American Nightmare II

So, the Collection 1 compilation disc. Needless to say I borrowed it and listened to it, and listened to it, and listened to it. I was hooked. I'm not going to lie, the sound quality was terrible, the execution was sloppy, but I didn't care, there was just something about it. Something about the titles of the songs and the moods the music invoked.

Regardless of the sound quality or technicality, the music was different. It was punk, sure, but it had a darkness to it, a visceral feeling of the song titles coming to life when played live. There was an aggressiveness, a ferocity that invoked the fear of these tales actually happening. Glenn Danzig, the lead singer, wrote lyrics that were stark and to the point, full of gore and depictions of horrific scenes of violence and mayhem, of haunted houses and ghouls, of aliens and monsters, of terror.

Check out this clip of the band playing Astro Zombies live in 1982. The video quality is pretty poor, but it really conveys the intensity and reckless abandon that was a Misfits show in the Danzig era...

The Misfits to me were a new way to approach punk rock: ideas of alienation, zombie takeovers, alien invasion, the horror of monsters, of becoming prey - these were topics that were made popular in comic books and pulp stories, not really prominent in music counter-culture. But the 'Fits hailed from Lodi, New Jersey, and while they cut their teeth playing shows in clubs at the heart of the NYC punk scene, their inspiration came from where they lived outside of the city and the daily rituals of suburban youth. It resonated with me completely and tapped into my own rural-borderline-suburban upbringing.

There was also the look they created, especially in photos: four figures, their photos always taken in black and white, dressed in leather jackets, wearing facepaint, a thick tongue of hair pulled down in front of their faces, which became known as a "devilock", intense gazes into the camera.

Add to this the imagery they used for on their merchandise and this was the total package. You weren't a "fan" of the Misfits, you were a "fiend"...

The Misfits were a band that opened me to new possibilities of music, film, comic books, and science fiction. They are responsible for creating a sub-genre of music that is still incredibly popular to this day (horror punk) which features tons of bands created in their image. The original band terrorized the east coast punk scene from 1977 to 1983, at which point Danzig went even deeper into the darkness with Samhain, and later, Danzig.

Jerry Only, the original bass player of the 'Fits, is still keeping the nightmares alive. He resurrected the band in 1995 and despite numerous lineup changes, The Misfits are still terrorizing the world with their unique blend of horror and sci-fi imagery and punk ferocity, now with an added element of crunchy thrash metal.

Check out the official video for Dig Up Her Bones, which was a single off of the '95 resurrected 'Fits album, American Psycho. I was actually at the show where they recorded the video, and you can see me (barely) in a few clips! I love how they used the old Universal logo...

And if that's not enough - Jerry Only is following with somewhat of a tradition for the 'Fits, invading New York City on Halloween, TONIGHT!!
That's right, tonight the band will terrorize B.B. King's Blues Club on all Hallow's Eve, which would make for a nice nightcap after the parade!

Some great Misfits links -
www.misfitscentral
www.misfits.com

And a link for tonight's show
BB King's

So there you have it. The Misfits. For me they were and still are more than just a band, they shaped the way I look at both music and geek culture. If you're into horror, zombies, and just plain good punk-fueled fun, definitely give them a listen. You will not be disappointed.