After the demise of the Misfits

Horror Punk Pioneers start a Christian Project

 

 

 

 

The Misfits are one of the most popular punk bands in the world. They are the original pioneers of gothic or horror punk rock that they alone invented back in 1977.

 

Today, almost 30 years later, their albums are more popular than ever in the punk rock scene. However, the Misfits broke up in November, 1983.

 

Their last show was at City Gardens in Trenton, NJ. After the demise of the Misfits, the singer Glenn Danzig focused on his new band project, Samhain, which was darker and more occultic than The Misfits, with more emphasis on creating a grim atmosphere. Meanwhile, Jerry Only

[bass player] and his brother Doyle [guitarist] moved to Vernon, NJ, where they went to work full time in their father's machine parts factory. During this time, Jerry Only became more focused on his family and his baby daughter, Kathy. He became more serious about his Christian faith,

and regretted some of the things he took part in during his time with the Misfits. He watched as Danzig continued to grow in popularity with Samhain, a band that Jerry viewed as evil and Satanic. In 1987, he decided to start a new band, one that would oppose the "dark path" chosen by Danzig.

 

Together with Doyle, Jerry (who changed his stage name to "Mo the Great") started writing songs for a Christian heavy metal band with barbarian imagery, called Kryst The Conqueror.

 They then created the "Doyle Fan Club" to help spread the word about their new band. Despite Jerry's efforts, Kryst the Conqueror failed to gain a following. Although they released one limited edition EP, the band never played live. Also in 1987, Samhain, after touring extensively and releasing two full-length albums and an EP,

 were signed to a major label and the band's name was changed to Danzig. Although the Misfits had gone mostly unnoticed during their seven years as an active band, by the late 80's, they were becoming icons of the underground music world, thanks in part to word of mouth, Metallica's public adoration for the band, and Danzig's success with Samhain. The Misfits' back catalogue had been reissued and was selling extremely well. Around this time, Jerry Only contacted Danzig about getting a cut of the Misfits' royalties, beginning a legal battle that lasted several years.

Around this time, many older punk bands began to do reunion tours, earning often hefty paychecks in the process. In 1994-95 Jerry Only and Doyle approached Danzig about reuniting as the Misfits, and they even went to his hotel room after a Danzig show in New Jersey. In interviews Only jokingly remarked that security escorted them from the property, and "we took that as a 'no'".

Jerry Only tried to reach an out-of-court settlement that would allow him to use "the Misfits" name and images. In 1995, Only and Danzig finally settled, with Only gaining the rights to record and perform as the Misfits, but sharing merchandising rights with Danzig.

The resurrected Misfits

Jerry and Doyle reformed The Misfits immediately, retaining Kryst the Conqueror drummer, Dr. C.H.U.D., and holding open auditions for a new vocalist (Jerry had approached Damned vocalist Dave Vanain about filling the open position, but Dave denied the offer). Michael Emanuel, a nineteen year old New Jersey native, impressed them with his audition, and was soon established as the new vocalist, taking the stage name, Michale Graves.
This new incarnation of The Misfits (sometimes referred to as "The Newfits", "MisfitsTM", or "Misfits 95") released their debut album, American Psycho, in 1997. The album was fairly well received, introducing The Misfits to a new generation of fans. However, many fans of the original Misfits had trouble accepting the band's renewed existence without its founder and key songwriter, Glenn Danzig. Detractors also took issue with the new band's focus on a more "cartoony" image, and Jerry Only's apparent desire to make the band more family-friendly, by refraining from the use of vulgarities in their new songs.

These issues became hotly debated amongst fans of the Misfits, resulting in many choosing sides between Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only.

Legacy

The influence The Misfits have had on punk rock, and rock music in general, sometimes seems disproportionate to the publicity and critical attention they have received. Myriad bands have imitated The Misfits' style, such as Balzac, Blitzkid, and Calabrese, and these bands have become known as horror punk. Psychobilly has various similarities with horror punk.

A number of bands have recently surfaced which, although in some cases less obviously horror punk, are still strongly visibly and audibly influenced by The Misfits. These include, most notably, bands such as AFI, Alkaline Trio, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Avenged Sevenfold, Wednesday 13 and the Murderdolls. Many musical groups whose resemblance to The Misfits seems far removed also cite the band as crucial influences, such as Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Guns N' Roses. Other bands who hold The Misfits in high regard are Slayer, Pantera, NOFX and more recently, Slipknot. Many local New Jersey hardcore, punk, and emo bands, such as My Chemical Romance and The Banner, cite The Misfits as a main influence. This is a legendary band.

 

Kryst The Conqueror LYRICS

In God We Trust

Sentenced to a barren waste
Imprisoned somewhere deep in space
For in God we still believe
Left to die we watch them leave

Lift our heads up to the sky
He won't let us die
We will survive
Wielding our swords for the Lord

Prisoners of faith cannot be!
Tearing our chains we break free

With a burst of light the walls are blown away
The one who's captured us with life, they'll pay
And the blood we leave behind won't wash away

Another time, another place
A planet Earth now lost in space
They live in fear, for peace they yearn
For those who don't, their souls will burn

So reach for the sky
For our Lord we will die
We will survive
Wielding our swords for our Lord

Father your voice we have heard
We raise up our swords, speak the word

For we have seen the face of hell and still believe
That the sword to kill the beast he's given me
So how many more must die that one may see

For we have seen the face of hell and still believe
That the sword to kill the beast he's given me
So how many more must die that one may see.

 

 

 

More to come

 

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