Archive for the misfits punk rock band

AFI – All Hallow’s E.P. is a Horror Punk gem

Posted in 1990's alternative rock music, 1990's punk rock albums, 1990's punk rock bands, 1990's punk rock music, 1990's rock music, Album Review, alternative rock bands, alternative rock music, alternative rock music albums, classic punk rock, cool album covers, creepy album covers, essential punk rock albums, essential punk rock songs, horror punk, horror punk album covers, horror punk album review, horror punk albums, horror punk rock music, horror punk songs, metal odyssey, Music, old school punk rock, Punk rock, punk rock album review, punk rock album reviews, punk rock albums, punk rock cover songs, punk rock music, punk rock musicians, punk rock songs, rock and roll, rock music, spooky album covers, vintage punk rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 18, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

AFI "All Hallows EP" small picA couple of years ago, I purchased All Hallow’s E.P. by AFI… man, this is a cool Horror Punk gem. Released on November 3, 1999, on Nitro Records, this is AFI when they were creating Horror Punk and it is worth every penny I spent on it. A tidy E.P. it is, with four songs that are lathered with quality Horror Punk attitude and speed. Davey Havok on lead vocals sounds vintage, even though it has only been about a decade since this E.P.’s release. Every time I listen to All Hallow’s E.P., I walk away believing Davey Havok was born to sing this style of Punk Rock. I could listen all day to this Horror Punk style of AFI. I have been currently rummaging through my Metal and Punk Music collection, sifting through the spooky titles of both albums and songs and putting them on my daily rotation of music listening. Horror Punk will always stand out when searching for the creepy tunes, All Hallow’s E.P. is an obvious choice. With the Halloween season knocking at my Metal doorstep, rounding up the scary stuff to listen to has become an annual right of Horror passage for me.

The four songs on All Hallow’s E.P. are: Fall Children, Halloween, The Boy Who Destroyed The World and TotalImmortal. (That is not a typo, there is not supposed to be a space between the words Total Immortal for this song title). Halloween is a cover song, originally written and sung by Glenn Danzig when he fronted the legendary Misfits. AFI covers Halloween with all deserved and spooked out respect. The built in mechanism of the lyrics, coupled with the musical undertones of dread, makes these four songs explode with the dynamics of Horror Punk. My favorite track is… a tie. So, my favorite tracks are Halloween (due to it being a Misfits cover song and it is unreal good) and TotalImmortal. Being the last song out of the four, TotalImmortal is really the exclamation point of All Hallow’s E.P., it has the unrestrained Punk Rock energy that leaves me yearning for more of these songs from AFI.

AFI as they appeared on All Hallow’s E.P.:

Davey Havok on vocals

Jade Puget on guitar

Hunter on bass 

Adam Carson on drums

AFI "All Hallows EP" large pic

OSAKA POPSTAR – “Insects” is the Punk Rock song of the day!

Posted in 1980's punk rock bands, 1990's punk rock bands, 1990's punk rock music, classic punk rock, collecting music, collecting rock music, cool album covers, current punk rock music, essential punk rock albums, essential punk rock songs, flea market finds, fun punk rock songs, legends of punk rock, metal odyssey, Misfits, Music, old school punk rock, pennsylvania flea markets, Punk rock, punk rock albums, punk rock music, punk rock music today, punk rock musicians, punk rock songs, rock and roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 16, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

Osaka Popstar - small album picOsaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk are a band I can’t get enough of. Punk Rock that is cool, fun and of course… Rocks, is Osaka Popstar. I bought this self titled CD a while back at a flea market in Berks County, Pennsylvania… for around thirty three cents. Thirty three cents this Osaka Popstar cost me!!! Plus, as a Metal bonus, this CD was still factory sealed!!! How was this CD only thirty three cents you might wonder? The dealer I came across selling CD’s had a “three for a dollar deal” going down at his booth! Not too shabby and quite the find. So, with Autumn upon us, the insects are getting a tad crazy right now… especially those damn yellow jackets. I cannot stand yellow jackets, they either are buzzing around spoiled picnic food, outdoor garbage pails or looking to sting you. By definition alone, the yellow jacket is a predatory wasp!! I had one of these evil yellow jackets sting me in the right arm two weekends ago – for no reason at all. I was sitting down in my backyard, taking a break from some yard clean-up, sipping on a cold beer, then the burning sting sensation hit me! A yellow jacket chose me for it’s sting of the day. That is why I have decided once and for all, to choose Insects to be the Punk Rock song of the day. This song is just plain good Punk Rock fun. My daughters get the biggest kick out of listening to Insects… I do too. The way in which the bugs outside are acting up right now… Insects could very easily be the Punk Rock song of September!

OSAKA POPSTARINSECTS:

You better watch out or the insects will get you
You better watch out or the insects will get you

If you accidentally fall in the water, you’re in trouble
Spiders will come after you

You better watch out or the insects will get you
You better watch out or the insects will get you

Bees will sting you very hard, all over your body
Bugs are in the trees and they’re watching you

You better watch out or the insects will get you
You better watch out or the insects will get you

Black Widow, las pulgas, mosquito,………cucaracha

You better watch out or the insects will get you
You better watch out or the insects will get you

Flies will try to steal your food, we don’t like them, they’re disgusting
Get the bug spray fast ’cause they’re everywhere

You better watch out or the insects will get you
You better watch out or the insects will get you
you better watch out
you better watch out
you better watch out
you better watch out
you better watch out

Osaka Popstar:

John Cafiero on lead vocals

Jerry Only (Misfits) on bass guitar

Dez Cadena (Black Flag) on lead guitar

Ivan Julian (The Voidoids) on rhythm guitar

Marky Ramone (The Ramones) on drums

Osaka Popstar and the American Legends Of Punk was released on May 23, 2006, on RYKO – Misfits Records.

Osaka Popstar - large album pic

 

 

Misfits “Earth A.D.” – 1983 Punk Rock album revisited

Posted in 1980's punk rock albums, 1980's punk rock bands, 1980's punk rock music, Album Review, classic punk rock, cool album covers, creepy album covers, Danzig, essential punk rock albums, extreme music, Misfits, misfits album covers, Music, old school punk rock, punk rock album review, punk rock albums, punk rock music, punk rock songs, spooky album covers, vintage punk rock albums with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on June 22, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

The Misfits… Punk Rock… Glenn Danzig on lead vocals… “Earth A.D.” is worth every listening second of my time, for these three reasons alone. “Earth A.D.”, (released in 1983), is the definitive Misfits album to own. (That is my belief). This release defined the Misfits as not only a genre splitting Punk Rock Band to reckon with, yet it served as an example of how truly aggressive, musically, the Misfits were at the time. This album could very well be defined as being one of the starting points, in orchestrating the birth of Horror Punk Rock. Dark and at times demonic, “Earth A.D.” ventured into subject matter and lyrical territory that was never explored by Punk Rock legends the likes of the Ramones or Sex Pistols. Would “Earth A.D.” be a survivor if released today, in 2009? Could this album rise above the current environment of musical expectancy, where immediate acknowledgment and acceptance from the narrow minded mainstream is practically never achieved by Extreme Music acts? Probably not, where if this album saw it’s release happen now, it would be thrown onto the heap, only to be cherished by those of us who know and understand what this music is really about.

In essence, the “Earth A.D.” album has achieved a continuous running, underground style of following since 1983. “Earth A.D.” continues to remind many of us, what a complete package really means when putting together an Extreme Music album. From the album artwork to the music found within, it is a vintage release that is looked upon for artistic guidance and reference. How relevant is this Misfits album in 2009? From the way I see it, this Misfits classic with it’s hardness and  heaviness, holds up to or exceeds many current albums that come advertised as being so called hard and heavy – regardless of genre. Music appreciation parallels fine art appreciation, whereas it boils down to personal preference and often times bias. What I feel cannot be denied, however, is the acknowledgment of a genre defining moment, one in which eclipses any commercial barometer of pop culture normalcy… enter “Earth A.D.”.

In my Metal opinion, you can trace Thrash Metal roots back to “Earth A.D.”, with the guitar riffs and speed, combined with the fury of the rhythm section. Each song is short, as per the trademark of most Punk Rock songs. The entire playing time is about 20 minutes or so, yet the total impact of the Punk heaviness this album provides, is it’s true measuring stick. “Earth A.D.” is a must for Misfits fans, Punk Rock fans and Metal fans, especially those who want to hear how Extreme Music history was molded and shaped into form. I can recall a trip I once made, to a world renowned art museum in New York City. One of the most memorable moments for me while I was there, was witnessing an extremely wide and tall modern art sculpture. This sculpture was made out of laundry detergent boxes. The entire area surrounding this sculpture was cordoned off with red, velvet ropes. In my mind, I have put red, velvet ropes around the Misfits “Earth A.D.” album years ago. This music is just as good, if not better, than a modern art sculpture made out of laundry detergent boxes. 

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Danzig – debut album from 1988 is all Metal muscle

Posted in 1980's heavy metal albums, 1980's hard rock, 1980's heavy metal music, 1980's metal music, Album Review, classic metal, cool album covers, Danzig, essential hard rock albums, essential heavy metal albums, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, heavy metal album covers, heavy metal album review, heavy metal albums, heavy metal guitarists, heavy metal music, Heavy Metal Reviews, heavy metal vocalists, horror metal, Metal, metal music, Metal Reviews, Misfits, Music, old school heavy metal, rock music, vintage heavy metal albums, Vocals with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 27, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

logodanzig

 

 

 

Listening to the debut album from Danzig, (titled “Danzig”), is always a refresher course in what smash mouth Metal is about. Released in 1988, this album in my Metal opinion, has all the ingredients necessary to be looked upon as a muscular Metal Classic. I will admit, that this is one of my favorite Metal albums ever and Danzig does hold high rank in my Metal universe. Before Glenn Danzig went the all Metal route with his music, well, was there anyone else in Metal that sounded like him? My answer is nope. I liken Danzig’s vocals to be of profound Metal uniqueness, where he will clearly deliver the spoken word, then sing and/or belt out vocally with real conviction.  Sure, I even agree that Danzig’s vocals sound a tad like Jim Morrison at times… not a bad dude to be compared to for vocals. The ten tracks on “Danzig” are laced with the lyrical darkness that are open for interpretation. Musically, Glenn Danzig is a Metal mastermind at combining the straight up and anti-commercial approach to these songs, while not over complicating any of the songs structure. “Mother” is the closest you will get to ever seeing a Danzig tune dabble with mainstream popularity.

I can recall how the great Danzig song “Mother” gave me an unexpected surprise that actually made my day. My best buddy in the Galaxy, well, he is a steadfast and loyal Boston Red Sox fan, (I am not). He took me along to Fenway Park a couple of times, (paid for my tickets too) and we both took in two fine games. I will always appreciate his generosity. Well, at one of these Red Sox games, the relief pitcher – closer was called in to the game, his name was Keith Foulke. I did not realize that this pitchers theme song and/or warm-up song to get pumped up to – was none other than Danzig’s “Mother”. Here I am, innocently sitting in the historical Fenway Park, by the historical “Pesky Pole”, within a sea of Red Sox fans and I am taken by Metal surprise to the electrifying and heavy loudness of Danzig’s “Mother” coming over the stadium speakers! I felt so proud to be a Danzig fan at that moment. Let me tell you, that song lit up the thousands of Red Sox fans at Fenway Park that day. 

Now, back to this Danzig album, my favorite four tunes, (not in any specific order), are: “Twist Of Cain” – which has the sandpaper tough, do not mess with me attitude oozing from the lyrics and music, “She Rides” – a track that has that slowly driven, heavy beat that gives me an instant, devious, Metal grin, “End Of Time” – which is melancholy and spooky lyrically and rocks heavy with thick Metal grooves, leads & riffs, then of course, “Mother”. I will say that in my Metal opinion, all ten songs on “Danzig” are fully loaded for maximum heavy musical enjoyment. The Danzig lineup for this debut album was: Glenn Danzig on vocals, Eerie Von on bass, John Christ on lead guitar and Chuck Biscuits on drums. Not that Glenn Danzig needed any introduction to the Rock universe back in 1988, he did arrive with storied and musically historical careers with the Misfits and Samhain behind him. However, I firmly believe that this debut album was built to last, succeeding in launching the Metal legacy that Danzig has so brilliantly created.

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Misfits “Project 1950” – a Punk Rock blitz of cover tunes

Posted in 1950's cover songs, Album Review, cool album covers, cover songs, current punk rock music, Misfits, Music, Punk rock, punk rock albums, punk rock music, Ramones, rock & roll, rock & roll hall of fame inductees, rock and roll, rock music with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 14, 2009 by Metal Odyssey

I love Metal and Punk Rock. Both genres are more similar than many people realize. Both genres are filled with loud, proud and against the grain outcasts. Based on the junk music you see and hear on network television these days, Metal and Punk Rock are the underdogs. That is why I subscribe to and adore both of these immensely great music genres. With that said, being a fiend, uh, I mean fan of the Misfits became a natural choice for me years ago. The Misfits “Project 1950”, in my Metal opinion, should and/or could be embraced by any Metal fan. Jerry Only, Marky Ramone and Dez Cadena rip out ten 1950’s Rock and Roll classics with heavy and intense Punk enthusiasm and skill. It is my personal belief, that Jerry Only not only can tear the house down with his bass playing, he can flat out sing too. Jerry Only’s vocals makes the songs on “Project 1950” sound like a continuous Punk Rock party. 

There are no special or secret musical ingredients to find here, just straight up Punk Rock and Roll courtesy of The Misfits. Marky Ramone being a part of The Misfits, appearing on drums for “Project 1950” makes it all the more special and inspiring. Marky Ramone (and of course, the Ramones) being enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, gives the Misfits incredible added status on this album. (Yes, I did use the word special earlier). Dez Cadena is blistering on guitar, he plays the old fashioned way… he just plays man. It is my opinion, that these three Misfits are undisputed legends. “This Magic Moment”, “Dream Lover” and “Monster Mash” are my three favorites, however, I have to admit that I like each song that is covered here immensely. “It’s Only Make Believe” is a thunderous, heavy, Punk trip of a cover tune. Truth be told, after listening to “Project 1950” for untold number of times, I find myself continuing to listen. This album has realistically become an addiction that hopefully will never falter.

Overall, “Project 1950” has a tad of Heavy Metal flavor, this obviously is not the Misfits from the Glenn Danzig era. Still, this is Punk, this is the Misfits and each song covered here makes this fact known loud and clear. If I can turn on anyone out there to this great album, then I have done a great deed. This is an album that should make any fan of heavy music grin, move and yell out the lyrics to. I hope and pray that Jerry Only would consider doing a “Project 1960” – that would be insanely great. I honestly feel this is one incredible crossover album that bridges the gap between Metal and Punk Rock.

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