Rate this artist/band: The Misfits

[Gabriel]

I'm planning on hi-jacking this concept once a week. Probably Fridays.

Notes:

For best album, I only used legitimate LPs. Project 1950 is out because it's a full covers album, and not a good representation of the band as a whole. I also didn't count the mass amounts of EPs or Singles they released.

The band has only had the three official vocalists, though there have been a slew of others perform live with them, such as Zoli Teglas of Ignite and Myke Hideous of The Bronx Casket Co.

The spin-off bands I used are bands that started after the member left the Misfits, and are the most notable of them.

Discussion is also kickass.

Classic Lineup:

Resurrection Lineup:

JerryFits Lineup:

Edited March 13, 2009 by Gabriel

[EndOfAnEra]

I give the Fits a 7, simply because the JerryFits lineup is shit, and doesn't even come close to the original or ressurection. I find Graves and Danzig incomparable as vocalists in the Misfits, but on their own projects I prefer Danzig. I really think Gotham Road could've had something though. Seasons of the Witch was an awesome song.

[BuddyAwesome]

I used to love The Misfits when I was in high school and getting into punk rock, then I kind of just didn't care about them for quite a while. Music is good and all, but I think after Danzig they only had a couple of good songs. Danzig would be my favorite of the solo projects, but that was until I saw him last year in San Francisco and he was very, very, very, utterly horrible.

[RPS]

Here is the thing about the Misfits. I get how they were influencial, they had great personalities, a great fashion sense, the whole thing. I just think they are complete and utter crap. I don't get how anyone would want to listen to the music. And I use to be a diehard punk fan. I just never got the love and admiration for the Misfits.

[Gabriel]

1. I really miss Gotham Road. Graves' voice lends itself well to that style of metal hybrid. That said, I'm really digging what he's been doing lately with the acoustic stuff and the Illusions album with Damien Echols.

2. I think, being a fan of Punk isn't the only characteristic in finding why people like the Misfits. Really, I look at them as a meeting point, between the classic 50's style of rock n' roll, and the 70's style of punk. People who are really only into one or the other probably won't have an easy time getting into the Fits. For people coming from both sides though, it's incredibly hard not to like them. With the return of the Misfits in 95 with Michale Graves, they added a Metal dynamic, which, in my opinion, is the reason why American Psycho is my favorite album. Everything just melded perfectly together for that album.

Anyways, the point I was trying to make is, the Misfits are really a hybrid of styles, but due to their nature, I find that they alienate a lot of people who are coming from one angle, but not the others.

[fr34k]

I really like the Misfits,but only the original line up.Without Danzig as the vocalist,I think they suck totally

[VerbalPuke]

I gave them a seven based soley on Static Age. Other than that and bits of Walk Among us, I've never been a big fan of them. Static Age is a very good album if you like an even dirtier version of 77 style punk that people are accustomed to. In my own travels, it seems that the Misfits fanbase isn't predominanetely punk fans, but people that are into horror, goth, and generally spooky music.

[K]

It's interesting that there are four votes nominating Michael Graves albums as the best Misfit productions, and only two for him as the better vocalist.

Edit: That's not sarcasm, it's actually interesting.

[Gabriel]

I gave them a seven based soley on Static Age. Other than that and bits of Walk Among us, I've never been a big fan of them. Static Age is a very good album if you like an even dirtier version of 77 style punk that people are accustomed to. In my own travels, it seems that the Misfits fanbase isn't predominanetely punk fans, but people that are into horror, goth, and generally spooky music.

They are the Godfathers of Horrorpunk. A subgenre of Punk Rock that is characterized by the inclusion of influences from 50's Rock and the Horror subculture, be it films, books or what have you.

I would say that the modern day forerunners for Horrorpunk are Blitzkid, but that's a discussion for another week, as I'm likely to include them in this weekly jaunt sooner than later.

EDIT: About K's post... it is rather interesting, to see that people seem to prefer Danzig as a vocalist, and yet, the albums sang on by Graves are getting a pretty good reception.

As a long time Misfits fan, who has a collection of Misfits tunes that is ridiculously large... I find that Danzig era stuff tends to be classic songs, or just alright songs. So the Danzig albums, it's hard to find one that is awesome from beginning to end. Whereas, I found that with American Psycho especially, and Famous Monsters to a degree, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of room for the listener's excitement to drop from song to song. Psycho is probably the most solid album I've ever heard, from beginning to end.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Gabriel

[Zaz]

It's interesting that there are four votes nominating Michael Graves albums as the best Misfit productions, and only two for him as the better vocalist.

Edit: That's not sarcasm, it's actually interesting.

I have no idea who did which album, but I voted Danzig (he was the only one I really know, and I've heard some of his other stuff) and Famous Monsters (only album that appeared on my iTunes, the others are from 'Box Set 3', 'Collection II', 'Cuts from the Crypt' and 'Famous Monsters' =/).

Are we going to start quoting random lyrics again? That's how I heard of the Misfits to begin with >_>

[tristy]

I like Danzig strictly as a solo artist. The only Misfits albums I can actually listen to, all the way through, are those with Michale Graves. I'm a diehard Graves era Misfits fan, as Gabriel knows. By the way, I never did thank you for that huge collection of live Misfits & Graves bootleg tracks you sent me. Quality shit. Anyway, the stuff with Danzig and Only as vocalists are okay, but I think Graves voice is just untouchable. Plus, he just looks badass.

I love American Psycho and Famous Monsters, but I went with Famous Monsters because it has my absolute favorite 'Fits song, "Saturday Night", and my 2nd, "Helena".

I could listen to stuff like "Last Caress", "Attitude", and "Astro Zombies" all day long, but I think anybody could. They're classic punk songs.

[GhostMachine]

I'm with Tristof on this. I prefer them with Graves on vocals. Danzig is the only spin-off band I actually like, but I haven't heard anything by Dr. Chud's X-Ward or Gorgeous Frankenstein.

Don't actually own any Misfits albums, but I voted for Famous Monsters, because its the album I've heard the most stuff off that I like.