THE MISFITS

THE MISFITS
BOX SET (1996)
256 KBPS

The Misfits' legend grew over the years following the original band's breakup to warrant an increasing number of compilations like Legacy of Brutality and the boldly titled Collection (followed some years later by, but of course, Collection II). Sometimes worthwhile, sometimes incredibly slapdash, they fueled the fire but still did the fans a major disservice, especially given the repetition and overlap on many releases. Though it has its flaws, the coffin-shaped Box Set finally put things as right as seems possible with the Misfits, exhaustively covering all the releases the late-'70s/early-'80s version of the group put out (the exception being Walk Among Us due to a label-rights situation). The first two discs feature, respectively, the material on the two Collection releases and Legacy of Brutality, Evilive, and Earth A.D.. The third compiles a slew of different demo and recording sessions, including the original trio lineup (with Danzig on electric piano) on the "Cough/Cool"/"She" single takes, while the fourth presents the planned-but-never-released-as-such Static Age for the first time. Though recording quality itself varies widely over the discs and arguably some of the mastering could have been sharper (Danzig's own occasional remastering jobs in previous years weren't used here), it's still an explosive and exhaustive effort that any fan needs. The biggest downside: While the sessions on the third disc are thoroughly detailed, the studio cuts on the first two discs are placed without comment as to which sessions produced them, while aside from Evilive and Earth A.D. most of the time it's not clear in the slightest which takes were the ones actually released at the time by the band. The accompanying booklet does a good job in making up for this, though; besides a great band history from then-roadie/photographer and future Danzig bassist Eerie Von, there are complete lyrics for every song, a slew of amazing photographs from concerts and other shoots, and an exhaustive discography.

Disc 1
Collection 1
1. She
2. Hollywood Babylon
3. Horror Business
4. Teenagers From Mars
5. Night of the Living Dead
6. Where Eagles Dare
7. Vampira
8. I Turned Into a Martian
9. Skulls
10. London Dungeon
11. Ghouls Night Out
12. Astro Zombies
13. Mommy, Can I Go Out & Kill Tonight?
14. Die, Die My Darling
Collection 2
15. Cough/Cool
16. Children in Heat
17. Horror Hotel
18. Halloween
19. Halloween II
20. Hate Breeders
21. Braineaters
22. Nike-A-Go-Go
23. Devil's Whorehouse
24. Mephisto Waltz
25. Rat Fink
26. We Bite

Disc 2
Legacy of Brutality
1. Static Age
2. T.V. Casualty
3. Hybrid Moments
4. Spinal Remains
5. Come Back
6. Some Kinda Hate
7. Theme for a Jackal
8. Angelfuck
9. Who Killed Marilyn?
10. Where Eagles Dare
11. She
12. Halloween
13. American Nightmare
Evilive
14. 20 Eyes
15. Night of the Living Dead
16. Astro Zombies
17. Horror Business
18. London Dungeon
19. Nike-A-Go-Go
20. Hate Breeders
21. Devil's Whorehouse
22. All Hell Breaks Loose
23. Horror Hotel
24. Ghouls Night Out
25. We Are 138
Earth A.D.
26. Earth A.D.
27. Queen Wasp
28. Devilock
29. Death Comes Ripping
30. Green Hell
31. Wolfsblood
32. Demonomania
33. Bloodfeast
34. Hellhound
.

Disc 3
Sessions 1977
1. Cough/Cool
2. She
Date unknow, no studio
3. Who Killed Marilyn?
4. Where Eagles Dare
5. Horror Business
6. Teenagers From Mars
7. Children in Heat
Date unknow, songshop
8. Night of the Living Dead
9. Where Eagles Dare
10. Vampira
11. Violent World
12. Who Killed Marilyn?
13. Spook City USA
14. Horror Business
9/5/80
Master Sound Production
15. I Turned Into a Martian
16. Skulls
17. Night of the Living Dead
18. Astro Zombies
19. Where Eagles Dare
20. Violent World
21. Halloween II
8/81
Reel Platinium
22. 20 Eyes
23. I Turned Into a Martian
24. Astro Zombies
25. Vampira
26. Devil's Whorehouse
Date unknow,
Mix-O-Lydian or Newsoundland
27. Nike-A-Go-Go
Date unknow, studio unknown
28. Hate Breeders
29. 20 Eyes
30. Violent World
.

Disc 4
Static Age
1. Static Intro
2. Static Age
3. T.V. Casualty
4. Some Kinda Hate
5. Last Caress
6. Return of the Fly
7. Hybrid Moments
8. We Are 138
9. Teenagers From Mars
10. Come Back
11. Angelfuck
12. Hollywood Babylon
13. Attitude
14. Bullet
15. Theme for a Jackal
16. Static Outro