Back in the US, they caught onto the era’s burgeoning hardcore punk scene, befriending Henry Rollins and playing live with Rollins’ band, Black Flag, in New Jersey. During this time, they self-released several further singles, supported The Damned in New York, and even spent time living with Sid Vicious’ mum, Anne Beverley, in London. Misfits built up an anarchic reputation over the next couple of years. Danzig painted skeletal patterns on his stage clothes, and Only began applying dark make-up around his eyes and patented the long, pointed “devilock” hairstyle that Danzig and Doyle also later adopted. The new songs Danzig wrote during this period were inspired by B-movie horror and science-fiction films, while Misfits’ image also changed radically. Danzig also junked the electric piano he’d previously played and concentrated solely on being the group’s frontman. After self-releasing their debut single, “Cough/Cool,” via their own Blank Records imprint, the band drafted in several different guitarists, eventually settling on Only’s brother Doyle (aka Paul Caiafa). The New York punk scene did, however, help toughen up Misfits’ sound.
the objective was to live a long life, not to die young.” I mean, they were talented, but they didn’t care what they were doing. There was some really crazy s_t that was going on out of New York at the time, but I took a look and decided I didn’t want to be one of those guys.
“Me and Glenn went to New York right after my senior year and our first gig was as CBGB, and I was still in high school. “Culturally, I wasn’t in tune to the scene or what was going on,” Jerry Only recalled in an interview with 100% Rock, in 2015. As suburban kids, however, Misfits soon realized they had little in common with the famous scene’s future stars – or even their lifestyle. Line-up changes dogged the band’s early days, though their core personnel – Danzig and bassist Jerry Only (aka Jerry Caiafa) – remained constants as they cut their teeth playing local gigs.Īs the group was within hailing distance of New York, these early shows included gigs at punk mecca CBGB. Misfits were formed in 1977, in Lodi, New Jersey, by aspiring singer-songwriter Glenn Danzig, who reputedly named his new outfit after Marilyn Monroe’s final film, The Misfits. ADVERTISEMENT “There was some really crazy s_t going on”
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