The Misfits are Hilariously Gay for The Damned’s Dave Vanian

Although the Misfits have long since degenerated into a joke, existing more as a merchandising machine than a musical entity, I always enjoyed the rudimentary horror-punk of the original, Glenn Danzig-fronted version of the band far more than I would have expected based upon the moronic simplemindedness with which many of their fans used to plaster themselves with all manner of patches, stickers, and whatever other crappy paraphernalia sole remaining Misfits original members Jerry Only would slap the Misfits logo or the appropriated image of the Crimson Ghost on. Combining the gothic image of the Damned with the merchandising tenacity of Kiss seems like a good way to attract an audience even dumber than that of Insane Clown Posse, but based on the band’s history we can only assume they’ve done as best they can with the resources available to them. There is something truly sad about men in and around 50 years of age dressing up in ‘corpse paint’ and combing their receding bits of hair forward into some sort of Archie Bunker version of the band’s trademark ‘devilocks,’ but even sadder is their continual determination to get Damned vocalist Dave Vanian’s approval. Much as I love the Damned (well, their first few records anyway) they’ve never been exactly huge or influential arbiters of taste, so the Misfits’ continual attempts to get Vanian to work with them are hilariously misguided, especially when you take into account that Vanian lives in London and the Misfits were from none other than Lodi, New Jersey (”Oh Lord, I’m stuck in Lodi again…”).

This Vanian fixation has continued through all versions of the band, from the original Danzig-fronted lineup through years of inactivity up to the resuscitated Danzigless merchandise press. (All quotes taken from http://www.misfitscentral.com/, a far more useful informational resource than the band’s official website at http://www.misfits.com/.)

First, the original band takes idle backstage chatter as an invitation to come open for the Damned, who after the Misfits show up unexpected and uninvited on their doorstep actually do get them on the bill and get them instruments, only to have the Misfits crap out on them two dates in.

06/26/1979: The Misfits opened for The Damned at Hurrah in New York City. Before the show, Jerry talked to The Damned vocalist Dave Vanian about The Misfits possibly opening for The Damned in the UK.

11/1979: Based on Jerry’s conversation in June with Dave Vanian, Danzig began preparing for the upcoming UK tour by sending out promotional packages which included an itinerary that announced the band’s plan to do 24 shows in 28 days.

11/21/1979: Late in the evening on the 21st, the band arrived in England for the UK tour with The Damned. On the morning of the 22nd, Jerry showed up at the home of Dave Vanian while the remaining Misfits waited at the hotel. Even though Jerry and Vanian had previously discussed touring together, the members of The Damned had apparently not taken it seriously, and Jerry’s arrival was a complete surprise. The Damned, who already had scheduled a tour with a North Ireland band called Victim opening, added The Misfits to the bill and found them equipment to use. On the 24th, after doing the soundcheck for what would have been the second show, The Misfits walked off the tour because they felt they were not being paid enough and were unhappy with the instruments they had been loaned.

They tried to record with Vanian also, but, well…Vanian couldn’t be bothered to show up.

1981: In the spring of 1981, Danzig and Jerry recorded a demo version of “Archangel,” a song Danzig had written for Dave Vanian of The Damned, at Mix-O-Lydian Studio. Danzig did the vocals, guitar, and drums and Jerry played bass. When Vanian was never able to join them to record the vocals, the recording was shelved until August 1983, when Danzig completed the song with Samhain.

Then, after the Misfits broke up, Jerry Only and brother Doyle decide to form a Christian band called Kryst the Conqueror. Sure, that sounds like something Vanian would be interested in! A brilliant plan!

01/1989: Jerry invited Dave Vanian to join Kryst The Conqueror. Dave said in Lively Arts #12 (spring 1989), “I’ll be seeing Jerry in New Jersey next week and he says that The Misfits have 14 new songs that are really good. He wants me to work with them, but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to. He’s asked me several times to do something with them.”

Dave is clearly getting annoyed at this point. (The vocals on the Kryst the Conqueror EP would eventually be done by future Journey lead singer Jeff Scott Soto. No, the songs aren’t “really good.”)

After years of legal wrangling, Jerry and Doyle got the rights to perform and record new material as the Misfits — reportedly by giving up all royalties to the real Misfits records over to Glenn. Of course, without Glenn writing new songs or singing, there’s a problem, so obviously they need to either convince Glenn to rejoin, or…

10/28/1994: At this point, Jerry and Doyle began auditioning singers in the practice room at Proedge. Their initial hope was to have Peter Steele of Type O Negative or Dave Vanian of The Damned join the band as vocalist.

11/22/1994: Johnathan Grimm (later to become the all-purpose Misfits roadie, artist, and merchandise man) became the first person to audition to be the new lead singer.

04/26/1995: After the Danzig show in Red Bank, NJ, Jerry and Doyle went to visit Glenn at his hotel room, to ask him to join the band. Jerry stated in Metal Maniacs (June 1996), “We went to his door and knocked and fifteen minutes later security came and walked us out of the hotel. So we took that as a ‘no’.”

05/1995: Jerry asked Dave Vanian of The Damned to join The Misfits as their singer.

10/27/1995: The Misfits appeared at the Chiller Theatre Horror Convention again. This was the first official appearance of the complete lineup, including Dr. Chud and Michale Graves. For months rumors had been circulating that Dave Vanian would be the new vocalist, but after several months, and no response, The Misfits decided to go with Graves.

“Rumors had been circulating…” I’m not sure Jerry’s wishful thinking actually counts as “rumors.”

Poor Dave. Even given the Damned’s currently diminished state as a nostalgia act it’s clear he’s never given these idiots nipping at his heels more than a second’s thought, while they desperately yearn for his approval. And unfortunately, there are rumors the Misfits are contemplating yet another attempt at making new music with the estranged members of the 1995-2002 version of the group, inevitably further tarnishing what’s left of their legacy. Can’t blame ‘em for trying, I guess, but until Glenn wants to trawl back through that gutter no one is going to give a shit. Hell, even with Glenn it’d be far from a sure bet at this point.

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