Glenn Danzig Suing Former Misfits Bandmate

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The Misfits
Even if you’ve never heard a note of music by the legendary New Jersey punk band The Misfits, it’s still quite possible that you’ve heard their name; or even just seen their logo. This is because, for 20 years now, they’ve been merchandised as few bands have ever been.

Through their deal with the “my mom doesn’t understand me”-centric mall-chain, Hot Topic alone, the band’s iconic typeface and “Crimson Ghost” skull logo adorn all manner of doodads and accoutrements.

Glenn Danzig (PeekYou profile here), the band’s original lead vocalist and main songwriter, left the group in 1983 to pursue other interests (such as his subsequent group, Samhain, and eventually Danzig, which is the name under which he records to this day). The band effectively broke up at that time.

In 1994, Misfits bassist, Jerry Only settled out of court with Danzig to be granted use of the name The Misfits for recording and touring purposes, with an agreement which said they’d split all money on merchandising; or so Danzig alleges. Danzig is now accusing Only of misappropriating the band’s trademarks, and re-registering them under his own name, in violation of that agreement.

It is being alleged that things such as the Hot Topic deal were carried out with neither Danzig’s knowledge nor consent, and surely not to his benefit.

The Guardian elaborates a bit here.

We don’t take stands on much, but we will happily opine that while the Jerry Only led Misfits likely does no genuine harm, they are also merely The Misfits in name only (no pun). Whatever the legal arrangements, Danzig was The Misfits.

While few bands have ever looked cooler, The Misfits were notoriously a sloppy catastrophe live (hey, their priorities were elsewhere). So, it’s a lovely thing that a fan cut this 1982, handheld video footage of the group performing, to a brilliant — and much more coherent — studio version of their classic song, “Skulls.”