The original trio from the Misfits came together for the first time since departing in 1983 last fall when they performed on stage at the two Riot Fest concerts. Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein had once been one of the original lineup for the punk band which has seen a lot of band members come and go throughout it’s years as a band.
The punk movement was taking over the world during the early to mid 1970s and it was the early months of 1977 when the band, Misfits came to be in Lodi, New Jersey. They wanted to make an impression and they did as well as left a legacy behind them. Their music was a blend punk rock music and other musical influences from horror film themes. The band released seven studio albums, three live albums, four compilation albums, four EPs, nineteen singles, one video album, five music videos, one box set, one demo, and one cancelled album. Throughout their long run together, the band had seventeen official band members including Danzig, Only and Doyle.
When the Misfits disbanded in 1983, it led to a few legal battles between band members. Most of the battles relied on the matter that Danzig was credited for all things Misfits including lyrics and music. This matter went back and forth between members until Only stopped his pursuit of songwriting credits and instead asked for the rights to use the Misfits name and imagery, including the now-famous “Crimson Ghost” skull face logo. It was in 1995 that the parties had reached an out-of-court settlement that allowed Only and Doyle to regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits again sharing the rights of the merchandise with Danzig. Another legal battle came around in 2014 when Danzig filed a lawsuit claiming he was owed a portion of the royalties from the band’s many merchandising deals but it was eventually thrown out.
Now with the performances at the Riot Fest behind them though, fans are excited and eager to see what the future holds for their favorite punk band.
Danzig told Rollingstone.com in an recent interview that he was open for more reunion shows with the Misfits. He said that: “I’m open to possibly doing some more shows. I don’t want to tour, but if it happens and everything lines up properly, I would imagine there’d probably be couple more shows. I don’t know when, but I’ll keep an open mind.” Only also told Rolling Stone that he sees more shows potentially in the future saying; “I know Doyle wants it to continue. I know Glenn wants it to continue. We just have to be big enough people to make it continue. And that’s where we’re at. Whatever it takes. We’re going into our fortieth anniversary, so the timing couldn’t be more perfect.”
Black Laden Crown is Danzig’s eleventh studio album and it arrives in stores now. Along with with the album, he has booked a couple of shows this summer which includes the Blackest of the Black Festival which is going on right now.
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