Of Stains They've Left

In an interview a few years ago hulking frontman Jerry Only commented on the "labors of love" Misfits fans put their energies into. James Greene Jr.'s "This Music Leaves Stains: The Complete Story of The Misfits" is one such love, and arguably the best one in hardcover print that has been proffered about the often less than cooperative individuals that had graduated from the "Glenn Danzig school of rock" so to speak. Greene's pains for scouring sources and traces of the oft recluse Danzig are obvious as he details the childhood, adolescence, family life, and early music steps for the future gloom rocker. The author takes us to Lodi, NJ where troubled lone wolf Glenn Allen Anzalone drifts as frontman from band to band until meeting towering muscle head Gerald Caiafa and his amateur bass playing skills. Together the two cut an E.P., 1977's Cough/Cool with jazz inspired drummer Manny Martinez, a drummer whose seat would be vacated and replaced in a succession of unreliable or undesirable skinsmen. Not satisfited with saturating us with early Misfits anecdotes and previously unknown tidbits, Greene also drops brief histories of associated acts and peers of the original (original here being 1977-1983) band and how the band was perceived and contacted by fans. Greene further details the members' activities post original breakup, the Caiafas punching in at their father's factory and cutting tracks for the doomed Kryst the Konqueror, and Glenn going on the Samhain, which evolved into the world-famous and early MTV beloved Danzig. Like Steven Blush's "American Hardcore: A Tribal History" the book is amazingly annotated with sources ranging from interviews to public records, which being published by Scarecrow Press, makes sense. Unlike Steven Blush's work, Greene rarely deviates from his narrative as cataloger and archivist to voice his personal opinion, though it's more frequent toward the end when he makes public his disdain at the parties involved in legal battles and negotiations that go nowhere. Love or hate the new Misfits, Greene also admits how impressive the Jerry Only led machine that is now the current lineup has been in raking in the green and reinventing themselves for a younger generation of fans. As any longtime fiends know, praise from older fans is something Jerry finds hard to come by these days. The author also laments on Danzig and how his holed up and tight lipped demeanor is just as much to blame for any progress the artist could have made concerning the talks between parties. Aside from the Misfits the readers are also informed on the wheres and whos of the artists and any current (at time of publishing) activities the individuals are up to.

"This Music Leaves Stains" is a MUST have for any true fiend as it is one of the few legitimate concentrated efforts at a bibliographed history of the underground genre and movement the band founded.

Further reading: The Ultimate Final This Music Leaves Stains F.A.Q. (For Now)
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They're baaack!

Bobby, Jimmy, and Davey Calabrese

The fraternal trio from Phoenix is back with their fifth full-length album. This latest one breaks even more new ground for the group, just when you thought Calabrese III: They Call Us Death, their third, was the flash forward departure from their earlier sound. In continuation with retro sounds and looks that saturated their fourth CD Dayglo Necros, the overall theme of this new album sees the brothers as night-stalking, fanged, bloody, gritty, greasers (noticing a lot more character self-inclusion in their later material).

The mostly instrumental opening track "American Rebel Death Riders" leaves the listener with an impression of the boys causing mayhem in the dead of night on dusty desert highways looking to parch their thirst with booze or blood. . .whichever comes first.

Like their third album, this one includes some interesting vocal harmonies. These harmonies and melody of songs really remind you of those fun sing-songy tunes of rebellion from a bygone era. The theme of Americana and individualism permeates especially in songs like "At Night I Am The Warmest" with the chorus' lyrics: wandering alone/at night, vison's so blurry/with the heat steam of your body, which reflect the mysterious sensual lone wolf character we all want to portray as the real American dream, showing that the Calabros made a huge effort to make this theme pop for this effort and it works! The first single from this album "Born With A Scorpion's Touch" illustrates the boot-grinding- into-dirt-and-concrete violence vigilate/outlaw femme fatale lost love mashup that reads like an old 60s flick you watched on VHS at your friends' house when their parents were gone, lest you get in trouble for watching filth. Bobby Calabrese's guitar licks sound have a cool 60s-era chic sound to them in a lot this material and sound a bit, dare I say?, surf sounding in some tracks. Definitely working a groove there with six strings.

Other songs of note include "Mind Warp" in which bassman Jimmy's hoarse brooding intro vocals bridge over to a harmonious chorus that will indeed leave you in a mind warp. Ending track "There Is An Evil Inside" is a rather interesting track that focuses initially on vocals and guitar and plays like an Elvisy twang with a modern, horrific twist. Definitely the perfect song to end the album.

Born With A Scorpion's Touch see its official release date Oct. 1 2013.
Visit CalabreseRock.com

Misfits New Live Album

The undead punk rockers are still going strong and have released their second album as a trio and their third live album in the band's history. The tracks were recorded live on October 30, 2011 at their other home The Starland Ballroom in their native New Jersey and the other half was recorded at BB Kings in Times Square NYC on Halloween night.

Included in the record are a number of tracks from 2012's The Devil's Rain. The album, released on their own label begins with the audience's audible demands for Jerry, then their last release's intro/eponymous track "The Devil's Rain" complete with rain and thunder sound effects. The poundings of their long-time drumming collaborator turned full-time drummer Eric "Chupacabra" Arce penetrate the listener and introduces your ears to the whirlwind that's about to ensue. Following that are the now live staples from The Devil's Rain. Sadly some newer favorites like Monkey's Paw or Black Hole from that album weren't included, possibly due to time restraints. Following the Dez Cadena penned and sung Death Ray (a bizarre tune about lover's distrusts comparing the experience to science-fiction allusions) the band begin to rip into some cult favorites from their 90s era albums beginning with The Shining sending the audience into a very obvious state of enviable euphoria. Track thirteen is an interesting addition. Though the band have played different renditions of Richard O"Brien's Rock Horror Picture intro song "Science Fiction/Double Feature", this is the first officially released recording of the song by the group and they do the song major justice. Like their much earlier cover of "Monster Mash" this song sounds like it written for them and meant to be performed by Misfits all along.

Over all the album is successful in what live albums are supposed to, that is make you feel like you're there. Jerry's vocals are now liberated from the recording booth and free to float whoa-ohs and oh ohs with nothing sounding out of place. Having been the band's lead vocalist for over a decade now Jerry Only has cemented his place as the band's hulking crooner. The band obviously have their chops in order and the usual production team (including longtime Ramones producer Ed Stasium, manager John Cafiero, and Jerry Caiafa Jr.)