SPIRAL SCRATCH #4 p.56-60, January 1989
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MISFITS WALK AMONG US!

Records by the Misfits have long been collectable amongst the few who have
been aware of their music.

But over the last year or so they have become a name on everybodys lips.
When I bought my copy of Glenn Danzig's single "Who Killed Marylin" about
3 years ago, it cost me L6, nowadays a copy would cost L50 or more.  Their
popularity in record collecting circles has increased a hundred fold.
There are now approaching 50 bootleg records in existence with more arriving
each month.  Personally I've been a collector of their legitimate vinyl
output for the past three/four years but even with keeping an eye out for
articles or information concerning the band, I have never been able to find
out much about their background.

The following article is a brief background of their history but for the
first time gives accurate details of their record releases.  It only begins
to scratch the surface, but at least it's a start and might result in
someone with more detailed information writing to us, so that in a future
issue we can up-date this story.

COUGH-COOL
The band was formed by Glenn Danzig and Gerry Only in 1977.  They started
by playing clubs around the New York City and New Jersey area.  Their first
live performance took place at CBGB's club on April 25th 1977.  Glenn was
into the movie horror cult and this obviously helped to form the bands image
and direction.  They released their debut single Cough-Cool and pressed
500 copies on the self financied Blank record label.  However someone else
had the idea of the same label name and so a deal was struck whereby the
Misfits gave the name over in return for some free studio time, and so
Plan 9 records was born.  Lots of strange things have happened during the
bands career, but one of the weirdest (according to legend) has to be that
on February the 28th 1979 the band were recorded in an old abandoned haunted
house in northern New Jersey.  Later while mixing of the tapes took place in
a New York recording studio strange voices and noises were found to be
present.  No explanation could be given by the band or recording engineers.
The main track where these 'noises' can be heard is 'Teenagers From Mars'.
The most reported incident in the bands long career has to be the riot that
took place when they played in San Francisco in 1982 at the Elite Club.
With no security it seems a dozen or so idiots spent the night throwing cans
of beer at all the bands.  The support bands just took to the stage and
endured it, but the Misfits are not guys to be messed with.  Googy the
drummer eventually decided that he'd had enough and jumped on a guy he
saw throw a beer can.  Doyle also hit a young guy he saw throwing a can
round the head with his guitar.  For some reason (I haven't knowledge of
the full facts) the incident has never been forgotten.

CLUB FOR FIENDS
One thing that helped to keep the bands name alive has been the Fiend club,
which, while the band were still touring had over 3000 members in the US
plus 100 in Germany, and a further 100 in the UK plus others scattered
around the globe.  The club got started after the band put inserts into
their records offering T-shirts, stickers and other items by mail order.

LONDON DUNGEON
In 1981 they visited the UK to undertake a tour supporting the Damned but
only played a few  concerts because they allege that they were ripped off
over money.  They must have got on well with the Damned however because
there was a recording made that was to be a single with Dave Vanian taking
lead vocals.  Everything was recorded except the vocal.  Vanian never got
round to it, which will come as no suprise to those who know him.  While
in England they were to tour with the Clash and there was talk of them
signing to CBS but their drummer returned to the US and that was the end of
all that.  While in the UK, Glenn was arrested and put into jail which
inspired him to write "London Dungeon" and rumour has it that he still
hates Britain because of this experience.

The bands last ever live performance took place on October 31st 1983.

7" SINGLES:

Cough-Cool/She
Blank ?
Released in 1977. 500 copies issued.  Also issued as a boot-
leg. 200 copies only of bootleg.  Covers are both the same.
Bootlegs are on thinner vinyl.

Bullet/We Are 138/Attitude/Hollywood Babylon
Plan 9 PL 1001
10,000 made.  1000 black with gatefold + lyric sheet. 2000
on red vinyl with 'better dead on red' written on back of
sleeve. 7000 on black vinyl with 'better dead on red' on sleeve.

* The recording of 'Bullet' actualy pre-dates 'Cough-Cool' by three years.

Horror Business/Teenagers From Mars/Children In Heat    
Plan 9 PL 1009
5000 on yellow vinyl, 25 on black.

Night Of The Living Dead/Where Eagles Dare/Rat Fink
Plan 9 PL 1011
2000 copies made - all on black vinyl.  Released on October
31st 1979 when the band sold copies at the door of the Irving
Plaza in New York where they were to perform that night.

Three Hits From Hell EP; London Dungeon/Horror Hotel/Ghouls Night Out
Plan 9 PL 1013
Recorded around August 1980 and issued in April 1981.
10,000 first pressing. 3000 with a grey label, 7000 with a
large centre hole. 2nd pressing -800 copies. 400 on black
vinyl, 400 on white.  Import issue white label with large hole.
Red label and small hole (2nd pressing).

Halloween I/Halloween 11
Plan 9 PL 1017
Released in October 1981. Between 5000-7000 pressed.
Some copies include a lyric sheet.

Evilive EP; 20 Eyes/Night Of The Living Dead/Astro Zombies/
            Horror Business/London Dungeon/All Hell Breaks Loose/We Are 138
Live recordings from Nov/Dec 1981.
Plan 9 PL 1019
800 pressed with yellow labels, all numbered. 1400 copies,
some yellow, most orange on labels (not numbered?), 99 put
into 3 pack, each with a different sleeve. one of Gerry, one of
Doyle and one of Glen. (33 sets of 3) with the sleeves auto-
graphed.  One source states that 4000 copies in total were
made.  Originally copies were only sold through the Fiend (fan)
club but later put on wider distribution.
15,000 copies issued in Germany as 12" record.

Teenage From Mars/Static Age
5 copies only (acetates).  1 went to the jukebox at Max's
Kansas City (New York club), one to CBGB's club, one to the
owner of Max's Kansas City, one to a member of the Misfits
and one to Glen.  The one from Max's was taken out and
offered for sale by a New York collectors store called Golden
Disc for less than $1.00 (70p).

Who Killed Marylin/Where Eagles Dare
Never issued though it was planned as a single.

Where Eagles Dare/?
planned but almost certainly never issued.

Barbie Bites The Dust/?
talk of this being a single. but it never came to pass!

12 " SINGLES:

Horror Business EP; Horror Business/ChildrenIn Heat/Teenagers From Mars/
                    Who Killed Marilyn/Where Eagles Dare
only 4 copies made.

Beware; We Are 138/Bullet/Hollywood Babylon/Attitude/
        Horror Business/Teenagers From Mars/Last Caress
Plan 9 PLP-9
Also released in the UK on Cherry Red records.
10,000 copies.  Same catalogue number.

Evilive EP;
15,000 copies issued in Germany.

Die Die My Darling/We Bite/Mommy, Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight                              Plan 9 ?
500 on purple vinyl, 6000 on black vinyl.

Wolf's Blood. 12,000 copies.
also cassette with Die Die My Darling as
extra track.  Also issued in Germany - 15,000-20,000 copies.

Wolfs Blood - coloured vinyl. green (rarest approx 100),
yellow - 200/300,.purple - 500, purple
with streaks of clear - 500.

ALBUMS:

Misfits Walk Among Us; 20 Eyes/I Turned Into A Martian/
                       All Hell Breaks Loose/Vampire/Nike A Go Go/
                       Hate Breeders/Mommy, Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight/
                       Night Of The Living Dead/Skulls/Violent World/
                       Devils Whorehouse/Astro Zombies/Braineaters
Ruby/Slash JRR 804
Released in March 1982. 35,000 copies pressed.  Also issued
in Italy.  You can tell the difference because it has the Misfit
(note missing 's') on the side.  Re-issued on Plan 9 label with
different colouring on the record sleeve Plan 9

Earth A.D.; Earth A.D./Queen Wasp/Devilock/Death Comes Ripping/Green Hell/
            Wolfs Blood/Demonomania/Bloodfeast/Hellhound
Plan 9
11,000 pressed on black vinyl plus 100 on green vinyl, 200
on yellow, 200 on purple and 200 on clear vinyl.
Also issued in Germany with 2 extra tracks.

Legacy Of Brutality; Angelfuck/Who Killed Marilyn/Where Eagles Dare/She/
                     Halloween/American Nightmare/Static Age/TV Casualty/
                     Hybrid Moments/Spinal Remains/Come Back/
                     Some Kinda Hate/Theme For A Jackal
Plan 9
10-11,000 first pressing on black vinyl. 2800 on cassette.
500 pressed on red vinyl. 500 on white, 16 on pink vinyl.
Still available on black vinyl.

Flipside Vinyl Fanzine (compilation)
The Misfits have one live track on this album, issued by a US
fanzine called Flipside.

CD's:

CD only issue album; - She/Hollywood Babylon/
                       Bullet/Horror Business/Teenagers From Mars/
                       Night Of The Living Dead/Where Eagles Dare/
                       Vampira/I Turned Into A Martian/Skulls/Lon-
                       don Dungeon/Ghouls Night Out/Astro Zombies/
                       Mommy, Can I Go Out And Kill Tonoght/Die
                       Die My Darling/Earth A.D./Devilock/Death
                       Comes Ripping/Green Hell/Wolfs Blood
Plan 9
* Someone in the UK took this CD only release and issued it
as a bootleg album (Wolfbane records).

GLEN DANZIG

Who Killed Marilyn/Spook City U.S.A.
Plan 9 PL 1015
Released on August 5th 1981. (August 5th is the date of
Marilyn Monroe's death).  Issued in 3 different colours of
vinyl.  Black (around 5000 copies), purple (500?), black and
purple 'swirl' which is limited to just 25 copies.

SAMHAIN:

12" SINGLES:

Unholy Passion
Plan 9
still available.

ALBUMS

Initium
Plan 9
150 issued on marbled vinyl.  Black vinyl issue is still available.

November Coming Fire
Plan 9
still available.