The Misfits were a "punk rock" band from Lodi, New Jersey. Formed in 1977 toward the end of the punk era, they took the band name from Marilyn Monroe's last film and in fact, thanked the cast of the movie on the back of their first record.
The founding members were: Glenn Danzig on vocals and electric piano, Jerry Caiafa on bass and Manny on drums. Their first release on their own label, Blank Records, didn't reflect the characteristic anger and rebellion of most "punk" records, but instead a more brooding and romantic side lingering beneath.
Side A was called "Cough/Cool" and it had a jazzy sort of feeling to it. With the release of this record only the interesting lyrical content and strong vocals hinted at the style that would emerge with the passage of timeand the band's subsequent releases. Side B had the original recording of "She", and was about Patty Hearst. It was the more agressive track but there was no noisy guitar. Instead, Gelnn played the electric piano through a fuzz box.
In 1978, the "punk rock" influence reared its ugly head with the addition of Fran Licata (a.c.a Franché Coma) on guitar and Jim Catania (a.k.a Mr. Jim) on drums. The next release was the notorious "Bullet" EP, on their Plan 9 label. The four song seven inch reflected a more aggressive and angry style. It was originaly pressed on black vinyl with a fold out sleeve and lyric sheet for the title track. "Attitude" was a poppy little tune with colorful usage of many four letter words. "Hollywood Babylon" had a rich vocal track and a very catchy melody. "We are 138" was filled with the straight down-strumming guitar technique that was very reminiscent of the Ramones. It was a style the band would proudly perfect, and one that stayed with them throughout all their recordings.
The "Bullet" sheet showed former-president Kennedy's head on a blood splattered background with a bullet hole in it. Not tame by any means, and not meant to be either. These four songs came from a larger session, that was to be their first album, Static Age. The rest of those songs are compiled, all together for the first time anywhere, in the Box Set.
The founding members were: Glenn Danzig on vocals and electric piano, Jerry Caiafa on bass and Manny on drums. Their first release on their own label, Blank Records, didn't reflect the characteristic anger and rebellion of most "punk" records, but instead a more brooding and romantic side lingering beneath.
Side A was called "Cough/Cool" and it had a jazzy sort of feeling to it. With the release of this record only the interesting lyrical content and strong vocals hinted at the style that would emerge with the passage of timeand the band's subsequent releases. Side B had the original recording of "She", and was about Patty Hearst. It was the more agressive track but there was no noisy guitar. Instead, Gelnn played the electric piano through a fuzz box.
In 1978, the "punk rock" influence reared its ugly head with the addition of Fran Licata (a.c.a Franché Coma) on guitar and Jim Catania (a.k.a Mr. Jim) on drums. The next release was the notorious "Bullet" EP, on their Plan 9 label. The four song seven inch reflected a more aggressive and angry style. It was originaly pressed on black vinyl with a fold out sleeve and lyric sheet for the title track. "Attitude" was a poppy little tune with colorful usage of many four letter words. "Hollywood Babylon" had a rich vocal track and a very catchy melody. "We are 138" was filled with the straight down-strumming guitar technique that was very reminiscent of the Ramones. It was a style the band would proudly perfect, and one that stayed with them throughout all their recordings.
The "Bullet" sheet showed former-president Kennedy's head on a blood splattered background with a bullet hole in it. Not tame by any means, and not meant to be either. These four songs came from a larger session, that was to be their first album, Static Age. The rest of those songs are compiled, all together for the first time anywhere, in the Box Set.