Misfits: The Danzig Years — How Glenn Danzig Invented Horror Punk

Back before the Misfits shirt was a cult wardrobe staple, and long before Metallica covered them, the Misfits were a scrappy New Jersey punk gang chasing horror-movie dreams— led by a frontman who thought he was Elvis possessed by Satan. 

In this episode of Satan Is My Superhero, we dive into the Danzig era (1977–83)—the fights, the graves, the sticky-floored clubs, and the sound that rewired punk into something darker and bloodier.

Want more Danzig chaos? Check out Episode 74: Danzig  for our deep dive on Glenn’s steroidal debut album and his post-Misfits misadventures. 

- Got blasphemous thoughts, hot takes, or questions we should ruin with research? Email us: satanismysuperhero@gmail.com 

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Plus, we’ve got a brand-new logo to show off—still irreverent, still badass, just a little shinier. 

“The Misfits didn’t just play shows… they haunted them. Literally.” 

Sauces: Sources used for each episode are plentiful—let us know if you want the list. 

Topics covered this episode: Misfits, Glenn Danzig, the Danzig years (1977–83), horror punk, New Jersey punk history, the rise of the Misfits shirt, the Crimson Ghost, the devilock, Metallica covering Misfits, and why every punk fight smells like stale beer and regret. 

Transcript

In this episode we dig into the seedy underbelly of the New York punk scene at its peak and inspect one of the bands that wasn’t Blondie, Talking Heads or Ramones. 

[SATAN, ‘We need to discuss your definition of punk rock.’

TTS, ‘We need to discuss your understanding of how S E O’s work.’]

In 1977, Jersey boys, Glenn Danzig, Manny Martinez and Jerry Caiafa, formed a band that would create and define its own genre, ‘Horror Punk’.

01 [ADDAMS FAMILY SINGERS, ‘They’re spooky and they’re punky. Nefarious not funky. They’re all together spunky. They’re the Misfits Family.’]

And so Misfits was born. 

02 [GREMLIN, ‘You might not know the band, but you know their t-shirts!’]

Danzig named the band after the Marilyn Monroe movie, and felt the title best suited the band member’s social status.

03 [JERRY, ‘Can’t we call ourselves, The Really Really Cool Guys?’

DANZIG, ‘No! We’re Misfits.’]

You can also call them The Misfits if you prefer. Up until their third single, the The was very prominent on their merchandising.

04 [JERRY, ‘We’re so punk rock, we don’t care about the definite article!’]

A month after forming, Misfits played their first gig at New York's legendary CBGB's.

05 [JERRY, ‘Hi, we're The Really Really Cool Guys!’

DANZIG, ‘No! We're Misfits.’]

A month after playing their very first gig they recorded their first single and released it on Danzig’s own label.

[SATAN, ‘This is exactly the kind of drive, determination and self-belief you get when the whole band is on steroids.’]

That label of Danzig’s was called Blank Records. Pin in that for later.

06 [PINBOY, ‘Ow, why am I always the one who gets the pin?’]  

On that first single Jerry’s last name was misspelled. Probably having a lifetime behind him of people misspelling his last name Jerry suggested,

07 [JERRY, ‘Next time just put Jerry only.’

DANZIG, ‘Okay cool.’

JERRY, ‘What do you mean, okay cool. You agreed to that too fast?’

DANZIG, ‘Jerry only. Got it.’

JERRY, ‘Okaaaaay?’]

From then on Jerry was credited as Jerry Only, as in, his last name was written as Only. He has been known as Jerry Only ever since.

08 [DANZIG, ‘I did EXACTLY what you said man!’]

Now remember that pin?

09 [PINBOY, ‘Ow! God damn it. Pulling it out hurt more somehow!’]

Mercury Records started a subsidiary label with the intention of releasing American punk bands.

10 [MENSCH, ‘If we sign punk bands we'll get laid by women in black turtle necks who perform spoken word in the village.’

BURNSTEIN, ‘Are you sure?’

MENSCH, ‘I have one word for you, The Velvet Underground.

BURNSTEIN, ‘Are they punk?’

MENSCH, ‘That's what a woman in a black turtle neck told me.’]

They did this under the banner of Blank Records. And when it was too late, discovered Danzig’s label, already doing exactly that.

[CHOIR OF ANGELS, ‘Life before the internet.’]

So in exchange for the name, Blank Records, Mercury offered Danzig 30 hours of recording time and a promise to listen to the demo.

11 [MENSCH, ‘And who knows guys, maybe we’ll even sign you.’

DANZIG, ‘Really?’

MENSCH, ‘Um, I mean, anything’s possible. Is there a chance signing you guys will get me laid by women who wear black turtle necks and perform spoken word in the Village?’

DANZIG, ‘I doubt it.’

MENSCH, ‘So you see my problem.’]

Mercury/Blank Records did not take Misfits on at that time. But they did release the very artsie fartsy Pere Ubu,

12 [TURTLENECK, ‘I only wear black turtle necks and when I’m not performing spoken word in the Village, I listen to Pere Ubu.’]

And Suicide Commandos, who are legends in Minneapolis, so that’s something.

13 [GREMLIN, ‘Is it though?’]

Blank Records folded after just those two releases.

14 [BURNSTEIN, ‘Why didn’t we sign that Misfits band?’

JANET, ‘I don’t like men with too many muscles.’

FRANKENFURTER, ‘I didn’t make him for you! He carries the Charles Atlas seal of approval.’]

So in 1978 Misfits used the amount of time Metallica spend in the studio tuning their guitars to record 17 songs. 

15 [KRUSTY, ‘Alright you Poindexters let’s get this right. One: Hey, hey kids I’m talking Krusty. Two: Hey, hey here comes Slideshow Mel. Again: Here comes SIDEshow Mel. Sideshow Mel. Three: Who, whoo, ha, ha. Ha. Bada Bing Bada Boom I’m done. Learn from a professional kid.’

SFX Footsteps Door Slams Car Drives away

ENGINEER, ‘Okay Krusty, ah, we are ready to roll. Any... What the?’]

Some of these songs were intended for an album called Static Age. Due to lack of interest from any record label and the band’s direction changing over the following months and years, Static Age wouldn’t end up being released until 1997.

16 [CRITIC, ‘Usually when a band releases an album I say, “I liked their old stuff better than their new stuff.” That's my thing. What do I do when the fourth album the band release is the first album they recorded? Arrrggghh!’

SFX EXPLOSION]

But back in 1978 with no recognition from the gatekeepers, Danzig did what Danzig does and released the Bullet single featuring four songs from that 30 hour session on his newly named, Plan 9 records.

17 [JERRY, ‘Wasn't your label called Blank?’

DANZIG, ‘Yeah I sold the name to a major label, who are going to use their many years of experience in the rock scene and youth culture to sell punk records to the kids.’

JERRY, ‘Oh?’

DANZIG, ‘Yeah, and I'm sure they'll be very successful with the band's they will inevitably choose.’

BOTH BURST INTO LAUGHTER

JERRY, ‘You almost kept a straight face at the end there.’

DANZIG, ‘I was trying, I was trying. Could you tell, I was really trying? I just couldn’t do it.’]

Misfits did what Misfits do, they played shows and invented a new hairstyle known as the Devilock. Which can best be described as a reverse mullet. 

18 [BINGO, ‘No Dad, that's what YOUR devillock looks like.’

JUDE, ‘Rude! People have been glassed for comments like that.’]

[TTS, ‘That’s a call forward. I am learning podcast jargon.’]

This is when they began to lean hard into their fascination with horror movies and comic books, ultimately leading to what would become their signature Horror Punk style in both look and lyrical content.

19 [DANZIG, ‘It's music for muscle bound nerds.’

(BEAT)

DANZIG, ‘It's a narrow market.’]

In December the band sprayed the crowd with Kool-Aid in tribute to the recent Jonestown Massacre.

20 [NERD, ‘You know, it was actually Flavor-Aid at Jonestown not Kool…’

(BEAT)

NERD, ‘I’ll show myself out.’]

In early 1979 Jerry partied the night away with Sex Pistol, Sid Vicious, waking the very next morning to reports of his death.

21 [DOYLE, ‘How's you hangover Jerry?’

JERRY, ‘OMG I want to die. I wonder how Sid's feeling?’

DOYLE, ‘Yeah, about that.’]

While Sid’s mother Anne was in New York, dealing with the aftermath of her son’s death, she attended the recording session for the next Misfits release, Horror Business.

22 [DANZIG, ‘What did you think of that one Mrs Beverly?’

BEVERLY SOBBING, ‘You sounded just like my boy.’

DANZIG, ‘Oh really? We better record it again.’]

This single would feature the skull image you have very definitely seen on a million t-shirts.

23 [VALLEY GIRL, 'I only wear Misfits Tshirts.'

NERD, ‘You know it's not a clothing label, it's a band.’

VALLEY GIRL, ‘Eew! Bands are gross!’]

The image was stolen from a poster for 1946’s The Crimson Ghost, a 12 part film serial. 

[SATAN, ‘Crimson Ghost is like Che Guevara. Millions of kids wearing his t-shirt with no idea why.’]

As only Danzig can, he ran the band’s fan club, screen printing the t-shirts and mailing out records and merch, all from his own apartment, the address of which was on all their stuff.

24 [DANZIG, ‘I like stalkers!’]

In March 1979 Misfits got themselves banned for life from the very important New York punk scene club Max’s Kansas City. Guitarist at the time Bobby Steele was arrested for glassing an audience member.

25 [STEELE, ‘He said my devillock looked like a reverse mullet!’]

[TTS, ‘Call forward, completed.’]

REPLAY: [KRUSTY, Learn from a professional kid!’]

In June they opened for British band The Damned. Jerry spoke with lead singer Dave Vanian about Misfits joining The Damned on the U.K. leg of their tour. Pin in that for later.

26 [PIN BOY, ‘Nope! Firetruck off!’]

In July Bobby Steele threw up on John Lennon outside the Mudd Club.

27 [GREMLIN, ‘Not the worst thing that will happen to Lennon on a New York street.’

SFX Sports whistle

UMPIRE, ‘That’s a warning.’

GREMLIN, ‘Oh what? Too soon?’]

In August Danzig and Jerry were arrested throwing bottles out of a fifth floor window at the infamous Hotel Chelsea.

28 [GREMLIN, ‘Not the worse thing to happen at the Hotel Chelsea. Just ask Nancy... you know what, I can see the line.’]

Time to remove that second pin.

29 [PIN BOY, ‘Just get it over with.’

SFX Pop

PIN BOY, ‘Ow!’]

In November 1979 Misfits arrived in the U.K. on the doorstep of Dave Vanian ready to join The Damned on tour.

30 [VANIAN, ‘Um, who are you again?’]

No one in The Damned camp knew about Misfits joining the tour. 

[CHOIR OF ANGELS, ‘Awkward.’]

The ever polite Englishmen made room for Misfits on the tour, at the last minute. 

31 [VANIAN, ‘No! It’s not a gigantic inconvenience at all!’

(BEAT)

VANIAN, ‘It’s bigger than gigantic.’]

But on the second night, our musclebound American heroes quit the tour, complaining of inadequate money and bad equipment.

32 [JERRY, ‘We can't work under these conditions. We are artistes! Good day sir!’

VANIAN, ‘We didn't want you here anyway?’

JERRY, ‘I said, good day!’]

Misfits decided to not waste the trip and see the sights of Old Blighty. Jerry went and caught up with Sid Vicious’ mum.

33 [BEVERLY, ‘I’ll put the kettle on!’]

Danzig and Steele noticed they hadn’t been arrested for months. So they allegedly got into a street brawl with some skinheads and spent two nights in the Brixton lock up.

34 [REPORTER, ‘Is that really what happened?’

DANZIG, ‘Neo Nazi skinheads, bald old age pensioners, who can really say?’]

This entire English debacle had been financed by Jerry’s dad’s credit card.

35 [MUM, ‘Have you seen your credit card statement darling?’

DAD, ‘Jerry!]

Over the next couple of years the band self-released more singles and E.P.s until 1981, when Slash Magazine offered to release an album on their label, Slash Records.

36 [EXEC, ‘It's vertical integration baby! The future of business, magazines AND records. We'll be in business forever!’]

So in March 1982, their first full length studio album, Walk Among Us was released. It was well reviewed, by Slash Magazine.

37 [CRITIC, ‘This is the best album my boss ever released.’]

While touring nationally to promote the album, guitarist at that time Doyle broke his guitar over the head of a rowdy audience member in San Francisco, causing a riot that closed the show.

38 [DOYLE, ‘He said my devillock looked like a reverse mullet!’]

[SPONGEBOB FRENCHY, ‘Three days later.’]

According to eye witness Henry Rollins, Misfits were doing sound check at L.A.’s Whisky A Go Go, when one Vince Neil walked into the bar. 

39 [TYLER, ‘Dude looks like a lady!’

(BEAT)

TYLER, ‘Yeah. Like me, this has not aged well.’

(BEAT)

TYLER, ‘I’ll show myself out.’]

The New Jersey punks did not like what they saw one little bit and let him know. Allegedly Vince turned and ran for his life.

[ERIC SON OF A DUSTMAN, ‘Later bitches.’]

Two days after scaring poor little Vince Neil, Danzig and drummer at the time Arthur Googy got into a fight at a McDonald’s when Googy wanted a second cheeseburger. 

40 [DANZIG, ‘What do I always tell you Googy? A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.’]

Googy quit the band.

41 [GOOGY, ‘Good day sir!’]

In New Orleans the band were arrested and charged with grave robbing. As always there are conflicting stories. But it does seem they had indeed been trying to steal a skull from an above ground crypt. 

42 [DANZIG, ‘What can I say? I steal skulls! It’s kinda, my thing.’]

And while they were actually in the wrong cemetery, it has been reported the skull they wanted was that of Voodoo Queen of New Orleans Marie Laveau.

[SATAN, ‘Oh they were looking for a particular skull? Oh well that makes the whole story so much less gross.’]

Anyway, the Misfits missed getting her skull and also missed their New Orleans court date. Skipping bail and driving to Florida for their next show.

43 [OBIWAN, ‘Florida. You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.’]

Over the previous six years the band had stamped their mark on Halloween. They were the horror punk band. One of their most popular singles was the song, ‘Halloween’. The B-Side to ‘Halloween’ was a song called, ‘Halloween II’. 

44 [ANNOUNCER, ‘If too much Halloween isn't enough Halloween for you, try Misfits.’

(BEAT)

DISCLAIMER GUY, ‘Warning! May contain human skulls.’]

In fact Misfits felt so strongly about their ownership of Halloween that when Dead Kennedys released a song called Halloween on Halloween in 1982, Danzig screamed this at Forced Exposure Magazine,

45 [DANZIG, ‘Jello Biafra is an asshole.’]

[SATAN, ‘Many would agree.’]

Biafra claimed he had written his song before Misfits released theirs, to which the,

46 [BANNER, ‘You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.’

HULK, ‘Hulk smash!’]

Danzig replied,

47 [DANZIG, ‘That's like us releasing a record called 'Holiday In Cambodia' and saying, 'Oh, we had this written a long time ago,' or if we released a song called 'California Über Alles' and saying, 'Who are the Dead Kennedys, never heard of them.' It's just stupid and lame.’]

I think prince wrote a song about this.

48 [PRINCE, ‘This is what it sounds like when the punks fight.’]

So anyway, Halloween is significant to Misfits and every year they would perform a special Halloween concert. Halloween 1983 in Detroit,

49 [STANLEY, ‘Rock city!’

DANZIG, ‘Please don’t.’]

would be a little bit more special than all the others.

[CHOIR OF ANGELS, ‘In a nutshell.’]

Leading up to the show they had only just replaced former Black Flag drummer Robo with former Verbal Abuse drummer Brian Damage.

50 [CUTSIE, ‘Oh! We never even got to meet Robo. I hope we get to know Brian.’]

Jerry and his brother/guitarist at the time Doyle were working many hours overtime at their dad’s business to get the money together for an upcoming German tour. Because of this the band had not practiced together. 

51 [JERRY, ‘It’ll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?’]

Between sound check and his first show with the band Brian got too drunk to firetruck. Sorry Dead Kennedys on the Brian, I mean brain. Brian got too drunk to play the drums and this was the last straw for Danzig. He announced on stage this was the band’s,

52 [DANZIG, ‘last show ever.’]

And for the next 33 years he was right.

[TTS, ‘He was done with punks.’]

 On the 11 hour drive back to New York from Detroit,

53 [STANLEY, ‘Rock city!’

DANZIG, ‘Seriously, I said don’t.’]

Danzig did not speak to Jerry or Doyle. And wouldn’t for another 33 years.

[TTS, ‘He was really, over punks.’]

Two weeks after the break up, Danzig still released their second album, Earth A.D/Wolfsblood.

55 [DANZIG, ‘I’d already packed the vinyl into the sleeves! Do you have any idea how long that takes?’]

Then after Plan 9 finally got a major distribution deal with Caroline Records, Danzig released three Misfits compilation albums of remixed and previously unreleased material over the next decade or so.

56 [DANZIG, ‘The best thing that ever happened to the Misfits career was breaking up.’]

To say they went their own separate ways would be an understatement.  Danzig launched into the Satanic rock we all know and love him for today. 

[GENUINE HOOTS OF JOY, ‘Worship Satan! Of course!’]

Jerry and Doyle formed the Christian metal band, Kryst the Conqueror. I guess they thought it might help them come judgement day.

57 [ANGEL, ‘Weren't you guys in a band with Danzig?’

JERRY, ‘Yeah! But we also started a Christian metal band.’

ANGEL, ‘So you did a nothing then?’

JERRY, ‘Yeah, we did a nothing.’]

Kryst the Conqueror did eventually release an E.P. but never performed their Christian Heavy metal live. 

[SATAN, ‘What a shame. Said no one ever.’]

In 1987 Metallica released covers of the Misfits songs, Last Caress and Green Hell and the whole world found out about Misfits. I can think of at least one 15 year old Kiwi metal head who needed to know all he could about them the second he heard,

58 [JAZZY HETFIELD, ‘I got something say. I killed your baby today.’]

A whole crop of 90s metal, punk and grunge bands were covering Misfits. There is an entire Wikipedia page dedicated just to Misfits covers. Anyone who’s anyone was covering Misfits. From the Lemonheads to Guns n Roses.

59 [JERRY, ‘Everyone was playing Misfits songs except for Misfits!]

This sudden surge in international recognition was very good for Danzig’s bank account.

[ERIC SON OF A DUSTMAN, ‘Cha Ching.’]

And the dozens of Christian metal fans around the world would have to go without as Jerry and Doyle entered into a decade long battle with Danzig for the right to reform the band Danzig formed and play the songs Danzig wrote. After a settlement in 1996 Jerry told Metal maniacs,

60 [JERRY, ‘We are the exclusive owners of the name on a performing level. We share the joint rights to the name with Glenn for merchandising.’]

[SATAN, ’So they really just worked for Danzig then?’]

Jerry and Doyle then started touring and releasing music as The Misfits. 

[SATAN, ‘So like all Christian metal, Kryst the Conqueror just got forgotten about. What a shame. Said no one ever.’]

They did 4 more albums and as mentioned earlier the previously unreleased Static Age was put out there by Caroline.

[ERIC SON OF A DUSTMAN, ‘Cha Ching.’]

But Misfits sans Danzig never reached the heights that Danzig attained.

[TTS, ‘I can’t imagine why a band missing one of the greatest singer songwriters ever, was not as successful as one of the greatest singer songwriters ever? Perhaps it will simply be one of life’s many perplexing mysteries?’]

In 2010 Jerry said, 

61 [JERRY, ‘we do have a lot of influence on people and I won't — for profit or for fame — jeopardize the safety of my fans to make money and to promote something that I don't think is right for them. Glenn got into this whole Satanic outlook and I wouldn't throw that on my kids and I won't do that. If Glenn wants to go to church and repent, I guess we're good to go.’]

Well, I might not agree with Jerry, but it is refreshing to hear a Christian who won’t abandon their morals for profit or for fame.

[TTS, ‘Cue morals being comically abandoned.’]

 In 2016 it was announced,

[CHOIR OF ANGELS, ‘We’re getting the band back together.’]

[TTS, ‘Called it.’]

Danzig, Jerry and Doyle along with Murderdolls guitarist Acey Slade and the legendary,

REPLAY: SNM 005 [LOMBARDO, ‘Hi, I’m Dave I’m a double kickarse drummer.’]

Dave Lombardo from Slayer reformed Misfits and have played a couple of big reunion shows every year since 2016. At the time of writing they had two more booked for 2024.

[CHOIR OF ANGELS, ‘It’s all about the money.’]

But what happened too?

REPLAY: [JERRY, ‘If Glenn wants to go to church and repent, I guess we're good to go.’]

So did Danzig go to church then? No? Wow these Christians and their, morals? They are quite thing aren’t they.

[HOOTS, ‘I wanna sell out. I wanna be rich. I want to pay Donald Trump to be my bitch. I wanna be obscenely wealthy. Someone’s gotta be rich so why not me?’]

This is where we must leave our muscular men of mayhem. This was meant to be a brief background segment of the episode about Danzig’s debut solo album Danzig. That’s where the Satan stuff is. But these Herculean punks just had too many funny stories god damn it.

62 [BEAVIS, ‘Punks are funny, he, he, he.’]

What can we take away from our time in the hard core horror punk world of Misfits? Be careful what you ask for when dealing with the devil.

REPLAY: [JERRY, ‘Next time just put Jerry only.’]

And that’s why Satan is my superhero.