Glenn Danzig

Glenn Danzig

It was the summer of 1977 in a small New Jersey town named Lodi, when the movement of music known as punk would be forever changed by the union of three men - bassist Jerry Only, drummer Manny, and singer Glenn Danzig. They chose the name of Marilyn Monroe's last feature movie, to immortalize her image, and became The Misfits. For the next six years, Glenn led the band through a rampage of singles, EP's, a live album, and two full LP's. After a Halloween show in 1983, The Misfits were no more. This ending began Glenn's long and unique journey of powerful self-expression.

In 1984, Glenn formed Sam Hain with drummer Steve Zing and bassist Eerie Von with the release of Initium. This was a short-lived union. Only after the release of two other albums, Unholy Passion and November-Coming of Fire, Sam Hain disbanded in 1986.

Two years later, in 1988, Glenn emerged back on the music scene as the front man for a "super group" consisting of bassist Eerie Von, drummer Chuck Biscuits, and guitarist John Christ. This formation became Glenn's final musical evolution, Danzig. With the release of the self titled album in 1988, Glenn belted out deep, heavy vocals in such monumental songs as Mother and Twist of Cain. For the band's next album Danzig II:Lucifugue,released in 1990, Glenn lead the group to record in New Orleans studio. The influences of the "Big Easy" are best heard in the bluesy guitar riffs and "swing style" vocals of I'm the One. But his flair for the macabre and occult in his music was still prominent in such songs from the album as Long Way Back From Hell, Under Her Black Wings, and Snakes of Christ. It was this album in which Glenn's song stylings have been compared to that of a "dark" Jim Morrison.

Danzig's third album released in 1992, How the Gods Kill began what many have called the band's decline. The over powering chords and "lack of style" lyrics give an aura of Glenn trying to recapture earlier glory days of The Misfits. Later albums of Danzig, including Thrall and 6:66 Satan's Child, to many have been further testimonials of this.

Whether or not you agree with this, Glenn Danzig deserves credit for achieving what very few, if any, of today's contemporary musicians have ever attempted - Black Air. Released in 1992, this nine part symphony was one most notable works to keep his style changing and developing into something new. According to an interview with Glenn, "If I can't come up with something new, I'm like, I don't even want to record this."

This attitude has kept Glenn from expressing himself in music alone. Glenn has been the driving force of Verotik Comics. Verotik publishes its flagship series Satanika along, with others such as Jaguar God. Not only does Glenn work within the aspect of the publishing, he is also a writer for several of Verotik's series.

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