/05), January 1985 U.s. cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 6 1058–2), 2001

Songs: Unholy passion / all hell / Moribund / The hungry end / i am Misery Bonus CD Track: Misery Tomb Notes: in my original review for The Misfits Collector, i took Danzig to task for wasting a whole twelve inches’ worth of vinyl for five measly songs that only totaled a hair over 17 minutes. it wasn’t that i didn’t like the music—i thought (and still think) all

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of the songs were strong; it just seemed so … wasteful. (i remember the vinyl shortage of the ’70s). Like most records that Danzig is involved with, it had its fair share of drama, although nothing as dramatic as glenn strong-arming a record pressing plant owner. No, the Devil is in the details: For instance, the only way that you can hear this recording in its original form is to buy the vinyl version. it seems that in 1987, glenn took it upon himself to re-record some new vocals on some of the songs, and as if that wasn’t enough, replace all of Damien’s guitar parts with his own, a bad omen for Damien’s continued existence in the band. he also re-mixed the recordings (both done at the famed reel platinum studios) and added a new song, “Misery Tomb,” which was then tacked onto Final Descent. These new versions carried onto the Box set cD, as well as the individual version. The opening cut, “Unholy passion,” is exactly about that, a churning mid-tempo rocker that, if he were still with the ’Fits, might well have been called “hollywood Babylon ii.” Next in line is this ep’s re-working of a Misfits song, “all hell Breaks Loose,” this time around simply titled “aw, hell”… er, i mean, “all hell.” Unlike Initium’s “horror Biz,” though, this is quite a different beast from the original, which was more or less a straight-ahead thrash (but not hardcore). eerie Von, in his book Misery Obscura (see appendix 2) writes that Unholy Passion had a more “tribal” sound than Initium, and “all hell” certainly points that up, a more staccato beat nonetheless filled with pounding tom-toms and drum rolls from steve Zing, one of his finest numbers with the band. oddly enough, it is the following cut, “Moribund,” that sounds the most like a Misfits song, mixing straight-ahead thrash verses with pounding tom-toms for the chorus. some fiends refer to this song jokingly (but lovingly) as “Moribund the Burgermeister,” which was a song from peter gabriel’s first solo album. “The hungry end” is an intense, slowburn of a song that still manages to sound like the ’Fits with its shouts of “go!” There is no truth to the rumor that “The hungry end” is about the infamous “cheeseburger incident” that led to googy’s parting ways with the Misfits. “i am Misery” retains the “Whoaoh-oh” backing vocals of the Misfits, but was up to that point his most successful, postpunk-style song. The song that was tacked onto the ep for the Final Descent release and all subsequent versions, “Misery Tomb,” is perhaps one of his least successful songs, period, post-punk or otherwise. “Misery Tomb” consists of nothing but “Whoa-ohoh’s”—seriously, that’s the entire song, dragged out over a raga-like guitar groove, and is, in any case, quite pointless. glenn should’ve left this misery interred.

Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–07), 1986 U.s. cD: plan 9 records (pL9-cD07), 1989 U.s. cassette: plan 9 records (pL9–07 cass), 1989 U.K. 12" Lp: revolver records (reV Lp 82), 1986

Songs: Diabolos ’88 / in My grip / Mother of Mercy / Birthright / To Walk the Night / Let the Day Begin / halloween ii / November’s Fire / Kiss of steel / Unbridled / human pony girl Notes: samhain was in transition in 1986; London May was the new drummer, and glenn was in the process of weeding out Damien, and they would’ve already morphed into Danzig in a year’s time. The second full album starts things off in appropriately spooky fashion with “Diabolos ’88,” an instrumental (except for some gregorian-style chanting), which leads directly into “in My grip,” a ’78-style rave-up that really harks

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The Complete Misfits Discography

back to the Misfits circa “horror Business.” Next up is the classic “Mother of Mercy,” which i’d be tempted to call full-on metal, except it thankfully doesn’t have any solos, but really puts the heavy in metal. glenn bangs on about how everybody wants their “time in hell,” but i swear it sounds like at times he’s distinctly saying “We all want our chocolate Milk.” No, really. “Birthright” continues mining the metal vein, given shading and texture to the proceedings by glenn’s tinkling keyboards. Damien seems to channel Link Wray with the “rumble”-like opening riff of pure filth of “To Walk the Night,” a haunting, dirge-like anthem about what it’s like to walk home after a hardcore gig. They pick up the pace with “Let the Day Begin,” whose title forms an irresistible sing-along chorus, and is sonically reminiscent of “ghouls Night out.” appropriately, this bit of almost-Misfits business is followed by the by-now obligatory Misfits re-work, the song that pointed the direction for samhain, “halloween ii.” samhain’s version is even slower than the ’Fits, but with much more heavy, prominent and pointed guitar, and is at least on par with the original. The title track, or rather, “November’s Fire,” is actually one of the weaker tracks, but enlivened by London’s drumming and spiky snatches of post-punk guitar by Damien. it’s followed, though, by a strong song, “Kiss of steel,” which is very structurally similar to “Die, Die My Darling.” London lays down a snappy, double-time beat for “Unbridled.” which is most interesting for a few seconds in the middle, when the whole song sounds as if it’s going to fall apart, but then immediately snaps right back to attention. Did i say that “November’s Fire” was one of the weaker tracks? Well, it’s a tower of power compared to the last song, “human pony girl,” the title of which i can’t even write without smirking slightly. as David st. hubbins said in Spinal Tap, “There’s such a fine line between stupid—and clever.” This song isn’t clever.

Final Descent U.s. cD: plan 9 records (pL9-cD10), 1990 U.s. cassette: plan 9 records (pL9-Mc 10), 1990 U.s. cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61062–2), 2001 eU 12" Lp: argon Music (Mo 20843–04), 2004

Songs (1990 CD): Night chill / Descent / Death… in its arms / Lords of the Left hand / The Birthing / Unholy passion / all hell / Moribund / The hungry end / Misery Tomb / i am Misery Songs (2001 CD): Night chill / Descent / Death… in its arms / Lords of the Left hand / The Birthing / Twist of cain / possession / Trouble / Lords of the Left hand (second version) Notes: Way back in … 1990 (gasp! choke! good Lord!), a buddy asked me if i’d heard the new samhain cD, Final Descent. “yeah,” i replied, “they shoulda called it Final Descent into Heavy Metal,” and we went on to discuss the relative merits of it. We couldn’t find that many, although we weren’t being fair. you see, for a few years there, punks were despised by the metalheads, and the feeling was mutual. a lot of our favorite punk and hardcore bands “went metal,” and there was a general feeling that these bands had “sold out,” paying a more accessible music (at least in some quarters) to gain commercial acceptance. and here was Danzig (the band) wading into that most conventional (if sometimes exciting) of musical forms. and moreover, what was the point of releasing a samhain album when the band had been broken up for three years already? of course, there’s always the standard rock cliché of “unfinished business,” but a more plausible and

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prosaic reason is simply that glenn had already paid good money for the recordings (which were originally recorded as songs for a proposed album titled Samhain Grim), and saw no reason why he shouldn’t make some of it back. plus they had those re-recorded Unholy Passion tracks lying around, and so that’s how they cobbled together Final Descent. The first cut, “Night chill,” is poles apart from the other cuts indigenous to this album (although not in its use of a freakin’ drum machine), in that it sounds more like a theme song from a slasher movie soundtrack, dominated by glenn’s keyboards. The drum machine, though, is turned up to full-gallop mode for “Descent,” the fastest number that Danzig had written since the material on the Misfits’ Earth A.D. it also gallops into fullon metal mode with a solo, which was anathema then, but which is commendable now, both for its gnarly sound and its brevity. real drums return only for the next cut, “Death…. in its arms,” provided by the legendary chuck Biscuits. it’s a slow blues, welldone for what it is, but it had quite frankly been done better, literally hundreds of times before. The drum machine and the solo make their dreaded return for “Lords of the Left hand.” it continues the plodding tempo of its predecessor, with glenn wailing about some bad demon motherfuckers, and the whole thing smells, not of sulphur, but of cockrock (even if it’s satan’s cock … which come to think of it, would smell like sulphur). “The Birthing,” technically the last new samhain song, returns to more familiar and welcome thrash territory, although it’s introduced with a guitar figure straight out of “radar Love,” and contains the most masturbatory solo of the record. Next out of the gate are the re-makes/re-models of the Unholy Passion songs. None of them really differ in basic song structure, but one can really tell where the vocals and guitars (now more up-front than the original) have been done over. as to which version one prefers, it’s really six of one and a half-dozen of the other (literally).

Box Set U.s. 5 × cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61028–2), september 5, 2000

Songs: Disc one, Initium—initium / samhain / Black Dream / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Macabre / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named / horror Biz / The shift / The howl / archangel. Disc Two, Unholy Passion—Unholy passion / all hell / Moribund / The hungry end / i am Misery. Disc Three, November-Coming-Fire—Diabolos ’88 / in My grip / Mother of Mercy / Birthright / To Walk the Night / Let the Day Begin / halloween ii / November’s Fire / Kiss of steel / Unbridled / human pony girl. Disc Four, Final Descent—Night chill / Descent / Death... in its arms / Lords of the Left hand / The Birthing / Twist of cain / possession / Trouble / Lords of the Left hand (second version). Disc Five, Samhain Live ’85–’86—all hell / samhain / The shift / The howl / Unholy passion / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / i am Misery / The hungry end / horror Biz / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named / Death comes ripping / Mother of Mercy / To Walk the Night / halloween ii / in My grip / London Dungeon / archangel Notes: Unlike the Misfits Box set, a similar one from samhain didn’t lavish the fans with unreleased goodies, like the Samhain Grim sessions, for instance, but instead substituted a fifth disc titled Samhain Live ’85–’86, performances that had previously only been available on bootlegs, and which would also be released as a standalone disc a year later. The set also includes a Vhs videotape of live samhain, which, like the live disc, serves to remind just how ferocious a live band samhain was. Last but not least, a slim, not standardsize comic book was included, which had a great Michael T. gilbert (Mr. Monster) cover.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Samhain Live ’–’ U.s. cD: e-Magazine entertainment (eMa 61064–2), 2001

Songs: all hell / samhain / The shift / The howl / Unholy passion / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / i am Misery / The hungry end / horror Biz / he-Who-can-NotBe-Named / Death comes ripping / Mother of Mercy / To Walk the Night / halloween ii / in My grip / London Dungeon / archangel Notes: Tracks 1–10 were recorded live on February 19, 1985, at Danceteria, New york city, New york, and Tracks 11–18 are live from april 13, 1986, at the cabaret Metro, chicago. Both shows have been bootlegged extensively, and it’s nice to hear the songs cleaned up from the sometimes-murky boots.

Unauthorized Singles/EPs All Murder, All Guts, All Live U.s. 7" ep: ignis Fattus records (iFr-1001–7–1), 1987

Songs: all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The howl / Die, Die My Darling (listed as “Die, Die, Die My Darling”) / horror Biz Notes: The songs on this ep were recorded live at Wabash hall in san Diego, california, on May 2, 1985. Limited to 100 hand-numbered copies pressed on black vinyl, but with three different-colored sleeves, all featuring the same picture of glenn.

A Bucket of Blood U.s. 7" ep: Funn records (FUNN-13), 1988

Songs: all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The howl / Die, Die My Darling (listed as “Die, Die, Die My Darling”) / horror Biz Notes: This was a limited edition of 300 copies pressed on black vinyl, with a great sleeve featuring a robed figure with a skull (not the crimson ghost) in front of a wall made of skulls and bones. The back cover has a poorly-reproduced image of the skeleton figure from The Undead.

Bloodbrothers eU 7" ep: Boot ranch europe records (No release Number), 2014

Songs: Bloodfeast / To Walk the Night / Lords of the Left hand / November’s Fire Notes: Track 1 was recorded live at the Jockey club, Newport, Kentucky, on November 2, 1985. Track 2 was recorded live at cabaret Metro (chicago, illinois) on april 13, 1986, not at the Jockey club as it says on the sleeve. Tracks 3 and 4 are studio outtakes from august and september 1985 and 1986, respectively.

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Last Gasp: Live and Demos – U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1994

Songs: Bloodfeast / To Walk the Night / Lords of the Left hand / November’s Fire Notes: Track one was recorded live at the Jockey club in cincinnati, ohio, in october 1985. Track two comes from the Metro show in chicago in april 1986. Track three was recorded in september 1986, and the alternate album version of track four was from august of the previous year. as the title sez, a mix of live and studio cuts, with “Bloodfeast” being one of the live ones, again from the Jockey club in 1985. From the unreleased Samhain IV comes “Lords of the Left hand,” which i guess is about satan masturbatin’. Five hundred copies were printed on grey swirl vinyl. (see also: Bloodbrothers ep)

Let the Day Begin sweden 7" ep: Diablo records (DiaBLo 001), 2000

Songs: Black Dream / Let the Day Begin / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / all hell Notes: Let the Day Begin is a nicely-nicely-done ep that not only features the author’s personal favorite samhain song—“all Murder, all guts, all Fun”—but their re-working

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The Complete Misfits Discography

of “all hell Breaks Loose.” it’s got a way-cool cover illo featuring the samhain “evil Livestock skull Demon” rising up behind Danzig and eerie Von, who are crouching and standing over the samhain “skull-Faced Bat-Winged Death-chick.” No doubt all hell is about to break loose.

Live at the Pop Shop portugal 7" ep: infinite records (No release Number), 2017

Songs: Black Dream / all Murder, all guts, all Fun Notes: recorded live in cleveland, ohio, on september 14, 1984. only thirty handnumbered copies were pressed on clear vinyl.

Never Mind the Misfits, Here’s Samhain U.s. 7" ep: electric asshole records (No release Number), 1998

Songs: Die, Die My Darling / halloween ii / horror Biz / Death comes ripping Notes: yeah, never mind the Misfits, here’s samhain—er, performing all Misfits songs. Not only did samhain have an even more limited amount of material to draw from, but this record clearly (despite Danzig’s protest to the contrary) and decisively showed which band bootleggers preferred, as most of the samhain boots included at least one Misfits song, and as one can see in this case, sometimes even more. it gets at least one extra star for the name of the record label, another quality release from electric asshole records.

On Earth as It Is in Hell U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1989

Songs: hungry end / i am Misery / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named / Moribund / Macabre Notes: This ep contains five live cuts of varying quality from a few different sources, and has a way cool cover featuring a close-up of my pal Kyra schon as the little “zombie girl” from Night of the Living Dead.

(The) Rebirthing: A Tribute to Samhain U.s. 2 × 7" ep: spasthmatic records (sMr-001), 2000

Songs: initium/horror Biz (The Jackalopes) / The shift (The green goblyn project) / Mother of Mercy (Worm suicide) / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named (Mazinga) / all Murder, all guts, all Fun (Tanzende Kadaver), Black Dream (sex sex sex) / Kiss of steel (adam West) / Let the Day Begin (The Nekromantiks) / in My grip (The Unnamed) / Lords of the Left hand (The Vladimirs) Notes: Misfits covers and tributes are fairly common, but samhain—not so much. The Jackalopes do “initium” almost like industrial music, actually on a par with the original, and then launch into a note-for-note cover of “horror Biz.” Worm suicide also does a note-for-note cover of “Mother of Mercy.” Mazinga barrel their way through “he-Whocan-Not-Be-Named” at almost thrash speed, just like Tanzende Kadaver’s cover of “all

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Murder, all guts, all Fun.” The same goes, pretty much, for the rest of the ep—enthusiastic, well-played in all cases, very rockin’ and somewhat redundant.

(The) Return of the Misfit U.s. 7" ep: Funn records (FUNN 13), 1988 germany ep: angel Fuck records (004), 2002

Songs: all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The howl / Die, Die My Darling / horror Biz Notes: This was a limited edition (but then again, what bootleg isn’t?) of 400 copies pressed on blue vinyl. all of the cuts are live. This ep came with two different sleeves: the first one had the same image of Kyra schon that had also been used on the samhain boot On Earth as It Is in Hell; when it was re-pressed in 2002, that image had been replaced with a full-color shot of glenn in his captain harlock gloves.

Samhain Live/Demos U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2013

Songs: Bloodfeast / To Walk the Night / Lords of the Left hand / November’s Fire Notes: Track one was recorded live at the Jockey club in cincinnati, ohio, in octo-

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The Complete Misfits Discography

ber 1985. Track two comes from the Metro show in chicago, illinois, in april 1986. Track three was recorded in september 1986, and the alternate album version of track four was from august of the previous year. This was a re-boot of Last Gasp: Live/Demos (see above), with a different, graphically appealing cover (an iron cross with the samhain skull overlaid), and was pressed on grey marbled vinyl in a limited edition of 152 handnumbered copies. Like the Misfits boot At the Ritz, this one came with a fake record store Day stamp.

Unauthorized LPs/CDs Black Dream U.s. cD: hit parade records (hiT-09), 1996

Songs: Lords of the Left hand / November’s Fire / Trouble / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The shift / The howl / Die, Die My Darling / Unholy passion / Black Dream / Unholy passion / all hell Breaks Loose / Moribund / The hungry end / i am Misery / interview / Black Dream / interview part ii Notes: Tracks 1–3 are studio demos from 1985 and 1986, recorded at reel platinum studios. Tracks 4–10 were recorded live at Wabash hall, san Diego, california, on May

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Samhain

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2, 1985. Tracks 11–15 are taken from Unholy Passion and are the original mixes of the songs. Tracks 16–18 were originally broadcast over WyNU 89.1 FM in New york city on March 24, 1984. Track 18 is not listed on the sleeve.

Black Flame U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 (pL-9), 1996

Songs: all hell Breaks Loose / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Macabre / Black Dream / Die, Die My Darling / The shift / Moribund / halloween ii / horror Biz / Who Killed Marilyn? / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named Notes: This is another version of the Jockey club gig on september 16, 1984. The front cover is a photo of glenn at his spiritual forefather elvis’s grave, and while it’s a cool shot and surely a sincere tribute by Danzig, it can’t help but bring to mind the “too much fucking perspective” scene in Spinal Tap. Black Flame, huh? get the firehouse!

From the Ashes of the Misfits, ’tis the Season for … Samhain germany 12" Lp: suburban prodigy records Label (sprL-12–002), 1992

Songs: Moribund / Black Dream / Death comes ripping / Unholy passion / Mother of Mercy / The shift / Die, Die My Darling / To Walk the Night / halloween ii / Let the Day Begin / in My grip / horror Biz / archangel Notes: Tracks 1–12 were recorded live at the ritz, New york city, on July 14, 1986. Lucky track 13 was recorded live at the roxy, Los angeles, california, on May 3, 1985.

Hannum Hall, Cambridge, Massachusetts, February  U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), 2017

Songs: radio interview / Diablos ’88 / samhain / Black Dream / Let the Day Begin / Death comes ripping / The shift / The howl / Mother of Mercy / Unholy passion / Die, Die My Darling / To Walk the Night / halloween ii / in My grip / horror Biz / heWho-can-Not-Be-Named / all hell Breaks Loose / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / archangel / radio interview (Taang records) Notes: This is an extremely rare live samhain show, not generally bootlegged that i know of. it was originally recorded on a cassette, and then transferred to cD by a private collector. as such, the sound quality obviously leaves a bit to be desired, but it’s also just as obviously one of the rarest samhain recordings going.

Live at Danceteria, NYC,  U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (saM-02), 2013

Songs: all hell / samhain / The shift / The howl / Unholy passion /all Murder, all guts, all Fun / i am Misery / The hungry end / horror Biz / he-Who-can-Not-BeNamed Notes: The Danceteria date is a decently-recorded gig that showcases the band in its prime. ironically (or maybe not), the photo that the makers of this particular boot use for the cover looks very, very similar to the cover for Tom petty and the

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The Complete Misfits Discography

heartbreakers’ second Lp, You’re Gonna Get It! it is darkly blue-lit, and the band members, arms crossed and wearing suitably glum/evil expressions, look as though they’re daring you to point out that one of their real names is the same as the name of the pet fish that John cleese tries to buy a license for in an episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

N.Y. Breaks Loose… germany 12" Lp: art of Music records (76669–1985–7), 2003

Songs: all hell / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The shift / The howl / Die, Die My Darling / Unholy passion / Black Dream / all hell / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Macabre / Black Dream / Die, Die My Darling / The shift / Moribund / halloween / horror Biz / Who Killed Marilyn? / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named Notes: This is a complete version of the show that was later packaged as Live at Danceteria, NYC, 1985 (see above).

Samhain at Dancetown, NYC  eU 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 2005

Songs: all hell / samhain / The shift / The howl / Unholy passion /all Murder, all guts, all Fun / i am Misery / The hungry end / horror Biz / he-Who-can-Not-BeNamed Notes: This is literally the third time in a row that some version of the Danceteria show from 1985 is listed (but the first to list the Danceteria as “Dancetown”—huh?). in terms of chronology, Samhain at Dancetown [sic], NYC 1985 came out two years after New York Breaks Loose, but thirteen years before Live at Danceteria, NYC, 1985.

Samhain at the Metro, Chicago  eU 12" Lp: samhain records (No release Number), 2005

Songs: Black Dream / Death comes ripping / Mother of Mercy / To Walk the Night / halloween ii / in My grip / London Dungeon / archangel Notes: recorded live at cabaret Metro, chicago, illinois, april 13, 1986, and once again shows the paucity of recordings which bootleggers have to draw from.

Season of the Dead U.s. 12" Lp: Fiend club records (No release Number), 1988

Songs: all hell Breaks Loose / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / Black Dream / Die, Die My Darling / The shift / Moribund / halloween / horror Biz / Who Killed Marilyn? / all hell Breaks Loose / samhain / all Murder, all guts, all Fun / The shift / The howl / Die, Die My Darling / Unholy passion / Black Dream Notes: recorded live at the Jockey club and an unknown club in 1984; this is why some of the song titles are repeated. The Jockey club show is probably the mostbootlegged samhain release, and has been served up in many forms and formats, although this one has the best sleeve graphics.

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Danzig First, a note to future bootleggers—although it sure seems like a Danzig song title, and i’m sure you wish it was, goddammit, sTop listing “Trouble” as “i’m evil!” stop right this moment. Because the name of this song is “Trouble,” and it was written by Lieber and stoller for an elvis movie, which is where glenn heard it in the first place. in an interview for peter guralnick’s essential two-volume elvis biography, Lieber said that the song was definitely written “tongue-in-cheek—i mean the only people who would take it seriously would be bikers and elvis, and i don’t think elvis ever got the joke.” one would like to think that glenn is a little more self-aware than el, although with his seeming penchant for conspiracy theories, i guess the jury’s still out on that one. Kinda like the one he came up with a few years ago—that president clinton had declared him an enemy of the state. i don’t know, but i think that clinton had a little bit more on his plate than worrying that glenn Danzig was an enemy of the state. or maybe i’m mistaken: “Well, ya know, hillary, Blackacidevil kinda sucked; glenn’s not living up to his potential, and he’s ripping off rob Zombie now, so i think i’ll declare him an enemy of the state.” okay, on to Danzig (the band). Now, you might think from my comments in the samhain entry that i don’t like metal, but nothing could be farther from the truth—i’m just selective (as they say in Spinal Tap), and i just don’t care for generic heavy metal the same way i don’t care for generic punk, or generic anything else. For me, it just doesn’t get any heavier than Motorhead or Black sabbath. The Spinal Tap reference wasn’t frivolous, either, because i’ve never been able to take most metal very seriously after seeing it … and that’s what generic Metal is to me, bands that play the same tired “heavy” riffs over and over, and they unwittingly ape the Tap’s various and sundry antics without, seemingly, the slightest whiff of irony. and then Danzig comes on the scene, with their great pudding-bowls of hair and wolverine-like chest hair, which they were only too happy to show off, along with their bulging … muscles. it seemed like along with their more traditionally “rockist” doom-andblues approach, Danzig was only too willing to totally buy into the hyper-macho metal image, which Spinal Tap would so brilliantly parody. Danzig’s influences can be listed thusly: something old (Black sabbath), something new (Metallica), something borrowed (their riffs), and something blue (the blues). if there was one thing that consistently separated Danzig from the pack, it was glenn’s voice, which has already been discussed. But for a long time, except for the odd tune here and there, i just couldn’t be bothered with Danzig; i listened to a lot of White/rob Zombie. rob Zombie went on to the kind of mainstream success (at one point) that Danzig could only dream about, and it seemed that the pupil had indeed become the master. Methinks the reason for this was not only that rob had a snappier beat, but that Danzig seemed to take themselves oh-so-seriously and basically only sing about sex and satan, and it just got a bit repetitious after a while. rob Zombie, on the other hand, sang about not only ghouls and demons, but hot-rods and go-go girls, and made super-imaginative videos featuring not only those, but Mexican wrestlers and all manner of sights which drew heavily on classic horror films like The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari. Not to mention that they looked like they were having a hell of a good time. Unfortunately, somebody with pull saw those videos, and offered rob the chance to make feature films, and he hasn’t made a decent album since. come to think of it, most of his movies suck, too.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Back to Danzig, though … the point is, bands like Motorhead and sabbath and Zombie vary their subject matter, and after all these years, Danzig are still pushing their brand of metal to ever-dwindling album sales. To be fair, though, Danzig aren’t alone— with streaming and all the other fancy gizmos these kids today have, most people’s album sales are down. But could it be that those same kids just aren’t buying what Danzig’s selling anymore? Maybe not, judging by the sold-out Misfits reunion shows, but again, maybe they’re just not buying into solo Danzig anymore. To be sure, there will always be that hardcore group of supporters, but is that enough to sustain? only time (and satan) will tell.

Authorized Singles/EPs Who Killed Marilyn? U.s. 45 rpM 7" single: plan 9 records (pL 1015), 1981

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. Notes: one can split hairs as to whether this should have been in the Misfits’ records, since it was a long time before he went solo. The stories vary as to why he did it (naturally, depending on whom you talk to), but the bottom line is that this was literally the first glenn Danzig solo record, and so under Danzig it will fall. The B-side, “spook city U.s.a.,” lives on in pop culture memory not only as a great song, but one on the television show featuring horror-host svengoolie. on his set, among the various decorations is a signpost—one of the signs points to Berwyn (Berwyn?), the other to ... spook city U.s.a.

Mother U.s cD single: Def american recordings (pro-cD-3264), 1988

Songs: Mother Notes: This was a promo cD single for Danzig’s (the band) signature song, and it certainly got airplay, but amazingly did not receive an “official” release until five years later—and even then, it wasn’t the original version of the song (see below).

Her Black Wings U.s cD single: Def american recordings (pro-cD-4121), 1990 U.s. 12" Vinyl ep: Def american recordings (pro-a-4121), 1990 U.s. cassette single: Def american recordings (9 19692 4), 1990

Songs: her Black Wings Notes: y’know, a cD single with only one song is about the same thing as a 12" single; in fact, given the storage capacity of cDs, it’s a lot more wasteful. Thankfully, that fact is soon forgotten in the wake of the song, which is pretty good. although it’s standardissue blues-metal with the obligatory masturbatory guitar solo, glenn’s voice is still as powerful as ever, and he hasn’t yet lost the knack for writing catchy, shout-along choruses. i admittedly dismissed it at the time as just more of the same, but listening to it with

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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new ears nearly thirty years later—considering that in that span of time rock and roll lost its position as the dominant popular musical form, replaced by pop tarts like (shudder) Taylor swift, legions of aerobics-routine dancers, and hip-hop—it comes across as a breath of fresh air, taking us back to the days when people actually played their instruments and could actually sing, and didn’t need no stinkin’ auto-tuning. The 12inch vinyl version contains three additional songs: “Killer Wolf,” “Twist of cain,” and “Mother.”

Killer Wolf U.s. cD single: Def american recordings (pro-cD-4152), 1990 U.s. Vhs Videotape: Def american recordings (c42048), 1990

Songs: Killer Wolf Notes: The second single from Danzig ii, “Killer Wolf,” is, like “her Black Wings,” a slow-burn blues-metal cut, and like that song, not too bad musically, but is let down utterly and completely by the accompanying video. The vid for “her Black Wings” wasn’t anything to write satan about, but at least it had a whisper of some sort of action and Danzig at least going through the motions of lip-synching and acting like they were performing the song. The vid for “Killer Wolf,” though, starts off promisingly in grainy black & white, with glenn walking down a long, dusty road. and that’s about the extent of the movement—seriously. he goes to a dilapidated shack (one that’s not even particularly spooky), where everybody else just … stands around. glenn lip-synchs the first line of the song, but then apparently can’t be bothered with it anymore, instead content to make “evil” faces that look more like he’s having a problem taking a dump.

Dirty Black Summer U.s. cD single: Def american recordings (9 40544–2), 1992 U.s, cD promo single: Def american recordings (pro-cD-5563), 1992 U.K. 12" single: Def american recordings (DeFa 1712), 1992 eU 12" single: Def american recordings (866 903–1), 1992 eU 7" single: Def american recordings (866 902–7), 1992 U.K. cD single: Def american recordings (DeFcD 17), 1992 eU cD single: Def american recordings (866 903 2), 1992

Songs: Dirty Black summer / Bodies / When Death had No Name Notes: Not since the second version of “Mother” had a Danzig single received such extensive distribution, and it deserved it, picking up the pace a little and delivering a hard-rockin’ song. The video for this one is interesting to say the least; it has the band “performing” the song with some filmic jiggery-pokery, while juxtaposed with images of the band apparently exploring the american southwest. Danzig might’ve made decent music, but they made lousy videos—and in an age when promo videos were obligatory, this proved to be somewhat of a drawback, leaving the field wide open for people that had a real sense of cinema. Like “Dirty B.s.,” “Bodies” is a similarly driving cut, but like the former, is similarly undone by the video. it shows the band “performing” the song in what looks like their (or somebody’s) practice space, while a couple of their girlfriends and/or wives sit and watch them. “When Death had No Name” is a metal dirge (that picks up the pace for the middle eight, but then slows down again) that was recorded at

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The Complete Misfits Discography

the same time as the other two songs (for Danzig 3), but not released in album form until The Lost Tracks of Danzig.

Mother U.s cD single: american recordings (pro-cD-6422), 1993 U.s. cassette single: american recordings (9 18256–4), 1993 U.K. & eU Vinyl single: american recordings (MoMX 1, 858 589–1), 1994 U.K. & eU cD single: american recordings (MoMcD 1, 858 589–2), 1994 France cD single: american recordings (858 588–2), 1994

Songs: Mother (’93 remix) / Mother (Live version) Notes: as noted above, “Mother” didn’t merit a worldwide release until five years after the album originally came out, and when it did, it was a remix coupled with a live version.

Until You Call on the Dark U.s. cD single: american recordings, LLc (pro-cD-7083), 1994 eU cD single: american recordings, LLc (74321 24803 2), 1995

Songs: Until you call on the Dark Notes: sorry, glenn, i called, but all i got was satan’s voicemail: “hey, this is satan, and i can’t come to the phone right now because i’m torturing the damned.” With this song.

Cantspeak U.s. cD single: american recordings, LLc (pro-cD-7159), 1994 eU cD single: american recordings, LLc (74321270492), 1995

Songs: cantspeak (album Version) / cantspeak (single edit) / Twist of cain (Live) / Dirty Black summer (Live) Notes: “cantspeak,” other than showing a punkish disregard for punctuation, is where it started to come apart. Not so much the music, although that relied on more sinuous guitar lines than bludgeoning heavy power chords, but something was different about glenn’s voice, and it may be why he chose to bury it under special effects on his next album. Bear in mind it’s not a bad voice—in fact, it rather sounds like Noel gallagher—but it’s just not Danzig’s voice the way we’re used to hearing it: no yells, no bellows, no howls, no vocal dramatics at all, just a relatively straight rendition of said song. Tracks 3 and 4 were recorded live at the seattle center arena, December 19, 1994. The U.s. version contains only tracks 1 and 2.

Brand New God U.K. 12" promo single: american recordings, LLc (aLaBaMa 1), 1994

Songs: Brand New god / Until you call on the Dark Notes: Now this was more like it—glenn in strong voice, and a song with real, almost punkish drive. The flip side was “Until you call on the Dark,” which had already

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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been issued as a cD single all by its lonesome. it wasn’t that great a song, so why they chose to recycle it for vinyl, only satan’s hairdresser knows for sure.

I Don’t Mind the Pain U.s. cD single: american recordings, LLc (pro-cD-7494), 1994 eU cD single: american recordings, LLc (74321 28292 2), 1995

Songs: i Don’t Mind the pain (single edit) / going Down to Die (album Version) / Bringer of Death (Live) / Little Whip (Live) Notes: The U.s. version contains only tracks 1 and 2. “i Don’t Mind the pain,” like “Brand New god,” feels alive, again with a hard-driving, almost punkish sound and more than makes up for “cantspeak.” The same can’t be said for “going Down to Die,” a dirge that goes on so long that one finds oneself wishing that he would just snuff it already. This is rectified on the eU version of the single, which had two extra tracks recorded live.

th House U.s. cD promo single: hollywood records (prcD-10657–2), september 20, 1996

Songs: 7th house / hand of Doom: Version / hint of her Blood Notes: This was truly a case of the master becoming the pupil—as said in the entry on Danzig 5 (Blackacidevil), this was the opening salvo in the war to see who could sound more like rob Zombie than even rob himself in the horror-rock arms race for the cDbuying public’s dollars. it’s not the same thing as his former mates’ punk vs. semi-metal— yes, the Misfits of American Psycho would attempt to graft another entire genre onto their already-established sound, but this blatant attempt to copy a single artist simply reeks of cynicism and opportunism—and to add insult to injury, it doesn’t come anywhere close to “The source.” The Black sabbath classic “hand of Doom” is profaned by glenn’s dirty effects-drenched lips. here’s a “hint of her Blood”—it sucks.

Sacrifice germany cD single: hollywood records (5730402), 1996

Songs: sacrifice / Blackacidevil / Don’t Be afraid Notes: The reason that this version of Sacrifice is listed separately from the other is because it’s substantially different from all the U.s. versions. all of the stateside versions had different mixes of the same song, while this german version contained only the album cut “sacrifice,” plus “Blackacidevil” and the then as-yet unreleased track “Don’t Be afraid.” oh, be afraid, be very afraid.

Sacrifice U.s. cD single: hollywood records (hr-66006–2), 1996 U.s. 12" single: hollywood records (hr-66006–0), 1996 U.s. cD promo single: hollywood records (prcD-10658–2), 1996 U.s. cD single: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61012–2), 2000

Songs: “sacrifice” (rust Mix, Trust Mix, Must Mix, crust Mix, Martyr Mix, and album Mix)

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: The 1996 U.s. cD promo single contains only the radio edit and the album version of this song, while the 2000 edition contains all of the versions listed above plus the following: “Deepest” (Kennedy acid Death Mix), “Deeper still” (“French eric” cadieaux Techno Mix), and “serpentia” (Winter Mix). it doesn’t matter how many mixes there are—if the cut bites in the first place, it’s a sacrifice on the part of the listener to sit through so many versions of the same damn weak song.

Danzig Sampler U.s. cD ep: hollywood records (prcs-10633–4), 1997

Songs: sacrifice (radio edit) / Don’t Be afraid / glenn Danzig interview (rob Zombie) Notes: promo sampler for Blackacidevil. it’s more than a little ironic that glenn should be interviewed by rob, who would soon achieve record sales that Danzig could only dream about, as well as making much more imaginative videos.

Unspeakable U.s. cD promo single: e-Magine entertainment (No release Number), 2000

Songs: Unspeakable (radio edit) / Unspeakable (album Version) Notes: yes, it is.

Black Mass U.s. cD: spitfire records (cD-pro 15204-B0, 2002

Songs: Black Mass / Wicked pussycat / Dead inside Notes: This sampler cD was issued to radio stations in 2002 in advance of the album I Luciferi. Fortunately, with this single, it seemed that Danzig had discarded all the rob Zombie jiggery-pokery and gone back to doing what they did best, which was heavy blues-and-satan-influenced heavy metal. Musically, it’s as strong as ever, but glenn’s voice isn’t at the front of the mix as it usually was—could this and the special effects of the past be a sign of a loss of voice or just an experiment? it’s the same way on “Wicked pussycat,” a number that starts out all acoustic and sensitive and stuff, then an army of heaviness invades the quiet, thereby following the lead of another sub-stratum of rock, grunge, and its soon to be commonplace soft/hard dynamic.

Selections from : I Luciferi U.s. cD: spitfire records (saMp-15204a), 2002

Songs: Black Mass / Wicked pussycat Notes: another sampler cD from I Luciferi, only with one less song and a cardboard sleeve instead of plastic. at least they picked the two best songs.

Wicked Pussycat U.s. cD promo single: spitfire records (cD-pro 15204-a), 2002

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Songs: Wicked pussycat Notes: Tell you what—give you three guess as to what this is about, and the second two don’t count.

On a Wicked Night U.s. 7" single: evilive/The end records (eViL 164–1), 2010 U.s. cD promo single: evilive/The end records (eVL 666–2), 2010 germany 7" single: aFM records (aFM 335–5), 2010

Songs: on a Wicked Night / The revengeful / Black candy / on a Wicked Night / (radio Version) / on a Wicked Night (album Version) Notes: Wicked, mate, wicked! This is because all three editions of this single contain different songs. The american 7" vinyl single is backed with “The revengeful,” while the cD edition just has the “on a Wicked Night” radio and album versions. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, germany issued the 7" vinyl single, except “revengeful” was replaced with “Black candy.” The lead cut, “Black Mass,” continues the quiet/loud trend started on “Wicked pussycat,” while “The revengeful” starts out with its foot on the electric, heavy pedal and doesn’t let up on the gas. “Black candy” is another slice of heaviness, as glenn bangs on about candy, and how hard it is to find. a quick trip down to local Quickee-Mart and he would see the enormous amount of it on display. The german and american single sleeves are different variations on the same theme, that of a largebreasted woman with long hair and a skull face holding a candelabra with three candles and an animal skull.

Ju-Ju Bone germany 7" single: aFM records (aFM 335–7), 2011

Songs: Ju-Ju Bone / rebel spirits Notes: This was a limited release of (what else?) 666 copies. “Ju-Ju Bone” is good stuff, if just a tad Danzig-by-the-numbers, but at least he’d learned how to make a decent video by this time, although he once again took a page outta the rob Zombie playbook by featuring gyrating dancing girls in bikinis and boots licking and humping skulls. The best thing, really, that can be said about “rebel spirits” is that it wasn’t about confederate zombies and it wasn’t the truly horrific “rebel yell.”

Devils Angels germany 7" single: aFM records (aFM 554–5), 2015

Songs: Devils angels / satan Notes: With these songs, glenn finally gets back to his B-Movie, vinyl, and even Misfits roots. “Devils angels” (again, happily punctuation-free) is a reelin’ and rockin’ cover of the Davie allan and the arrows song from the 1967 aip cult-classic film of the same name (except aip remembered to correctly include the apostrophe in the word Devil’s). “satan” is likewise a cover, of the old Nightriders tune from 1968’s Satan’s Sadists, another low-budget evil biker epic from al adamson. it’s a pity that this was only released in germany, not only because it was the best single that Danzig had released in too long

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The Complete Misfits Discography

a time, but because of the terrific front cover-art by glenn and simon Bisley that features a chopper-ridin’ demon that bears a suspicious resemblance to Dc’s Lobo, who of course achieved his greatest notoriety with the brilliant art of “Biz.”

Last Ride germany 7" single: aFM records (aFM 671–5), 2017

Songs: Last ride / Devil on hwy 9 Notes: This was a “Last ride” in more ways than one—to date, it’s the last original single released by the Mighty Mite. The song is good, a slow-burn power ballad, but another rob Zombie-influenced video did little to boost its sales. in fact it’s bears more than a passing resemblance to the White Zombie video for “Thunder Kiss 1965”—the same milieu, but minus the guy in a Mexican wrestling mask and the fun. “Devil on hwy 9,” apparently Danzig’s version of “Two Lane Blacktop” by (sigh) rob Zombie, is a crunchy treat as well, but “T.L.B.” really is better. Like “Devils angels,” this was pressed in germany, therefore depriving a large portion of american fans from seeing another great artistic collaboration between glenn and Biz for the cover of the single.

Authorized Albums/CDs Danzig U.s. and germany cD: Def american recordings (9 24208–2), 1988 U.s. and canada 12" Lp: Def american recordings (DeF 24208), 1988 U.s. cassette: Def american recordings (9 24208–4), 1988 argentina cD: Def american recordings (8869 714645–2), 1988 canada cD: Def american recordings (W2 24208), 1988 Japan cD: Def american recordings (ppD-1073), 1989 eU 12" Lp: London records (828 124–1), 1988 U.K. 12" Lp and cassette: Def american recordings (838 487–1), 1988 poland cassette: Def american recordings 838 487–4), 1994

Songs: Twist of cain / Not of this World / she rides / soul on Fire / am i Demon / Mother / possession / end of Time / The hunter / evil Thing Notes: From the ashes of samhain … well, no, that’s not quite right; it was more like samhain morphed into Danzig, and was a much more “organic” transformation than the tectonic shock that occurred when the original Misfits imploded. Most of the songs are strong—it wasn’t like it was all downhill after this, but succeeding albums progressively have fewer and fewer moments of really a-list material. heavy metal, and not just Danzig’s variety, is the victim of the straitjacket that practically every musical genre finds itself in—once you get the jacket off, it’s no longer that genre. heavy metal (and to be fair, punk, and maybe rock ’n’ roll in general, as well) perhaps operated in a stricter set of conventions than most—being blues-based, there are only certain chords you can play before it mutates into something else. recycled chords are nothing new; the trick is to make them sound fresh any time you take them out for a spin.

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“Twist of cain” is the opening cut, and it swaggers. “Not of this World,” at first glance, sounds like glenn might have returned to titling songs after movies, and he may indeed have had Not of This Earth in the back of his mind (the 1957 sci-fi cult classic starring Beverly garland had been remade in 1988, the year that Danzig was released, with Traci Lords). a movie with that actual title was made in 1991, in turn possibly inspired by Danzig. “she rides,” a slow-burn number, bears more than a passing resemblance to Joe Walsh’s “rocky Mountain Way,” but that’s a minor quibble, and is certainly preferable to the latter song. “Mother” is, somewhat atypically for Danzig, a warning for mothers not to let their kids walk in his direction, much less hold his hand, because, you know, he’s like, evil and stuff. Normally he just would’ve been singing about killing them and/or collecting their skulls. “possession” contains an agreeably Misfits-like shout-along chorus. “The hunter” is snappy, and “evil Thing,” an autobiographical number, finishes up the album. Danzig was a strong debut, a classic in its own way, but unfortunately, it led to ever-diminishing returns.

Danzig II: Lucifuge U.s. 12" Lp: Def american recordings (DeF 24281), 1990 U.s. cD: Def american recordings (9 24281–2), 1990 U.s. cassette: Def american recordings (9 24281–4), 1990 Japan cD: Def american recordings (phcr-1036), 1990 canada cD: Def american recordings (cD 24281), 1990 eU cD: Def american recordings (846 375–2), 1990 indonesia / poland / germany cassette: polygram / Def american recordings, 1990 canada cassette: Def american recordings (92 42814), 1990 U.K. and eU 12" Lp: Def american recordings (846 375–1), 1990

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / Tired of Being alive / i’m the one / her Black Wings / Devil’s plaything / 777 / Blood and Tears / girl / pain in the World Notes: i think that i probably rolled my eyes when i saw the cover of Lucifuge for the first time—it was simply a photo of glenn’s torso, with its spectacular mass of chest hair, with his hands fondling his Demon cow skull mounted on an upside-down cross. it was like he had seen Spinal Tap and had taken away nothing from it, macho in a completely oblivious and un-ironic way. The music contained within was also similarly … not generic, just familiar in a sort of vexed, “each man kills the thing he loves” way. “Long Way Back from hell” at least starts things off with a bang—after a slow, heavy intro, the song explodes into a driving rhythm that doesn’t let up. The song definitely shares DNa with both “Minnesota strip” by the Dictators and “War Machine” by Kiss. see the Killer Wolf entry above for comments on that song. “Tired of Being alive” rocks, but perhaps not the best song to play if you suffer from a deep depressive disorder. and perhaps glenn imagined he was channeling robert Johnson or ruttling orange peel with “i’m the one,” which is a straight, old-fashioned acoustic 12-bar blues. “her Black Wings,” like “Killer Wolf,” has already been covered in the Danzig singles section. The following cut, “Devil’s plaything,” actually starts off with ominous strings, and then adds some tinkling, “Tubular Bells”–type keyboards, before it finally kicks into high gear almost two minutes in. “777” starts off sounding like it’s just a ways down the road from “i’m the one” before it kicks in with the electric funeral, recalling “Take your Whiskey

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The Complete Misfits Discography

home” by Van halen. “Blood and Tears” has a very strong ’50s vibe to it, and sounds for the entire world like a prequel to the Misfits’ “saturday Night” from Famous Monsters nine years later. “girl” is not a cover of the Beatles song, but it is second-rate sabbath, as is the last song, “pain in the World,” of which there’d be a lot less if only they’d stop releasing songs like this.

Black Aria U.s. cD: plan 9 records (pL9-cD 11), 1992 U.s. 12" Lp: plan 9 records (pL9–11), 1992 U.s. cassette: plan 9 records (pL9-Mc11), 1992 U.s. cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61013–2), 2001

Songs: overture of the rebel angels / conspiracy Dirge / Battle for heaven / retreat and Descent / Dirge of Defeat / and the angels Weep / shifter / The Morrigu / cwn anwnn Notes: Black Aria and the second volume are basically goth versions of Brian eno’s Music for Films; all the selections sound like instrumental longueurs for horror films that were never made. Longueurs are like incidental music for films—in other words, they sometimes work very well when coupled with the film’s visuals, but when left to their own devices lack the depth for stand-alone listening. all of the pieces are appropriately dark and spooky, and create a definite mood, but the movie music offers didn’t exactly come pouring in, denying glenn the chance to become the phil collins of horror film soundtracks.

Danzig 3: How the Gods Kill U.s. cD: Def american recordings (9 26914–2), December 8, 1992 U.s. cD + Vhs Box set: Def american recordings (9 45134–2), December 8, 1992 U.s. cassette: Def american recordings (4 26914 4), December 8, 1992 Japan cD: american recordings (Uicy-2031), 1992 Japan cD: Def american recordings (phcr 42), 1992 czechoslovakia cD: popron (50 220–2), 1992 eU and australasia cD: Def american recordings (512 270–2), 1992 canada cD: Def american recordings (cD 26914), 1992 czechoslovakia cassette: popron (50 220–4), 1992 U.K. and eU 12" Lp: 512 270–1), 1992

Songs: godless / anything / Bodies / how the gods Kill / Dirty Black summer / Left hand Black / heart of the Devil / sistinas / Do you Wear the Mark / When the Dying calls Notes: it seems like the more countries that Danzig released records in, the less the records sold. Now, theoretically, the opening of new markets is supposed to create new audiences for the material, but it seems that Danzig was suffering from the same reverse– Midas effect that had plagued the New york Dolls. perhaps it was inevitable anyway, given the public’s fickleness, but it says here that if the product is formulaic, that’s simply not the way to make fiends and influence people. it’s not as if How the Gods Kill is a complete fiasco or anything—a few of the numbers are quite good—but it was just formulaic enough that it was starting to appeal only to his base, and that’s bad strategy, whether it be politics or marketing music. “godless” starts off very promisingly, almost like vintage

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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samhain, but then it turns into a dirge and outstays its welcome by a couple of minutes. “anything” is the bastard son of “Mother.” “Bodies” and “Dirty Black summer” have already been covered, and the title track should be—preferably in dirt. it starts out slow and stays that way, punctuated by bursts of ejaculatory guitar. in contrast, there is plenty more masturbatory guitar in “Left hand Black” (what is it with glenn and his left hand?), but unlike “how the gods Kill,” it rocks out. The same can’t be said for “heart of the Devil”—yes, yes, we all know by now that glenn’s evil, and if you don’t believe that, just ask him. Talk about contrast—the following track, “sistinas,” couldn’t be any wimpier if it was bamboozling burgers out of popeye. “Do you Wear the Mark” is more sub-strata sabbath, and “When the Dying calls” is an epic meditation on the frailty of human life … nah, just kidding; if the song calls, hangs up.

Thrall-Demonsweatlive U.s. cD: Def american recordings (9 45286–2), 1993 U.s. cassette: Def american recordings (9 45286–4), 1993 Japan cD: Nippon phonogram company Limited (phcr-3030), 1993 australia and eU cD: Def american recordings (514 876–2), 1993 canada cD: Def american recordings (cDW 45286), 1993 germany cD: Def american recordings (518 058–2), 1993 U.K. and eU 12" picture Disc Lp: Def american recordings (514 876–1), 1993 canada cassette: Def american recordings (24 52864 and W4 45286), 1993 Netherlands and indonesia cassette: Def american recordings (514 876–4), 1993

Songs: it’s coming Down / The Violet Fire / Trouble / snakes of christ / am i Demon / sistinas / Mother Notes: This is a mini-album at least and an ep at best, as it only contains seven songs—three studio cuts and four live cuts (recorded live at irvine Meadows, california, on october 31, 1992). The always great simon Bisley provides the cover painting, and even sneaks in a visual tribute/in-joke to the late, great Frank Frazetta (whose style influenced Biz greatly), with the samhain/Danzig Demon cow–skull Woman as a barbarian warrior astride a conan lookalike, ready to cut more than his hair.

Danzig  (P) U.s. cD: american recordings, LLc (9 45647–2), 1994 U.s. 12" Lp: american recordings, LLc (9 45647–1), 1994 U.s cassette: american recordings, LLc (9 45647–4), 1994 canada cD: american recordings, LLc (cDW 45647), 1994 eU cD: american recordings, LLc (88697–14648–2), 1994 australia cD: american recordings, LLc (74321236812), 1994 Japan cD: BMg Victor inc. (BVcp-776), 1994 germany cD: american recordings, LLc (74321 23681 2), 1994 Netherlands 12" Lp: american recordings, LLc (74321 23681 1), 1994 germany and italy cassette: american recordings, LLc (74321 2368 1 4), 1994 canada cassette: american recordings, LLc (9 45647–4), 1994

Songs: Brand New god / Little Whip / cantspeak / going Down to Die / Until you call on the Dark / Dominion / Bringer of Death / sadistikal / son of the Morning star / i Don’t Mind the pain / stalker song / Let it Be captured / invocation

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: in contrast to the opening cut on Danzig 3 (“godless”), Danzig 4 opens with “Brand New god,” which is also perhaps evidence that he was letting his love of Jack Kirby’s “Fourth World Trilogy” finally directly influence his songs (Danzig 6:66 had a deep cut called “apokalips”—only one letter difference between the song title and the home world of Darkseid). Like and unlike “godless,” however, which starts off samhainlike and then sinks under the weight of its own chords, “Brand New god” sounds almost like vintage Misfits (particularly “Die, Die My Darling”) and keeps up the intensity for the whole track. “Little Whip” is about exactly what you think it is. “Dominion,” the track that follows “Until you call on the Dark” (see above), somewhat soft-pedals its approach, and sounds a lot like the ramones’ “i’m Not afraid of Life.” “Bringer of Death” starts out a power ballad, then shifts gears in the middle eight, letting loose a mighty blast of nearthrash before settling back into a groove that teeters on the brink of actually swinging. “sadistikal,” on the other hand, sounds like an outtake from rob Zombie’s Hellbilly Deluxe, with glenn’s effects-drenched voice. The video sucks, too. it was an unfortunate shape of things to come. Things improve a bit with “son of the Morning star,” a quiet/loud track that is simply and cleanly produced and cuts back considerably on the bombast. “stalker song” is as creepy as the title implies and manages to scare up a genuine sense of dread. on the other hand, all “Let it Be captured” scares up is a genuine sense of boredom. even then, it is miles ahead of “invocation,” which is all chant-y and glenn’s organ (get your mind out of the gutter). oh well, at least the album cover is rendered by legendary comic book artist Mike Kaluta (The Shadow).

Danzig : Blackacidevil U.s. and canada cD: hollywood records (hr-62084–2), 1996 U.s. cassette: hollywood records (hr-62084–4), 1996 U.s. cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61011–2), 2000 eU cD: hollywood records (162 084–2), 1996 Japan cD: hollywood records (pocp-7194), 1996 Netherlands, Turkey and poland cassette: hollywood records (162 084–4), 1996

Songs: 7th house / Blackacidevil / sacrifice / hint of her Blood / serpentia / come to silver / hand of Doom: Version / power of Darkness / ashes Notes: i’m sorry, Mighty Mite, but this album really, really, really sucks. after witnessing the pupil become the master, Danzig goes all rob Zombie on our asses. glenn, for some reason, decided to take his most distinctive characteristic, his great voice, and filter it through a boatload of special effects to the point where it actually sounds like rob at times. The only remotely decent cut is the Black sabbath cover (“hand of Doom”), but again, it’s awash in special effects and is not nearly as powerful as it could and should have been. The “Mother”–era Danzig would have slayed this song. The really disappointing thing was that glenn seemed to have lost his knack for writing both a killer riff and insanely catchy choruses, both of which rob Zombie possessed in spades at the time. i know, i know, i’ve already gone into some detail about what i see as the reason for the mainstream success of one and the other’s seeming inability to rise any farther than a devoted cult following, but the reason for re-visitation of the topic is this just sounds so much like a rob Zombie album, minus the audio clips of various and sundry cult movies and the sense of twisted fun. oh, yeah, and the hits.

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Danzig :: Satans Child U.s. cD: e-Magine entertainment (eMa 61005–2), 1999 germany cD: Nuclear Blast (NB 449–2), 1999 germany 12" picture Disc Lp: Nuclear Blast (NB 449–1), 1999 romania cassette: rocris Disc (roc 083–01), 1999 Bulgaria cassette: Wizard (WNB 200.577), 1999

Songs: Five Finger crawl / Belly of the Beast / Lilin / Unspeakable / cult Without a Name / east indian Devil (Kali’s song) / Firemass / cold eternal / satan’s child / into the Mouth of abandonment / apokalips / Thirteen Notes: Satans Child [sic] has another great cover painting by simon Bisley, although its concept (glenn as a heavily muscled demon) is a bit risible. With its sixth-sixth-sixth album, Danzig showed that it was still being influenced by rob Zombie, both sonically (more “industrial Metal”) and visually. This is illustrated right out of the gate; “Five Finger crawl” still has effects on glenn’s voice, although not swamped by them, and the video is all gyratin’ bikini girls in boots and glenn’s tired-looking mug. The song would have frankly been better served without it, because it’s a strong cut in and of itself. “Belly of the Beast” is more sub–Zombie, owing more than a little to such creepers as “The Ballad of resurrection Joe.” “Lilin” is a love song, you can dance to it if you want to— that is, if you’re on Quaaludes. careening between spooky and heavy, “cult Without a Name” kicks a fair amount of ass. “east indian Devil” returns to mine more Zombie territory, with its “found” east indian vocals both at the beginning and the end, and glenn’s voice fairly drowning in effects again. “Firemass” is again close to by-the-numbers Danzig, but at least glenn doesn’t choose to have his vocals treated to sound as if he’s singing from underneath a swamp. a curious feeling infuses the next song, “cold eternal,” as it’s about as close to “mellow” as Danzig ever got. he steadies the ship with “satan’s child,” although the subject matter really is satan-by-the-numbers. The following song should have taken its own advice and been chucked “into the Mouth of abandonment.” signs of life again can be detected on “apokalips,” although it has nothing to do with Kirby’s Fourth World lyrically but for the title. The album’s closer is a song glenn wrote for Johnny cash, “Thirteen,” and glenn’s version on this album doesn’t even come close to cash—as Bono said once, “compared to Johnny cash, every man in the world is a sissy.”

Live on the Black Hand Side U.s. 2 × cD: evilive/restless records (73750–2), 2001 eU cD: restless records, play it again sam (938.0003.023, piasresT 003cD), 2001

Songs: godless / Left hand Black / how the gods Kill / Dirty Black summer / pain in the World / evil Thing / halloween ii / Not of This World / Killer Wolf / Little Whip / going Down to Die / Bringer of Death / stalker song / Long Way Back from hell / satan’s child / 7th house / Five Finger crawl / Unspeakable / Lilin / her Black Wings / it’s coming Down / Do you Wear the Mask / Until you call on the Dark / Deep / Belly of the Beast / she rides / Twist of cain / Mother Notes: Tracks 1–8 were recorded at irvine Meadows in 1992, tracks 9–14 were recorded at the seattle center arena in 1994, and tracks 15–28 are from the “satan’s child” 2000 tour, recorded in Los angeles, Nebraska, and san Francisco. i prefer the earlier, funnier stuff.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Danzig : I Luciferi U.s. cD: spitfire records (spT-15204–2), 2002 U.s. promo cD: spitfire records (spiTcD204), 2002 germany cD: spitfire records (spiTcD204), 2002 Brazil cD: sum records (2361–2), 2002 russia cD: cD-Maximum (cDM 0504–1845), 2002 canada cD: spitfire records (p2–15204), 2002 russia cassette: spitfire records (74321 94051–4), 2002 italy 12" Lp: Night of the Vinyl Dead records (NighT 068), 2010

Songs: Unendlich / Black Mass / Wicked pussycat / god of Light / Liberskull / Dead inside / Kiss the skull / i Luciferi / Naked Witch / angel Blake / The coldest sun / halo goddess Bone / Without Light, i am Notes: The experiments continue. “Unendlich” is the album’s orchestral and rather subdued opener; less Black Aria and more Music for Airports, especially if the airport is in Transylvania. The eno reference is, again, not gratuitous—like most of the material on the eno and robert Fripp classic No Pussyfooting, “Unendlich” pretty much sounds exactly the same whether you play it backwards or forwards. “Black Mass” takes us back to more familiar ground; driving beat, crunchy guitars, and glenn singing about hell on one of the album’s best cuts. at least he’s singing in his own voice, rather than an effects-drenched approximation of such, which he also uses to full, er, effect on “god of Light,” a mid-tempo howler in terms of the guitars and glenn’s voice. as with many of Danzig’s song titles, it’s hard to tell exactly where he came up with the word, but “Liberskull” rocks nonetheless, unashamedly old-school Danzig and proud of it. it seems as if the band have been revitalized, happy to be rocking out again, doing what they did best and doing it their way. “Dead inside” continues to let the music do the talking, as does “Kiss the skull,” another rockhard song that even has a halfway-decent video. it would’ve been all good, except that for some reason, glenn wears these ridiculous gloves with long claws on them, giving him the look of someone who forgot to put the rest of the costume on (he also wears them on the album cover). The title track, rather surprisingly, is one of the lesser cuts on the album; no less rockin’ than any of the others, but it still fails to excite. “Naked Witch,” however, raises the pulse rate with its stomping beat and siren-like lead guitar, and carries a strong whiff of that band he used to be in … what was their name again? “angel Blake” is a ballad that packs a punch, and was named after the character played by Linda hayden in the classic 1971 Tigon film The Blood on Satan’s Claw. regarding “The coldest sun,” one is tempted to say that’s the feeling one is left with after listening to the song. The crunch returns with “halo goddess Bone,” but “halo goddess Bone”? especially when glenn sounds as if he’s pronouncing it “hello, goddess Bone”—is the Juju Bone connected to the goddess Bone? The closer, “Without Light, i am,” carries an agreeable Black sabbath vibe, and was reportedly inspired by the power company turning off the electricity in glenn’s house.

Circle of Snakes U.s. cD: evilive records (eVL 82496–2), 2004 sweden cD: regain records (rr 046), 2004 russia cD: cD-Maximum (cDM 1204–2168), 2005 sweden 12" Lp: regain records (rrLp 046), 2004 sweden 12" picture Disc Lp: regain records (rrpLp 046), 2004

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Songs: Wotan’s procession / skincarver / circle of snakes / 1000 Devils reign / skull Forrest / hellmask / When We Were Dead / Night, Besodom / My Darkness / NetherBound / Black angel, White angel Notes: The opening cut, “Wotan’s procession,” is an extra-crunchy mid-tempo slice of metal. “skincarver” slows the tempo down, but loses none of the guitar crunch. Danzig shifts up again with the title track and “1000 Devils reign” (an inspiration of sorts for the Misfits’ album The Devil’s Rain?). “skull Forrest” carries echoes of both samhain and the Misfits (the “whoa-oh-oh” chorus), and is all the better for it. so is “hellmask,” a tempo-shifting number that sounds, again, a lot like samhain. “Night, Besodom” is as crunchy as its title is silly, as is “My Darkness,” an unforgiving slice of metal pie. “NetherBound,” in contrast, but also in all honesty, is an unforgiving slice of sludge pie that audibly sounds like the album winding down, which it was. at least it closes on a more upbeat (in terms of tempo, certainly not in outlook or lyrical content) note with “Black angel, White angel.”

Black Aria II U.s. cD: evilive/Megaforce records (No release Number), 2006 U.s. 12" Lp: evilive/Megaforce records (No release Number), 2007

Songs: overture: Winged Night Demon / abbandonment/recreation / Zemeragad / Lamia / Bridal ceremony of the Lilitu / Dance of the succubi / Unclean sephira / LcKr / The succubus Feeds / shiddin / Demons reprise / Lamenta Lilith Notes: a quick scan of the song titles suggests that maybe glenn had been listening to genesis’s The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, as two of the titles from this and Lamb are remarkably similar. The Lamb… featured “The Lamia” and “Lillywhite Lilith”; Danzig counters with “Lamia” and “Lamenta Lilith.” of course, there’s no similarity in the music—the genesis songs are actually good.

(The) Lost Tracks of Danzig U.s. 2 × cD: evilive/Megaforce records (eViL99), 2007 germany cD: evilive records (eViL 001), 2007 U.s. 2 × 12" Lp: evilive records (eViL99Lp), 2008 germany 2 × 12" Lp: aFM records (aFM 588–1), 2017

Songs: pain is Like an animal / When Death had No Name (Danzig sessions) / angel of the 7th Dawn / you should Be Dying / cold, cold rain / Buick McKane / When Death had No Name (Danzig 3 sessions) / satan’s crucifiction / The Mandrake’s cry / White Devil rise / come to silver (acoustic Version) / Deep / Warlok / Lick the Blood off My hands / crawl across your Killing Floor / i Know your Lie / caught in My eye / cat people / Bound by Blood / Who claims the soulless / Maleficial / soul eater / Dying seraph / Lady Lucifera / Underbelly of the Beast / Unspeakable (shango Mix) Notes: The Lost Tracks of Danzig is an album of demos, outtakes, and rarities—some of which make you wonder, like oasis, how they ever could have left it off the album or relegated it to a B-side. The album begins with just such a song: “pain is Like an animal,” a driving, insistent rocker. The dirge-like “When Death had No Name” had already appeared on a number of bootlegs, but it was nice to have a version with better sound quality. “angel of the 7th Dawn” is a classic-style, old-school headbanger. another driving

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The Complete Misfits Discography

rocker (with the perfect running time of 4:20) follows, “you should Be Dying”—no, you should! No you should! “cold, cold rain,” a ballad, was up next, and is a close cousin of “November rain” by guns ’n’ roses. speaking of gNr, they also did a cover of the next song in the track listings, “Buick McKane” by T rex. The still-faithful Danzig version is “heavier,” as one would suspect, really no improvement on the original, but still great because it was a great song to begin with. “satan’s crucifiction” marks a return to sabbath territory, as does “The Mandrake’s cry,” which is a song about … a plant. a narcotic european plant from the nightshade family that was reputed to have magical powers, it has a (pitch) forked root resembling a human form. Next up is the controversial “White Devil rise,” supposedly written to mock islamic theology and attempt to explain what would happen if there was an actual race war: “No one wants to see a race war. it would be terrible, so the song’s saying ‘be careful what you wish for’”—fair enough, but then glenn muddies the waters by claiming “i’ve heard i’m some kind of racist just because i’m proud of being white.” er, oK—time to move on. That mood is dispelled with an acoustic version of “come to silver,” which had originally been done (much differently, needless to say) on Blackacidevil. a far cry from the effects-drenched version on that album, this version is just glenn singing over his own grimly inexpert guitar-playing, but at least you can understand the words. There’s a studio version of “Deep,” which had previously only been available as a live cut on Live on the Black Hand Side. “Warlok” has a staccato beat and some nicely understated guitar, but is otherwise just a trifle. “Lick the Blood off My hands” was possibly inspired by a 1948 film called Kiss the Blood Off My Hands starring Burt Lancaster and Joan Fontaine. it’s hard to say why they never released “crawl across your Killing Floor,” since they went to the trouble of making a video for it—but perhaps that’s precisely the reason; it was put on the shelf until they could shoot a new video, because the one they shot was D-U-M-B. in what was a recurring theme, glenn is once again stuck in what appears to be a desert the middle of nowhere, walking to a house which is inhabited by a Mysterious Woman. What makes it silly is the fact that he’s wearing a long black leather coat and looks like he’s dragging a plow. There’s, again, a very heavy ’70s vibe to “i Know your Lie,” courtesy of the presence of flanged and wah-wah effects on the guitar. “caught in My eye” is another leftover from rob Zombie’s fridge. “cat people” is indeed the theme from the 1982 remake of the classic 1942 film of the same name, a.k.a. “putting out the Fire with gasoline,” originally performed by Bowie. heavy cover, good cover, but to put it mildly, Danzig is no David. “Bound by Blood” starts off with a guitar signature that eerily recalls … “The sounds of silence” by simon & garfunkel (never fear, though, it gets heavier). “Who claims the soulless,” i guess, is about a baggage-check in (or from) hell. Things get really, really heavy once more with “Maleficial,” which sounds like the witch from the Disney movie. “soul eater” rocks out like a bastard, while “Dying seraph” sounds like grunge rock. i’m surprised that “Lady Lucifera” wasn’t a Verotik comic book title. although not swamped in vocal treatments, “Underbelly of the Beast” still carries of a whiff of the industrial guitar sound of rob Zombie (which he himself had appropriated from bands like Ministry). The album closes, not with a bang, but a whimper: you can mix “Unspeakable” six ways to sunday (shango, rango, Mango, or Django) but it still is.

Deth Red Sabaoth U.s. cD: evilive/The end records (eViL 163–2), June 22, 2010 U.s. and germany cD Box set: aFM records (aFM 335–6), august 6, 2010

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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U.s. 12" Lp: evilive/The end records (eViL 163–1), 2010 germany 12" picture Disc Lp: aFM records (aFM 335–1), 2010 germany and russia cD: aFM records (aFM 335–2), 2010 Ukraine cD: Moon records (Mr 4867–2), 2010

Songs: hammer of the gods / The revengeful / rebel spirits / Black candy / on a Wicked Night / Deth red Moon / Ju-Ju Bone / Night star hel / pyre of souls (incanticle) / pyre of souls (seasons of pain) / Left hand rise above Bonus items and 7" single (Boxes): on a Wicked Night / The revengeful (7" single, U.s Box) / Booklet, Four pinback Buttons, Numbered certificate of authenticity (german “Fanbox”) Notes: released on my birthday in 2010, Deth Red Sabaoth was the best album, despite a few weak tracks, that Danzig had released in quite some time. The opening track’s title was taken from a book of the same name about Led Zeppelin, and indeed, the scent of ’70s metal lingers throughout the entire album—“The revengeful” almost boogies. “Deth red Moon” is a stomper supreme, continuing the ’70s vibe, almost glam, like a more metallic slade. “Night star hel” (when the hel is glenn gonna learn how to spell?) sounds very much like vintage sabbath—or should that be sabaoth? “pyre of souls (incanticle)” is a real departure for Danzig; a piano-driven piece that is wordless. That’s not to say the song doesn’t have vocals, it does, but all the vocalization is glenn’s plaintive wail and “whoa-oh-oh” in the background (which sounds an awful lot like “abominable Dr. phibes” from his old band’s American Psycho). it serves as a lead-in of sorts to “pyre of souls (seasons of pain),” which also has a very strong sabbath vibe, except that it goes on for a bit too long, and winds up sounding like a pile of sludge (with the parenthetical subtitle intact). “Left hand rise above” ends the album on a relatively quiet note, but it raises a much more immediate question—just what is it with Danzig and his left hand?

Skeletons U.s. cD: Nuclear Blast entertainment (NB 3646–0), 2015 U.s. 12" Lp: Nuclear Blast entertainment (NB 3646–1), 2015 U.s. cassette: Nuclear Blast entertainment (3646–4), 2017 eU cD: aFM records (aFM 554–9), 2015 russia cD: Fono Ltd. (Fo1182cD), 2015 australia cD: Nuclear Blast entertainment (NB36460), 2015 eU 12" Lp: aFM records (aFM 554–1), 2015 canada 12" Lp: Nuclear Blast entertainment (3646), 2017

Songs: Devils angels / satan / Let yourself go / N.i.B. / Lord of the Thighs / action Woman / rough Boy / With a girl Like you / Find somebody / crying in the rain Notes: With the release of Skeletons Danzig had it covered—literally. Think of it as Danzig’s Garage Days Revisited. covers (especially entire albums of them) can be a dicey proposition; they tell us a lot about the artist as listeners and music fans, but always run the risk of being compared to the original, and sometimes they pull it off, sometimes they don’t. at least with Skeletons (in glenn’s closet?), he chooses cuts that haven’t been done to death, which is a step in the right direction to begin with. We’ve already covered “Devils angels” and “satan” (see above), so let’s move on up to “Let yourself go,” an elvis tune from his 1968 movie Speedway. glenn has threatened to do an album completely comprised of elvis covers; whether that project is still on and this is just a taste, or whether

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The Complete Misfits Discography

“Let yourself go” is the sole survivor of the concept, only time will tell. at any rate, as i said, covers always run the risk of being compared to the original and found wanting, which is definitely the case with “Let yourself go.” Danzig’s version is naturally “heavier,” which doesn’t always translate to better; sometimes a chisel works better than a sledgehammer. plus, need it be said, that even though elvis was one of glenn’s main inspirations, the original is still the greatest—“evil elvis” is at his most evil elvis–like, but he misses the nuances and sense of fun in the presley performance. Not to mention he’s not singing it to Nancy sinatra in some crappy elvis movie like Speedway. For the next selection, instead of just recycling Black sabbath riffs, he goes full-throttle-fan with a fairly notefor-note cover of sabbath’s “N.i.B.” aerosmith’s “Lord of the Thighs” follows, and is half again as faithful to the source. “action Woman” covers the 1967 garage-fuzz classic by the Litter, and both are equally heavy. Following that is a definite misstep, a version of “rough Boy,” originally done by ZZ Top. it was a wonky song to begin with, and is only made slightly more palatable by Danzig, as was the case with buds Metallica and their cover of Bob seger’s ghastly “Turn the page.” The Troggs classic “With a girl Like you” is next, and Danzig give it the respect it deserves, an original garage-punk nugget rendered in glenn’s most forthright punk song in way too many years. one is forgiven if at first glance one thought it was a rutles song. “Find somebody” is a deep cut by the young rascals (from the album Groovin’), all pounding, Dc5-like drums and sitar-like guitar, but is unfortunately again given the sledgehammer treatment by Danzig. “crying in the rain” is indeed the everly Brothers song, and surprisingly, the gulf between the two versions isn’t as wide as the snake river canyon. Most commendable is the absence of sledgehammer guitar; with a little less production and a bit sparer instrumentation, it would’ve sounded like an elvis version of the song. glenn pulls something of a Todd rundgren with Skeletons—not only did he produce and mix it (the latter accomplished with the aid of chris rakestraw), but, in addition to the vocals (duh), he contributes rhythm guitar and bass and even drums (on tracks 3, 6, 7, 8, and 10). Tommy Victor handles all lead guitar chores, plus other assorted guitars and bass. Johnny Kelly plays drums on all the tracks glenn doesn’t. oddly, it seems as though Kelly has more endorsements for drum products than he does actual drum parts. even more oddly, steve Zing endorses a small variety of products on the sleeve, but nowhere else is he credited on the album in any capacity. But, as cover albums go Skeletons ranks right up there with Bowie’s Pin Ups, Bryan Ferry’s These Foolish Things, and Metallica’s Garage Inc. ha-ha, just kidding. No, i’m not.

Black Laden Crown U.s. cD: Nuclear Blast entertainment (Ne 3654–0), 2017 U.s. 12" Lp: Nuclear Blast entertainment (Ne 3654), 2017 germany cD: aFM records (aFM 555–9), 2017 germany 12" Lp: aFM records (aFM 555–1), 2017 australia cD: Nuclear Blast entertainment (NB 36540), 2017 canada 12" Lp: Nuclear Blast entertainment (Ne 3654), 2017

Songs: Black Laden crown / eyes ripping Fire / Devil on hwy 9 / Last ride / The Witching hour / But a Nightmare / skulls & Daisies / Blackness Falls / pull the sun Notes: Black Laden Crown is Danzig’s last album of original material released before the Misfits reunion shows. The title track lasts six minutes, and goes on for about five

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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too long—only in the last minute does it show any signs of life. similarly, there’s not much ripping about “eyes ripping Fire”—it’s as if both tracks were started by the band in their sleep, and somebody told them that they were recording about halfway through. “The Witching hour,” which was, among other things, the title of a Dc comic book, continues the morass that is, this album, which makes Vanilla Fudge sound like Bad Brains. at least “But a Nightmare” picks up the tempo for the last minute or so of the song, and in that respect shares the same DNa as “Black Laden crown.” But “skulls and Daisies” and “pull the sun” again downshift to sludge gear and stay that way. it’s nothing against metal that’s played slowly—Black sabbath only changed the tempo about half a dozen times in their whole career—but sabbath had two important advantages: they came first, and they played their songs with power, passion, and panache (and variety in their subject matter). Danzig, at first, did as well (all except for the lyrical variety part), but somewhere along the way, it seems that they just ran out of gas.

Significant Unauthorized Singles/EPs Vampira’s Children eU 7" ep: Dead ram records (s-08), 1988

Songs: horror Biz / Mother of Mercy / Mother / The hunter Notes: The song selection and graphics are unremarkable, but the reason that i’ve a sentimental attachment to this boot is the title, which predicts an approximation of a book title that i would write 30 years later, Vampira and Her Daughters.

Fresh Flesh U.s. 45 rpM 7" single: Deaf Jim records (No release Number), 1989

Songs: 777 / When Death had No Name Notes: recorded live at the ritz, New york city, New york on august 12, 1989 (damn, that sure was quick turnaround time) and limited to 750 copies on black vinyl. This boot, sadly, is notable only for its incredibly mediocre front cover art; in the foreground a nude girl holds a bloody severed penis in her hands, in the background hangs a nude man in chains with a big bloody spot where said penis formerly resided.

One Night in Hell U.K. 7" ep: Funn records (Funn-25), 1989

Songs: Twist of cain / Mother / Mother of Mercy / horror Biz Notes: The first two tracks are, of course, Danzig standards, and the second pair is samhain standards as rendered by glenn’s current line-up. There’s a graphically-appealing sleeve featuring a full-color photo of Danzig in all their goateed and pudding-bowls of hair glory.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Dance of Death U.s. 2 × 7" ep: Unholy Fashion records (2), 1989

Songs: all hell Breaks Loose / London Dungeon / Twist of cain / Mother / show No Mercy Notes: 500 numbered copies were pressed on black vinyl. The sleeve opens up to the cover art from the first Danzig Lp, and also comes with a bonus poster of Danzig.

Danzig Live at the Stone S.F.  U.s. 7" ep: Danzig records (Dr-1000), 1989

Songs: Twist of cain / all hell Breaks Loose / London Dungeon / horror Business / halloween ii Notes: a.K.a. Live at the Felt Forum—same cover art, same label, same release number, and same year.

Die, Die My Darling germany 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1990

Songs: Mother / Not of This World / horror Business / am i Demon

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Notes: Berni Wrightson art used from various Warren B/W mags, for both the front and back of the sleeve; all tracks were recorded live at the hammersmith odeon in London, england, on october 9, 1988.

You and Me germany 7" single: Black Death radio promo records (No release Number), 1991

Songs: you and Me (Less Than Zero) / Trouble Notes: This was a hand-numbered, limited edition of 500 single-sided copies. The first song is taken from the soundtrack album for the film Less Than Zero, while the second was recorded live at the palace Theater in hollywood, california, on July 7, 1989.

Death Had No Name U.s. 7" ep: sub pop (sp666), 1991

Songs: When Death had No Name / Trouble (Demo) / possession (Demo) Notes: This early boot was issued in an edition of 1,000 copies with 500 copies pressed on blue vinyl and 500 on yellow. it contained the previously-unreleased “When Death had No Name” on the a-side, while side B contains still-unreleased demo versions of “Trouble” and “possession.” The front cover is stark—it features the samhain/Danzig skull and the logo in black & white, while the back of the sleeve features an early promo photo of glenn and his new bandmates.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Black Death U.s. 7" ep: Black Death radio promo records (No release Number), 1991

Songs: you and Me (Less Than Zero) / Trouble Notes: Track one is from the movie soundtrack of Less Than Zero, and track two was recorded live at the palace Theater in hollywood, california, on July 7, 1989. The sleeve mistakenly identifies both songs as “demos from a New york studio.”

Bad Brains/Danzig eU 7" ep: heat Death Limited records (hD-777), 1994

Songs: sacred Love / Destroy Babylon / Melody Lee (Bad Brains) / evil Thing / To Walk the Night (Danzig) Notes: The sleeve for this rather odd pairing gives the impression that both bands were recorded at the same place, but actually only the Bad Brains side was recorded live in hamburg, germany, at grosse Freiheit on June 23, 1991. The Danzig tracks are from the previous year, recorded at aladin, Bremen, on November 18. The Bad Brains, at this point in time, were going through one of their periodic fallouts with their lead singer, h.r., and chuck Mosley (Faith No More) was handling vocal duties. it’s good stuff, especially their cover of the Damned’s “Melody Lee,” but Mosley is no h.r. one thousand copies were pressed on black vinyl.

Who Killed Marilyn? U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: Underground Diamonds (No release Number), 1997

Songs: Who Killed Marilyn? / spook city U.s.a. Notes: Most bootlegged versions of this classic have simply a reproduction of the original sleeve, and i wouldn’t even have included it here, but for this particular edition, 300 copies were pressed on blue vinyl, with an attractive full-color sleeve that features a shot of Marilyn with a ghostly image of Danzig to the side…. ooh, spooky.

The Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig sweden 7" 45 rpM single: No Label records (01), 2001

Songs: Dirty Black summer (Danzig) / he-Who-can-Not-Be-Named (samhain) / Nike a go go (The Misfits) Notes: This is a career-spanning retrospective … well, as much as can be contained on seven inches’ worth of vinyl, at any rate. in other words, this is a pretty skimpy—i hesitate to even use the word—collection, with only one song apiece from each Danzig era, and not even the best songs. The sleeve states that “Very rare Tracks” are contained— yeah, my ass.

Soul on Fire italy 7" 45 rpM single: hell yes! records (hy017), May 16, 2011

Song: soul on Fire

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Notes: “soul on Fire” was a single-sided single that was issued in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 400 black vinyl copies.

Danzkira U.s. 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2012

Songs: hips Don’t Lie Notes: sadly, you can file this one under the “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” category. This is an audio recording of a parody video that was done for shakira’s “hips Don’t Lie,” which featured the real shakira performing in the real video for the song, which of course features the real shakira singing her hit. intercut with the footage, however, are video clips of the real glenn Danzig, along with a Danzig impersonator trading verses with her. it’s pretty funny, at least for the first couple of listens, but it would’ve been funnier had the guy been able to pull off just a wee bit better Danzig impression. still and all, it’s done in good fun, and one almost wishes the ultra-serious Danzig would let his hair down—oh, yeah, he already has—and do something this silly. This single-sided 7" was done in a limited pressing of 127 copies on red vinyl.

Caressed Your Mother greece 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 2015

Songs: Last caress / Mother Notes: recorded live at the amnesia rock Fest, June 21, 2014, in canada and limited to 50 copies.

Now There Is Only Evil portugal 7” single: infinite records (No release Number), 2019

Songs: Twist of cain / Mother Notes: This limited-edition single was recorded live at the palace Theater in hollywood, california, on July 7, 1989. only 30 hand-numbered copies were pressed on clear vinyl. For the complete show, see the albums and cDs below.

Unauthorized Albums/CDs Live in New York U.s. 12" Lp: Jonesco records (Jonesco D-10600), 1989 U.s. 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1990

Songs: intro / Twist of cain / Mother / am i Demon / she rides / all hell / London Dungeon / end of Time / Mother of Mercy / To Walk the Night / horror Biz / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World Notes: recorded live in New york city in November of 1988.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Demos ’ germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1990

Songs: Twist of cain / am i Demon (listed as “Feel it”) / possession / When Death had No Name / Trouble / soul on Fire (listed as “Waiting on the summer”) / Night of hate Notes: actually, these are demos from 1987, not ’88 as stated on the sleeve.

Unnatural Causes U.s. 12" Lp: Times square records (DaN-01), November 1990

Songs: Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell / London Dungeon / yet another guitar solo / end of Time / To Walk the Night / horror Biz / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / Mother of Mercy / When Death had No Name (listed as “No end to the Flames”) / Trouble (listed as, yes, “i’m evil”) Notes: This show was recorded live at the ritz in Noo yawk city, on august 12, 1989. There are a lot more songs than meet the eye on the back album cover—tracks 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, and 14 are not listed. Turnabout is fair play—“777” is listed on the sleeve, but does not appear on the album.

(The) Dark Days of Danzig germany 12" Lp: The record company (Da 01), 1991

Songs: am i Demon / Mother / Blood and Tears / Tired of Being alive / pain in the World / Twist of cain / 777 / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / Trouble (listed as “i am evil”) / When Death had No Name Notes: This boot was recorded live at Volksbildungsheim in Frankfurt, germany, on November 27, 1990. Track 12 is not listed on the sleeve.

Danzig germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1991

Songs: she rides / Twist of cain / all hell / London Dungeon / horror Biz / halloween ii / Trouble / Not of This World / 777 / When Death had No Name / am i Demon Notes: This is a compilation album of sorts: tracks 1 and 11 are studio outtakes recorded on January 13, 1988. Tracks 2–6 are from the stone in san Francisco, california, on January 5, 1989. Track 6 (“halloween ii”) features a guest appearance by James hetfield and Kirk hammett; the sleeve says that they also appear on tracks 2–5, which is incorrect. “Trouble” and “Not of this World” are live from city gardens in Trenton, New Jersey, on april 9, 1989, and not from the ritz in Nyc, as is stated on the release. “777” and “When Death had No Name,” however, are from the ritz, and were recorded live on august 12, 1989. The cD was also issued under the titles of The Dead Zone and Live with Jams [sic] and Kirk of Metallica, both on vinyl and both in 1991 (see below).

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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(The) Dead Zone germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1991

Songs: she rides / Twist of cain / all hell / London Dungeon / horror Biz / halloween ii / Trouble / Not of This World / 777 / When Death had No Name / am i Demon Notes: as noted above, The Dead Zone was a re-boot of the cD Danzig (unofficial version), except that this was pressed on vinyl.

Death … in Its Arms germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1991

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / am i Demon / Mother / guitar solo / Devil’s plaything / she rides / her Black Wings / Blood and Tears / halloween ii / To Walk the Night Notes: recorded live at the aladin club in Bremen, germany, on November 11, 1990.

Demon Danz germany cD: Tutti Frutti records (Tutti 002 cD), 1991 germany cD: Metal Mania records (MeTaL 107 cD), 1991

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / am i Demon / Mother / guitar solo / Devil’s plaything / she rides / her Black Wings (listed as “Under her Black Wings”) / Blood and Tears / halloween ii / To Walk the Night / halloween / Last caress / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / London Dungeon / end of Time / 777 / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) Notes: This is yet another souvenir of Danzig’s 1990 european tour.

Evil Live italy cD: Not guilty records (Ng 77791), 1991

Songs: am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / London Dungeon / end of Time / 777 / Time in hell / To Walk the Night / horror Biz (listed as “Last caress”) / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of this World / When Death had No Name / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) Notes: This is the cD version of the 1989 palace gig, omitting “all hell.” The first of many versions of this show, it has a couple of listing errors that have gone unchanged since the present day.

Live in Hamburg  germany 12" Lp: No Label (BT Lp 006), 1991

Songs: intro / Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / am i Demon / Mother / guitar solo / Devil’s plaything / her Black Wings / Blood and Tears / pain in the World / Twist of cain

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: This was recorded live at the Markthalle in hamburg, germany, on November 19, 1990 (not 1991).

From Beyond // U.s. 2 × 12" Lp: Times square records (DaN-02), 1991

Songs: intro / am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell / London Dungeon / instrumental / end of Time / 777 / Time in hell / Mother of Mercy (listed as “Time in hell”) / To Walk the Night / horror Biz (listed as “Last caress”) / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of this World / When Death had No Name / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) / Mother of Mercy Notes: all tracks are from the KNac-FM radio broadcast of 1989, except for the last one, which was recorded live at the ritz back in New york city, august 12, 1989.

Live with Jams [sic] and Kirk of Metallica germany cD: raven records (rr 002), 1991 germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1991

Songs: she rides / Twist of cain / all hell / London Dungeon / horror Biz / halloween ii / Trouble / Not of this World / 777 / When Death had No Name / am i Demon Notes: once again, as noted above, Live with Jams and Kirk of Metallica was a re-boot of the cD Danzig (unofficial version), except that this was pressed on vinyl and cD.

Not of This World Luxembourg 12" Lp: Flashback World productions (FLash Lp 01.91.0134–33), 1991 Luxembourg cD: Flashback World productions (FLash 01.91.0134), 1991 poland cassette: Mg records (Mg 2085), 1992

Songs: am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire (listed as “soul of Five”) / she rides (listed as “she riders”) / London Dungeon / Time in hell / To Walk the Night / Last caress / The hunter / evil Thing (listed as “evil Things”) / Not of This World / When Death had No Name (listed as “When Death has No end”) / i’m evil Notes: recorded live at the stone, san Francisco, california, 1989.

Pain in the World germany 12" Lp: No Label (Da 01), 1991

Songs: am i Demon / Mother / Blood and Tears / Tired of Being alive / pain in the World / Twist of cain (listed as “snakes on christ”) / 777 / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / Trouble / When Death had No Name (listed as “Unknown”) Notes: Pain in the World (how true) was recorded live in Volksbildungsheim, Frankfurt, germany, on November 27, 1990. it is also a killer wolf in bondage-cartoon clothing, as it is the same show contained on The Dark Days of Danzig boot (see above). oh, well, at least they bothered to mess up a couple of different song titles.

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Trouble Europe germany 12" Lp: No Label (No release Number), 1991

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / am i Demon / Mother / guitar solo / Devil’s plaything / she rides / Twist of cain / 777 / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / Trouble / When Death had No Name Notes: see the notes for Back from Hell and The Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig.

Devil Songs germany cD: pirate records (pirate 143), 1992

Songs: am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / London Dungeon / end of Time / 777 / Time in hell / To Walk the Night / horror Biz (listed as “Last caress”) / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / When Death had No Name / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) Notes: This is yet another cD version of the 1989 palace gig, omitting “all hell,” and whoever put out this boot still didn’t bother to change the listing errors from the Evil Live boot of the same show.

Back in Black eU cD: Metal Memory records (MM 90045), 1992

Songs: godless/Left hand Black / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / how the gods Kill / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / sistinas / her Black Wings / pain in the World / Twist of cain / evil Thing / am i Demon / Long Way Back from hell / When Death had No Name Notes: This is a souvenir of Danzig’s 1990 european tour; the performances are fierce, but the cover graphics fall way short of the mark—just the name “Danzig” (not the official logo) writ large across the middle of a black field, and the title of the cD in the upper left-hand corner.

(The) Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig germany 12" Lp: soundhouse records (981), 1992

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / Killer Wolf / am i Demon / Mother / she rides / her Black Wings / Blood and Tears / pain in the World / Twist of cain / 777 Notes: This Lp comes from a show that was recorded live at the Bizarre Festival in geissen, germany, on June 29, 1991.

Godless—Live ’ italy cD: Not guilty records (Ng 21192), 1992

Songs: intro (overture of the rebel angels) / godless / Left hand Black / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / how the gods Kill / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark

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The Complete Misfits Discography

/ she rides / sistinas / her Black Wings / Twist of cain / evil Thing / am i Demon / When Death had No Name (listed as “When Death has No Name”) / Long Way Back from hell Notes: The same cD as listed below, with a different cover and graphics.

How the Gods Play germany cD: Bundy records (se 316), 1993

Songs: intro (overture of the rebel angels) / godless / Left hand Black / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / how the gods Kill / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / sistinas / her Black Wings / Twist of cain / evil Thing / am i Demon / When Death had No Name (listed as “When Death has No Name”) / Long Way Back from hell Notes: recorded live at the Noorderlicht in Tilburg, Netherlands, on september 14, 1992.

Back from Hell germany cD: real Live records (rL cD 15), 1993

Songs: Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / am i Demon / Mother / Devil’s plaything / she rides / her Black Wings / Blood and Tears / pain in the World / Twist of cain / 777 / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / To Walk the Night / When Death had No Name Notes: This cD comes from a show that was recorded live at the Bizarre Festival in geissen, germany, on June 29, 1991, and contains the whole show, whereas The Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig (see above) contains only half.

Danzig III & ½ germany cD: Mixing records (MX 005), 1993

Songs: intro (overture of the rebel angels) / godless / Left hand Black / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / how the gods Kill / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / sistinas / her Black Wings / pain in the World / Twist of cain / evil Thing / am i Demon / Long Way Back from hell / end of Time Notes: recorded live at e-Werk in cologne, germany, on september 24, 1992.

Live USA austria cD: LsD records (cD 152.223), 1993

Songs: how the gods Kill (listed as “how gods Kill”) / Long Way Back from hell / snakes of christ / her Black Wings / Do you Wear the Mark / Dirty Black summer / am i Demon / godless / she rides / evil Thing / Left hand Black / Twist of cain / Mother / end of Time Notes: This is another compilation of live recordings culled from various performances in the Usa.

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Live and Alive germany cD: imtrat Music Medienvertrieb gmbh (iMM 40.90203), 1993

Songs: godless / Left hand Black / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / how the gods Kill / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / her Black Wings / Twist of cain / evil Thing / am i Demon / Long Way Back from hell / end of Time Notes: all of the cuts were recorded live at the Noorderligt, Tilburg, Netherlands, on september 14, 1992, making it a version of Black Box (see below) with “end of Time” added to the mix.

Los Angeles 3 eU cD: red Line (rFcD 1250), 1993 italy cD: Live storm (LscD 51250), 1994

Songs: godless / Left hand Black / snakes of christ / am i Demon / how the gods Kill / Mother / Dirty Black summer / sistinas / her Black Wings / pain in the World / she rides / Do you Wear the Mark / 777 / evil Thing / Twist of cain / Long Way Back from hell Notes: recorded live in L.a. in 1992.

Pandora’s Box germany cD: spotlight records (sL-017), 1993

Songs: Devil’s plaything / her Black Wings / Not of This World / how the gods Kill / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / evil Thing (listed as “evil Things”) / When Death had No Name (listed as “When Death has No Name”) / Long Way Back from hell (listed as “Long Way from hell”) / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) / The hunter / god Don’t Like it intro / am i Demon / Twist of cain (listed as “Twist of chain”) / snakes of christ Notes: Tracks 1–3 and 14 were recorded live at the artemus ham Music hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, on september 26, 1990, tracks 4–9 were recorded live at the Noorderlicht in Tilburg, Netherlands, on september 14, 1992, and tracks 10–13 are live from The palace in hollywood, california, on July 7, 1989.

Skulls and Bones italy cD: rTW records (rTW 015), 1993 germany cD: rTW records (rTW 015), 1995

Songs: intro/come to getcha / snakes of christ / it’s coming Down / how the gods Kill / Mother / her Black Wings / Tired of Being alive / Twist of cain / Long Way Back from hell / Left hand Black / how the gods Kill / Mother Notes: recorded live on January 17, 1992.

(The) Power of the Dark Side italy cD: Metal crash records (MecD 1176), 1994

Songs: how the gods Kill / Mother / am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / invo-

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The Complete Misfits Discography

cation / When Death had No Name / Not of This World / intro—come to getcha / snakes of christ / it’s coming Down / Mother / how the gods Kill / her Black Wings / Twist of cain / Long Way Back from hell / Dirty Black summer Notes: The Power of the Dark Side is live performances culled from a few different sources, including the entry below.

Black Box germany cD: Living Legend records (LLrcD 249), 1994

Songs: Twist of cain / Mother / Not of This World / 777 / evil Thing / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) / godless / Left hand Black / how the gods Kill / her Black Wings / am i Demon / When Death had No Name / sistinas / she rides / Do you Wear the Mark / Long Way Back from hell Notes: Tracks 1–6 were recorded live at the palace Theater in hollywood, california, on July 7, 1989. Tracks 7–16 were recorded live at the Noorderligt, Tilburg, Netherlands, on september 14, 1992. as always, both shows can be found in various forms and formats.

Brand New God germany cD: D.D. records (se-454), 1994

Songs: intro / Brand New god / snakes of christ / it’s coming Down / how the gods Kill / Mother / her Black Wings / Tired of Being alive / Twist of cain / she rides / Long Way Back from hell / Left hand Black Notes: all tracks except 10 and 11 were recorded live in allentown, pennsylvania, on June 15, 1994. Tracks 10 and 11 were recorded live from New york, on June 2, 1994.

Life Without a Net Japan cD: planet records (cD De 1002), 1995

Songs: Twist of cain / am i Demon / possession / Mortal sin (When Death had No Name) / Trouble (listed as, naturally, “i’m evil”) / soul on Fire (listed as “soul of Fire”) / Die for the Demon (Night of hate) / Trouble (Version 2, listed as you-know-what) / Trouble (Version 3, listed as … oh, forget it) / chaos (Descent) / snakes of christ / Dirty Black summer / Mother / Do you Wear the Mark / she rides / her Black Wings / pain in the World Notes: Tracks 1–10 are the demos for the first Danzig album; tracks 11–17 were recorded live on Danzig’s 1992 european Tour.

Life Without a Net: Demo ’ eU cD: horror Business records (hBr 101), 1996

Songs: Twist of cain / Feel it (am i Demon) / possession / When Death had No Name (Mortal sin) / Trouble / Waiting on The summer (soul on Fire) / Die for the Demon (Night of hate) / chaos (Descent) / Trouble (Version 2) Notes: This is an abbreviated version of the cD listed above; all the demos are included, but it was shorn of the live tracks.

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Danzig

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Danzig & Doyle Play Misfits germany 12" Lp: Joe’s plumbing service (Jps 4), 2016

Songs: 20 eyes / skulls / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (listed as “Mommy, can i go out”) / earth a.D. / hatebreeders / Bloodfeast / We are 138 / Die, Die My Darling / Vampira / Demonomania / We Bite / astro Zombies / come Back / she / skulls / London Dungeon / american Nightmare / London Dungeon / skulls Notes: Tracks 1–8 recorded live in philadelphia February 3, 2005. Tracks 9–12 were recorded live at the greek Theatre, Los angeles, on october 31, 2007. Tracks 13–19 are from glendale, california, in May 2012. This Lp is another reason why bootlegs are often historically and aesthetically important—i mean, where else would you get stuff like this?

Devil’s Whorehouse U.s. 12" Lp: Dungeon records (No release Number), 2016

Songs: intro / overture of the rebel angels / Brand New god / snakes of christ / it’s coming Down / how the gods Kill / Mother / her Black Wings / Tired of Being alive / Twist of cain / Long Way Back from hell / Left hand Black Notes: recorded at the orange county Fairgrounds, Middletown, New york, on June 17, 1994.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Mystery Danzig cD: sleepless Beast records (No release Number), February 26, 2017

Songs: intro / am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell / London Dungeon / end of Time / To Walk the Night / horror Biz / The hunter / Bringer of Death Notes: issued in a limited hand-numbered edition of 50 copies in 2017, but then due to a cease and desist order from Danzig’s lawyers.

Soul on Fire—Live at the Hollywood Palace,  FM Broadcast eU 12" Lp: Bad Joker records (Boss5–2051), 2017

Songs: am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell Breaks Loose / London Dungeon / end of Time / 777 / Time in hell / To Walk the Night / horror Biz / Last caress / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / When Death had No Name / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”)

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Kryst the Conqueror

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Notes: This was pressed in a limited edition of 500 copies and was broadcast live from the palace in hollywood on July 7, 1989.

From Beyond: Live at the Palace, Hollywood July , —KNAC FM Broadcast eU 2 × 12" Lp: radio X (rXXX1986), 2017

Songs: am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell / London Dungeon / end of Time / 777 / Time in hell / To Walk the Night / horror Biz (listed as “Last caress”) / The hunter / evil Thing / Not of This World / When Death had No Name / Trouble (listed as “i’m evil”) Notes: This was originally broadcast over KNac FM, July 7, 1989, from a gig at the palace, hollywood, california. issuing a bootleg under a different name when it contains more or less the same songs is a common enough practice, but, geez, twenty-seven years elapsed between the time of the two pressings (the first was Evil Live, see above) and they still couldn’t be bothered to fix the errors in the track listings.

Kiss the Skull australia cD: plan 666 records (No release Number), 2018

Songs: intro/am i Demon / Twist of cain / Mother / soul on Fire / she rides / all hell Breaks Loose / London Dungeon / end of Time / To Walk the Night / horror Business / The hunter / Bringer of Death Notes: This would seem to be an abbreviated version of the palace gig in hollywood in 1989, except that they tacked on a live version of “Bringer of Death,” which was not from that show.

Kryst the conqueror after being set adrift by glenn, the brothers caiafa took a little time to find their direction moving forward, working in their dad’s machine shop, working out, and developing their musical skills. also, at least in Jerry’s case, some time was spent in thinking up stupid new nicknames for himself … but more on that in a minute. Dismayed by what Jerry saw as the “satanic bullshit” that glenn was peddling with samhain and then Danzig, he decided to offer an alternative (and perhaps get in on a little bit of that stryper action) in Kryst the conqueror, a similarly-themed christian heavy metal band (with a logo inspired by robert e. howard’s Kull the Barbarian). The band was led by Jerry and Doyle (they formed the Doyle Fan club as a means to promote the new band), and Jerry’s proposed new stage name was “Mo the great” (or “Mocavious Kryst”), so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that they never actually got to play live. They did release a cD (see below), the missing link between the original Misfits and the new, and the project lasted as a concept and on paper until 1995, when they reached the out-of-court settlement with glenn to perform and record as the Misfits again. he works in mysterious ways, indeed.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

i must admit that i avoided Kryst the conqueror like the plague for many years, and yes, because it was christian rock. But now, i feel more like the Damned when they sang about not having anything against the church, only the people that go there. Well, that’s not entirely correct; i definitely have something against all organized religion, but as i consider myself to be a spiritual person (i’m a Taoist), i have nothing against each person’s quest for a personal connection to what he or she believes. What raise my hackles are those that try to use organized religion as a cudgel to engage in oppression or protect a set of outmoded beliefs. as i’m basically a live-and-let-live type of person, even though i may disagree with some, or all, of their beliefs, i still respect the fact that they have them; all i ask is that they have the same amount of respect for mine, which, as you and i both know, is often not the case.

Discography Kryst the Conqueror U.s. cassette and cD: Mark records/cyclopean Music (McD-588), 1990 U.s. cD: sleepless Beast records (sBr-003), 2017

Songs: Thunder Thruster / in god We Trust / Trial of the soul (listed as “Trail of the sould”)/ March of the Mega-Mites / spellbound Bonus 2017 cD Tracks: Kryst the conqueror / Wherever i roam / Valhalla / soldiers of Light / Night raiders / The highlander / in My Dreams / Dr. phibes rises again Notes: This was re-released on cD in 2017 by sleepless Beast records, actually with more tracks than the original cD/cassette. Not that we needed them, but they provide invaluable insight into the sound and origins of some of the songs they would later rewrite (or not) for their reincarnations of the Misfits (not just the graves era but beyond, when Jerry took over the vocal duties. For instance, “Kryst the conqueror” resurfaced on Famous Monsters as “Kong at the gates,” with Kong’s growls and Fay Wray’s moans replacing what is assumed to be the voice of christ, but for some reason is rendered in the most stereotypical, cod-demonic voice imaginable. “Wherever i roam” sounds like a distant cousin of “here come the Dead” on American Psycho. The rest the album trundles along in similar thrash-metal fashion, and once you get past the overweening Xian slant of most of the lyrics, it’s a very good tape/cD. The obvious track of interest to Misfits fans is of course the last one, “Dr. phibes rises again,” and it does not disappoint; the version that appeared on American Psycho, except for the Michale graves vocals, is virtually unchanged from the version on Kryst the Conqueror.

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein after Michale graves left the Misfits, Doyle decided not to continue his association with the Jerry-as-singer version of the ’Fits, and in 2005 moved from New Jersey to Las Vegas. he appeared onstage with Danzig numerous times throughout their tour that

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein

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year, and at the same time was auditioning musicians for his first solo band, gorgeous Frankenstein. The band was so named because it was a combination of his last name and his (then) wife’s stage nickname, “gorgeous george” (stephanie Bellars) from the (then) WWF. gorgeous Frankenstein lasted until 2012, when, after his divorce from stephanie, he took glenn’s cue and simply called the band Doyle. The original lineup included Landon Blood on vocals, argyle goolsby on bass and backing vocals and Jesco Devilsanse on drums, and of course, stephanie Bellars on pole dancing. Michale graves took a shot at vocals for a very short period, and then alex story took over the mic and stuck around when the band morphed into Doyle. The final lineup consisted of story, “Left hand” graham on bass, and ex–’Fit Dr. chud on drums.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

i saw Doyle in February of 2018, at a club called Diesel, in pittsburgh. The band was tight and the show was great, although, sadly, not that well-attended (between 75 and 100 people). however, it was a weeknight, so that was sort of understandable—weeknights are always the kiss of death for a band. as i said, the show was great, but the singer—alex story, ex–cancerslug—introduced every single song with the words, “This next song is a love song … you can dance to it if you want to,” which got a little old after a while. in fact, i told him after the show, “great show, dude, but your stage patter could use a little work.” he smiled and said, “everybody’s a critic.” i replied, “yeah, i know exactly how you feel.” The guy that had set up the Misfits 2013 show at the altar Bar (now sadly gone) said that alex was a knock-off of glenn, but i just couldn’t hear it or see it. as i said, it was a great show, except for two things: (1) the show was advertised as Doyle “playing classic Misfits songs and solo material,” only they didn’t do any Misfits songs at all, and i was really looking forward to singing along to “horror Business” or “Dig Up her Bones” again; and (2) you can say what you want about Jerry only, but i’ll give him this much: as already noted, at every Misfits show i’ve ever been to, Jerry has come out to sign and stayed until the very last autograph was signed, and not for a price. Doyle didn’t do that; instead it was a “Meet and greet” for $50.00, which i felt sort of violated the old communal spirit of punk rock. i don’t know, perhaps i’m just being naïve or nostalgic … probably both. in spite of that, i shelled out the fifty—i wasn’t going to, but then my wife wisely pointed out that i might pay almost that much for an autograph at steel city con, so why not? so, since i’d already brought a few things to sign, i said what the hell, hang fire. plus i’d brought one of my books to give him, and i really wanted to, because people are always asking him for stuff, and hardly anybody gives him anything in return. so i gifted him with that, talked to him for a few minutes, he signed my mags and then i was back out in the freezing ’Burgh night. and when the cold hit me, i realized i’d forgotten to ask him if and when the original Misfits were going to play pittsburgh, damn it. at the rate they’re going, what with your two cities a year, they should make it here in about, oh, 2050.

Discography Gorgeous Frankenstein U.s. cD: evilive/Megaforce records (eViL 101), 2007 U.s. 12" Lp: evilive records (eViL 101), 2008 U.s. 12" picture Disc Lp: evilive records (eViL 101), 2008

Songs: gorgeous Frankenstein / Man or Monster / Devil girl / hell angel / reverse of god / Mothernight / speed Witch / Made in hell Notes: Behind a typically gory, great simon Bisley cover lurked an album that was full of exactly what the video for the opening and title track visualized—metal-up-theass, guys in monster makeup or monster masks, and stephanie Bellars in mummy wrappings (well, not too many mummy wrappings) shakin’ it on a stripper’s pole. “Man or Monster” has a very White Zombie feel to it, and was complemented by Blood’s vocal versatility, which sounds a lot like rob anyway (and on occasion sounds like glenn). on “hell angel,” he manages to sound like both over a Monster Metal riff and tempo changes from, well, fast to all-out thrash. They slow things down considerably with “reverse of god,” but with no less guitar intensity. “Mothernight” alternates between all-out thrash

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein

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and slow-burn gloom and a loping groove, kind of like a metal mini-opera, while “speed Witch” lives up to the name and features a catchy shout-along chorus to boot. “Made in hell” is an epic as well, and carries a strong whiff of both Danzig (the guy, not the band) and Judas priest. The downfall of the band and the concept, though, was unfortunately Doyle’s divorce from stephanie, and he wouldn’t put out anything for another six years.

Abominator U.s. cD: Monsterman records (No release Number), 2013 U.s. 2 × 12" Lp: Monsterman records (No release Number), 2013 Japan cD: columbia records (cocD-60104), 2013 eU cD: Monsterman records (No release Number), 2013 eU 12" Lp: Monsterman records (5055300392374), 2017 eU 12" picture Disc Lp: Monsterman records (5055300392374), 2017

Songs: abominator / Learn to Bleed / Dreamingdeadgirls / headhunter / Valley of shadows / Land of the Dead / cemeterysexxx / Love like Murder / Mark of the Beast / Bloodstains / hope hell is Warm Notes: More metal madness from Monsterman, Abominator was a welcome return to form for Doyle when he joined the ranks of the living once more. alex story had joined the band just prior to gorgeous Frankenstein’s demise, but didn’t record with them until this album. he’s got a rougher voice than either Landon Blood or Michale graves, but still melodic, and even more so when traces of the graves-era Misfits creep into a cut here and there. This is especially true with the standout cuts “Learn to Bleed” and “headhunter,” which sounds like the ’Fits if they had gone total metal and put out more albums with Doyle. The cut “Land of the Dead,” although sharing the title with a Misfits song, is totally unrelated to that later song. “cemeterysexxx” is a hymn to just that; a stomper about the joys of getting head among the headstones. iron Maiden had “Number of the Beast”; Doyle counters with “Mark of the Beast,” another standout track. it’s all extremely heavy—but it also seems extremely serious, much like Danzig. The Misfits were always fun, even when glenn was singing about raping yer mum.

Doyle II: As We Die U.s. cD: Monsterman records (No release Number), 2017 U.s. 2 × 12" Lp: Monsterman records (No release Number), 2017

Songs: Kiss Me as We Die / Beast Like Me / god of Flies / run for your Life / Witchcraft / King of the Undead / Virgin sacrifice / We Belong Dead / show No Mercy / Dark gods arise / Blood on the axe / Night of sin Notes: gene simmons said once, when asked about the meaning behind Kiss’s songs, that “all our songs are about fucking and partying.” Doyle could’ve made a similar statement if asked about his band: “all our songs are about fucking and death.” Doyle’s latest studio offering takes up where Abominator left off, alternating searing thrash metal with monolithic riffs, such as on the opening cut, “Kiss Me as We Die.” in fact, they should’ve just called the album More Songs About Fucking and Death, because that’s what the opening track and all the rest are about—but the lyrics don’t really matter. Not because of their conspicuous lack of wit or variety, but because Doyle (the band) exists as a vehicle for the person Doyle’s not-inconsiderable guitar skills, which have only continued to improve over the years. i must admit that i was skeptical of his ability through Famous Monsters

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The Complete Misfits Discography

and beyond; in fact, i thought that producer Daniel rey had played some of the more intricate leads on both American Psycho and Famous Monsters, since he had done similar double-duty with the ramones (as had most of their producers). But having heard his solo albums and seen Doyle play put any of those doubts to rest—of course, he’s no Jeff Beck, but then, maybe that’s an unfair comparison, because there’s nobody else that can play the guitar like Jeff Beck. among the rest of the merely mortal guitarists, particularly in the pantheon of heavy Metal, Doyle stands tall—and not just because he is tall.

The Undead it didn’t take long for Bobby steele to get back in the New york groove after he was booted out of the Misfits. While still with the ’Fits, Bobby had a side project called the skabs, with chris “Jack” Natz on bass and richie Matalia pounding the skins. Matalia quit the skabs, and when Bobby was fired, he formed The Undead, named after the 1957 movie, together with Natz and a new drummer, patrick Blanck, in 1980. They released their first ep, Nine Toes Later (so named because one of Bobby’s toes was amputated at the time of the recordings) in 1982, and despite what glenn had said on stage about steele, he helped him to finance the record. Just a few months later, Natz and Blanck left the band, and so initiated an endless number of lineup changes, and indeed, even tragedy—Blanck died on January 2, 2001, in a Dominican republic diving accident, and roxy Michaels, the Undead’s bassist in 2002, passed away just few years later in 2005. But the band continues to persevere, although they went on hiatus from 2002 to 2006. The current lineup is Bobby, his wife Diana on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Joe stoker on drums, and both Jason Fresta and Johnny James taking turns at duties on the bass. Bobby and the Undead are true punk rock warhorses, still plying their ghoulish stock-in-trade in small clubs all across the country, still transporting themselves and their equipment in that groovy hearse, still playing, in some cases, for the door, and still spreading the punk gospel of nonconformity to those willing to listen. To paraphrase a line from the John Ford/John Wayne classic The Searchers, Bobby steele don’t believe in surrender, and didn’t trade his guitar for no plowshare, neither. By the way, Bobby steele’s Undead was not the first band to use that name. The original Undead got together in 1977; by the end of the year they had both released a couple of singles and moved to san Francisco. once they were ensconced in Frisco, they became the house band for a local club called the hell hole. They did have some catchy contributions to the horrorpunk genre, including “Full Moon,” “i Was a Teenage Vampire” and “earth Dies screaming.” They gave up the ghost in 1982, and a compilation cD was released in 2002 called First, Worst, and Cursed.

Singles/EPs Nine Toes Later U.s. 7" ep: stiff records (Tees 7–14), 1982 U.s. 7" ep: post Mortem records (pM 1001), 1983

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: The Undead

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Songs: a Life of our own / My Kinda Town / When the evening comes / i Want you Dead Notes: The classic first ep by the Undead features the original versions of songs that, by virtue of alphabetization, were to become staples of their live set.

Verbal Abuse U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: post Mortem records (pMr 1002), 1983

Songs: Verbal abuse / Misfit Notes: The song “Verbal abuse” has a very ramones-ish sound, all block chords and no lead guitar (but plenty of punk aggression), while “Misfit”—somewhat surprisingly—is not about his former band, but a mid-tempo cruncher dealing with “normal” people’s perception and persecution of punks.

Evening of Desire U.K. 12" ep: overground records (oVer 22), 1992

Songs: evening of Desire / attitude / slave to Fashion / My Kinda Town Notes: There’s a certain kind of security or comfort in listening to an Undead record— like the ramones, you know pretty much what you’ll be getting, which is why you’re getting it. For instance, “evening of Desire” is a straight-ahead, driving punk rock song, and Bobby really lets loose and wails on guitar. Next up is “attitude”—and yes, it’s that “attitude,” sung with possibly more of one than Danzig. But whereas “attitude” is a cover of a Misfits song, “My Kinda Town” almost out-Fits the ’Fits, and is a great finish to a great ep.

The Invisible Man U.s. 7" 45 rpM single: screamin’ skull records (LeVi 129), 1992

Songs: The invisible Man / elected Notes: Despite the title, “The invisible Man” has nothing to do with the film (much less the awful TV series), but is a fierce slice of pure punk alienation. “elected” is indeed the alice cooper song, and Bobby and the band certainly do it justice; their version is one of those cover versions that can easily stand up to the original (and they even used a drum machine). This was originally submitted for an alice cooper tribute album, but for some idiotic reason was rejected.

There’s a Riot in Tompkins Square U.K. 7" ep: overground records (oVer32), May 10, 1993

Songs: There’s a riot in Tompkins square / put your clothes Back on (Live) / i Want you Dead (Live) Notes: The title track, which leads off the record, is tough and fast, almost hardcore warp speed—kind of like a visit to Tompkins square. “put your clothes Back on” is a tale of would-be romance, and has a guitar figure so sweet and poppy that on any other earth it would’ve been tearing up the charts. The tracks on side 2 were recorded live at the covered Dish in gainesville, Florida, on February 11, 1993.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Times Square U.s. 7" ep: Transparent records (Tr-22), 2000

Songs: Undead / Bullet / hipocritic Liberal / 42nd street Notes: i suppose that some people think i should be offended by “hipocritic Liberal,” since i am, by narrow definition, a liberal, but i’m not. i get Bobby’s point about people who espouse liberal values and then won’t give up their subway seat or bus seat to a blind person—but why single liberals out? it says here that hypocrites can come in all shapes and sizes and political persuasions. The song is basically a punk update on Frank Zappa and the Mothers’ “Who Needs the peace corps?” in “Who Needs,” Zappa lambasts longhairs who wore peace signs and love beads but who didn’t care about the social positions that style was supposed to represent, from the civil rights movement to anti-war protests to women’s liberation.

Rock ’n’ Roll Whore spain 7" ep: Munster records (7138), 2002

Songs: rock ’n’ roll Whore / i Don’t Want to Feel the pain anymore / i Want you Dead / Verbal abuse Notes: Despite the title, “rock ’n’ roll Whore” is not a blast of punk sexism, but rather an autobiographical cut, filled with self-deprecating humor and true grit as told by a rock ’n’ roll lifer. “i Don’t Want to Feel the pain anymore” fits right into the pantheon of great punk “i Don’t Wanna” (fill in the blank) songs and “Verbal abuse” is dusted off and given an equally-fierce makeover.

Third World U.S.A. germany 7" ep: No Balls records (NBr 001), 2002

Songs: Third World U.s.a. / evening of Desire / invisible Man (Live) / Be My ghoul (Live) Notes: side one features Bobby’s arch comments on the state of the union, and “evening of Desire.” side two has two live tracks, but the source of them is not listed on the record.

Be My Ghoul germany 7" ep: No Balls records (NBr—002), 2003

Songs: Be My ghoul / Undead / ’Til Death (Live) / i’m so happy (Live) Notes: The opening cut, “Be My ghoul,” is kind of timeless—really, it sounds as though it could’ve come out at any point in the rock era and been right at home. “Undead” is pure ’77-style punk rock, and manages to get a couple of digs in at Bobby’s old band in the process, singing lines about this ain’t “no halloween” or “no fantasy.” “’Til Death” is a twisted rave-up, while “i’m so happy” is a straight-up punk love song, worthy of the ramones or even (dare i say it) the Buzzcocks. The Be My Ghoul ep was issued in a limited edition of 550 copies, which were pressed on white vinyl.

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: The Undead

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Halloween germany 7" 45 rpM single: No Balls records (NBr 014), 2007

Songs: halloween / Nightmare Notes: This single was pressed in a limited edition of 300 copies, with the two songs on one side and a silk-screened image on the other. yes, “halloween” is again, that “halloween,” but here’s the twist—it’s sung by Diana steele, who does an entirely credible job with it, and for a brief moment, the Undead sound like they’ve mutated into the Ms. Fits. “Nightmare” is straight-up punk—except when it’s not, which is during the lunatic guitar breaks by Bobby, which are a spiritual descendant of the Jeff Beck guitar breaks on the yardbirds’ equally nutty “psycho Daisies.”

I Made a Monster U.s. 7" ep: post Mortem records (pM 1006), 2009 U.s. cD ep: post Mortem records (cD 1006), 2009

Songs: i Made a Monster / sometimes you gotta Laugh at yourself / i go ape

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Notes: yet another example, nay, one of the best examples, of unapologetic, harddriving, 1977–style punk, “i Made a Monster” is also a somewhat reflective song, with lyrics about Bobby trying to “live a dream,” and not create “a fuckin’ scene.” But even better is “sometimes you gotta Laugh at yourself ” (which sounds like good advice for glenn), made even better by a hilarious video, in which, among other indignities, Bobby repeatedly gets thrown from his bicycle after being hit by cars. “i go ape” is a truly frantic ’50s-style rave-up, complete with Jerry Lee Lewis–style piano.

I Want You Dead U.s. 7" ep and cD ep: post Mortem records (pM 1005), 2010

Songs: My Kinda Town / a Life of our own / pretty Baby / When the evening comes / i Want you Dead Notes: The excellence of “My Kinda Town” has already been noted, and “a Life of our own” continues the high quality, starting out with an ominous chord that sounds like the one the Misfits used to begin “halloween.” it’s time for romance again with “When the evening comes,” a two-minute blast of longing that again can be rated with the ramones’ and the Buzzcocks’ short, sharp blasts of modern love. The title cut is ten sec-

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: The Undead

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onds shorter, but six times as nasty, following up the genuine sweetness of the previous song with a cut whose title tells you everything you need to know.

Having an Undead Summer U.s. 7" ep: post Mortem records (pM 1007), 2017 U.s. cD ep: post Mortem records (cD 1007), 2017

Songs: Undead summer / ridin’ the graves / hearse song / oh, Frankie! Notes: This latest (as of press time) release by the band is, as always, a joy. The sound here isn’t so much classic punk as it is classic garage-surf-punk, which is just as much of a treat, if not more. The wave continues “ridin’ the graves,” which is sung by Diana, as is “oh, Frankie!” stylistically, “hearse song” harkens back to an even earlier era, to the doo-wop and ballads so beloved of Jerry only and most evident on the Famous Monsters cut “saturday Night.”

Albums/CDs Never Say Die U.s. cassette: post Mortem records (c 001), 1986 germany 12" Lp: rebel records (re 0023), 1986 U.s. 12" Lp: post Mortem records (Lp 001), 1989

Songs: a Life of our own / Misfit / My Kinda Town / Never say Die / in eighty Four / When the evening comes / Verbal abuse / Lies / i Want you Dead Notes: First released as a cassette in the U.s. and on vinyl in germany (a U.s. Lp was issued three years later), this might also be accurately titled “collection 1,” because it was the first instance where the band gathered all of the material that had previously been released only as a vinyl ep.

Act Your Rage U.s. 12" Lp: post Mortem records (Lp002), 1989 U.s. cassette: post Mortem records (c-002), 1989

Songs: evening of Desire / hollywood Boulevard / gimme your autograph / The Way We Behave / eve of Destruction / Undead / i Don’t Wanna go / We Don’t Want the poor in New york city / social reason / put your clothes Back on / r.a.T.T. F.i.N.K. Notes: in a sense, all of the Undead’s albums could be considered compilations … or maybe a type of greatest hits, since there’s always a hefty slice of previously-released songs with new numbers thrown into the mix. They share a common trait with most of the great glam-rock albums in that they were basically compilations of a few of the band’s previous hit singles. as such, these entries will only describe the new material. Take “hollywood Boulevard” for instance—it doesn’t have anything to do with the 1959 film starring gloria swanson and William holden, but everything to do with police brutality. “gimme your autograph” is a short, sharp, and brutal blast of old-school punk, and would seem to be about the John Lennon murder, although it could be about psycho stalkers in general, and is sort of chilling. “gimme your autograph,” though, is a

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The Complete Misfits Discography

prog-rock epic compared to “The Way We Behave,” a shorter, sharper blast of pure thrash goodness. “eve of Destruction” is indeed a cover of the 1965 Barry Mcguire hit, given an electric, mid-tempo punk haircut by the Undead. They follow that with another mid-tempo stomper (“i Don’t Wanna go”) that, dare i say it, recalls again the great glam bands in that it’s all shout-along chorus and boot-stomping beat. it’s followed by one of the shortest songs in the Undead discography, “social reason,” a cut that was also featured on the compilation New York Thrash. The album closer, despite the different spelling, is a cover of the Misfits classic, which was, in turn, a cover of an allan sherman song. There’s no other word for it but fierce, and it’s a fitting way to finish a fierce album.

Dawn of the Undead australia cD: shagpile records (shag cD 1001), 1991 australia 12" Lp: shagpile records (shag 1001), 1991 U.s. cD: post Mortem records (shocK1001), 1997 U.s. cD: post Mortem records (cD-1), 2006

Songs: evening of Desire / a Life of our own / Never say Die / gimme your autograph / i Don’t Wanna go / in eighty Four / The Way We Behave / put your clothes Back on / r.a.T.T. F.i.N.K. / i Want you Dead / We Don’t Want the poor in New york city / When the evening comes / Verbal abuse / My Kinda Town / hollywood Boulevard / Undead / social reason / No Vices / Nightmare / Lies / eve of Destruction / Misfit Notes: This album has a weird release history. it came out in australia in 1991, shortly after Act Your Rage, and indeed contains many of the same songs. But it wasn’t released in the U.s. (which one would think was their primary market) until six years later and wasn’t re-released until nine years later, perhaps because it was another compilation. The “new” songs here are “Never say Die,” a short, sharp blast of punk perseverance; “in eighty Four” was inspired by george orwell’s 1984, and the fact that it was released a couple of years after the fact (in eighty six) does nothing to diminish it, because we all know that the world that orwell predicted was there then, is even worse today, and getting to be more of a nightmare with each passing day. it features a totally honkin’ sax break. seemingly taking aim at the straight-edge hardcore movement (and a Minor Threat song in particular), “No Vices” relates how boring life is—and how boring straightedge punks are—without smoking, drinking, and fucking. “Lies” is a rockin’ cover of the 1965 hit by the Knickerbockers, which was such a great pastiche of the Beatles that some people thought that it was actually the Fab Four. They probably thought that even after they saw the band performing it live, and probably still do.

Live Slayer U.s. cD: screamin’ skull records (LiVe 119cD), 1991 U.s. cassette: screamin’ skull records (LiVe 119c), 1992 U.s. 12" Lp: screamin’ skull records (LiVe 119), 1992

Songs: When the evening comes / in eighty Four / Verbal abuse / eve of Destruction / My Kinda Town / i Want you Dead / evening of Desire / Bullet / We Don’t Want the poor in New york city / Misfit / social reason / put your clothes Back on / a Life of our own / Undead / r.a.T.T. F.i.N.K. / all you Need is Love

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: The Undead

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Notes: The joke here with the title is that slayer put out an album called Live Undead. it is to laugh. But seriously, it’s fierce live recordings, and “all you Need is Love” is a surprising and offbeat treat.

’Til Death U.s. cD: post Mortem records (cD-3), 1998 canada cD: Underworld records (UWr-008), 1998 canada 12" Lp: Underworld records (UWr008), 1998

Songs: The Future Kid / There’s a riot in Thompkins square / shadows / ’Til Death / all you Need is Love / i Don’t Wanna Feel the pain anymore / strange creatures / slave to Fashion / i’m so happy / The invisible Man / i’d rather Do My Drinking alone / They Lied / Thorn in your side Notes: “The Future Kid” opens the proceedings in a raucous manner, followed by the previously released “riot…” “shadows” is a quasi-metallic mid-tempo tale of darkness. “strange creatures” is about just that, and “slave to Fashion” is the punk cousin to alice cooper’s “Flush the Fashion.” From the title of “i’d rather Do My Drinking alone” you might expect a george Jones–style weeper, but it’s short, sharp, and actually does have a twangy, almost country guitar solo. When first scanning the track listings, i’d fully expected “Thorn in your side” to be pure punk wish-fulfillment, but when i came to it, was totally surprised—rather than taking pleasure in being a thorn in someone’s side, it’s a very ’50s-influenced mid-tempo romantic chug, again comparable to such ramones tearjerkers as “you’re gonna Kill That girl.” Together with the songs that had been previously released, it again made for a strong offering from “The Last punk standing.”

 Hits from Hell—Uncovered Label: None (see notes) release Date: october 31, 2007

Songs: halloween / Vampira / i Turned into a Martian / skulls / London Dungeon / Night of the Living Dead / horror hotel / ghouls Night out / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / Violent World / halloween ii Notes: This isn’t just an “album” of cover versions; it’s an “album” of a cover of an entire album. Now, the reason i use quotes around the word album is because it was never “released” in any solid format such as cD or vinyl. rather, the band made the recording and then made it available via streaming on the band’s website—appropriately enough on halloween 2007. No doubt it was done as a sort of revenge, for the way the band had treated Bobby in general and the way they had buried or ignored (or simply mixed his guitar parts with Doyle) his contributions to the original 12 Hits from Hell. They do a decent enough and credible job, to be sure, but it still doesn’t hold a candle to the version by the ’Fits.

Still the Undead…. After All These Years U.s. 12" Lp: post Mortem records (pMpD), 2007 U.s. cD: post Mortem records (cD-4), 2007 spain 12" Lp: Black Bird records (BB005), 2007

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Songs: rock ’n’ roll Whore / i Don’t Wanna Feel the pain anymore / Be My ghoul / evening of Desire / Third World U.s.a. / Tears on a pillow / Undead / The invisible Man (Live) / i Want you Dead (Live) / Verbal abuse (Live) / ’Til Death (Live) / i’m so happy (Live) / Be My ghoul (Live) / Bullet (Live) / a Life of our own (Live) / i Don’t Wanna Feel the pain anymore (Live) / evening of Desire (Live) / Undead (Live) / i Want you Dead (Live 12/17/81) Notes: This is sort of a comp and sorta not—only one song had not been released before, but most of those that already had were rendered in previously-unavailable live versions. The one cut that hadn’t been released before was “Tears on a pillow,” which is a three-chord lament, similar in theme to “people Who Died” by the Jim carroll Band, and was definitely not a reworking of the doo-wop hit “Tears on My pillow” by Little anthony & the imperials.

Bobby U.s. cD: post Mortem records (cD-5), 2009 U.s. 10" ep: post Mortem records (Lp005), 2009

Songs: a Town Without pity / hello Mary Lou / i’m gonna sit right Down and Write Myself a Letter / runaway / sonny Boy / Travelin’ Man / only the Lonely / i’m sitting on Top of the World Notes: Bobby was a complete 180-degree turnaround for Bobby—unlike the guitardriven punk for which he was known with the Undead, this was a self-produced solo album of acoustic covers of pop chestnuts. another big surprise was that once he stopped spitting out lyrics with an angry snarl, he actually has a decent voice. This is evident from the get-go, as he takes on a song originally done by gene pitney, “a Town Without pity” (which had been a book, then a film starring Kirk Douglas). Next on the track list is ricky Nelson’s “hello Mary Lou,” which Bobby also does a great justice to. he reaches way back for “i’m gonna sit right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” originally done in 1935 by Fats Waller, and covered ever since then by countless artists, from Billy Williams to paul Mccartney to Dean Martin to spike Jones. “runaway” was the Del shannon hit from 1961; it too has been covered by various and sundry artists, but the one that is most closely related spiritually would have to be the Misfits’ version from Project: 1950. sorry, Jerry, but even with the musical power of Dez cadena and Marky ramone behind you, Bobby’s acoustic version shreds the Misfits’. at least on “sonny Boy,” he didn’t perform the al Jolson song in blackface. he turns to ricky Nelson again for “Travelin’ Man,” which is also handled with great aplomb. he takes a real chance with the next cut, because anybody that covers a roy orbison song better have their vocal shit together—and Bobby does on his version of “only the Lonely.” he returns to Jolson with “i’m sitting on Top of the World,” again a song that’s been done by many—most famously by Les paul and Mary Ford, and on the other end of the spectrum, Bobby Darin. Why can’t all cover albums be this consistently good?

The Morgue the Merrier U.s. 12" Lp: post Mortem records (Lp 006), 2016 U.s. cD: post Mortem records (cD 5), 2016

Songs: righteous Light / Be My ghoul / i got your Number / London Dungeon /

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: The Undead

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i Made a Monster / Let it rain / old punks Don’t Die / rock’n’roll Whore / Born to raise hell / i’ll Never Leave you / rag Doll / i go ape / Tears on a pillow / Vampire pinup girl / The Last punk standing Notes: The newest release from the Undead as of press time, and even better, it was mostly new songs. it’s hard to say whether “righteous Light” is pro- or anti-religion; a strong case could be made for both. “i got your Number” is not sung by Bobby, but Jason Fresta. Bobby returns for “London Dungeon,” and while it’s excellent sonically, even adding a Farfisa organ in unison with the guitar line, Bobby is … well, kinda flat. “Let it rain” is not a cover of any other song by that name, and sounds like it could’ve been on Nuggets, so strong is the ’60s influence. The next cut, “old punks Don’t Die,” is an instant classic, opening with a goof on “cough/cool” by the ’Fits: “cool, cool” and “cough, cough,” old punks never die, we just get more “pissed off.” amen, brother. “Born to raise hell” has nothing to do with the Motorhead song of the same name; rather it’s a slightly country-tinged song complete with honky-tonk piano and hilarious lyrics. “i’ll Never Leave you,” conversely, is an unapologetic love song done at standard ramones tempo and easily matching Joey ramone’s most heartfelt numbers. readers are advised to check out (if they haven’t already) the video for the song done by Diana steele on youTube, because it’s absolutely sweet and you can tell how much they love each other just by the looks in their eyes; the paul and Linda Mccartney of punk. Most of the new songs on The Morgue the Merrier have a definite ’60s sound, very garage-punk, and this continues on “rag Doll,” and again it’s a title that was used for various songs in pop history, among them one by aerosmith (which is best not spoken of) and most famously by fellow New Jersey denizens the Four seasons, and again isn’t a cover of any of them. as for “Vampire pinup girl,” the author, paul Mauled (not the same guy in the dedication) had this to say on youTube: “i wrote this and played a straight-up rock and roll version with the Bad Whoremoans. Bobby steele turned it on its head in the Undead on The Morgue, the Merrier, and now i’ve done it unplugged with some piano.” i don’t quite see what he means by “turned it on its head”—the Bad Whoremoans’ version is just as thrash—if not just a bit more—than the Undead’s version, but both are great in their own right. The song that closes the album, “The Last punk standing,” is a mid-tempo gem that everybody who’s an old punk can identify with, a spirit of defiance that doesn’t dim with age.

Unauthorized Release Live NYC czechoslovakia ep: UDa records (Bg-1008–1), 1994

Songs: We Don’t Want the poor in New york city (listed as “We Don’t Want the poor in N. y. c.” / american Dream / slave to Fashion (listed as “Little slave to Fashion”) / r.a.T.T. F.i.N.K. Notes: The sleeve is cool—but then again, it was a cool sleeve when it was the original cover art for Never Say Die! otherwise, the sleeve (nor the label) give no pertinent info on where (the club) it was recorded or what the year was, just that it was live in New york city.



The Complete Misfits Discography

Michale graves graves, whose real name is Michael emmanuel, was born on March 21, 1975, or two years before the original Misfits formed. he was recording some demos with his band the Mopes when the engineer told him that the Misfits were auditioning new singers for their reformation and return to performances and recording. he bought a couple of ’Fits cDs, learned the lyrics to the songs, and got the gig. he was their vocalist from 1995 to 2000, with a short break in 1998. as is normal with the Misfits, inner tensions once again scuttled the band, with graves telling Live Metal that “the problem isn’t with Jerry and me, the problem is with Doyle and chud.” Despite the “problems” with the two, graves performed with both of them post–Misfits; he appeared with Doyle and chud’s gorgeous Frankenstein, and with chud in graves’s self-named band, graves. he has been involved with or formed a number of bands since The Misfits, including graves, gotham road, Marky ramone’s Blitzkrieg, featuring the legendary Marky ramone of the world-famous ramones, as well as numerous solo acoustic jaunts. For the past few years, he has funded solo projects through Kickstarter, and continues to perform intermittently. he also joined the U.s. Marines for a few years, being honorably discharged with a back injury. he’s made pittsburgh a regular stop on his tours—most recently on september 14, 2018, at the hard rock café in station square in dahntahn. he’d forsaken his flaxen locks, instead going for the shaven-head look, which gave him an eerie resemblance to another Michael—Michael stipe of r.e.M. The place was packed, and his band rocked like a bastard, backing him on his solo material and a generous dollop of Misfits classics like “Forbidden Zone,” and of course, “Dig Up her Bones.”

Singles/EPs Burn Baby Burn U.s. cD ep: Vile of Venom records (VoV05), 2011

Songs: Burn Baby Burn / Best of Me (Live) / Burn Baby Burn (original Demo) Notes: “Best of Me” was recorded live in pittsburgh in March of 2011, and the ep came out shortly thereafter.

Touch Me—Sardonica (featuring Michale Graves) U.s. cD single: Mutant punk records (No release Number), 2012

Songs: Touch Me Notes: This single of a Doors cover was mostly sold on sardonica’s 2012 North american tour. i loathe the Doors, but this cover is made palatable partly because (a) it was done by somebody else other than the Doors, (b) it’s a lot heavier than the original and (c) it wasn’t produced by ray Manzarek.

East versus West—No Buffer (featuring Michale Graves) U.s. cD single: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), March 18, 2016

Songs: east versus West

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Michale Graves

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Notes: This ultra-rare cD single was limited to only 25 copies, and was sold only at the hydraulic entertainment website, and some of those copies were given away free with any purchase from the same site.

Endless Sleep—Zombie Suckers (featuring Michale Graves) U.s. cD single: hydraulic entertainment (No release Number), 2016

Songs: endless sleep Notes: a rockin’ single that was done by the Zombie suckers, featuring a guest spot on vocals by Michale graves, and would’ve slotted in nicely on American Psycho or Famous Monsters.

Trilogy U.s. cD ep: hydraulic entertainment (No release Number), November 6, 2017

Songs: crying on saturday Night / Dying on sunday Morning / Feels Like i’m Dying Notes: Trilogy was a hand-signed and numbered limited edition of only 50 copies, and it came with a bonus guitar pick. “crying on saturday Night” is the song formerly known as “saturday Night” by the ’Fits on Famous Monsters. The two are virtually identical, except that the graves version contains one or two minor lyric changes.

Albums/CDs Punk Rock Is Dead U.s. cD: horror high records (hh-1204cD), December 20, 2005

Songs: Beware / Teenage Monster / earth vs. spider / exit / 1119 / storybook and rhyme / godzilla / Queen Taste / radio Deadly / punk rock is Dead / Dawn of the Dead Notes: For an album called Punk Rock Is Dead, it starts out in an awfully punky fashion—not merely punky, but quite Misfit-y as well, with its intermittent shouts of “go!” The second track, “Teenage Monster,” has a lyric broad enough in scope that it can embrace anyone who feels like an outsider, which was one of the main reasons punk started in the first place. “earth vs. spider,” whose title could’ve been inspired by either The Spider (1958) or Earth vs the Spider, a 2001 flop starring Dan aykroyd. “exit” is a thrash-metal gem. graves heads out to the highway for “1119,” over a “peter gunn”–style riff and pounding drums. “godzilla” is not a cover of the Blue oyster cult song, but a mid-tempo paean to the titular creature. “Queen Taste” is not about queens with good taste, but queens that taste good. “radio Deadly” is a minute-and-a half romp that starts and ends with radio static, and deserves praise if only as one of the few rock tracks that begin with radio static and don’t just happen to tune in to one or two of that particular artist. Naturally, “punk rock is Dead” is one of the punkiest tracks on the album. The album closes with a live version of “Dawn of the Dead.” For a dead genre, graves seems to truck quite well in it— although to be fair, perhaps graves meant the title of the album to be ironic, because it certainly doesn’t show signs of expiring on this cD.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Return to Earth U.s. cD: horror high records (hh-1006cD), october 31, 2006

Songs: Monster / We Wait / one Moment away / Fountains of heroine / creepy crawly / Dead Beat / Nobody Thinks about Me / The house / return to earth / Butchershop Notes: punk rock was not dead, if this album is any evidence. The first track, “Monster,” is as good an opening track as graves has ever done, thrash-metal with an irresistible shout-along chorus. The follow-up, “We Wait,” is also true to punk, lasting only one minute 40 seconds, but it manages to pack quite a punch into that timespan. “one Moment away” is really pure power pop, and it ranks up there with the best of that breed, like cheap Trick. The title “Fountains of heroine” might sound like a genesis title, but it’s all mid-tempo-crunch. “creepy crawly,” on the other hand, is a quick, melodic jaunt down the hollywood “Walk of shame.” “Dead Beat” marries a Bo Diddley beat to an almost martial, metal beat, and with lyrics that sound like chanting. graves tackles a real-life horror with “Dead Beat,” which opens with the words “good morning columbine.” it’s genuinely chilling, as real-life horrors always are. “The house” is a real ramones-style, old-school punk rocker, totally unlike the cut that follows, “return to earth,” a really pretty piano ballad that seems to be his answer to “Lick My Love pump.” The last cut, “Butchershop,” starts out like it’s gonna be a sequel to that song, until the guitars kick in about a minute or so in. it’s a power ballad that namechecks superman and spiderman, although it sounds like they stumbled into a slasher movie.

Illusions (Michale Graves and Damien Echols) U.s. cD: sos records (sosr7082), october 31, 2007

Songs: The Blackness and the Forest / almost home / Teenage Monster / Frostbite / Wormwood / Nothing / 1000 cracks of Daylight / gorch / Lucifer i am / Where the sky ends / shelter / Dig Up her Bones / crying on saturday Night (Live) / When We Were angels / silent partner Notes: Illusions is an acoustic album done in collaboration with Damien echols (exmember of West Memphis Three Murder). perhaps “acoustic” isn’t exactly the right word for it; a set on MTV”s Unplugged might be a better comparison, in that it features acoustic guitars, but drums and electric bass … a combination that can still rock out ferociously. “Teenage Monster” is just such a song. “Nothing” evens sneaks some heavy electric guitar in, although they revert to just acoustic and nothing else on “1000 cracks of Daylight.” and then there’s “Lucifer i am,” which, from the title, sounds like it should’ve been on a Danzig album. The next one, “Where the sky ends,” couples with the former nicely with its seeming reference to the Misfits’ “Where eagles Dare,” about how graves wants to take his lover to a place “where eagles fly.” an unplugged “Dig Up her Bones” combines a funereal pace and a weary vocal from graves that makes it hard to tell whether he’s tired, or just tired of singing the song. Ditto for “(crying on) saturday Night,” recorded at cBgB in March of 2006. “When We Were angels” is a slow, stately, piano-driven lament. But it’s a wall-of-sound production compared to the last cut, “silent partner” (did echols not participate?), which starts off with a tolling bell and then settles into graves’ voice alone, aided and abetted by some muted handclaps. graves sings the verses

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Michale Graves

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and the chorus, and it ends with a return of the tolling bell and the shutting of a door— the end.

Halifax Live at the Music Room U.s. cD: Voice of Venom records (VoV02), 2009

Songs: Blackbird / (is There room in the) shelter / almost home / Frostbite / scream! / We Wait / Lucifer i am / shining / resurrection / Nobody Thinks about Me / casket / The house / Witch hunt / gorch / one Million Light years from her Notes: This was issued in a hand-numbered, limited edition of 100 and was available for sale on his website, with the leftover stock being sold at shows. “Blackbird” is not the Beatles song but is a decent throw.

Illusions Live—Viretta Park U.s. cD: screaming crow records (sc001), 2009

Songs: Blackbird / Fiend club / almost home / Beware / gorch / Butchershop / ophelia / shining / Lucifer i am / Wormwood / casket / you awful Me / one Million Light years from her / Frostbite / Nothing / scream! / crying on saturday Night / Blackbird / The Best of Me / a generation coming Down / Locked away / The eternal haunting / Viretta park Notes: The title is somewhat confusing … it’s not “illusions Live” at a place called Viretta park; it’s Illusions Live aND Viretta Park, which consists of demos recorded in romania (although some of those cuts are live as well). “Blackbird” opens the album, and he raids his Misfits catalogue for an acoustic version of “Fiend club,” and the lack of people singing along is conspicuous in its silence, as it is on the two other ’Fits cuts he does, “(crying on) saturday Night” and “scream!” The Illusions Live half was recorded on april 24, 2008, at club Bourbon in New port richie, Florida, and the Viretta Park half was recorded in Bucharest, romania, on July 8 and 9 of the same year.

(The) Lost Skeleton Returns U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), June 25, 2013

Songs: Lost skeleton / american psycho / Forbidden planet / Dig Up her Bones / Dawn of the Dead / scream! / crying on saturday Night / Die Monster Die / Fiend Without a Face / godzilla / Fiend club / earth vs. spider / Zombie / Night of the Living Dead / Last Man on earth / something Wicked Notes: The Lost Skeleton Returns (from his acoustic wanderings?) was released via Kickstarter in a fan-funded project. “Lost skeleton” is the best song that the Misfits never recorded, and would’ve been perfect for American Psycho. speaking of which, the title track from that album is the next cut, and it rocks—both versions are great, and which one you prefer is a matter of personal taste. “Forbidden planet,” the title coming from the legendary 1956 science-fiction film, is a slow-rocker with plenty of crunch, although the video that hydraulic entertainment filmed for it consists solely of scenes from the silent science-fiction classic Metropolis—probably because Metropolis is in the public domain, and clips from Forbidden Planet would’ve cost ’em some moola. Back for a dip in the American Psycho pool, that album’s greatest cut, “Dig Up her Bones,” is next up,

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The Complete Misfits Discography

and both are electric, although the Lost Skeletons version has an oh-so-slightly-different arrangement, possibly so that graves could claim it as more of his own song (he did write it, after all); both versions are fierce. “Dawn of the Dead” takes its title, of course, from the 1978 george romero classic of the same name, and is a more than worthy addendum to that film, carrying with it a whiff of “hybrid Moments.” speaking of romero, he didn’t direct a video for graves’s version of “scream,” but the cut definitely does the original justice. and that’s not the end of the Misfits re-makes; in fact, they take up more or less half the album. For following “scream” is another version of “saturday Night”—and even though it’s as good a re-make as all the others on the album, do we really need another version of it? “something Wicked,” inspired by Something Wicked This Way Comes, is a strong power ballad, and the official video for it is composed entirely of clips from the silent Nosferatu.

(The) Lost Skeleton Returns Instrumental U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), october 1, 2013

Songs: Lost skeleton / Forbidden planet / Dig Up her Bones / Dawn of the Dead / scream! / crying on saturday Night / Die Monster Die / Fiend Without a Face / godzilla / Fiend club / earth vs. spider / Zombie / Night of the Living Dead / something Wicked Notes: as the title indicates, these are instrumental versions of 14 out of the 16 tracks on The Lost Skeleton Returns, omitting “american psycho” and “Last Man on earth.” it was issued in a hand-numbered, signed edition of 44 copies, which also included a handdrawn sketch.

Vagabond U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), 2013

Songs: all the hallways / hold onto yesterday / revolution by candlelight / Burn, Baby, Burn / ode to heath / Best of Me / Vagabond / Break Me out / i can Feel heaven / chasing the Wind / oh, please, Why? / Train to the end of the World / When We Were angels (studio B/Vagabond sessions) / Dig Up her Bones (studio B/Vagabond sessions) Notes: it’s back to rock on this release (though graves did an acoustic version as well; see below). “all the hallways” really does sound like r.e.M., not that that’s a bad thing—oddly enough, it sounds like their version of “i Believe.” graves gets slightly funky with “hold onto yesterday.” Next up is “revolution by candlelight,” a pleasing, jangly number that’s got nothing to do with revolution. “Burn, Baby, Burn” starts out with heavily-flanged guitar and contains some fine lead fretwork. i first misread the title of “ode to heath” as “ode to health,” and indeed that’s what the song’s about; there’s not a heath anywhere in sight. The rockin’ “Best of Me” has an irresistible groove and a great chorus. graves waits until the middle of the album to unveil the title track, which again sounds like an r.e.M. outtake. “Break Me out” has a great, simple shout-along chorus. graves’s vocals really soar on “i can Feel heaven.” “chasing the Wind” manages to be heavy while still staying light on its feet. it’s followed by “oh, please, Why?” lamenting a lost (dead) love. “Train to the end of the World” tackles much the same subject, albeit acoustically. “When We Were angels” was later covered by Marky ramone’s Blitzkrieg. graves tickles the ivories yet again for yet another version of “Dig Up her Bones.”

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Michale Graves

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Vagabond Acoustic U.s. cD: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), august 27, 2013

Songs: i can Feel heaven / Best of Me / oh, please, Why? / Vagabond / revolution by candlelight / Burn, Baby, Burn / Break Me out / Train to the end of the World Notes: once again funded through Kickstarter, these are, as the title says, acoustic versions of Vagabond songs. There’re not as many songs as the full band version, because graves starts out each number with a short story or description of the song.

Supernatural U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), February 7, 2014

Songs: supernatural / Zombie / Last Man on earth / half human / Dawn of the Dead / something Wicked / ghost / Lost skeleton / Night of the Living Dead / Forbidden planet / straight Jacket Notes: The album actually begins with the title track, an acoustic lament that, once again, would not seem out of place on an r.e.M. album, particularly the dark Automatic for the People. Supernatural has been the title of several films, the first in 1933 starring carole Lombard, followed by others in 1977 and also 2005; he also might have been inspired by the TV series on the cW. he turns up the power for “Zombie,” which contains a cheeky reference to a “B-Film-Born invasion.” and there have been far too many Bfilms about zombies to list here, although the one he’s referencing is probably the 1979 Lucio Fulci gorefest. Ditto for The Last Man on Earth, title of a film released in 1964 starring Vincent price; the song is a slow, stately electric ballad that contains a couple of fleeting references to the concept created by richard Matheson. “half human,” by contrast, is a slow, stately acoustic ballad, possibly inspired by the 1958 movie of the same name, but more likely by graves’s own appearance in a horror short of the same name, where he plays himself, and all of the supporting characters have names from famous sci-fi films such as This Island Earth (cal Meacham, ruth adams) or The Thing (Doctor carrington). “ghost” is just graves and his trusty acoustic, taking its title from the supernatural romance movie starring Demi Moore. Strait-Jacket was a 1964 thriller about a batshit crazy Joan crawford; here, it’s a forlorn ballad featuring graves’s voice accompanied by an equally mournful piano.

Supernatural Instrumental U.s. cD: No Label (No release Number), april 24, 2014

Songs: supernatural / Zombie / Last Man on earth / half human / Dawn of the Dead / something Wicked / ghost / Lost skeleton / Night of the Living Dead / Forbidden planet / straight Jacket Notes: The instrumental version of the Supernatural album was limited to 35 signed and numbered copies, and released through hydraulic entertainment’s online store. Twenty-two were sold individually, while 10 included a custom-written poem, and two included props from the “half human” horror short, like a t-shirt, glasses, and a walkietalkie.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Wanderer U.s. cD: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), June 3, 2014

Songs: repent / Wanderer / Until They Turn the Lights Back on / The Mystery of the North / Never a Day / New song / Jacob’s Ladder / she’s the owl / Life Without soul / remedy / Man versus Train Notes: The opening track, “repent,” sees graves strolling through r.e.M. territory once more, with agreeable results. The title track comes next, and is an acoustic guitardriven number; the version on the acoustic interpretation is not all that different from this one, except for the absence of electric instruments and drums. “Until They Turn the Lights Back on” is short, sweet, and fairly heavy. Following that is “Mystery of the North,” a song about media brainwashing, and he’d do well to take his own advice. “New song” is a lot better than its unimaginative title. “Jacob’s Ladder” is another short, sweet, heavy song that steals the line from Don McLean’s “american pie” about a generation “lost in space.” he namechecks perry Mason in “she’s the owl.” graves reaches way back for the title of “Life Without soul,” an early (1915) variation on the Frankenstein theme. “remedy” is not unlike a song by the Who. in the world of emergency Medical Techs, the term “Man versus Train” is code for someone being struck by a moving locomotive, and the song is based on a true story.

Zombies Unite!—Michale Graves and Night of Samhain U.s. 2 × cD: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), october 23, 2014

Songs: Zombies / rebellion of the Dead / Dead Man / ripper / gargoyles / Morgue / scarecrow / shadows / Zombies / rebellion of the Dead / Dead Man / ripper / gargoyles / Morgue / scarecrow / shadows Notes: No, you’re not seeing double with the track listings … well, yes you are. The reason for that is that Zombies Unite was the first release by the somewhat ironically named Night of samhain, a russian punk band. The first disc is the songs translated into english, with vocals by graves. The second disc is the original russian recording. “Zombies” sounds like the Misfits circa American Psycho and Famous Monsters. The same goes for “rebellion of the Dead,” lyrically plumping for the same played-out theme of the Living Dead. sonically, it’s another story; like “Dead Man” and most of the rest of the songs, it’s straightahead punk rock with a slightly metallic sheen. again, three guesses as to the subject matter of “ripper,” and the last two don’t count. at least “gargoyles” isn’t about zombies either. “Morgue” is a somewhat slight piano-driven ballad, and definitely different than the majority of the album. speaking, again, of the Misfits, “scarecrow” is the “sequel” to “scarecrow Man.” The album closes with “shadows,” a song about—surprise—zombies. also a surprise—the songs on the original russian version of the album are very different, suggesting that when they enlisted graves’s help, they felt the need to “Misfit Up” the songs for him, and that’s a good thing. it shows their versatility, and means that the songs are not merely repeats of the same versions with russian lyrics. Nostrovia, comrades.

Wanderer Acoustic U.s. cD: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), February 3, 2015

Songs: repent / Wanderer / Until They Turn the Lights Back on / The Mystery of

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Michale Graves

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the North / Never a Day / New song / Jacob’s Ladder / she’s the owl / Life Without soul / remedy / Man versus Train Notes: another Kickstarter project, another acoustic version of an already released album; graves sure gets a lot of mileage from this idea.

Nightmares U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment/Vile of Venom (No release Number), 2015

Stories: The Tell-Tale heart (poe) / pictures / elegy Written in a country churchyard / When i Was Dead / chains of prayer / alone (poe) / The Night-Doings at Deadman’s / reaping Fear / The Vampyre Notes: yeah, you read that right—it says “stories,” not “songs.” That’s because it’s a spoken-word album, but instead of Jello Biafra or henry rollins talkin’ ’bout political stuff, it’s Michale graves talkin’ about scary stuff, and it’s quite nicely done.

When Worlds Collide U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment/Vile of Venom records (No release Number), January 26, 2016

Songs: Bedlam / Diabolical / Dying on sunday Morning / i Walk with a Zombie / old Dark house / robot Monster / The Beginning of the end / The Face Behind the Mask / Things to come / 3 Days ’til Dawn / When Worlds collide Notes: one of Michale graves’s more overlooked contributions to the Misfits was his songwriting ability, without which the band’s output suffered in quality after his departure. “Bedlam” was inspired by the Boris Karloff movie of the same name, and once again, would’ve fit in nicely alongside his other Misfits classics. i hate to keep bringing up that point, but since the Misfits were the band with which he found fame (if not necessarily fortune), pretty much any time he sings about horror business backed with electric guitar, bass, and drums is gonna bring up that comparison. i realize that’s unfair to graves, who’s worked hard to establish himself as a solo artist, but since some songs that he did with the ’Fits are still part of his repertoire, the comparisons will always remain. at any rate, “Diabolical” (he also continues the Misfits’ use of movie titles for song titles) is a simmering, mid-tempo rocker with grisly lyrics about an evil woman. “Dying on sunday Morning,” of course, is the sequel to “crying on saturday Night,” and like most sequels, takes all the elements that made the original so popular and simply repeats them with very few changes, and so by its nature is somewhat inferior to the original. The next song was, of course, inspired by Val Lewton’s classic I Walked with a Zombie, except for the change of tense to the present, and the cut really punks out in old-school style. The Old Dark House was a golden age horror classic starring Karloff; here it’s a slowburn with plenty of crunching guitars, and the same goes for “robot Monster,” which takes its title from the legendary cult sci-fi classic, and is sung from the robot Monster’s point of view. “The Beginning of the end” took its title from another ’50s cult classic, which was about giant grasshoppers terrorizing chicago, and seems actually (though vaguely) to be built along the same lines as the story in the movie. The same holds true for “The Face Behind the Mask,” a pleasing mid-tempo, almost metal cut. “Things to come” is cut from the same cloth as well, and throws in a couple of tempo changes

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The Complete Misfits Discography

that suggest “Die, Die My Darling.” The title was inspired by the book and the movie versions of (The Shape of) Things to Come by h.g. Wells. The sprightly, crunchy “3 Days ’til Dawn” is up next, and features a great shout-along chorus. “When Worlds collide” finishes things up in another galloping cut; When Worlds Collide, of course, was the coldwar movie classic by george pal. The album, since they were released at roughly the same time, puts the Misfits’ The Devil’s Rain into perspective, too much fuckin’ perspective.

When Worlds Collide: Instrumental U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment (No release Number), 2016

Songs: Bedlam / Diabolical / Dying on sunday Morning / i Walk with a Zombie / old Dark house / robot Monster / The Beginning of the end / The Face Behind the Mask / Things to come / 3 Days ’til Dawn / When Worlds collide Notes: i don’t quite get the point of this album. one would think that since it is instrumental versions of the songs on When Worlds Collide, there might be some acoustic numbers—oh, forgot, he already did that with Bedlam—or at least, you know, some different interpretations of said songs. But no, it’s the same versions that are on the original album, except the vocal tracks have been erased. There’s not much use for this one other than for a punk karaoke night.

When Worlds Collide Demo Disc U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment/Vile of Venom records (No release Number), 2016

Songs: When Worlds collide (Version one, No Vocals) / Bedlam / The Beginning of the end / Diabolical / Things to come / Dying on sunday Morning / 3 Days ’til Dawn / robot Monster / The Face Behind the Mask / old Dark house / When Worlds collide (Version Two, Vocals) Notes: This is the third version of the same album, which is a great album, but i think graves went to the well about two too many times. “hey, rocky, watch me pull an album outta my hat!” “But Bullwinkle, that trick never works!” “This time, for sure! BooM!”

Bedlam U.s. cD: Vile of Venom records (No release Number), 2016

Songs: When Worlds collide / 3 Days ’til Dawn / Things to come / The Face Behind the Mask / The Beginning of the end / robot Monster / old Dark house / i Walk with a Zombie / Feels Like i’m Dying / Diabolical / Bedlam Notes: This is an acoustic version of When Worlds Collide (see above). “hey, rocky, watch me pull an album outta my hat!” “AGAIN?”

(The) Legacy Collection U.s. 6 × cD Box set: No Label (No release Number), December 5, 2016

Songs: Disc 1, Halifax Live at the Music Room—Blackbird / (is There room in the) shelter / almost home / Beware / scream! / We Wait / Lucifer i am / shining / resurrection / Nobody Thinks about Me / casket / The house / Witch hunt / gorch / one

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Michale Graves

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Million Light years from her / Tell Me / Fiend club. Disc 2, “almost home” Tour— godzilla / american psycho / Beware / Teenage Monster / earth vs. spider / spiderman / radio Deadly / 1119 / one Million Light years from her / casket / Monster / Nobody Thinks about Me / punk rock is Dead / Dawn of the Dead scream! / Dig Up her Bones / crying on saturday Night. Disc 3, romania Demos—Blackbird / The Best of Me / Locked away / a generation coming Down / The eternal haunting / Viretta park. Disc 4, Demos & Live cuts vol. 1—almost home (octopod studio Demo/Melancholy Mix) / creepy crawl (octopod studio Demo/Mopes Mix) / Dead Beat (octopod studio Demo/psycho Mix) / Lucifer i am (Demo) / Frostbite (Demo) / i Like to Watch Them / shoelace (original Demo) / Dig Up her Bones / crying on saturday Night (Live at cBgB 2006) / almost home (acoustic, live at cBgB 2006) / Blackbird (original Demo) / a Thousand cracks of Daylight / The Blackness and the Forest. Disc 5, Demos & Live cuts vol. 2—Walk Me Thru the graveyard / shoelace / Butchershop (Bay avenue Demo) / one Moment away (original Demo) / return to earth (original Demo) / air superiority (original Demo) / Monster (original Demo) / Nobody Thinks about Me (original Demo) / house (original Demo), Toronto sessions / all the cars Behind Me (original Demo) / sometimes the Buildings cry (original Demo). Disc 6, Demos & Live cuts vol. 3—spiderman/save Me / ground Zero Nyc / Tell Me / ophelia / Wasting / Numb / one Million Light years from her / iridescent White Light / crying on saturday Night / Morte D’amore / Fiend club Notes: issued in a limited edition of 175 by Michale graves and sold, like Halifax Live at the Music Room, on his website and at his shows.

The World Turned Upside Down (Demos) U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment (No release Number), 2017

Songs: all the Troubles (Demo 1) / all the Troubles (Final Demo) / Backroads (Demo 1) / Backroads (Final Demo) / condemned to Love (Demo 1) / condemned to Love (Final Demo) / Fields, Towns, and Folks (Demo 1) / Fields, Towns, and Folks (Final Demo) / i Believe (Final Demo) / Neverland (Demo 1) / Neverland (Final Demo) / Night (Final Demo) / radioactive a.k.a. am i Nothing at all? (Final Demo) / The World Turned Upside Down (Demo 1) / The World Turned Upside Down (Final Demo) / Worst Day of My Life (Demo 1) / Worst Day of My Life (Demo 2) / Worst Day of My Life (Final Demo) Notes: This collection of demos was for the album later titled Backroads.

Backroads U.s. cD: hydraulic entertainment (No release Number), 2017

Songs: Backroads / Worst Day of My Life / The World Turned Upside Down / condemned to Love / Night / all the Troubles / Neverland / The creek / i Believe / Fields, Towns, and Folks / am i Nothing at all? Notes: Backroads is the latest acoustic offering from graves, continuing the journey that he began with Wanderer (Acoustic) and Vagabond (Acoustic), an album that could have just as conceivably been called “More songs about hearts and highways.” There’s a definite sense of schizophrenia to his output—one minute he’s churning out electrifying old-school punk about monsters, the next he’s John Denver. Well, never that sappy, but you catch my drift. “Backroads” is John Denver without the cloying, and it manages an

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The Complete Misfits Discography

emotional depth that, say, “Back home again” could only dream about. For “Worst Day of My Life” he pulls a Bob Dylan/Neil young and whips out his harmonica. The title of “condemned to Love” could’ve been inspired by the creaky old film Condemned to Live, but there’s nothing creaky about a plea for human dignity (although in these increasingly coarse and divided times, it probably is). “Night” is slightly more brisk, positively jaunty considering the subject matter—waiting for sweet death’s last caress (at least that’s what i reckon it’s about). graves pulls out the harmonica again for “all the Troubles,” which nicks a line from “Dig Up her Bones” (not to mention “i’d like to buy the world a coke”). “Neverland” is short and sweet, and “The creek” is even shorter, an instrumental interlude. “i Believe” isn’t a cover of the r.e.M. song of the same name, although graves sounds and looks more like Michael stipe every day. “Fields, Towns and Folks” has a pastoral vibe, but darkness bubbles beneath its surface. “am i Nothing at all?” No, not by a long shot—not to mention that he plays the piano and guitar better than glenn.

arthur googy googy hasn’t really been that active since departing the Misfits. after he left, he formed antidote with guitarist robb Nunzio, and they released an ep in ’83, played some gigs, and split a compilation cD with the high and the Mighty in 2004 (see below). at the time of this writing, he was playing in The Noise, and living on New york city’s Upper east side.

Discography Antidote—Thou Shalt Not Kill U.s. 7" ep: antidote records (ari-1), 1983 germany 12" ep: antidote records (ari-1), 1991 U.s. cD: hell Bent records (hBr009–2), 2004 U.s. 7" ep: Bridge Nine records (B9r137), 2010

Songs: Life as one / Nazi youth / real Deal / Foreign Job-Lot / Zero Mentality / got Me on a Line / Die at War / something Must Be Done Notes: Thou Shalt Not Kill is true New york hardcore—short, sharp, and brutal— with the songs going by so fast that they barely even give anybody time to start a mosh pit. Just ousted from the Misfits, googy provides rock-steady drumming even at that speed, and shows that he could’ve handled the chore with ease on Earth A.D. it takes a drummer of real skill not to take the easy way out playing thrash, which is just playing the open hi-hat instead of actually keeping time.

The High and the Mighty/Antidote—The A and Beyond U.s. cD: grand Theft audio (gTa 057), 2004

Songs: if the Time is right, We’re ready to Fight / Just another head in the crowd / you’re so Fucked / Don’t Look Back / skins and Needles / sad but True / as one / road

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Dr. Chud

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Warrior (The high and the Mighty) / Deadly rain / Life as one / Nazi youth / you say you Didn’t, But you Did / Let’s Be Friends / got Me on a Line / Live for Nothing / Unaffected / Foreign Job-Lot / real Deal / something Must Be Done / Die at War / Zero Mentality (antidote) / if the Time is right, We’re ready to Fight / you’re so Fucked / youth gone Mad / Win some, Lose some / Just another head in the crowd / Don’t Look Back / skins and Needles / Life as one / Nazi youth / Mental anguish / The past comes Back / Unaffected / on your Knees / hardcore shark attack / help Me Down / sad but True / as one / road Warrior (The high and the Mighty) / Deadly rain ’84 / We’re comin’ after you ’91 / something Must Be Done ’91 (antidote) Notes: Tracks 1–8 are from the Crunch On demo by the high and the Mighty. Tracks 9–21 were recorded live at cBgB on May 7, 1984, by the antidote. Tracks 22–25 are from cBgB on July 4, 1984, and tracks 26–39 are from the same legendary dive on December 23, 1984. Wrapping things up are three unreleased songs by the antidote.

Dr. chud “Dr. chud” (named for the 1984 horror film, C.H.U.D., with the letters standing for cannibalistic humanoid Underground Dwellers) was born David calabrese on april 4, 1964. his first band was Dan Kidney and the pulsations, and he played with them for eight years before he left to join sardonica. While he was with sardonica, he also worked with Jerry and Doyle on the Kryst the conqueror project, thereby giving him a leg up when they re-formed the actual Misfits. Upon departing from the ’Fits in a fit, he was a founding member of graves. he left graves in 2004 to start a band he could truly call his own, Dr. chud’s X-Ward. Most surprisingly, chud not only played the drums in X-Ward (in the studio), but was the lead vocalist—and as a vocalist, chud makes a good drummer. chud reunited with Doyle for a gorgeous Frankenstein tour in 2013, but was gone by the next year, when the band transformed into Doyle. he played drums on Doyle’s Abominator album, but conflicts with Doyle’s management did him in. he is still master of his domain in X-Ward, and goes on a short tour every halloween, although they haven’t released any new material since 2004. past members of X-Ward are too numerous to mention here, but the current touring lineup are: chud, of course, on vocals, “MDFe” and Johnny X on guitar, sal Bee (brother of samantha?) on bass, and “The Murp” manning the drum stool.

Discography (X-Ward) Diagnosis for Death U.s. 12" Lp and cD: Bloodwork records (BW4464), 2004

Songs: powerless / Mommy Made Luv 2 an alien / heavy Metal / spiderbaby / Blue skin / goodbye / rabid / Bury you alive / Mommy Made Luv 2 an alien (Live) Notes: This was X-Ward’s only album, and it’s not hard to see why. The band is certainly competent as musicians, but are let down in a big way by having chud as the singer and front man—compared to chud, Jerry only is fuggin’ sinatra. plus, their music is just not

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The Complete Misfits Discography

that distinctive. consider “powerless” the opening cut and lead single, which is about as generic as thrash/speed metal as it gets. The video they shot doesn’t help matters any; chud really has no noticeable presence or charisma, all the girls in bondage or hot pants in the world can’t save it, and it looks like it was shot on a set that looks like some “haunted hayride” attraction. “Mommy Made Luv 2 an alien” is a song that he had previously done with sardonica, with Michale graves guesting on vocals, and needless to say … it’s still a dumb song, but at least graves is a good singer. and the video makes the one for “powerless” seem like it was directed by Fellini—“mommy” makes love to the alien, and the result is a kid with ears like Nosferatu or eddie Munster. The ending has mommy enjoying a postcoital cigarette with the alien while rubbing her new baby-bump, with the caption reading “To Be continued…” Thank god they never got the chance. “heavy Metal” isn’t. “spiderbaby” does absolutely no justice to the cult classic they cribbed the title from. “Blue skin” isn’t really even worth mentioning. The 7-minute “goodbye” overstays its welcome by at least 8 or 9 minutes, and the video—sweet creeping Jesus, did they make a video for every song on this album? Well, apparently not for the next track, “rabid,” which sucks and makes you wish that chud had been attacked by a rabid animal before putting this album out. “Bury you alive” makes you wish that chud had … well, you know the rest. The album mercifully comes to close with a live version of “Mommy Made Luv 2 an alien,” and it’s no better in performance than it was 20 minutes before. Diagnosis for Death makes Blackacidevil sound like Misfits Walk Among Us.

Joey image Joey image (real name: Joey poole) was the Misfits’ drummer for two of their most revered eps, Horror Business and Night of the Living Dead. he left the band after their British tour debacle, and has since manned the drum stool for a number of bands, including the Whorelords, human Buffet, the psycho Daisies (who took their name from an old yardbirds song), The Mary Tyler Whores (sorry, love that name), the strap-ons, the Bell ringers, evil Doers, the hooples, Jersey Trash, and the hollywood 77’s. he reunited with Horror Business and Night of the Living Dead alumnus Bobby steele in 2000, and played drums for the Undead for the next couple of years. sadly, he was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2016.

Discography Hell-Bent for Horror Business U.s. cD: anarchy Music (cLp 1455–2), 2005

Songs: intro / hellbound / horror Business / repo-Man / Dog sta’ / 15 / Machine gun hooker (The Mary Tyler Whores) / (i’m Not) Defective! (The Bell ringers) / Vampire girl / cum / get-Up! / Do U Love your (Bad self)? (human Buffet) / reform school (The strap-ons) Notes: Hell-Bent for Horror Business is a compilation of some of the more significant bands that Joey image has played drums for. The Mary Tyler Whores are first up, with

3. Chips Off the Old Gravestone: Joey Image

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“intro,” which sounds very much like the opening of “(i’m Not your) steppin’ stone,” both musically and lyrically. it’s also kinda weird, because the song opens to the sounds of a crowd so huge that i suspect they may have been pulling a Kiss: Alive II; i.e., augmenting studio recordings with crowd noise. if that’s the case, it must’ve been meant as a joke, or at least to be taken ironically, because the crowd sounds like everybody they ever played in front of put together. “hellbound” sounds very Misfits-like, but instead of a ripping guitar solo in the break, there’s a bass solo. They go from ersatz Misfits to the real thing for the next song, a decent cover of “horror Business.” The inspiration for “repo-Man” is obvious. it’s hard to tell what “Dog sta’” is about, but it rocks hard, as does “15,” an ode to the joys of statutory rape. “Machine gun hookers” is the best of the lot, because of its titular and thematic similarity to the cramps’ “Bikini girls with Machine guns”—but “Warning, Warning Will robinson”: if you’ve already heard these songs, you know this, but for newcomers, you should know that pretty much all of these Mary Tyler Whores songs are deeply misogynistic, so if you’re easily offended—beware. “(i’m Not) Defective,” the Bell ringers’ sole contribution to this comp, is pleasingly old-school, and the lyrics are mostly the title repeated over and over with a few caustic barbs thrown in. The human Buffet’s “Vampire girl” is pretty much punk-by-the-numbers, but it does precede the Misfits song by quite a few years, although the two have nothing in common other than the title. “cum,” “get Up” and “Do you Love your (Bad self?)” are pretty standard as well, but enthusiastically performed (as are all their numbers), and sometimes that’s all that counts. The cut that closes the comp is “reform school” by the strap-ons, a blast of melodic punk and proof positive that most punk bands that came and went had at least one good song in them.

Joey Image/The Vibrators germany 7" ep: No Balls records (NBr 023), 2008

Songs: repo-Man (The Mary Tyler Whores), surrender (Joey image, roxy Michaels, Jonni Jade) / New rose / sheena is a punk rocker (The Vibrators) Notes: Joey image’s “surrender” is a cover of the cheap Trick song, and the Vibrators songs are covers as well, doing cuts by the Damned and the ramones, respectively.

 Tributes, covers and compilations i’d like to say a few words about compilations and tributes or a combination of the two—the fewer the better actually. Not out of a wish to shortchange anyone—but, conversely, i feel like it would be shortchanging the reader to spend as much space banging on about cover versions or tribute bands as about the real thing (or the ex-members’ solo projects). Basically, cover versions or tribute bands/comps are like a clint eastwood movie: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. The best, like the crimson ghosts or the Ms. Fits, bring something new and/or fresh to their approach—that being said, however, just because a band doesn’t do a simple note-for-note cover version is no barometer for success. some bands take a particular song somewhere else entirely, and it entirely sucks. Note-for-note covers of Misfits songs are always treading on hallowed and dangerous ground—while it’s appreciated that the bands are Misfits fans, and wanna show how much they love the Misfits by doing one or three of their songs, the originals are so unique that the covers rarely match up in any way, shape, or form. Mostly, and this applies to the good as well as the bad, they just wanna make you listen to the originals.

The Crimson Ghosts The crimson ghosts are a Boston band that plays instrumental surf versions of Misfits songs, led by John Kozik and David gein on guitar (David also had a side-project band called gein and the graverobbers). i first heard about them through eBay. intrigued by the description, i bought 13 Creepy Songs by the Crimson Ghosts, and found that the seller was John himself. We kept in touch, and soon i was setting up a gig for them in Morgantown, West Virginia. The show was awesome, and they invited me onstage to sing a few Misfits songs with them, including “horror Business” and “London Dungeon.” still keeping in touch, i was surprised and delighted when they sent me the (then) brandnew 3 Misfits from Hell ep—and was even more so when i saw my name listed in the Thank-you’s. When i communicated this to Kozik, he said, “hey, of course, man—you set up our first out-of-town show, and were our first singer.” We have since fallen out of contact, but i still love these guys, and you should too—and you should also not confuse them with the german hardcore punk band of the same name.

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4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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The Complete Misfits Discography

3 Creepy Songs by the Crimson Ghosts U.s. 12" Lp: Necro-Tone records (00), 2001

Songs: halloween / Where eagles Dare / London Dungeon / some Kinda hate / 20 eyes / angelfuck / hollywood Babylon / attitude / ghouls Night out / horror Business / return of the Fly / skulls / astro Zombies Notes: This was issued in a hand-numbered edition of 200 copies (mine is number 34), and was the first batch of twisted fun from Kozik and company. Lots of bands— probably too many—cover the Misfits, but none like these guys. in a world where the covers are mostly inferior re-hashes, the ghosts came up with a truly unique idea and sound; they knew their Misfits and they knew their surf music, leading to an inspired (and if you think about it, kind of twisted) vision that easily separated them from the rest of the pack. in its own way, it’s just as nutty as Fiend Club Lounge by the Nutley Brass, but conveyed that sensibility with guitar, bass, and drums (which is quickly, seemingly, becoming an outdated sensibility in and of itself).

4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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3 Misfits from Hell U.s. 7" ep: Necro-Tone records (5), 2003

Songs: hybrid Moments / Last caress / 20 eyes / american Nightmare / i Turned into a Martian / London Dungeon / hollywood Babylon Notes: This was another simply great ep by the ghosts, turning more of your favorite ’Fits cuts into shimmering surf instrumentals. as i said above, they knew their Misfits and their surf music, and nowhere is this more ably illustrated by their version of “hollywood Babylon,” which welds “pipeline” by the chantays onto its framework in a gorgeous hybrid moment. adding to the fun are the various introductions to some songs that were taken (with permission) from the Misfits’ Evilive. The sleeve is a great parody of the original 3 Hits from Hell sleeve.

Some Kinda Hits U.s. cD: Necro-Tone records (8), 2005 U.s. 12" Lp: go Zombie records (9), 2012

Songs: attitude / hybrid Moments / Fastro Zombies / archangel / i Turned into a Martian / american Nightmare / halloween / some Kinda hate / hollywood Babylon / ghouls Night out / skulls / Where eagles Dare / Mother of Mercy / angelfuck / she / astro Zombies / Last caress Notes: No parody or pastiche cover this time, simply an original depicting (in monster form) the band with their cool hearse in the background by the one-andonly eerie Von. perhaps in tribute, they do a version of samhain’s “archangel” and “Mother of Mercy,” and they do as good a job of turning samhain on their head as they do the ’Fits. The middle eight of the latter is seemingly their nod to Los straitjackets’ “pacifica.” and no, “Fastro Zombies” and “astro Zombies” is not a typo—they’re two different versions of “astro Zombies.” “Fastro” is played closer to the speed of the Misfits’ original, while “astro” is done more in the style and speed of santo & Johnny’s classic “sleepwalk.”

Earth E.P. U.s. cD ep: Necro-Tone records (14), June 18, 2008

Songs: London Dungeon / return of the Fly / horror hotel / Teenagers from Mars / children in heat / 20 eyes / Night of the Living Dead / Vampira / Die, Die My Darling Notes: Behind another great parody cover (sourcing Earth A.D., obviously) lurks another set of great Misfits-surf instrumentals. The ghosts begin with a revamped version of “London Dungeon,” done at a quicker pace, in keeping with the Earth A.D. thrash theme, although it must be said straightaway that it isn’t thrash. Neither are the other songs, though they keep the up-tempo beat throughout the ep. There’s also a new version of “20 eyes,” and it removes the Jerry only intro to give notice of that fact. The remaining cuts are all top-notch, a testament both to the crimson ghosts’ continuing ability to pull off the somewhat audacious concept and to glenn Danzig’s ability to come up with such strong melodies and hooks.

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The Complete Misfits Discography

I Spit on Your Graves U.s. cassette: chickpea records (cp-033), 2018

Songs: astro Zombies / hybrid Moments / attitude / Last caress / hollywood Babylon / Vampira / London Dungeon / halloween / skulls / angelfuck / Die, Die My Darling / archangel / London Dungeon Notes: “it’s so old, it’s new” (Marlene Dietrich, Touch of Evil). For some weird reason, cassettes are in vogue again, so the ghosts released this cassette-only comp—if for no other reason than to show exactly what gein thinks of the graves-era incarnation of the band.

Various Artists Where Eagles Dare (Sloppy Seconds w/ Bobby Steele) germany cD: Musical Tragedies records (MT-118), 1989 germany 7" ep: Musical Tragedies records (MT-118), 1990 U.s. 7" ep: roadkill records (rDK-008), 1990 U.s. 7" ep: get hip recordings (gh-200), 1996

Songs: Where eagles Dare / ice cream Man Notes: Bobby steele adds guitar to one of the Misfits songs he helped to make famous, which gives this particular cover version a bit more gravitas than it otherwise might’ve had. “ice cream Man” is not a cover of the Van halen song.

Metallifits (Metallica) Japan 7" ep: No Label (No release Number), 1990

Songs: helpless / Last caress / Last caress Notes: Tracks one and two of this unauthorized release are live from the Messegelande in Nuremberg, germany, on august 9, 1987, and track 3 was recorded live in Bradford, england, at saint george’s hall on september 26, 1988. The logo is a mash-up of the Metallica and Misfits logos, the front cover art is a mash-up of a fanged skull and the crimson ghost skull, and the back-cover art is just a mash-up.

Misfits, We Dare You (The Skulls) germany 7" ep: scoolz records (sc-01), 1991

Songs: hollywood Babylon / Where eagles Dare / some Kinda hate / children in heat / hybrid Moments / angelfuck / ghouls Night out Notes: This was apparently the only release from this german hardcore punk band. Their real names aren’t known, but they sure came up with some cool aliases. Vocals: Dan D. Zing; Bass: h. elmo only; guitar: Dc hellman; and Drums: r.a. Bitfuzz.

Last Caress (The Parasites) U.s. 7" ep: shredder records (shreD 9), 1991

4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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Songs: Last caress / Fool for you (Demo) Notes: This is pretty much one of those note-for-note covers that adds absolutely nothing to the original.

I Hear Ya! The Caroline Distribution CD Sampler Fall  U.s. promo cD: caroline records (80085), 1995

Songs: Teenagers from Mars (The Misfits) / altoona (Doc hopper) / a piece (state of the Nation) / outright Lies (88 Fingers Louie) / That girl suicide (Brian Jonestown Massacre) / picturesque (shift) / safe (capsize 7) / Discordia (crash Worship) / another Brick in the Wall (controlled Bleeding) / pale Blue eyes–Live (hole) / The Last Man on earth (Mustard seeds) / cold spring (Wolverton Brothers / Disgruntled employee (Mick Farren/Jack alexander) / Know regrets (combine) / panic Temporary (Monkeywalk) / U Know U can (Da peace Funk) Notes: promotional cD sampler from caroline records in 1995 features “Teenagers from Mars” on the disc and Jerry and Doyle (holding rob partington of caroline records in a headlock) on the cover.

Children in Heat germany cD: hellbound heart recordings (cD 009), 1996 germany 12" Lp: hellbound heart recordings (Lp009), 1996

Songs: hatebreeders (steadfast) / Bullet (refused) / We are 138 (Upright) / skulls (abhinanda) / all hell Breaks Loose (Desperate) / Death comes ripping (surface) / spook city U.s.a. (Vampyre state Building) / Where eagles Dare (outrage) / ghouls Night out (shieLD) / We Bite (enfold) / i Turned into a Martian (Veil) / London Dungeon (inner Fury) / american Nightmare (captain Lodi and the amocos) Notes: This covers compilation is courtesy of german and scandinavian hardcore bands.

Hell on Earth…. Hail to Misfits sweden cD: Tribute records (Tr 004), 1996

Songs: angelfuck / Where eagles Dare (Troublemakers) / hollywood Babylon (entombed) / Death comes ripping (Wolfpack) / Bloodfeast / Bullet (The Mobile Mob Freakshow) / Devil’s Whorehouse (Balzac) / return of the Fly (The 69 eyes) / Night of the Living Dead (The robots) / some Kinda hate / green hell (Deranged) / she / hybrid Moments (Left hand solution) / ghouls Night out / Queen Wasp (gehennah) / halloween / Vampira (Tenebre) / astro Zombies / London Dungeon (The astro Zombies) / Devilock / children in heat (greenscab) / Demonomania (genocode ss) / Who Killed Marilyn / earth a.D. (return of the Misfits) / Teenagers from Mars (Backyard Babies) / Bullet (The hellacopters) / children in heat / she (Demons) / horror hotel / halloween (sex sex sex) Notes: swedish punks Troublemakers do straight-ahead and hard-driving covers of “angelfuck” and “Where eagles Dare.” Misfits pals Balzac do a pretty good cover of “Devil’s Whorehouse.” Long-lived Finnish punk band The 69 eyes cover “return of the

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Fly,” and not in a way that’s shy. The robots are another swedish band, formed in 1990, as are Deranged, formed in 1995, and Left hand solution, who broke up in 2001. sweden’s gehennah are still going strong, but fellow countrymen Tenebre called it quits in 2005. The astro Zombies are a French psychobilly band.

 Hits from Mars U.s. 7" ep: Fandango records (Fr-007), 1997

Songs: skulls (ripsnorter) / We are 138 (idiot police) / Die, Die My Darling (Undermine) / horror Business (silent Noise) Notes: This seven-inch plastic waffle of Misfits covers was a limited edition of 300 copies pressed on blue vinyl, with a sleeve that featured the Fiend club logo over a field of stars. There’s only one alteration to the logo—“The Misfits Fiend club” lettering has been replaced by the names of the bands which perform the songs.

Smokin’ Summer Sampler ’! U.s. cD: geffen records (pro-cD-111–0), 1997

Songs: shutterbug—clean Version (Veruca salt) / Love is the Law—rock edit (The seahorses) / Touch, peel, and stand—edit (Days of the New) / Big Dipper—Lp Version (Melony) / Wash it away—Lp Version (Black Lab) / Dig Up her Bones—Lp Version (Misfits) / The end of something—edit (rollins Band) / stoopid—radio Version (snot) / Tokyo Vigilante #1—edit (powerman 5000) / ready or Not—radio edit (Manbreak) Notes: This combo promo disc/sampler was issued by geffen records in 1997 in a plain cardboard sleeve.

Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits U.s. cD: caroline records (car 138), 1997 eU cD: caroline records (caroL006cD), 1997 U.s. 12" Lp: caroline records (car 138), 1997

Songs: she (snapcase) / astro Zombies (pennywise) / 20 eyes (shades apart) / TV casualty (Tanner) / Where eagles Dare (Therapy?) / London Dungeon (prong) / Death comes ripping (108) / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (Bouncing souls) / ghouls Night out (goldfinger) / horror Business (Deadguy) / all hell Breaks Loose (sick of it all) / Last caress (NoFX) / earth a.D. (earth crisis) / return of the Fly (Farside) Notes: i love NoFX, but i can’t wrap my head around their cover of “Last caress,” and i don’t know why—probably because i can’t tell if they’re making fun of it or not. That might seem strange coming from a lifelong iconoclast, and i certainly don’t think the Misfits shouldn’t have the piss taken out of them now and again, and yet … and yet. The way Fat Mike sings it, he sure sounds like he’s having a laugh, especially in the last verse when he switches to a pseudo-Danzig voice—but then again, the way Fat Mike sings, he sounds like he’s making fun of everyone and everything. But i know Fat loves ’Fits, so call this an affectionate parody.

4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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We Will Fall: The Iggy Pop Tribute U.s. cD: royalty records (rTy106), 1997 U.s. and canada cD: attic records (acD 1492), 1997 U.s. promo cD: royalty records (roi106), 1997 U.K. 2 × cD: revolver records (reVXD221), 1997 Brazil cD: rDs Fonografica (rDsL 5001), 1997 australia and New Zealand cD: TWa records (TWaD433), 1997 Japan cD: Maximum X records (aVcM-65034), 1997

Songs: 1969 (Joey ramone) / search and Destroy (red hot chili peppers) / real Wild child (Joan Jett and the Blackhearts) / ordinary Bummer (adolph’s Dog) / i got a right (The Misfits) / gimme Danger (Monster Magnet) / Lust for Life (Ny Loose) / Loose (pansy Division) / The passenger (The Lunachicks) / 1970 (superdrag) / i’m sick of you (Nada surf) / Funtime (Blanks 77) / i got Nothing (D–generation) / Down on the street/Little Doll (Jayne county) / cold Metal (sugar ray) / sell your Love (extra Fancy) / shake appeal (7 year Bitch) / sister Midnight (Bush Tetras) / TV eye (holy Bulls) / We Will Fall (Lenny Kaye) Notes: The Misfits’ version of “i got a right” also appears on the roadrunner compilation Cuts from the Crypt.

Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Halloween U.s. cD: rhino records (r2 75291), 1998

Songs: The Time Warp (richard o’Brien, patricia Quinn, charles gray, Little Nell) / every Day is halloween (Ministry) / Devil in My car (The B-52’s) / Dead Man’s party (oingo Boingo) / pet sematary (ramones) / Title Theme from Halloween (MX-80 sound) / Theme from The Munsters (comateens) / The creature from the Black Lagoon (Dave edmunds) / halloween (siouxsie and the Banshees) / halloween (The Dream syndicate) / halloween (sonic youth) / halloween (Dead Kennedys) / halloween (The Misfits) / halloween (Mudhoney) / creature with the atom Brain (roky erickson and the aliens) Notes: a seasonal comp whose only distinguishing feature—aside from a couple of the acts being only tangentially “new wave,” like Dave edmunds and roky erickson— was the inclusion of six completely different songs with the title “halloween.”

Halloween (The Hookers) U.s. 7" ep: Black Lung records (BL 017), 1999

Songs: halloween / Valhalla Notes: The hookers’ version is passable; no more, no less, but the really surprising about this single is that they were able to get away with using the sleeve design of the Misfits’ version from 1981 pretty much wholesale, except of course for the band photo.

Graven Images: A Tribute to the Misfits Netherlands cD: Freebird records (Frc 99.01), December 31, 1999

Songs: horror hotel (The Mugwumps) / cough/cool (Fireball Ministry) / ghouls Night out (Freedom Bleeder) / hybrid Moments (Misdemeanor) / Devil’s Whorehouse

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The Complete Misfits Discography

(Fatso Jetson) / children in heat (sunride) / Bullet (smoke in sunshine) / she (Dozer) / skulls (conqueror Worm) / Where eagles Dare (Bongwater 666) / hollywood Babylon (sartana) / all hell Breaks Loose (Nice cat) / some Kinda hate (Bloodwurm) / We are 138 (Demon cleaner) / Who Killed Marilyn? (The Marilyns) / i Turned into a Martian (Dogma hollow) / Die, Die My Darling / (Volume) / We Bite (solace) / London Dungeon (Warhorse) Notes: This Dutch comp was a mix of studio and live recordings.

Download  U.K. cD: roadrunner records (rr 8529–2), 2000

Songs: spit it out (slipknot) / Tribe—extended Version (soulfly) / siberian Kiss (glassjaw) / Tragedy (coal chamber) / Kissin’ god—Demo (anyone) / edgecrusher— Urban assault Mix (Fear Factory) / Zero (The Workhouse Movement) / The Blood, the sweat, the Tears—Live (Machine head) / Vibe (The step Kings) / gene Machine/Don’t Bother Me (sepultura) / Bi-Furious (Downer) / superficial (Boiler room) / asthmatic (spineshank) / everything Dies—edit (Type o Negative) / Forbidden Zone (The Misfits) / The party starts Now (Toilet Boys) / honeycomb (Keith caputo) / From This Day— Video (Machine head) Notes: This cD was put out in commemoration of the annual Download Festival.

Hell on Earth: Tribute to the Misfits U.s. cD: cleopatra records (cLp 0888–2), 2000

Songs: Devil’s Whorehouse (The electric hellfire club) / hollywood Babylon (entombed) / Teenagers from Mars (Backyard Babies) / Bullet (The hellacopters) / return of the Fly (The 69 eyes) / Where eagles Dare (Troublemakers) / Death comes ripping (Wolfpack) / Devil’s Whorehouse (Balzac) / Night of the Living Dead (The robots) / green hell (Deranged) / ghouls Night out (gehennah) / halloween ii (Tenebre) / Demonomania (genocode ss) / she (Demons) Notes: This was the condensed U.s version of the Hell on Earth…. Hail to the Misfits cD.

Misfits Meet the Nutley Brass: Fiend Club Lounge U.s. cD: Misfits records/rykodisc (rcD 10805), 2005 U.s. cD: Misfits records (MrcD 01580), 2013 U.s. 12" Lp: Misfits records (MrLp 01581), 2013

Songs: Last caress / astro Zombies / Where eagles Dare / some Kinda hate / hybrid Moments / hatebreeders / Teenagers from Mars / attitude / angelfuck / skulls / Die, Die My Darling cD Bonus Tracks: i Turned into a Martian / halloween Notes: saddle up the martinis and stir, don’t shake, the horses! if you’re into exotica or space-age bachelor pad music as well as the Misfits, then this groovy platter will really send you! Up front, you get the third Basil gogos cover for a Misfits (related) album, and his painting captures the zany mood perfectly—the crimson ghost in a fez and a smoking jacket sidling up to a blonde bombshell, cocktail glasses in hand. The arrangements and

4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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the instrumentation are very ’60s “Now sound,” like herb alpert doing “angelfuck.” For instance, they turn “Die, Die My Darling” into something that is akin to the great lost James Bond soundtrack music. “halloween” incorporates the sound of “The Theme from shaft,” and on and on. of course, it might not be to everybody’s tastes, but if you dismiss it out of hand, then you’re only denying yourself the chance to hear some truly twisted takes on your favorite band’s songs. again, it’s an audacious concept (maybe even more so than the crimson ghosts), and proves perhaps even more strongly that glenn Danzig used to have a gift for writing incredibly strong melodies—Danzig, what happened? The two bonus tracks were added for a 2013 reissue. The Nutley Brass also produced similar treatments for the ramones’ songbook, with equally loony results.

Not of This World U.s. cD: Level plane records (Lp-89), 2005 U.s. 12" ep: auxiliary records (aUX7), 2005

Songs: am i Demon / american Machine / ride on Deathriders (coliseum) / hell roaring / possession (Doomriders) Notes: For the 12" vinyl version: 566 were pressed on white vinyl, 300 on black vinyl, and 100 on red and white swirl vinyl.

Ms. Fits—Hate Is Your Mistress U.s. cD: cover grrl records (cD9900), 2006

Songs: hatebreeders / green hell / Die, Die My Darling / i Turned into a Martian / We Bite / skulls / angelfuck / astro Zombies / Devilock / Death comes ripping Notes: The Ms. Fits are to punk what Lez Zeppelin is to classic rock—that is to say, taking the testosterone-heavy music of their favorite bands and turning it on its head. i knew i’d love this album when i read the credits—the lead vocalist is listed as gwenn standzbig (patty Lagana), the drummer is robosie (rosie gonce), and the guitar and bass are even played by sisters, Doylie (rachelle arslan) and Mary only (Nicole arslan). i think the reason i dislike most Misfits covers is that they’re done by male bands and singers (yes, even when i sing them), and the renditions invariably come up short compared to the originals, because nobody sounds like Danzig … and the same charge could be leveled at the later incarnations of the Misfits themselves. ergo, it needs to be taken in a completely different direction—not so much musically, as the rest of the girls absolutely wail on their respective instruments, but vocally. Despite the nom de musique, gwenn doesn’t sound like she’s trying to be a female glenn—she’s got the perfect punk voice: young, loud, and snotty. The rest of the band pound their fuckin’ guitars and drums like jackhammers. Hate Is Your Mistress has very clean, although not slick production, powerful but not pushy, and you can actually understand the words. i wanna marry this band.

Halloween Classics U.s. cD: shout! Factory records (826663–11016), september 30, 2009

Songs: ghostbusters (ray parker, Jr.) / halloween Main Theme (John carpenter) /

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The Complete Misfits Discography

Twilight Zone (Neil Norman) / Don’t Fear the reaper (Blue oyster cult) / Frankenstein (edgar Winter group) / Dead Man’s party (oingo Boingo) / Monster Mash (Bobby “Boris” pickett) / Time Warp (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) / Witch Doctor (David seville) / halloween ii (The Misfits) Notes: another seasonal comp, and a skimpy one at that; hell, you pretty much have time for only one round of trick-or-treaters before you have to go back in and change the cD.

Horror Business / Bullet U.s. 7" single: Temporary residence Limited/Merge records (Trr176, Mrg416), 2011

Songs: horror Business (superchunk) / Bullet (coliseum) Notes: This limited-edition single was pressed in three different colors—black, fuchsia, and yellow with black splatter, 666 copies of each. it was a record store Day exclusive in 2011, and featured the photo of Jerry’s eyes from the 3 Hits from Hell ep.

TV Casualty (TV Casualty) U.s. 7" ep: Matador records (eLo-138), 2011

Songs: children in heat / angelfuck / Teenagers from Mars / We Bite / Who Killed Marilyn? / some Kinda hate Notes: This red wax ep, featuring members of the pharmacists, paint it Black, and Franklin, was originally released to benefit the attic youth center in philadelphia; a good record for a good cause.

Garage, Inc. (Metallica) U.s. 2 × cD: Blackened recordings (BLcKND013–2), 2014

Songs: Disc 1—Free speech for the Dumb / it’s electric / sabbra cadabra / Turn the page / Die, Die My Darling / Loverman / Mercyful Fate / astronomy / Whiskey in the Jar / Tuesday’s gone / The More i see. Disc 2—helpless / The small hours / The Wait / crash course in Brain surgery / Last caress/green hell / am i evil? / Blitzkrieg / Breadfan / The prince / stone cold crazy / so What / Killing Time / overkill / Damage case / stone Dead Forever / Too Late, Too Late Notes: Disc one contains (then) new recordings from 1998 (Tracks 1–11), and disc 2 contains the three earlier eps, B-sides and one-offs that started the whole Garage empire. This entry only lists one of the literally hundred-plus versions of this particular project, and even more if you take the original individual Garage stuff. you take ’em, because only one version is needed for our purpose here, and that purpose is to give a nod to the band who revived and ignited the re-interest in the Misfits, leading up to the actual reformation of the band. Their covers of ’Fits songs are enthusiastic, but, really, add nothing to the originals, as do pretty much the rest of the songs—they had the questionable taste to cover the execrable “Turn the page” by the execrable Bob seger (which of course was a huge hit), but that’s balanced out by the Motorhead and Thin Lizzy covers.

4. Tributes, Covers and Compilations

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Punk USA eU 5 × cD Box set: rhino entertainment company (8122795662), 2014

Albums: Television, Marquee Moon—see No evil / Venus / Friction / Marquee Moon / elevation/ guiding Light / prove it / Torn curtain. richard hell and the Voidoids, Blank Generation—Love comes in spurts / Liars Beware / New pleasure / Betrayal Takes Two / Down at the rock and roll club / Who says? / Blank generation / Walking on Water / The plan / another World. The Dead Boys, Young, Loud, and Snotty—sonic reducer / all This and More / What Love is / Not anymore / ain’t Nothin’ to Do / caught with the Meat in your Mouth / hey Little girl / i Need Lunch / high Tension Wire / Down in Flames. The Misfits, Walk Among Us—20 eyes / i Turned into a Martian / all hell Breaks Loose / Vampira / Nike a go go / hatebreeders / Mommy, can i go out and Kill Tonight? (Live) / Night of the Living Dead / skulls / Violent World / Devil’s Whorehouse / astro Zombies / Braineaters. Fear, The Record—Let’s have a War / Beef Boloney / camarillo / i Don’t care about you / New york’s alright if you Like saxophones / gimme some action / Foreign policy / We Destroy the Family / i Love Livin’ in the city / Disconnected / We got to get out of This place / Fresh Flesh / getting the Brush / No More Nothing. Notes: This european collection has five of the most essential punk albums of all time, all gathered together in one neat, tidy, and inexpensive package—in its own way, a virtual punk primer.

Not of This World U.s. 7" single: Magic Bullet records (MBL 189–7), November 18, 2016

Songs: am i Demon (coliseum) / possession (Doomriders) Notes: This split single was taken from the above ep, with both bands’ covers of Danzig songs. Both are serviceable cuts, with the edge going to coliseum, and it gets an extra star because neither one is “Mother.”

Gdansk—A Tribute to Danzig (Grand Massive) germany cD: Metalville records (MV0182), 2018

Songs: 777 / Death comes ripping / Kiss of steel / am i Demon / Let the Day Begin / Mother / she / skulls Notes: i think it would’ve been better if the songs had been done by grand Funk railroad.

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Appendix 1: Complete Recordings of the Original Misfits: Studio, Live Recordings and Television Static Age Mix-Down Tape

Master Sound Productions Mix-Down Tape

Date/Length: February 1978, 30 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Date/Length: September 5, 1980, 25 Minutes Notes: These are the legendary “MSP Sessions.”

Max’s Kansas City (New York City) Date/Length: December 20, 1978, 18 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

The Uncle Floyd Show Date/Length: October 31, 1980, N/A Notes: The Uncle Floyd Show was a comedy/variety show hosted by actor Floyd Vivino which ran from 1974 through 1998 in the New York and New Jersey areas. Ostensibly a children’s program, the show appealed to children of all ages, with a twisted humor that was designed to pull in the adult audiences, much like Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. The program featured many famous musical guests, and an appearance on The Uncle Floyd Show was considered as hip as it was to do a cameo on the Batman TV series of the 1960s. Performers included such diverse acts as The Ramones, The Smithereens, Tiny Tim, Bon Jovi, Squeeze, Blue Oyster Cult, Cyndi Lauper, and, of course, The Misfits.

Studio Zero Date/Length: December 20, 1978, N/A Notes: Audio and Video Tape

Studio Zero Date/Length: January 1979, N/A Notes: This video tape is not a Misfits recording; however, Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only spent an evening at Studio Zero, and were invited on stage to perform some cover songs with some unidentified friends. It has not been distributed and is owned by Bobby Steele.

4th Street Saloon Date/Length: September 14, 1979, 8 Minutes Notes: Video Tape

Newsoundland Mix-Down Tape

4th Street Saloon

Date/Length: June 1981, 26 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Date/Length: September 15, 1979, 31 Minutes Notes: Like the 1979 Studio Zero tape, this recording is owned by Bobby Steele and has not been distributed.

The Pit (Lodi, New Jersey) Date/Length: September 1981, 27 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

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Bookies Club 870 (Detroit, Michigan) Date/Length: September 12, 1981, 29 Minutes Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape

National Ukrainian Home Date/Length: October 30, 1981, 33 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

On Broadway Date/Length: November 20, 1981, 10 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Cuckoo’s Nest Date/Length: November 27, 1981, 34 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

The Ritz (New York City, New York) Date/Length: December 17, 1981, 28 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Hittsville (Passaic, New Jersey) Date/Length: December 25, 1981, 40 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Plan 9/Walk Among us Date/Length: 1981, 30 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Unknown Tape Date/Length: 1981, 14 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

9:30 Club (Washington, D.C.) Date/Length: February 28, 1982, 45 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape and Video Tape

Irving Plaza (New York City, New York) Date/Length: March 27, 1982, 41 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Whisky a Go Go (Los Angeles, California) Date/Length: April 13, 1982, 30 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Al’s Bar (Los Angeles, California) Date/Length: April 17, 1982, 55 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Irving Plaza (New York City, New York) Date/Length: June 25, 1982, 6 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

City Club Date/Length: September 25, 1982, 45 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Eagles Lodge Date/Length: September 26, 1982, 13 Minutes Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape

Bob’s Place Date/Length: October 1, 1982, 31 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Florentine Gardens Date/Length: October 2, 1982, 10 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Finder’s Lounge Date/Length: October 19, 1982, 43 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Wilson Center (Washington, D.C.) Date/Length: October 22, 1982, 32 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Northampton County Area Community College (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) Date/Length: October 29, 1982, 40 Minutes Notes: Video Tape

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Date/Length: October 31, 1982, 45 Minutes Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape Why Be Something You’re Not? Date/Length: January 7, 1983, 25 Minutes Notes: Why Be Something You’re Not was a public- access television show produced by punks in Detroit. There were two known episodes filmed, the first featuring interviews with and performances by the Necros, Negative Approach, and The Displaced; the second show featured interviews with and performances by The Misfits and Fate Unknown. The performance is good, although one could order a pizza and have it delivered before Doyle gets his guitar in tune after practically

The Original Misfits Complete Recordings every song. To be fair, though, good luck with keeping your guitar in tune while not only pounding it like a jackhammer, but trying to avoid stage-diving mooks. The picture quality is decent enough, the performance is strong, and my favorite part of the interview is when the interviewer asks Glenn what the Fiend Club is, and Glenn sez that if you write to them and send your name and address, that they’ll send you a bunch of free stuff in the mail—he even sez that they’ll send you “a whore in the mail.” I got lots of stuff from the Fiend Club, but I sure as hell never got that!

Henry Ford Community College Date/Length: January 7, 1983, 70 minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Goleta Valley Community Center Date/Length: January 21, 1983, 37 Minutes Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape

New Orleans, Louisiana Date/Length: January 30, 1983, 14 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Channel Club Date/Length: March 20, 1983, 52 Minutes Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape

Derkin Park (Boston, Massachusetts) Date/Length: March 20, 1983, 39 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

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P.U.N.X. #4 (Los Angeles, California) Date/Length: April 8, 1983, 45 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Michigan Union Ballroom Date/Length: April 23, 1983, N/A Notes: Video Tape and Audio Tape

Earth A.D. Demos Date/Length: April 8, 1983, 10 Minutes Notes: This batch of demos is popularly known as “The Spot Sessions,” and has been bootlegged as such.

Santa Monica Civic Center (Santa Monica, California) Date/Length: June 11, 1983, 35 Minutes Notes: Video Tape

Graystone Hall Date/Length: October 29, 1983, 65 Minutes Notes: Audio Tape

Back Porch Video Date/Length: 1986, N/A Notes: This show was broadcast over Warner Cable Network in Dearborn, Michigan. The recording date is unknown.

Appendix 2: Famous Magazines of Fanland This appendix is a list of books and magazines featuring the Misfits plus a short review of each. Although the author realizes that it may be woefully incomplete, nevertheless it attempts to list most publications containing anything about the Misfits, either inside on the cover. It includes magazines to fanzines, and books to comic books. It does not feature, however, the individual comic book titles/issues from Glenn’s own company, called Verotik. Verotik featured both original creations, such as the first comic book incarnation of Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer (the first instance in which Glenn collaborated with “Biz,” Simon Bisley) and a lady demon called Satanika. Verotik also published such Golden Age classics as trade paperbacks (before the large onset of deluxe hardcover collections of the same thing) devoted to The Phantom Lady, Valkyrie (Nazi aviatrix and foe of Hillman Comics’ Airboy), The Black Angel (a white American aviatrix who battled the Nazis in a form-fitting black catsuit with a cowl that just had the most darling little set of wings, like Captain America), and Blue Bolt, one of the earliest Joe Simon/Jack Kirby collaborations. Alan Robert’s KILLOGY Halloween Special, October 2014—Up first for your consideration is a comic book published by IDW in 2014. The “flip” cover and preview is for another Alan Robert series, The Shunned One, but the main cover and story feature none other than Doyle, “formerly of the Misfits.” The art is mediocre—Doyle is not a towering, muscular menace, but more like a fleshy-headed mutant. The only passable story concerns our Monsterman warrior trapped in a world he never made, a post-apocalyptic wasteland where “human flesh became the only commodity.” Doyle is attacked by creatures who think he’s the next blue-plate special, and he kicks their asses and takes them to a sort of cannibal’s Texas Road House. The only good line comes when Doyle enters the eatery and the doorman greets him with a hearty “Special today is BRAINS for BRUNCH! Try it, man, it’s delish!” and Doyle responds, “Brains, huh? Think I’ll pass—already had brains for DINNER and brains for LUNCH.” All murder, all guts, but not that much fun. Altercation Magazine, no. 6, 2001—A high-quality free magazine (four words that aren’t usually associated with one another) that was printed on good paper with a slick cover. Besides a Misfits article and a Crimson Ghost cover, there are articles featuring Electric Frankenstein, International Noise Conspiracy, the Priests, and an inside look at that year’s Warped Tour called “Punk Rock Summer Camp.” There are also columns, the coolest among them being “Satan’s Rumor Den,” and reviews of everything from books, movies, live performances, and video games to, of course, music. The Misfits piece is only four pages long, but it features an interview with Jerry, which is always guaranteed to be interesting and fun, if nothing else. He expounds on a number of topics from Roadrunner Records to Henry Rollins to ’Fits-inspired bands to Michale Graves: “Well, Mikey’s fun, but he’s really unreliable … sometimes when you give somebody young the opportunity to fill the shoes of someone like Danzig, they don’t understand the importance of it and how much work it really takes … you’re only as good as your last show.”

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Altercation Magazine, no. 24, 2009—Well, eight years later, it wasn’t free anymore, but it was still cheap ($3.95), but that’s because in the intervening years it had mutated into a slick, squarebound magazine. It retained its quality, and was laid out pretty much the same; it was just on slicker paper. This issue featured not only a Danzig cover and interview, but also a short interview (one page) with Michale Graves. Quotable Glenn: “I was originally going to call Samhain ‘Danzig’ anyway, but I thought it was too much like Billy Idol or something (laughs). But Rick (Rubin) ended up talking me into it.” Quotable Michale: “Those guys hate me.” Chiller Theatre Magazine, no. 3, 1995—This early-ish of Chiller Theatre, another mag that’s an extension of a convention, features a ten-page interview with Jerry called “I Am Misfit,” conducted by Al Ryan. Immediately following this ’view is a two-page article on the then-new Misfits models of Jerry and Doyle, along with a ’Fits family tree. The back cover is a full-page Crimson Ghost face in glorious black and white. Chord Magazine, 1997—With a name like that, one might be forgiven if thinking, at first glance, that this was one of those magazines like Musician or Guitar Player that dwell on technique and equipment, but thank Grodd this is not the case. Instead, it proved an indie-rock stomping ground (think Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll with slightly better-known bands and printed on better paper). In fact, it’s so jam-packed with features that the Misfits article is only three pages, and that’s one of the longer pieces. Jerry is the cover ghoul, which is printed in full color and on slick paper. Doll (Super Head) Magazine, no. 120, August 1997—The Graves version of the Misfits began a three-issue reign of terror (see below) in Doll Magazine in an inauspicious way—they score the cover, but only a three-page interview. Still, compared to the rest of the band features (usually two pages), that’s livin’ in the tall cotton. Okay, Johnny Thunders gets four pages, but he’s not the subject of this book. Each issue of Doll is at least 150 pages, so you can do the math and figure out how many band features and ads there are—and they even stop counting pages when they get to the ads-only section. In addition to the ’Fits, there are features on Motorhead, Bikini Kill, and the aforementioned “Reflections on Johnny Thunders” by Nikki Sudden. Doll (Super Head) Magazine, no. 126, February 1998—Even if you can’t read Japanese, Japan’s magazines (well, pretty much any publication that features illustrations) always, first and foremost, contain mind-bending graphics and sumptuous color photos, really without any equal in the world. This issue is from the Graves era, with a great cover photo, from the same session they used for the cover of their tour program of the same year. The six-page article is a live concert report, from the gig at the Shinjuku Liquid Room. The mag also includes features on The Business (a band, not the music biz), Detestation, Chemical People, John Peel (legendary British DJ) Session Records, a Corrupted U.S. tour diary, the Abnormals, and a Victory Records discography. Doll (Super Head) Magazine, no. 146, October 1999—A year and a half and twenty issues later, the ’Fits again rate the cover; actually, both covers, since the back features a full-color ad for the then-current Famous Monsters album. It features a four-page article on the ’Fits, which may not seem like much, but considering the fact that all the other bands get two pages at the most, this is practically epic. Among those bands are the Boys, Rude Bones, the Mad Capsule Markets, and Capitalist Casualties (a band, not the social condition). Famous Monsters of Filmland Magazine, no. 40, August 1966—This issue of FM is particularly popular among Misfits fans. The reason is that it’s got a cover feature on the film Horror Hotel (with a cover featuring a hideous shrieking ghoul from the original movie poster) and came just early enough in the magazine’s run to have caught the eye of Glenn and set his young, warped mind to working. Oddly enough, even though a goodly part of the Misfits’ image derived from Famous Monsters—from their logo down to an album of the same name (with a Basil Gogos portrait of the band, even)—FM was never kind enough to return the favor. The grossly-

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underrated Ray Ferry revival of Famous Monsters (whereas the Phil Kim era is just gross) featured covers and interviews with Alice Cooper and Gene Simmons of Kiss, but never any mention of the ’Fits. A fiend finds this puzzling, especially as the Ferry run of FM was published at the height of their return from the dead. There was an article on the Crimson Ghost serial in one of the issues, but alas, it featured Karloff as Ardeth Bey (from the Universal Mummy of 1932) on the cover. Fiend Club Illustrated Magazine, no. 1, 1997/1998—The first and, er, only issue of this 16-page appendage of the official Fiend Club, published by our old fiend, Doug Evil (see Squirt Magazine), it features a boatload of fan artwork, a gallery of Misfits fan photos, both famous (Joey Ramone in his Horror Business t-shirt on the Drew Carey Show, for instance) and jus’ plain, everyday fiends sporting their devilocks.. Haunted Horror (Volume One)—This slightly oversized (9 × 11.5) hardcover published by IDW features obscure, yet sometimes incredibly gruesome pre–Comics Code comics of the 1950s, the lesser-known progeny of the legendary EC line. The first volume is of special interest to Misfits fans because (a) the cover is the classic artwork from the cover of the Chamber of Chills comic book that the graphics for the front cover of “Die, Die My Darling,” and (b) the introduction is written by Jerry Only. Horrorhound Magazine, no. 44, 11/12 2013—The 44th issue of the long-running mag featured a Crimson Ghost cover painting (which was also reproduced as the centerfold) by Jason Edmiston and a four-page Misfits career retrospective by Jude Felton. It’s little but it’s loaded with info, record sleeve repros, posters, and assorted ’Fits toys along with assorted paraphernalia. There’s also a two-page feature on the Crimson Ghost by Michael A Leblanc, called “The Crimson Ghost—The Serials, The Movies, and The Legend.” In it he covers not only the original 1946 serial, but all of the various reissues and feature films that were created from it. Hybrid Moments: A Literary Tribute to the Misfits—A book that features fair-to-middling fiction that’s all based on Misfits song titles. As such, it’s kind of like the literary equivalent of a Misfits tribute album—some are good, some are not so good, and no matter how much a particular author expands or expounds on an idea, it’s still better just listening to the original songs. Jersey Beat! No. 40 Summer 1990—Jersey Beat was an independently produced, newsprint from cover-to-cover mag, similar in style to Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll, but with the focus, naturally, on the Jersey scene. It’s always interesting in the present day (whenever that might be) to read old interviews (or watch old movies) because each captures a moment frozen in time. Once it’s printed, it’s, in effect, set in stone, and you can’t take back what you said—and it’ll be forever compared to what you’re doing in the present day. In this three-page interview with Jerry, he’s full of piss and vinegar—he complains about distributors, but what member of the ’Fits, past, present or future, hasn’t? There’s the usual confusion (some call it hope) about what the punters will think of the new band versus the old, and there’s the inevitable question about Glenn. Only it’s not about if “Mo” thinks they’ll ever get back together, but simply when the last time he talked to Danzig was. Jerry replies “I haven’t spoken to Glenn since the Misfits’ last show on Halloween, 1983.” The interviewer expresses surprise, and Jerry continues “We’ve got no reason to talk … you don’t sacrifice your music for a look…. I told Glenn to get Googy back, but instead he picks this kid because he likes his haircut! You don’t pick someone to be in your band on the basis of what he looks like.” (Actually, the Byrds did that very thing.) But the most interesting tidbit or opinion he offers is this: “I’m washing my hands of it. Glenn and Bobby Steele are trying to bank off the Misfits. I’m not interested. We’re beyond that.” Said the man who would later fight long and hard with Glenn to write, perform, and record as the Misfits. Lid Magazine, no. 16, Spring/Summer 2013—Lid Magazine was an upscale photography publication; nearly the whole thing is images, with very little text, and even the ads lean on artsy images with very little or no explanation as to what they’re actually selling. This issue features

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a Misfits cover, a shot of the band circa 1980. The same photo is reprinted on the inside, as part of a series of punk portraits by William Coupon that feature most of the leading lights of the New York punk scene. There are also pieces on Steve McQueen and, er, celebrities wearing sunglasses. Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll, no. 151, December 1995—It was kind of surprising to see an issue of MRR with the Misfits on the cover, and an interview with Jerry on the inside. It wasn’t like they were arch-enemies or anything, but it was no secret that the ’Fits weren’t exactly their cup of tea, not politically correct nor political enough or at all. Maybe that’s why Tim (Yohannon) stuck the article almost in the back of the magazine. And maybe it’s just me, but it still seems like they wanted to keep the band at a safe distance—the magazine didn’t do the interview in person. It was a transcription of a radio interview done for KZSU, the student radio station out of Stanford University, on June 3, 1995. Still, MRR gives it decent space and it’s an interesting read. The interview was done right after the settlement regarding the use of the name was resolved, and right before they got back together proper. They’d gotten Chud to play drums by then, but Graves was not yet on board. They’d already invited Danzig back, but he said no way. In fact, it was when Jerry was still trying to get Dave Vanian of the Damned as their singer. In retrospect, it all seems like a fever dream, nearly impossible to imagine, but seeing as how the Damned were in a sort of constant state of flux (almost as much as the Misfits), it certainly never hurt to ask. I think it would have been interesting to say the least, as I consider not only Dave Vanian’s voice to be an influence on Danzig, but the Damned to the Misfits as a whole. You certainly couldn’t have accused Vanian of not fitting into the aesthetic; I mean, here was a guy that dressed as Count Dracula when he went to work as a gravedigger. Dave Vanian was the original horror-punk. Misery Obscura: The Photography of Eerie Von (1981–1999)—Another 9 × 11.5 inch hardcover, this book was produced originally by Dark Horse and reprinted by Bazillion Points. It is a treasure trove of never-before-seen photographs of the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. One review on Amazon likened it to a “Fiend Club Yearbook,” and the assessment is spot-on: for instance, the book features shots of Doyle in his high school football uniform. The Misfits—This ’zine, as per the popular parlance, really kicks it old school. On first glance, just a bunch of Xeroxed articles and flyers held together with a single staple. Well, that’s what it is, but it’s also a collection of some very rare articles from a whole slew of out-of-print fanzines and other music publications: Forced Exposure, Tales from the Crypt (not the EC comic book), Flipside, Doo-Wop, Trouser Press, Sounds, Il Mucchio Selvaggio, Flesh and Bones, Touch & Go, New Musical Express, The Los Angeles Herald Examiner, The Los Angeles Times and Wave Sector. The Misfits Collector—The Misfits Collector was a ’zine that I published for three issues back in the early 2000s. Think of this book as a deluxe version of that ’zine. Monster Bash Magazine, no. 14, 2012—An extension of the yearly convention, this issue sported an excellent cover painting of the Crimson Ghost by Lorraine Bush, and a very slight, typically dry and humorless article by Leonard Kohl titled “Creepy Cliffhangers.” Pile, no. 21, circa 2000—A tabloid-sized publication that featured a Jerry Only interview, as well as articles on Polvo, 2 Live Crew, and Into Another, plus music and comic book reviews and even poetry. Punk Rock Confidential, Summer 2005—This mag rates inclusion by, admittedly, the slimmest of margins. There isn’t a Misfits article, just one photo of Jerry as part of a five-page photo feature called “32 of my Closest Friends” by Marko 72 of Sugarcult. His hobby seemingly is getting his photo taken with celebrities, any celebrities, from Carmen Electra to Joan Jett to Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks, and it kinda makes you wonder when he actually does anything with his band. PRC, though, was published by Fat Mike of NOFX, and that fact alone guarantees a mention.

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Revolver Magazine, January 2015—The 119th issue of “the world’s loudest rock magazine” features an 8-page article by Sammi Chichester called “Metal Health,” and spotlights “power couple” Doyle and his current GF, Alissa White-Gluz (of Arch Enemy). It’s all about their vegan diets and their workout routines, of which the Monsterman sez: “I admire Alissa. When I work out with her, she kicks my ass and makes me want to cry.” Quotable Alissa: “When I was eleven, the YMCA near my house had ‘Teen Night,’ where it was a way to discover the gym. At first, it was a social activity, but it actually felt good to be in touch with all the muscles in my body. Most kids probably think ‘social’ is followed by the word ‘media,’ but it would be great to have that ‘Teen Night’ situation for them.” Rock ’n’ Roll Industries Magazine, no. 14, 2017—In this 60-page slick magazine, four pages are devoted to Doyle, plus the cover. His response to a question as to whether the Misfits were going to put out a new album following the sold-out reunion shows: “I would absolutely love that; I would love to WRITE with those guys. The past couple shows were amazing!! The energy in the room was electric, every fan in the room singing the songs at the top of their lungs.” Where there’s life, there’s hope…. I hope. Rotten Bad Manners, Issue #1, 1985—In this first and only issue, there’s a Misfits article and cover, there’s a Samhain interview (with Glenn, Damien, and Steve Zing), and articles on bands like Italy’s Negazione, not to mention comics. This is another gloriously old-school ’zine, Xeroxed pages stapled together, and printed on yellow paper. Royal Flush Book Three, 2003—This issue of Flush features, finally, a Misfits career retrospective that’s worth the paper it’s printed on. Royal Flush started out solely as an underground comix anthology, but soon expanded their parameters into music, film, technology, and social issues. It’s printed on quality paper with a full-color, thick cardstock cover, and is massive—112 pages, with 14 of them devoted to the ’Fits, including interviews with Jerry Only and Bobby Steele—and it’s loaded with sleeve reproductions and other graphics. One minor quibble—the cover art, by assistant editor Erik Rodriguez, editor/publisher Josh Bernstein, and executive editor/webmaster Steven Ciancanelli, is very smart illustration featuring the Crimson Ghost, plus portraits of everyone who’d ever been in the band as of 2003. But the title page illustration by Patrick McQuade has Jerry playing just a generic bass guitar, not the one he was famous for; while Doyle wails away on … another bass guitar. Huh? Meanwhile, Bernstein’s drawing for the Jerry interview features him holding a six-string guitar! Don’t let that distract you, though, from the article and the interviews’ general excellence. Quotable Jerry: “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to kids who were molested when they were young and wanted to check out on life and that our music helped pull them through. I mean, that’s what it’s all about. That’s what makes it so worthwhile. The rest is bullshit.” Quotable Bobby (in response to a question about if his Misfits were involved in a plane crash, which he would eat first): “Let’s see … couldn’t be Joey, because he was too loaded with narcotics. That wouldn’t have been a good meal. Guess it would have to come down to Jerry. He’s the biggest one, with the most meat on him, (and) the most expendable—he’s only the bass player (laughs). Yeah, I’d say Jerry … but he’d probably give me indigestion.” The ’Fits are also on hand for Bernstein’s hilarious two-page strip, “The Scooby Doo Gang meet the Misfits,” in which the Mystery Machine runs out of gas and pulls up to the Androids Dungeon and “the Comic Book Guy” from The Simpsons. The Misfits are hot on his trail, having gotten a tip that he’s a bootlegger. He is indeed, but it turns out Comic Book Guy is wearing a mask, and when unmasked, is revealed to be … Glenn Danzig! Brilliant! Another hilarious parody comes on the last page of the mag, a piss-take on the old Captain Company ads which ran in the back of FM, Vampirella, Creepy, etc., and featured life-size posters like Frankenstein by Jack Davis and Vampirella by Pepe Gonzalez. Except that in this case, it’s professional twitchy nut Jeff Goldblum (a West Homestead, PA, native) at his nerdiest. Huzzah! Rue Morgue Magazine, no. 12, 11/12 1999—Rue Morgue Magazine sure does love the Misfits— this early issue is the first of three issues of the long-running mag to feature Misfits-related arti-

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cles. This particular piece is about the making of the video for “Scream,” written by Gregorius Chant, followed by a half-page ad for the Famous Monsters album. The EC Comics–style cover features an illustration based on Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, with the Misfits grabbing one of the insets that, in the comics, featured the horror hosts—and since the Crypt Keeper is already there, courtesy of the Tales from the Crypt television series, that must mean the ’Fits are either the Vault Keeper or the Old Witch. Take your pick. Rue Morgue Magazine, no. 75, 11/12 2002—This issue, like many other mags from around the same time period, features a five-page article on the Misfits’ 25th anniversary. Unlike most of those publications, this retrospective is thankfully a little different. Instead of just regurgitating the band’s volatile history, the article by Aaron Lupton does indeed do a little bit of that necessary task, but also includes a list of horror films that influenced the ’Fits up until that time. Also included in the piece is a page’s worth of Misfits memories by former band members (plus three), with reminiscences by Googy, Franché Coma, Mr. Jim, Bobby Steele, Chud and Myke Hideous. Considering that all of them were either fired or quit, most of them retain fond memories of the band—all except for Chud, who comes off as an ungrateful jerk: “If I don’t have anything nice to say, I won’t say anything at all.” It’s especially nice to hear from Googy, who was always my favorite Misfits drummer: “I always went to rehearsals and I made my drum parts the best I can. The music is the stuff that ends up staying. I’d like to say: where’s Glenn? I miss him, and haven’t heard from him in a long time. How’s Doyle? God bless him. It was a good time, we had a lot of fun…. Jerry, Bobby, Doyle and Glenn, they were nice guys.” Eerie Von and Steve Zing also contribute, plus a line or two from somebody named Jerry Only. Seriously, and most surprisingly, the article doesn’t include an interview with Jerry! Rue Morgue Magazine, no. 101, June 2010—In this centennial plus one issue was a nine-page article on Danzig, with two of those pages devoted to Simon Bisley, frequent Danzig collaborator on both his records and Verotik comic books. Quotable Biz: “We’ll probably collaborate for ever and ever, if neither one of us ends up killing the other one first.” Quotable Glenn: “What amuses me? I don’t know … stupid people getting killed.” Oh, well, at least he didn’t wanna blow up the world anymore. Actually, he comes off as fairly personable, which he is, especially when he reveals what his three favorite comic book series are, and one of them is Jack Kirby’s The New Gods: “People don’t understand that Kirby wasn’t just some schmuck from New York … this was a guy that really read a lot, he knew shit that a lot of people didn’t know. I think the first time I even learned of DNA was from a Kirby comic.” (“The DNA Project” was a central theme in the early issues of what would come to be known as “The Fourth World Trilogy”— The New Gods, The Forever People, and Mister Miracle.) Screen Thrills Illustrated, no. 4, April 1963—Another late, lamented Warren mag, this one focusing on serials and other assorted B-Movie fare. There is no Crimson Ghost feature, but he does show up on the cover clutching Linda Stirling with his bony gloves. The article is actually about Stirling (Tiger Woman); it’s billed as “The Girl Villains Loved to Hate” on the cover, while inside the mag, it’s actually called “Linda Stirling: Siren of the Serials.” In The Crimson Ghost, she played Charles Quigley’s beautiful, smart, and resourceful assistant. Squirt Magazine no. 1, 1997—Squirt Magazine was published and edited by Doug Evil, and was intended to be a bi-monthly publication devoted mostly to the Misfits. Unfortunately, it only lasted two issues, but they were a great two issues. There were more planned, as the cover mock-ups for issues 2 (see below) and 3 on the back page showed (also available was a sixmonth subscription), but, beyond the second issue, none of that ever came to pass. The “Ghoul of the Month” was B-Movie actress Jasmine St. James, along with a revealing editorial by Doug— although not as revealing as he apparently would have liked—about the amazing origin of Squirt and just why that was the title of a Misfits ’zine: OK, here’s the truth—Squirt was supposed to be a skin mag. You can tell by the title. Pretty girls, though, won’t take their clothes off for me to take pictures. Instead I get stuck with this gig of touring with national acts … pretty sad, right? Guess I’ll just do a mag about rock ’n’ roll. Still, now and then I

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get a shot of some fancy feline and so, to break up the monotony of the music theme, the Squirt Ghoul of the Month will be a special treat to look at.

Squirt Magazine no. 2, 1997—More ’Fits fun from Doug Evil. The lead, most extensive and expansive article is by Doug, and is called “How I Spent my Summer Vacation,” all about what it was like to be a roadie for a leg of the Misfits’ “Resurrection” tour. That leg started auspiciously, in Cleveland (as most things start in Cleveland) at the famed Agora, with Michale Graves in the Great Stony Mansion for “pummeling” a monitor operator in D.C. at the Capitol Theatre. Other pieces included the “Ghoul of the Month,” again (expanded from the one-page feature in issue 1); this time around it was “Persephone, Queen of the Underworld” (as opposed to Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, about whom there was also a feature). There’s the “Drive-In Dave’s Horror Business” movie review, this time appropriately spotlighting Blood Feast, and also a short-short about Bad Religion. Tales of Horror: The History of the Misfits and the Undead—This slim 56-page book by Joel Gausten is more like a well-produced fanzine, excerpted from his book Albums That (Should’ve) Changed the World. Unlike James Greene, he was a Misfits fan from the beginning, and the Undead after, and the result is a well-informed, no frills (a.k.a. no graphics) portrait of both bands. Of course, Misfits Walk Among Us is his pick for one of the albums that (should’ve) changed the world—how could it not be? Terrorizer Magazine, no. 71, October 1999—Terrorizer was a mag that specialized in Hardcore Punk, Industrial, and Heavy Metal. This issue has a four-page article on the Misfits, mostly an interview with Jerry hot on the heels of the release of Famous Monsters. It had great production values, slick all the way through, with a full-color cover featuring Doyle. Collector’s Note: This is one of those annoying British magazines that are about an inch taller than their American counterparts, thereby making storage a pain in the arse. This Music Leave Stains—I’ve already said all I have to say about this book in the preface. Thrasher Magazine, Vol. 6, no. 6, June 1986—What Ugly Things Magazine # 12’s massive Jerry Only interview was to the history of the Misfits, this issue of Thrasher can be called Glenn’s side of the story (albeit told seven years earlier). The interview with Danzig is done by our kid Pushead, and translates into seven print pages; the audio of the Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman clash of the terror-titans would later form part of the all-interview Misfits X-Posed CD. It’s a fascinating read, and covers a wide area of subjects, with Danzig and Pus ruminating on everything from the “fascist” tendencies of peace punks to drugs to toys to Danzig as the would-be Destroyer of Worlds: “I don’t care about other people. Basically, I give two shits about people. I’d just as soon kill the whole human race right now.” (Was he conscious that he was paraphrasing a line from “Astro Zombies”?) “It’s like if someone said, “Here’s the button, this will blow up the whole world,” I would press it right now.” (Was he conscious that he was coming off like the character in Todd Rundgren’s “Heavy Metal Kids”?) If he was, he obviously didn’t care. Ugly Things Magazine, no. 12, 1993—For years (at least according to James Greene), this was considered the “Bible” for Misfits history (at least by those who hadn’t read or didn’t remember Glenn’s 1986 Thrasher interview). It might be more accurately described as “the gospel according to Jerry.” That’s not to say his information should be ignored or discarded or is bullshit, just that, as with the Danzig interview seven years earlier, it’s information as seen through that particular person’s eyes. Glenn trashed Jerry and basically everybody who had ever been in the band, so this was Jerry’s Revenge of the Creature; Jerry’s chance to trash Glenn and most everybody who’d ever been in the band. For instance, he calls Bobby Steele a “jerk,” among many uncomplimentary things; twenty years later, when asked about Bobby, he would say, “Good guy, nice fella.” That’s what makes interviews fascinating; they are moments captured in time, and as time changes, maybe the subject’s views do as well. It’s an epic interview, conducted by editor Mike Stax, 22 pages supplemented with vintage photos and bits and bobs of exposition by Stax. Perhaps needless to say, this interview generated a veritable flood of mail, both from

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Fiends and, just as importantly, from a couple of the specific band members that Jerry had trashed. Not sure it was intended this way, but for the Misfits in general, it was Continued Next Issue…. Ugly Things Magazine, no. 13, 1994—The next issue of U.T. saw a slight format change; same good-quality paper, but a slick cover, with a Misfits inset photo that promised “More Horror Business.” Although not as long as the Jerry interview, the letters that interview provoked (and the accompanying rebuttal interview with Joey Image proved nonetheless almost as interesting, if only because of the number of other voices involved). Editor/publisher Mike Stax sent a copy of the mag to Bobby Steele, who responded: “You guessed right about me being unhappy with what (Jerry) said. He’s had a history of saying nothing but shit about me from the beginning.” Bobby said he was working on a rebuttal, but that never materialized. Stax also heard from Joey Image (whom Jerry had called “a fuckin’ bum” in the interview), who said, “I would like to tell my story—since I’m such a bum!” Joey proceeded to do just that in the interview. Quotable Joey: “Glenn, he’s really, like, a motherfucker. He turned on everybody.” Many fiends took the time to write and share their personal memories of the ’Fits. Just one of a number of great stories came from Byron Foley, then (and maybe still) of Northampton, Massachusetts: “The incredible thing to me was that all those guys were living with their folks during the course of the Misfits. You’d be in Glenn’s ‘den,’ and his mom would come down with a tray of sandwiches, just like the way Greg Ginn’s mom would bring a bowl of tuna salad to the old, old SST HQ in Redondo. Not quite the image they wanted to project.” Varla Magazine, 2000—Varla (named after Tura Satana’s character in the legendary Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill!) was a well-printed, full-color “girlie” magazine with a twist—it wasn’t put out by some leering old man in a bathrobe, but published and edited by a young woman, Rachel Melkerson, who also took the majority of the naughty-yet-tasteful photographs. The numberone focus was on the girls, of which there were plenty, but there was plenty of emphasis on hot rods and music. The Dropkick Murphys and the Authority were featured, but the main feature ran six pages, and consisted of an interview with Jerry by Mike Voss and Shelby Jones. Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine, September/October 2017—This is definitely the farthest thing from a monster mag or music mag on this list, but this issue features Doyle and Alissa White-Gluz on the cover and a six-page article. To me, one quote from Doyle really stands out. He was talking about acting in a Rob Zombie video, and said, “Rob and I laughed. We made fun of people who make fun of vegans—like you do—weak, uneducated idiots!” Whoa, lighten up, Francis! First off, just who was he talking to—the interviewer? No, probably not, because they were doing the interview for a vegan magazine. Was he referring to the readers, or maybe more specifically, people like me who picked up the mag because Doyle was on the cover? If so, that doesn’t sound like a very tolerant attitude. Message to Doyle: speaking personally, no, I’m not vegan, but I’m also kind of a live-and-let-live kinda guy who figures there’s very little percentage in criticizing people’s lifestyle choices. Visual Vitriol: The Street Art and Subcultures of the Punk and Hardcore Generation—Another generous book, both in size and the amount of graphic material offered. The book features a wide spectrum of the punk and hardcore flyers that I and countless others of my generation spent countless hours creating and walking countless miles to put up wherever there was an empty space in town, including a goodly number of Misfits posters. As with many of the things elsewhere in this book, I have a personal connection to this book—the front cover features one of my old band’s flyers. And no one was more surprised to find that than me! I first learned of the book when I got an email from our bassist asking me if I’d seen or heard of it. I hadn’t, but when I saw the cover I immediately contacted the publisher. I wasn’t mad (in fact, I was honored) or wanting paid or anything, I just wanted to know why they didn’t at least ask my permission. The publisher said that they and the author had tried, but they couldn’t find me, which I found to be a perfectly reasonable explanation, as my social media presence is less than zero. They were very nice about it and not only promised to credit me in future editions, but sent me a

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couple of copies of the book as well. As a band, we were neither lyrically nor musically inspired by the Misfits, but I was responsible for the entire band’s graphics, and I double-damn sure was inspired by the Misfits! The poster that they reproduced on the cover of Visual Vitriol was a poster on which I had used an image from (appropriately enough, I guess) Dr. Phibes. I guess I could wax philosophical and say that it was one of the best ways I could think of to mirror the horrors of modern society, but it was in equal part down to the fact that monsters simply look cool, and there’s nothing like a horrible image to grab the attention of passers-by. Vive Le Rock Magazine, no. 15, 2014—The fifteenth issue of this excellent British rock mag featured what the other, older Brit mags (such as Mojo and Uncut) never have had the good sense to do—a cover story about the Misfits. The best part is that it’s not just a career retrospective, it’s got brand new interviews with Jerry, Doyle, and best of all, Danzig, talking (for what seemed the first time in years) about the ’Fits, which he previously had been pointedly unwilling to do. The total length of the article is a whopping 12 pages—six devoted to the retrospective, and two pages each for the interviews. Quotable Doyle (in response to a question as to whether or not he argued with Glenn when he toured with Danzig): “He’s always right, you know, so why would there be any arguing? (Laughs).” Quotable Jerry: “(The Misfits) are like a ’50s band that was buried alive for 40 years and just came back to haunt you all!” Quotable Glenn (in response to the inevitable question): “It’s never gonna happen! Me and Doyle playing these songs together on this tour is as about as near as you are gonna get to a Misfits reunion!” Two years later, the Misfits got back together for a series of reunion shows that have lasted for two years and counting. WCW Wrestling Magazine, no. 58, February 2000—A memento of the Misfits’ ill-advised foray into the world of professional wrestling. They made the cover in a marginal way—the bulk of it was occupied by “Sid Vicious” (real name: Sid Eudy). The Misfits had to be satisfied with an inset photo, which they had to share with Vampiro, a Canadian-born wrestler who became famous in Mexico. There’s a six-page article called “Ominous Alliance” by Ross Forman, detailing the bond between Vampiro and his favorite band, and how they planned to take WCW by storm. Vampiro was a bit more successful; in his only match, neophyte wrestler Jerry got his ass kicked very thoroughly by “Doctor Death” (Steve Williams), who had another pulp-inspired nickname. There’s a large poster as well, with Vampiro and the ’Fits, and it’s sorta telling that the only people who look like they’re into it are Vampiro and Jerry; Graves in particular looks embarrassed to be in the shoot. Reportedly, it was that way in real life too—Jerry’s infatuation with wrestling (which conveniently provided yet another medium that the Misfits could worm their way into) only exacerbated the tensions that already existed in the group, and surely did nothing to halt the demise of that version of the band. World of Fandom Magazine, Volume 2 no. 28, winter 1996/1997—It doesn’t have much of a Misfits article; two pages basically congratulating them for getting back together and being on the road again. Actually, it’s more like a page, because the other one is taken up by the ’Fits logo, a vintage still of the Crimson Ghost, assorted henchmen, and the Cyclotrode, and a funny reworking of Criswell’s nutty opening speech from Plan 9 from Outer Space (“We are all interested in the future because that is where we will spend the rest of our lives…”). It’s worth it just for the cover alone, courtesy of the Misfits—a classic Basil Gogos painting of the Crimson Ghost “dressed in a Santy Claus hat and a coat” (originally done for a Fiend Club t-shirt). Packing quite a bit into its 108 pages, it’s got everything from music and movie reviews to features on Stephen King, the Mars Attacks movie, and Mothra.

Appendix 3: Captain Video Bookie’s Club 870, Detroit Michigan, September 12, 1981 Songs: 20 Eyes / I Turned into a Martian / Horror Business / Horror Hotel / Ghouls Night Out / London Dungeon / Vampira / Skulls / All Hell Breaks Loose / Attitude / Devil’s Whorehouse / Hatebreeders / We Are 138 Running Time: 28 Minutes Notes: To quote from the DVD concerning the quality of the video, “It’s terrible, and it’s always going to be terrible, and yet, as of right now, this is the least terrible version out there!”

Channel Club, Boston Massachusetts, March 20, 1983 Songs: Halloween / 20 Eyes / Wolf ’s Blood / All Hell Breaks Loose / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Devil’s Whorehouse / Demonomania / London Dungeon / Die, Die My Darling / Violent World / Astro Zombies / Green Hell / I Turned into a Martian / Skulls / Devilock / We Are 138 / Nike A Go Go / Hatebreeders / Braineaters / Attitude / Rise Above / Horror Business / Bullet Running Time: 53 Minutes Notes: This show was reportedly videotaped for Flipside Magazine, but was never officially released due to—all together now—legal conflicts. Whereas some other Misfits performances look like they’re, say, second-generation dupes, this one looks to be, oh, about a fourth. This one is pretty hard to watch and listen to, but at least it’s available.

Danzig and Doyle: Misfits’ Revenge Songs: Wotan’s Procession / Skin Carver / Satan’s Child / Evil of The / Black Mass / Circle of Snakes / 1000 Devil’s Reign / How the Gods Kill / Her Black Wings / 20 Eyes / Skulls / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Earth A.D. / Hatebreeders / Blood Feast / We Are 138 / Bringer of Death / Bass Solo / Twist of Cain / Mother / Die, Die My Darling Running Time: 72 Minutes Notes: Recorded at the Electric Factory, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on March 2, 2005.

Earth A.D. 1983 Songs: Earth A.D. / I Turned into a Martian / Skulls / Devilock / Queen Wasp / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Hatebreeders / Braineaters / Halloween / Bullet / Horror Business / We Are 138 / Braineaters / Crimson Ghost Running Time: 33 Minutes Notes: This is one DVD version of the Why Be Something You’re Not broadcast, with added bonuses the rare promo video for “Braineaters” and the promo for “Crimson Ghost,” which features primo footage from the original 1946 serial.

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Effenaar Eindhoven, Netherlands April 23, 1997 Songs: Immigrant Song / Communication Breakdown / How Many More Times / Earth Angel / Hollywood Babylon / In the Doorway / Static Age / Shining / Don’t Open ’til Doomsday / Speak of the Devil / Abominable Dr. Phibes / Halloween / Horror Business / I Turned into a Martian / Death Comes Ripping / All Hell Breaks Loose / American Psycho / Speak of the Devil / Static Age / TV Casualty / Hybrid Moments / Last Caress / In the Doorway / From Hell They Came / Walk Among Us / Violent World / Vampira / Return of the Fly / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Attitude / Skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / Where Eagles Dare / Astro Zombies / Hatebreeders / Bullet / We Are 138 / Green Hell / Devilock / Hellhound / Die, Die My Darling Running Time: 99 Minutes Notes: The DVD of this outing is in three parts, and is easily the most complete document of a Misfits show, from the road to the stage. The first part is called “Writing Songs on the Bus,” and features the band doing just that with (literally) an inside look at their tour bus. The second part is the “Sound Check,” with a roadie singing the Led Zep songs, just in case you were wondering about their disturbing inclusion in the track listing. The third part is the show itself, another excellent performance by a band that, like the Ramones, despite whatever tensions existed within the ranks had become a well-oiled touring machine. They remain so to the present day.

Goleta Valley Community Center, January 21, 1983 Songs: 20 Eyes / I Turned into a Martian / All Hell Breaks Loose / Skulls / Horror Business / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / London Dungeon / Halloween / Night of the Living Dead / Nike A Go Go / Demonomania / Violent World / Vampira / Wolf ’s Blood / Hatebreeders / Braineaters / Astro Zombies / We Are 138 Running Time: 36 Minutes Notes: This set packs 17 songs into 36 minutes, which sounds like the original adverts for the Ramones’ It’s Alive.

Love Hall, Philadelphia, PA, October 23, 1982 Songs: Halloween / 20 Eyes / Earth A.D. / I Turned into a Martian / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Astro Zombies / London Dungeon / Bullet / Violent World / We Bite / Skulls / Night of the Living Dead / Wolf ’s Blood / Vampira / Attitude / Hatebreeders / We Are 138 / Die, Die My Darling / Demonomania / Queen Wasp / Braineaters / Horror Business Running Time: 52 Minutes Notes: Love Hall was an epic show containing cuts from most phases of their career.

Melkveg Max, Amsterdam, Netherlands, March 19, 1996 Songs: Halloween / Horror Business / I Turned into a Martian / Death Comes Ripping / All Hell Breaks Loose / The Hunger (listed as “Hungry Children”) / TV Casualty / Hybrid Moments / Last Caress / Skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / She / Teenagers from Mars / Children in Heat / Violent World / Vampira / Blacklight / The Haunting / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / We Bite / Die, Die My Darling / Where Eagles Dare / Come Back / Return of the Fly / Hatebreeders / American Nightmare / Hollywood Babylon / Horror Hotel / Ghouls Night Out / Angelfuck / Attitude / London Dungeon Running Time: 64 Minutes Notes: One of the few videos to feature a performance from the Graves era.

Misfits Fiend Club (1996)—Three Movies/Shows: The Hideous Sun Demon (1959) Interview: Basil Gogos The Crawling Eye (1962) Interview: Ben Chapman Horror Hotel (1960) Interview: Roger Corman Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes per show

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Notes: Okay, fiends, you wanna talk about rare and very cool Misfits on DVD (or video tape, as they were originally), now you’re talkin’. In the great and glorious tradition of Vampira, Zacherley, Elvira, and Svengoolie, the Misfits (at least Jerry and Doyle) take their turn as horror hosts, appropriately to a few movies that inspired at least two of their songs. The Misfits’ segments were videotaped at Mapelyn Studios in Warwick, New York, in 1996, and the show itself constituted the first three episodes of a proposed Shock Theater–type show. It didn’t happen, mainly because the Misfits couldn’t get the rights to the movies they wanted to show, and they didn’t want to show public-domain staples like House on Haunted Hill for the umpteen millionth time. It’s a shame it didn’t happen, because it was done very right, everything you could hope for and more. The fun starts with a great intro of the band (at the time, Jerry, Doyle, Graves and Chud) stalking through a cemetery that leads up to a castle. Interspersed with these spooky goingson are the title of the show, accompanied by “Dr. Phibes Rises Again” (the instrumental backing track) and numerous film clips, including Plan 9 from Outer Space, Fiend Without a Face, and naturally, The Crimson Ghost. Jerry and Doyle take over from there, on a very nicely-designed creepy castle set (done by Ken “Rock” Caiafa), and offer up a spate of informative and entertaining comments on the films—Jerry is pure glazed ham, and Doyle is also a hoot. They take a break in the middle of each film (the intermission, if you will) to do an interview, each with a bona-fide legend of the monster world. The Hideous Sun Demon features Basil Gogos, painter of so many Famous Monsters covers (both the magazine and the Misfits album of the same name, not to mention their American Psycho and the Nutley Brass’s Fiend Club Lounge). The Crawling Eye’s interview is with Ben Chapman, who played the Creature from the Black Lagoon on land (Ricou Browning, of course, played him in the underwater scenes). Ben was a great guy, and after the first time I met him, anytime I would see him at a show or something, he always remembered my name and made it a point to talk to me. One of my fondest memories of him is when a friend took a video store promo Creature stand-up display and asked Ben to sign it. Ben said, “Ya want me to draw a big dick on it for ya?” My buddy declined, a decision I think he regrets now. Last but certainly not least, the Horror Hotel show’s guest is Roger Corman. The interviews are regrettably short, but sweet, and it’s fun to see Jerry and Doyle’s fannish enthusiasm bubbling over. Each show ends with the same clip, that of the whole band performing “Dr. Phibes Rises Again” for a couple of minutes, and the credits roll over that. I wish they would’ve done a different song for each show, but that’s a minor quibble. Each of the shows is great, and well worth seeing and/or collecting. They used to turn up on DVD quite often about 10 or 12 years ago, but not so much anymore, although copies of the VHS versions turn up fairly regularly.

Misfits/Samhain Songs: Samhain / Moribund / Black Dream / Death Comes Ripping / Unholy Passion / Mother of Mercy / The Shift / Die, Die My Darling / To Walk the Night / Halloween II / Let the Day Begin / Halloween / 20 Eyes / I Turned into a Martian / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Skulls / Violent World / London Dungeon / All Hell Breaks Loose / We Bite / We Are 138 / Demonomania / Attitude / Wolf ’s Blood / Hatebreeders / Vampira / Bullet / Devilock Running Time: 59 Minutes Notes: The Misfits show was recorded on Halloween 1982 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the Samhain gig was recorded on July 14, 1986, at the Ritz in New York City. Although the back cover lists the Samhain songs first, that show follows the Misfits footage.

Misfits Walk Among You Songs: Go Bankrupt and Die / You Give Me the Creeps / Marching for Trash / Legal Genocide / I Am the Establishment / Cops for Fertilizer / Leave Me Alone / Hinkley Had a Vision (Crucifucks) / Hypocrite / I Can’t Take It / Woo-Hoo / Desperation Takes Hold / Hunger Strike / Time Has Come Today / La Bamba / Paranoid / Violent Apathy (Violent Apathy) / 20 Eyes / Earth A.D. / I Turned into a Martian / All Hell Breaks Loose / Horror Business / Mommy, Can

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I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Queen Wasp / Attitude / London Dungeon / Astro Zombies / Night of the Living Dead / Teenagers from Mars / Vampira / Devilock / We Bite / We Are 138 (Misfits) / Face Forward / Race Riot / Your Version of What I Think / Change / Public High School / Youth Camp / Conquest for Death / Police Brutality / No One / I Hate My School / Take ’em Up / Peer Pressure / Satisfy / IQ32 (Necros) Running Time: 85 Minutes Notes: This one really captures what those old four-band (and sometimes more) hardcore shows were like, as it features the Misfits and the three other bands that played, including the unannounced (and typically crappy) Crucifucks, from the Eagles Lodge show in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on September 26, 1982. There are two bonus scenes as well: “The earliest recorded footage of the Misfits (Sorta)” at Studio Zero in NYC doing “The Peppermint Twist” (!!!) and “I Wanna Be Your Dog.” The second is from the Santa Monica Civic Center on June 11, 1983, and these four-odd minutes of footage are the only four minutes of the video left in circulation, when the Misfits and the Vandals opened for Black Flag for their “Everything Went Black” reunion show, where Chavo Pederast, Dez Cadena, and Lonesome Hank Rollins each performed a set on vocals. As has been said before, the ’Fits were pretty much playing at supersonic speeds by this time, and though it’s only some four minutes, they manage to squeeze in four songs (take that, Ramones!): “Green Hell,” “Wolf ’s Blood,” “Vampira,” and “Devilock.”

Northampton College, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, October 29, 1983 Songs: Halloween / 20 Eyes / I Turned into a Martian / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Skulls / Violent World / London Dungeon / All Hell Breaks Loose / We Bite / We Are 138 / Demonomania / Attitude / Wolf ’s Blood / Hatebreeders / Vampira / Bullet / Devilock Running Time: 35 Minutes Notes: Although the DVD cover lists this as a show from 1983, it was actually from 1982. The Misfits played at Graystone Hall on October 29, 1983.

Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, May 19, 2018 Songs: Death Comes Ripping / I Turned into a Martian / 20 Eyes / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Vampira / Devilock / Where Eagles Dare / London Dungeon / Hybrid Moments* / Teenagers from Mars / Earth A.D. / Horror Business / Hollywood Babylon / Bullet / Who Killed Marilyn? / Green Hell / Halloween / Skulls* / Die, Die My Darling / Astro Zombies / Last Caress / Night of the Living Dead / Some Kinda Hate / She / Violent World / All Hell Breaks Loose / Attitude Running Time: 61 Minutes Notes: The asterisks for “Hybrid Moments” and “Skulls” denote songs which were included in the performance, but not included on this DVD. This DVD is final proof (if any were needed) that we are truly living in Be Bop Deluxe’s fabled “Air Age”—it’s not only the first DVD (unofficial, of course) of the reunited Misfits (available less than a month after the show), but I believe it’s the first one to be constructed entirely of cellphone footage. But some of these new phones are quality devices—it’s actually very good in terms of picture quality, compiling the footage from three or four different sources (various levels in the Prudential Center and the floor). The sound quality ain’t too shabby either. In terms of quality, it’s easily better than all the shows featuring the original band in its prime which have been released up until now, video tape in its 666th generation. But seeing this latest show, something struck me—it had before when I watched the Riot Fest, Forum, and MGM Grand shows, and I had dismissed it, but what were vices appear to be habits now: those stages are immense, giving the band lots of elbow room and myriad opportunities for rock ’n’ roll antics, which Jerry takes full advantage of, but … there’s something missing. Not in terms of the presentation or quality of the music, but seemingly in terms of the fun of the guys who are performing. These huge stages physically give the band members a lot of distance in between them, which is too tempting a metaphor for their current state of relations. Now I’m not going to claim to be able to see inside their heads, but the body language tells another story. It’s not so much the physical space between them as how they per-

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form in it, and in those terms, they may as well be playing on different stages. Everybody’s just doing their own thing, with no interaction between them until the last couple of songs, with Doyle in particular off on his own planet. Oh, well, at least they’re not the Gallagher or the Davies brothers, who won’t even play together, nicely or otherwise.

Rio’s, Bradford, UK, April 19, 1997 Songs: Abominable Dr. Phibes / Halloween / Horror Business / I Turned into a Martian / Death Comes Ripping / All Hell Breaks Loose / American Psycho / Shining (listed as “Shinning”) / Static Age / TV Casualty / Hybrid Moments / Last Caress / In the Doorway / From Hell They Came / Speak of the Devil / Violent World / Vampira / Skulls / Hate the Living, Love the Dead / Crimson Ghost / Queen Wasp / Green Hell / 20 Eyes / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Attitude / London Dungeon / Black Light / The Haunting / Astro Zombies / Hatebreeders (listed as “Hate Breeders”) / Bullet / We Are 138 / Come Back / Angelfuck / We Bite / Some Kinda Hate / Where Eagles Dare / Die, Die My Darling / Teenagers from Mars / Don’t Open ’til Doomsday Running Time: 69 Minutes Notes: This is another killer show from the Graves version of the band.

“Scream” VHS Running Time: 2 Minutes 55 Seconds Notes: “Scream” was famously directed by George (Night of the Living Dead) Romero, and is a mini-movie, featuring the band as zombies running amok in a hospital, with plenty of the gore that Romero helped to make famous.

Why Be Something You’re Not? Songs: Earth A.D. / I Turned into a Martian / Skulls / Devilock / Queen Wasp / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Hatebreeders / Braineaters / Halloween / Bullet / Horror Business / We Are 138 Running Time: 25 Minutes Notes: Why Be Something You’re Not was a Detroit–area public-access television show.

Zeche Carl Club, Essen, Germany, April 24, 1997 Songs: Halloween / I Turned into a Martian / Death Comes Ripping / All Hell Breaks Loose / American Psycho / Speak of the Devil / Static Age / TV Casualty / Hybrid Moments / Last Caress / In the Doorway / From Hell They Came / Walk Among Us / Violent World / Vampira / Skulls / Devil’s Whorehouse / Astro Zombies / She / Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight? / Die, Die My Darling / London Dungeon / Return of the Fly / Hatebreeders / Bullet / We Are 138 / Green Hell / 20 Eyes / Nike A Go Go Running Time: 69 Minutes Notes: Almost thirty songs, and only three that are new; it’s great if you wanna see how Graves sings Danzig songs.

Appendix 4: Earth A.D.—After Dollars Upon joining the Misfits, Bobby Steele told a friend that “This band is gonna be bigger than KISS!” And this was even before the band adopted their full-on “living dead on steroids” persona, after which they were often compared to Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter. But the analogy is not inaccurate. The New York Dolls were the missing link between “glam rock” and punk rock, and Kiss was the butt-end of glam—which is not so much a comment on their music as a comment on the end of an era. The hallmarks of glam were the makeup; hard, sometimes retro rock; shoutalong choruses; and the theatricality of stage shows. Check, check, check, and check—the Misfits had all of those in spades. Does that make the Misfits some sort of distaff glam act? No, of course not; glam was way past its sell-by date in 1977. But those hallmarks remained; they were just in a radically different package. While the Misfits never attained the lofty sales of their flame-breathing counterparts, they did mirror Kiss in one, very monetarily important way— merchandising. The Crimson Ghost and the Misfits’ logo have become an indelible part of pop culture iconography. I can remember a time “back in the day” when, depending on where you lived, you might have to travel a fair distance to obtain your punk gear (Commander Salamander in D.C. was my preferred haunt). There was no world wide web, no Hot Topic store in practically every mall selling brand-new t-shirts that looked (literally) as if they’ve been through the wringer. Now, with the advent of such stores and online shopping and eBay, one can pretty much clothe oneself from head to toe in Misfits merchandise … or your child … or your dog. Although some of the products the Misfits chose to put their name on are puzzling, they are in good taste—at least, as good a taste as one can have when the subject matter is monsters, murder, and mayhem— and have not sunk to the level of “Kiss Koffins” or “Kiss Kondoms.” What follows is a by-nomeans complete list of Misfits/Crimson Ghost-related stuff, in no particular order; most of these are items available at their website, online auction services and Amazon, or a fine local retail outlet: “Onesies” for Babies/Toddlers Xmas Ornaments Wallets Hard Wallet Cases Leggings Dresses Backpacks Sweatbands Neckties Pillowcases Dog Tags

T-Shirts Bowling Shirts Work Shirts Jeans Belt Buckles Sneakers Shoelaces High Heels Flat Shoes Hoodies Windbreakers

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Got Misfits? A mere sampling of the endless array of Misfits swag available through the Fiend Store, nevermind unauthorized kock-offs.

Stickers Pez dispensers (this is not a Pez-produced or –endorsed product)

Lunchboxes Action Figures (Jerry, Doyle, and the Crimson Ghost)

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Appendix 4

Bobble Heads (Jerry Only and the Crimson Ghost) Vinyl Figures—Produced by Medicom in the early 2000s, the set consisted of Jerry, Doyle, the Crimson Ghost and three different versions of Glenn Danzig. Vinyl Figures (ReAction)—these 4.5" figures have come out in various packages, all using the same Crimson Ghost figure, with the robes painted in different colors to match the theme. At first, they just came out with the standard red and black cloaks, but then the floodgates opened. A glow-in-the-dark version, and as of late, versions tied to a specific EP have

appeared—orange robes for Halloween, bloodspattered black robes for Bullet, and purple robes for Earth A.D., with more to come. Lighters Patches Coasters Pinback Buttons Glazed Enamel Pins Notebooks Pencils Fiend Club License Plate Postcards Trading Cards—pomotional set manufactured by Geffen in 1997, released in conjunc-

Earth A.D.—After Dollars tion with American Psycho. The five-card set featured the four members of the band, plus a Crimson Ghost/Basil Gogos card. Purses Hand Bags Tote Bags Shoulder Bags Posters Incense Party Lights Skateboards BMX Donuts Swim Trunks Slippers Sweatshirts Bandanas Key Chains

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Throw Pillows Basketball Jerseys Hockey Sweaters (Some people call these jerseys, but sweater is the correct hockey term) Cell Phone Cases Baseball Caps Pendants Toboggans*—This item carries an asterisk because of terminology. This is not a sled. This is a wool cap. In Canada, it’s called a toque. Everything that I’ve seen advertising them in recent years has called them a beanie. To me, a beanie was always one of those skullcap thingies with a little propeller on top. As a kid, we always called ’em toboggans. We also had a toboggan sled, which we called a sled.

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Bibliography Books Ensminger, David A. Visual Vitriol: The Street Art and Subcultures of the Punk and Hardcore Generation. Oxford: University Press of Mississippi, 2011. Everson, William. More Classics of the Horror Film. Secaucus, New Jersey: Citadel Press, 1986. Gausten, Joel. Tales of Horror: The History of the Misfits and the Undead. www. myspace. com/ Gaustenbooks, 2006 Greene, James, Jr. This Music Leaves Stains. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2013. Von, Eerie. Misery Obscura: The Photography of Eerie Von (1981–1999). New York: Bazillion Points, 2016.

Periodicals Altercation Magazine, #6. New York: Altercation Press Ltd., 2001. Altercation Magazine, #24. New York: Altercation Press Ltd., 2009. Chiller Theatre Magazine, #3. Rutherford, New Jersey: Chiller Theatre Inc., 1995. Horrorhound Magazine, #44. Milford, Ohio: Horrorhound Ltd., 2013. Jersey Beat! #40. Weehawken, New Jersey: Jim Testa, Summer 1990. Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll, #151. San Francisco: Maximum Rock ’n’ Roll, December 1995. The Misfits Collector #1, 2, 3. Pittsburgh: Bobb Cotter, 2002–2004.

Royal Flush Book Three. New York: Josh Bernstein, 2003. Rue Morgue Magazine, #12. Toronto: Marrs Media, 1999. Rue Morgue Magazine, #75. Toronto: Marrs Media, 2002. Rue Morgue Magazine, #101. Toronto, Canada. Marrs Media, 2010. Squirt Magazine #1. Cairnbrook, PA: Doug Evil, 1997. Squirt Magazine #2. Cairnbrook, PA: Doug Evil, 1997. Thrasher Magazine, Vol. 6, #6. San Francisco: Edward Riggins, 1986. Ugly Things Magazine, #12. San Diego: Mike Stax, 1993. Ugly Things Magazine, #13. San Diego: Mike Stax, 1994. Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine, Vol. 6, #5. Chandler, AZ: Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine LLC, 2017. Vive Le Rock Magazine, #15. London: Big Cheese Publishing Ltd., 2014. World of Fandom Magazine, Vol. 2, #28. Tampa, FL: World of Fandom, 1996/1997.

Websites Discogs.com Fiend Collectors.com Misfits Central.com The Undead.com

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Index Numbers in bold italics indicate pages with illustrations The A7 and Beyond 198–199 Abominator 172 Act Your Rage 183–184 All Hell Breaks Loose (Australia EP) 57 All Hell Breaks Loose (Germany Cassette) 88 All Hell Breaks Loose (Germany EP) 57–58 All Murder, All Guts, All Live 134 Al’s Bar ’82 84–85 American Psycho 31, 33–35 Angelfuck 58 Astro Zombies 49 At the Ritz (CD) 86 At the Ritz (EP) 64–65 Attitude 85–86 Attitude—Live at Max’s Kansas City 12/20/78 75 Back from Hell 168 Back in Black 167 Back with a Bang! 60 Backroads 197–198 Bad Brains/Danzig 162 Be My Ghoul 180–181 Bedlam 196 Beware 17 Beware and the Rest 93–94 Beware! The Complete Singles 1977–1982 94–95 Beyond Evil 88 Bitch Goddess 51 Black Aria 150 Black Aria II 155 Black Box 170 Black Death 162 Black Dream 139 Black Flame 139 Black Laden Crown 158–159 Black Mass 146 Blackristmas 97–98 Blood 98 Bloodbrothers 134–135

Bobby 186 Box Set (Samhain) Box Set Sampler 30–31 Brain Eaters 113 Braineaters (EP) 51 Braineaters in Dearborn 1983 68 Brand New God 144–145 Brand New God (CD) 170 A Bucket of Blood 134 Bullet 15–16 Buried in a Pet Cementary 114 Burn, Baby, Burn 188 Cantspeak 144 Caressed Your Mother 163 Chicago Riot Festival 2016 75–76 Children in Heat 206–207 Circle of Snakes 154–155 Coffin Box Set 31, 33 Collection 1 29–30 Collection 2 30 The Complete Evilive 117 Cough/Cool 15 Creepshow 52–53 Cuts from the Crypt 37–38 Dance of Death 160 Danzig 148–149 Danzig (Germany LP) 164 Danzig & Doyle play Misfits 171 Danzig Live at the Stone S.F. 1989 160 Danzig Sampler 146 Danzig: Skeletons 157–158 Danzig II: Lucifuge 149–150 Danzig 3: How the Gods Kill 151 Danzig III & ½ 168 Danzig 4 (P) 151–152 Danzig 5: Blackacidevil 152 Danzig 6:66: Satans Child 153 Danzig 777: I Luciferi 154 Danzkira 163 The Dark Days of Danzig 164 Dawn of the Undead 184

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Day the Earth Caught Fire 21–22 DeA.D. Alive! 41 The Dead Is Back in Germany 1997 74 The Dead Zone 165 Death Had No Name 161 Death… in Its Arms 165 Death Over Minneapolis 1997 76 Death’s Symphony 103 Demon Danz 165 Demonized Behaviour 98 Demonomania 87 Demonomania Club 95–96 Demos ’88 164 Descending Angel 23–24 Descent into Evil 123 Deth Red Sabaoth 156–157 Devil Songs 167 Devil Whorehouse 76 Devils Angels 147–148 The Devil’s Rain 39–41 Devil’s Whorehouse (Danzig) 171–172 Devil’s Whorehouse (Misfits) 51 Diagnosis for Death 199–200 Die, Die My Catrina 64 Die, Die My Darling (Danzig) 160–161 Die, Die My Darling (Misfits) 20 Dig Up Her Bones 20 Dig Up Her Bones 11/11/97 76 Dirty Black Summer 143–144 Download 2000 209 Doyle II: As We Die 177–178 Dutch Misfits Con 2015 68 The Early Days Demos 1977 76 Earth A.D./Wolf ’s Blood 27–29 Earth E.P. 205 East Versus West: No Buffer 188– 189 Endless Sleep 189 Evening of Desire 179 The Evil Dead IV 86

240 Evil-Five 47–48 Evil Is as Evil Does 44 Evil Is as Evil Does (CD) 90 Evil Live 165 Evilive (EP) 19–20 Evilive (EU LP) 115–116 Evilive (LP) 30 Evilive II 36 Evilive II (Germany LP) 113 Evilive/Wolf ’s Blood 106 Eyes to Despise 88–89 Famous Misfits of Filmland 44 Famous Monsters 36–37 The Famous Monsters Demos 109–110 Famous Monsters in Buenos Aires 104 Fiend Club (1988) 48–49 Fiend Club (1993) 61 Fiend Club (LP) 82 Fiend Club (Three Old Songs) 62 Final Descent 132–133 4 Hits from Hell! 46, 47 4 Hits from Mars 208 Fresh Flesh 159 Friday the 13th 24–25 From Beyond 7/7/89 166 From Beyond: Live at the Palace, Hollywood July 7th, 1989— KNAC FM Broadcast 173 From the Ashes of the Misfits, ’Tis the Season for Samhain 139 Garage, Inc. (Metallica) 212 Gdansk A Tribute to Danzig 213 Ghouls Gold 49 Ghouls Night Out 88 Ghouls Night Out Live! 41 Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig (LP) 167 Glorious Past of Glenn Danzig (Single) 162 Godless—Live ’92 167–168 Gorgeous Frankenstein 176–177 Graven Images: A Tribute to the Misfits 209–210 Halifax Live at the Music Room 191 Halloween 17–19 Halloween (Picture Disc) 77 Halloween (The Hookers) 209 Halloween (The Undead) 181 Halloween Classics 211–212 Halloween… in Denver 2016 77 Hammers 59 Hannum Hall, Cambridge, Massachusetts, February, 1986 139 Hate Breeder 83 Having an Undead Summer 183 Hell-Bent for Horror Business 200–201 Hell-Bent for Vinyl 77

Index Hell on Earth… Hail to Misfits 207–208 Hell on Earth: Tribute to the Misfits 210 Her Black Wings 142–143 Heros of Danzig 91 Hits from the Static Age 120–121 Horror Business 16 Horror Business (Japan CD) 91– 92 Horror Business (UK CD) 106 Horror Business (U.S. CD) 116 Horror Business/Bullet 212 Horror Business EP 60–61 Horror Business in Kansas 68–69 Horror Business in Mexico 2010 72 Horror Business Sessions 77–81 Vol. 1 109 Horror Business Sessions 77–81 Vol. 2 109 Horror in Minneapolis 1997 73 The Horror Kid That America Never Saw 122–123 Horror Xmas 24 Horrorbullet 51–52 How the Gods Play 168 Hybrid Moments 50 Hybrid Moments in Germany 1997 69 I Ain’t No Goddamn Son of a Bitch 83 I Don’t Mind the Pain 145 I Hear Ya! The Caroline Distribution CD Sampler Fall 1995 207 I Killed My Darling Vampire 71, 72 I Made a Monster 181–182 I Spit on Your Graves 206 I Turned into a Martian 106–107 I Wanna Be a New York Ranger 20–21 I Want You Dead 182–183 If You Don’t Know This Song… /Beware 107–108 “If You Don’t Know This Song… What the Fuck Are You Doing Here?” 86 Illusions 190–191 Illusions Live—Viretta Park 191 In Your Face! 83 Initium 129–130 Invasion from Mars 50 The Invisible Man 179 Joey Image/The Vibrators 201 Ju-Ju Bone 147 Just Can’t Get Enough: New Wave Halloween 209 Kill Your Baby Today 92–93 Killer Wolf 143 Kiss the Skull 173 Kryst the Conqueror 174

L.A. Woman 114–115 Last Caress (CD) 110 Last Caress (Parasites) 206 Last Caress—Live in Detroit 1983 FM Broadcast 41–42 The Last Experiment 69–70, 71 Last Gasp: Live and Demos 85–86 135 Last Ride 148 Last Screams from California 2015 71 The Legacy Collection 196–197 Legacy of Brutality 29 Let the Day Begin 135–136 Life Without a Net 170 Life Without a Net: Demo ’87 170–171 Live and Alive 169 Live at Danceteria, NYC, 1985 139–140 Live at Elite Club 79 Live at Hittsville, Passaic, New Jersey 1981 79–80 Live at 9:30 Club Washington 1982 77–78 Live at the Chicago Riot Festival 2016 78 Live at the Pop Shop 136 Live at the Whiskey-a-Go-Go 13.4.82 102 Live! Belgrade 2003 124 The Live Experiment 69–71 Live in Brazil ’98 80, 81 Live in Hamburg 1991 165–166 Live in New York 163 Live My Darling 69, 70 Live Night of the Living Dead! 83 Live NYC 187 Live on the Black Hand Side 153 Live! ’79: The Perfect Crime 47 Live Slayer 184–185 Live USA 168 Live with Jams (sic) and Kirk of Metallica 166 Lodi, NJ… You Know 57 Los Angeles 1993 169 The Lost Skeleton Returns 191– 192 The Lost Skeleton Returns Instrumental 192 The Lost Tracks of Danzig 155– 156 Der Mann Mit der Totenmaske 115 Max’s Kansas City 44–45 Max’s Kansas City (Spain) 64 Max’s Kansas City New York 20/12/78 116 Max’s Kansas City 20/12/78 64 Metallifits 206 Michigan League Ballroom 70 The Misfits 98, 100 Misfits/Big Black 46

Index Misfits Live 102 Misfits Live 9/30/82 126 Misfits Meet the Nutley Brass: Fiend Club Lounge 210–211 The Misfits Michigan WCBN 87–88 The Misfits New York 1979 81 Misfits/Ramones 57 Misfits Records Sampler 22 Misfits/Rocket from the Crypt 100 The Misfits 666 64, 65 Misfits Walk Among Us (Authorized) 25–27 Misfits Walk Among Us (Unauthorized) 50 Misfits, We Dare You 206 The Misfits X-Posed 39 Misplaced Stories 105 Mommy, Can I Go to Riot Fest Tonight? 124–125 Monster Mash 21 Monster Mash: The Powerplay Session 100 The Morgue, the Merrier 186–187 Mother (1988) 142 Mother (1993) 144 Ms. Fits—Hate Is Your Mistress 211 Music from the Upcoming Famous Monsters Release September 1999 21 Mystery Danzig 172 Necronomicon 92 Never Mind the Misfits, Here’s Samhain 136 Never Say Die! 183 New York 1979 Night of the Living Dead 16–17 Night of the Living Dead (“Acetate”) 52 Night of the Living Dead (LP) 84 Nightmares 195 Nine Toes Later 178–179 1977–1984: The Singles Collection 126 The 1980 MSP Sessions 124 Not of This World 166 Not of This World (Tribute) 211, 213 Now There Is Only Evil 163 N.Y. Breaks Loose 140 NYC/LA ’82 110–111 On a Wicked Night 147 On Earth as It Is in Hell 136–137 One Night in Hell 159 Pain in the World 166 Pandora’s Box 169 Pit Rehearsals & Earth A.D. Demos 117 The Power of the Dark Side 169– 179

Prime Directive: Exterminate the Whole Human Race! 118–119 Project 1950 38–39 Psycho in Chile 108–109 Psycho in the Wax Museum 22– 23 Psycho ’78 Demos 46 Psychomania 95, 96–97 Psychos in Sweden 90–91 Punk Rock Is Dead 189 Punk USA 213 Rat Fink 53–54 The Rebirthing: A Tribute to Samhain 136–137 Return of the Fly 61–62 Return of the Fly (Germany EP) 58 Return of the Fly (Picture Disc EP) 59–60 Return of the Fly (U.S. EP) 46 Return of the Fly (U.S. EP) 58– 59 The Return of the Misfit 137 Return of the Records, Volume 1 93 Return of the Records, Volume 2 102–103 Return to Earth 190 Revenge Will Be Ours! 62–63 The Ritz, New York, N.Y., December 17, 1981 65, 66–67 Rock ’n’ Roll Whore 180 Die Ruckkehr der Reitenden Leichen 114 Sacrifice 145–146 Samhain at Dancetown, NYC 1985 140 Samhain at the Metro, Chicago 1986 140 Samhain Box Set 133 Samhain Live ’85–’86 134 Samhain Live/Demos 137–138 Samhain III: November-ComingFire 131–132 Santa Monica 1982 81 Scream 21 Season of the Dead 140 Selections from 777: I Luciferi 146 Sessions—Rehearsals—Demos 111–112 Sessions Volume One 119 Sessions Volume Two 119 Seven Boots from Hell 93 The Seven-Inch Singles Collection 109 7th House 145 She 69 She Was in Minneapolis 11/11/97 82 Shocking Return 99, 100 Skulls 23 Skulls and Bones 169

241 Smokin’ Summer Sampler ’97! 208 Some Kinda Hits 204–205 Somekindahate 67 Soul on Fire 162–163 Soul on Fire—Live at the Hollywood Palace, 1989 FM Broadcast 172–173 Spook City U.S.A. 54–55 Static Age (Authorized) 35–36 Static Age (Unauthorized EP) 55–56 Static Age Demos E.P. 56 Still the Undead… After All These Years 185–186 Supernatural 193 Supernatural Instrumental 193 Teenage Insemination 116 Teenagers from Mars 73–74 Teenagers from Mars Live on Air 1983 123–124 There’s a Riot in Tompkins Square 179 Third World U.S.A. 180 13 Creepy Songs by the Crimson Ghosts 203, 204 34 Hits from Hell 112–113 This Is for You, Henry 117 Thou Shalt Not Kill 198 Thrall-Demonsweatlive 151 3 Hits from Hell 17 3 Misfits from Hell 205 ’Til Death 185 Times Square 180 To the Devil a Daughter 121–122 Touch Me 188 Trilogy 189 Trouble Europe 167 TV Casualty 212 12 Hits from Hell 105–106 12 Hits from Hell—Uncovered 185 The 12 Inch Compilation 115 Twilight of the Dead 23 Uber Dem Jenseits 103 Unholy Passion 130–131 The Unknown Tales 113 Unnatural Causes 164 Unspeakable 146 Until You Call on the Dark 144 Vagabond 192 Vagabond Acoustic 193 Vampira 94, 96 Vampira’s Children 159 Vampire Girl 24 Vampirella 81, 84 The Vault of Horror 63 Verbal Abuse 179 The Very Last Performance 92 Violent World (CD) 103 Violent World (EP) 54 Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits 208

242 A Walk Among the Dead 50–51 Walk Among Us and the Spot Sessions Demos 117–118 Walk Among You (CD) 89, 90– 91 Walk Among You (LP) 119–120 Wanderer 194 Wanderer Acoustic 194 Wasp Queens 42 We Bite 125–126 We Will Fall: The Iggy Pop Tribute 209

Index When Worlds Collide 195–196 When Worlds Collide Demo Disc 196 When Worlds Collide Instrumental 196 Where Eagles Dare 206 Who Killed Marilyn? (Danzig) 162 Who Killed Marilyn? (Glenn Danzig) 142 Who Killed Marilyn? (Misfits /Box Set) 67

Wicked Pussycat 146–147 Wolfbane 82 The World Turned Upside Down Demos 97 You and Me 161 Zombies Unite! 194