Misfits Albums - The Birth of Horror Punk Rock

Most of the Misfits albums are now categorizedinside the horror punk box.
under horror punk rock. If this is a bit foreign to you,From 1978 to 1982, the band continued performing
it may be because it is a sub genre of sorts of whichsingles and recording tracks. It was however, only in
this band is widely considered a pioneer of. The1982 when they managed to push out Walk Among
group's transition to its current enduring imageUS, the first full release that was in album form. On
however, was not a smooth or easy one.this same year, they launched their national tour. By
The original band was the idea of Glenn Danzig who1983 however, the band was already in danger of
took the name from Marilyn Monroe's last movie. Thetaking the downward slope. Danzig lost interest and
band's first line up in 1977 was made up of Dianeeventually announced the group's break up. He went
DiPiazza, Jimmy Battle and Manny Martinez. DiPiazzaon to found Samhain which focused on heavy metal.
and Battle stayed only briefly and Jerry Caiafa, whoOnly went off to establish his own band, Kryst the
is now more popularly known as Jerry Only, wasConqueror which was a Christian heavy metal band.
recruited into the group. Only and Danzig are the onlyThe Misfits were far from really over though. Fresh
two members who stayed on with the band for long.support and comments were coming out that other
To date, the group's member roster has registered arising acts liked their music. This gave Only the idea
total of 17 members. The quick line up changes are aof resurrecting the band. This led to a sticky legal
definite indication of the band's troubled history.battle that pitted him and Doyle, another former
The band immediately started work on its first albumband member, against Danzig. It was eventually
Static Age on the same year of their founding. Thereagreed upon outside of court that Only and Doyle
were no record labels though willing to support thecould perform as the Misfits and use its logo.
project. The band ended up releasing singles. It tookMerchandising rights however is to be shared with
two decades before Static Age could be released inDanzig. The original founder showed no desire to
full.continue performing with his former band mates.
In 1978, the group began an image and styleThe band was officially reborn under the leadership
makeover that would eventually define the group forof Only but it went through more line up issues. By
the rest of its career. Danzig began to craft more2001, Only was the only member left with no
songs that were peppered by references to horror.prospect for a new Misfit album. Presently however,
Also, while performing on stage, band membersthe official line up listed for the band also includes Dez
began sporting horror themed appearances, the mostCadena and Julio "Robo" Valencia. Their most recent
pronounced of which is the devilock hair. From thiswork together is the single Land of the Dead
time on, every succeeding Misfits album was putreleased in 2009.