Sans-zig

While Jerry Only continues to drag the Misfits trademark through the dirt, ex-guitarist Doyle quietly released his surprisingly solid debut LP in mid 2013. For those who crave the sound of the American Psycho-era 'fits, look no farther. Seriously tired of Only's current (and sadly lethargic) version of the Misfits, Doyle's eponymous band is a breath of fresh horror punk air. Recruiting ex-Misfit drummer Dr. CHUD (who is pretty awesome in his own right) and Danzig-esque vocalist Alex Story, Doyle focuses on the blistering fast downstroked power chord progressions that made him famous. Some of the tunes fall a bit short but at least they are not all based on a fucking movie (Misfits' "The Black Hole"? Puke). The bluesy "Love Like Murder" echoes shades of Soundgarden's "Outshined" while my guiltiest pleasure on the record has got to be the oddly Pantera-ish "Cemeterysexxx". Don't be fooled, Doyle's vastly superior version of "Land Of The Dead" is in title only, the songs are totally different; but if I were Jerry I'd be nice to his younger brother this Thanksgiving. Maybe he'll get an audition.

Learn To Bleed

Somewhere In Jersey

Walk Among Us-era Misfits doing what they did best in the shithole suburb of Passaic, NJ. They had just shitcanned Bobby Steele and were now the lean and mean quartet of Danzig, Only, Doyle and Googy. Before the drugs and creative ownership issues tore the band apart, the devilocked punkers put on a great Christmas show for a drunken redneck crowd at the now-defunct Hitsville on Main. I first heard this show on the significantly shittier-sounding Evil Is As Evil Does 7" bootleg-of-a-bootleg - getting a taste of the whole gig is a real treat. Bobby Steele and the Undead fucking suck...

If You Don't Know This Song...

Songs For Clay

Yet another movie soundtrack that far exceeds the quality of the movie it represents, Less Than Zero was curiously released by Def Jam Records (soon to be Def American) and helmed by none other than producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin. While the film suffered from a healthy blanket of late-80's cheese that simply does not age well with time, the accompanying music has some nice surprises, at the time unavailable anywhere else. Def Jam veterans Public Enemy debuted "Bring The Noise" (later released on the seminal It Takes A Nation Of Millions) and L.L. Cool J contributes his smooth talking "Going Back To Cali" - showing a much more mature side of the rapper after his sophomoric BAD album earlier that year. Slayer covers Iron Butterfly in a solid, blissfully 3-minute version of "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" played at their typical breakneck speed. For the top-40 crowd, the Bangles offer their version of Simon & Garfunkel's "Hazy Shade Of Winter" (of which I'm sure everyone remembers the video), Aerosmith covers an old Huey Smith tune, Poison invokes Kiss, and Roy Orbison croons through the dark "Life Fades Away" (penned by Glenn Danzig no less!) Speaking of Glen (sic) Danzig, he does his best Elvis impression on the amazing "You & Me" - performed with the oddly-monikered "Power And Fury Orchestra" (evidently the original lineup of Danzig with George Drakoulias playing bass for Eerie Von who was clashing with Rubin on the song's arrangement). Probably the Lodi, NJ native's most heartfelt tune and the high point of the record. There are a couple other tracks on the album (mostly R&B) but I'd be lying if I said they ever graced my stereo speakers. It would be interesting to see Less Than Zero remade in today's graphic, dark Requiem For A Dream-esque style - some rumors claim Quentin Tarantino is trying to do just that.

Rip

I Got Somethin' To Say...

Ahh bootlegs, what would music afficionados do without them. For a band that had a fairly limited studio output and nowhere near the number of recorded gigs bands played during the tape-swapping boom years later, the Misfits have amassed an impressive catalog of unofficial releases (at least 131 and counting according to Discogs), all of the expected varying quality, rareness, and listenability that comes with the sorry one-shot bootleg. You gotta love this 1992 release from Spain's Decca label (in no way related to the official classic Decca label of the 50's that supported such acts as Bing Crosby and Patsy Cline), through the broken English and mangled/missing song titles (as well as the strange cut-and-paste band photo on the back) we get a "studio mix" of "Last Caress" (still the Misfits most then-famous song thanks to Metallica) and a couple of token live tracks. Interestingly, the record sleeve claims the live material was "recorded alive D.C. Space 31/2/1983" (sic); fortunately an astute historian has tracked down the real source: an '83 gig from the Michigan Union Ballroom in Ann Arbor, MI. For what it's worth, it all sounds fine, "Last Caress" is exactly like one of the many versions you've already heard and the other stuff is typical late Misfits live recordings - sounding like they were recorded on a shitty Walkman. In other words, enjoy.

100 Anos De Gravaçao Sonora

All Hallows' Eve

Absolutely mandatory. Easily the best Misfits record out there - of course it's mostly Glenn overdubbing nearly every instrument but who cares. Every song on this one is a keeper, from the opener "Static Age" the quasi-Elvish "American Nightmares." "TV Casualty" is probably my favorite Misfits song ever. Legendary horror punk from the founders of the genre - doesn't get any better than this for a Halloween soundtrack.

 Come Back

Snackfood

Fucking awesome two-song E.P. from these Chicago sludge metal mainstays. Imagine spinning a brutal death metal 45 at 33 speed and you will kinda get the idea of what absolute bleak dirge to expect. Pounding riffs to mesmerize and rape your soul accompanied by the most pained vocal screams I've heard in a long while. Fucking bleak ass shit. The boys are still hard at it with their present style a chaotic mix of sludge, grind, hardcore and powerviolence. Check 'em out.

Bleed

Jag Har Något Att Säga

Sorry loyal followers, summer's ending in just a few weeks and I've got absolutely no time at all these days to keep up with posts. There's a million records I try to remind myself to upload but just don't got the fucking time, mang! Anyways, I took a few minutes to pull out this classic from the archives, Sweden's own Glanzig. An awesome Misfits/Danzig cover band who either takes themselves way too seriously or not seriously enough. Fuck all those Misfit cover comps floating around on the internet - this is the real shit. Enjoy.

Go Go Gothenburg

Currently watching: Bad Teacher

Currently listening to: Dead Infection The Lethal Collection

Lucifer comes to Louisville...

Going over some of these blogs and digging into my music collection, I've come to the realization that I've had the tendency at certain points in my life to buy up everything associated with whatever band I was really into. Stumbling upon Kinghorse's self-titled CD is a perfect case in point. Late 80's had me in full Misfits/Samhain mode - Glenn Danzig hadn't got annoying yet and when I discovered this Louisville, KY band's debut LP was produced by the guy (you should actually see the back of the CD cover, Danzig's name is in huge banner headline print) I had to have it. They have to be great... right? Well, maybe not so much. Surprisingly, the album sounds a little thin, from what I've read Kinghorse had a really insane live show and I can't say it's captured here. The music is fine, pretty standard post-heavy metal thrash, nothing too original. I'm not sure what Danzig brought to the table here (other than his name and Pushead), yeah, it's sorta dark and brooding in the November Coming Fire style (and just as poorly recorded) but that's it. Lead singer Sean Garrison was a regional Fiend Club president back in the day and a previous incarnation of Kinghorse called Maurice opened for Samhain several times so maybe they were just old friends. Regardless, the band has achieved significant cult status around its hometown, good for them. I've thought of selling this CD many a time over the years but am glad I've held onto it, funny snapshot into my "gotta have everything Danzig" phase of 1990.

Rumpledforeskin