Daily Jam (October Edition) - Halloween

Happy Halloween everybody.  Have fun out there tonight, and remember: Fuck ICE!  Here's the Misfits with "Halloween," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Blood and Tears

It's always fun when a song that's fallen back into the inner recesses of your brain gets jarred loose because you hear it in a movie or TV show.  Such is the case with Danzig's "Blood and Tears" which appeared in the vampire flick "Abigail" earlier this year.  Watching the film and hearing the song was like shaking some some dust out from the folds of my brain, 30+ year old aural memories revived and all that comes with them.  It was lovely.  Anyway, listen to the tune below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - To Walk the Night

While it's always a good time to listen to Samhain, it just feels more right when it's October.  Listen to "To Walk the Night" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Sistinas

Strangely enough, my favorite Danzig song is a love song of sorts.

I don’t believe that there are a whole lot of dark, brooding love songs in Danzig’s dark, brooding repertoire, though “Sistinas” from 1992’s Danzig III: How the Gods Kill, is about as good as it’s ever likely to get. And I don’t mean that as a slight. “Sistinas” feels like a Gothic lament of unrequited love, all lost souls and cold, black, defeated hearts. And while that can certainly seem jarring in relation to his other work, especially at the time, my 15-year old self only really being familiar with tracks like “Mother” or “Dirty Black Summer,” the song still managed to hook me quite easily, another side of the art of this muscle-bound, black-clad, sneering little man.

This was before a gradual decline in the quality of output began to tarnish his work. This was before kitty litter memes softened his image. This was before bouts of self-importance, delusions of grandeur, and requests for French onion soup did even more damage, an aging, ill-tempered, heavy metal prima donna coming off like more of joke than an artist or a rock star. In the early 90’s though, Danzig still carried with him an air of mystique and danger, the kind of image a metal artist was supposed to have, devils, demons, and hell following him.

And here I was digging on his pining, little love song. A damn good pining, little love song, but a pining, little love song nonetheless.

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Hybrid Moments

I hate to admit it, but I was really, really late to The Misfits party. I was aware of them of course, being a fan of those first four Danzig records, but for some reason or another I just never paid them any attention. And that was wrong of me. It was at the insistence and persistence of my brother that I finally rectified that mistake, that I finally gave the legendary punk rock act a go. And that was right of me.

“Hybrid Moments” comes from the album Static Age, a collection of songs recorded in the late 70’s, but not released in its entirety until 1997, well after the band had broken up and then reformed without Glenn Danzig at the helm. The song also appeared, along with several other tracks from the Static Age sessions on the 1985 album Legacy of Brutality. The word on the street is that Danzig redubbed the instruments on the songs before release to avoid paying his old bandmates any royalties, which resulted in lawsuits, hurt feelings, and bruised egos.

Release history and bad band drama aside, the song is an energetic little beast, less than two minutes of frenetic, bouncing power. It makes me want to jump around the room, slam into the furniture, into the wall, into any random, innocent individuals who happen to walk by. I cannot help but air-drum. I cannot help but bang my head around. I cannot help but shout along, often in a bad Danzig-impersonation. That’s what “Hybrid Moments” does to me, and it’s what I want it to do to you too. And while it’s probably not the best Misfits song ever, an argument I would love to see any number of superfans debate and come to blows over, it’s my favorite and a great entry point for anyone looking to explore and devour the band’s catalog.

On a side note, everything that you’ve heard or read about Danzig is probably true. He is an egomaniac. He is a prima donna. He is a jerk, and sadly, is increasingly becoming a joke. Just don’t let that affect your perceptions of the great music he made so many years ago. Also, if you ever meet him, stare directly into his eyes…I hear he likes that.

Or just ask him about his cats.

Check the track out below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Halloween II

I heard Danzig got thrown out of a movie theater recently because he wouldn't stop talking.  What a strange rollercoaster of a career that dude has had.  Anyway, here he is with Samhain and "Halloween II," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Dirty Black Summer

Starting the week off with a little Danzig.  Here's "Dirty Black Summer," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Soul on Fire

Danzig anyone?  Here's "Soul on Fire," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - Skulls

Much like Alice Cooper yesterday, is it really the Halloween season without some jams from the Misfits?  The answer is no.  No it is not.  So here's "Skulls," our Daily Jam.

Danzig Sings Elvis

It's been a weird last few weeks, continuing to work from home and homeschool the kids, watching movie after movie both for kids and not, working on the yard and on the house, and slowly going insane.  And i can't think of anything that really sums up how weird everything is except that my last two online purchase were for a bunch of supplies to clean firearms with and a pre-order of Danzig's upcoming album "Danzig Sings Elvis," on pink vinyl no less.  Strange times, strange times.  Anyway, guess i'll go clean a gun.  In the meantime, let's listen to Danzig's take on "One Night" below and then all order the record here from Cleopatra.

Daily Jam - Where Eagles Dare

And now for some Misfits for our Sunday listening pleasure.  Here's "Where Eagles Dare," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Going Down to Die

I don't think Danzig has made anything worth a damn in 25 year, "Danzig 4" being a last hurrah of sorts.  But i'm still totally checking out that "Verotika" movie as soon as i possibly can.  Anyway, here's "Going Down to Die," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (October Edition) - To Walk the Night

Still sick.  Here's some Samhain.  Listen to "To Walk the Night" below, our Daily Jam.

Orange Hell - Hybrid Moments

While digging around for music last night, i came across this release from last October, a short collection of drifting dreampop Misfits covers from a project called Orange Hell.  I couldn't find any info listed for the band other than it consists of some "guys you probably know," but whatever.  These songs are gems.  Listen to the wistful, hazy version of "Hybrid Moments" below and download it here from Funeral Party.

Daily Bowie (Cover Week 2) - Cat People by Danzig

Even Danzig covered Bowie.  Listen to his take on "Cat People (Putting Out the Fire)" from the 2007 album "The Lost Tracks of Danzig."  Your Daily Bowie.