Flipside #45, Spring 1985
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SAMHAIN
Samhain may be a new band to some, but the characters in this band have
achieved legendary status to others.  First and most noteworthy is lead
singer, songwriter, guitarist Glenn Danzig.  A former founding member of the
infamous Misfits, and head of Plan 9 records (Misfits and Samhain label).
Glenn is the mastermind at transforming the suspense and terror found in the
best horror films, from splatter to a foggy crypt, into a personal musical
and lyrical experience.  Sure he carries a lot from the Misfits tradition,
but that parting was more because of personal then musical reasons.
On bass we know Eerie Von, who was best known for his drumming in Rosemary's
Babies.  They had an ep out on their own Gastly Records.  The ep shows why
Eerie first in Samhain so perfectly, check out titles like "Blood Lust"
"Let's Molest" "Sanctioned Violence" etc....
Steve Zing is Samhain's drummer, before that he was an original member of
Mourning Noise, a NJ band who had one single out titled "Mourning Noise",
Damian plays guitar, and was also in Mourning Noise briefly.

Al:  Where did you dig up the name Samhain?
Glenn:  Samhain is the real halloween--the season of the dead.  It sort of
signifies the death of the Misfits, and the rise of Samhain.  Samhain is
something I personally was into and still am.

Al:  Did Samhain start out with Lyle and Brian of Minor Threat?
Glenn:  No, that's untrue.  I started Samhain w/Eerie and worked Lyle in
later.  The band with Lyle and Brian never went past 2 try out rehearsals.
Lyle played the first Samhain show and we never called him again.

Al:  Are you happy with the way things are going after a U.S. tour?
Glenn:  Personally, we all feel that things could always be better than they
are no matter how good things get.  On the first tour people obviously wanted
to hear stuff off of Earth A.D. But on the second tour they came to see
Samhain.

Al:  Does anyone yell for Rosemary's Babies songs?
Eerie:  In Chicago someone yelled out for "Let's Molest".

Al:  As far as lyrics go, I didn't notice a big change between Samhain over
the Misfits...
Glenn:  Lyrically things have changed far more drastically than you've
noticed.  They lyrics are more challenging and severe than they've ever been.

Al:  How important do you think the stage look is in the overall picture?
Eerie:  At least 50%
Steve:  As much as the music.
Glenn:  At least as important as the music in our band.

Al:  With the subject matter that Samhain deals with, it seems it would be
easy for you guys to slip a few pentagrams into your art work....
Glenn:  Al, you asshole, why tag a Satanic tag on us if you don't know what
you're talking about?

Al:  I'm just asking why not.
Glenn:  I do a lot of research into my subjects and many things people think
are Satanic are not.
Eerie:  Rather than have to just think about our stuff it's easy to just lump
it in with all the other crap.

Al:  Ok, then what do you think of bands like Motley Crue who do play up the
Satanic imagery stuff?
Glenn:  The music is okay, except for the vocals, but their fake image had
been done to death.  Regardless of your image of us, we do not play up a
Satanic imagery thing and we do not use pentagrams.

Al:  I don't think of you that way at all, I guess the difference is between
real and staged horror?
Glenn:  Yes, that's as far as it goes.

Al:  No devil worshippers....
Glenn:  No devil worshippers.

Al:  What do you think about god worshippers religion?
Glenn:  I hate organized religions.
Eerie:  Organized religion has too many rules....

Al:  What are some of the things that have inspired recent songs?
Glenn:  Good and evil and the constant struggle between them.  People's
unwillingness to accept life and death.

Al:  I know you like horror flicks, what makes a good one in your eyes?
Glenn:  Blood and suspense.

Al:  Do you think that anti-female themes run through a lot of them?
Glenn:  No, I don't.  Just as many men, if not more, are killed in gore
flicks as women.

Al:  Who's your favorite director?
Glenn:  Cronenberg.

Al:  Why do you hate Stephen King so much?
Glenn:  Because he is lightweight when it comes to horror and I've read
stories by other authors that he steals from.  

Al:  What ever happened to the soundtrack you were doing for Bloodfeast 2?
Glenn:  I'm still doing the soundtrack to it--as soon as it gets into
production.

Al:  Eerie, what ever happened to Rosemary's Babies?
Eerie:  Everyone lost interest but me.  That's about the time Glenn and I
formed Samhain.  We both had the same problems with our bands.

Al:  Were you friends with the Misfits?
Eerie:  Yes we were friends.  I went to school w/Doyle.

Al:  Did you handcolor all of the Rosemary's Babies singles covers?
Eerie:  Yes, I handcolored all 1000 of them.

Al:  Why did you move from the drums to bass?
Eerie:  I felt more of a showman and needed to be able to go off.  I also
play a little keyboards.

Al:  Have you ever robbed graves?
Glenn:  Yes!

Al:  Committed murder?
Anonymous:  Yes

Al:  Molested 10 year old girls?
Glenn:  No

Al:  Hacked the heads off of little girls and hung them on your wall?
Glenn:  No....

Al:  Had visits from ghosts?
Glenn:  Yavol.

Al:  Messed w/tarot cards (back of lp) or crystal balls?
Glenn:  No.....

Al:  Experienced haunted houses?
Glenn:  Yessir!

Al:  I'm assuming Glenn writes all of the lyrics?
Glenn:  Yes...

Al:  What do the rest of you think of his lyrics?
Eerie:  I've always admired his lyrics.

Al:  Will you write any lyrics in the future.
Steve:  No....

Al:  What do you want to do w/Samhain?
Steve:  I'd like to be the first band to make it and not sell out.
Eerie:  I want to get on Carson.
Glenn:  I want to do what I want musically, lyrically--make a living and not
prostitute my music.

Al:  Samhain is really into audience participation when you play live, do you
ever feel like you sacrifice performance for that contact?
Glenn:  No, it's part of the live thing, but sometimes it gets hectic on
stage (especially in L.A.)

Al:  Do you write any songs with catchy choruses for the sing along thing?
Glenn:  No, none of our songs are written purposely like that.  For example,
in "He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named" everyone sings the backup melody at our shows.
 You never know what people will pick up.

Al:  Tell us about the new record?
Glenn:  It's a 5 song 12 inch called "Unholy Passion".  "Unholy Passion" is
the first song I've written totally about sex, fucking, etc...The ep also
includes some stuff we do live like "Moribund", "The Hungry End" and it also
includes our version of "All Hell Breaks Loose".  "I Am Misery" is about
misery as an entity whose sole purpose and being is to fuck your life up by
causing you personal grief and pain.

Al:  When you die what do you want your tombstone?
Steve:  I want to be put in a drawer, I don't want bugs and dirt all over me.

Al:  What do you want to be remembered for?
Glenn and Eerie:  We want to be cremated.
Glenn:  It's too early in our lives to be remembered for anything.

(Author's Note:  This interview was awkward because it was done thru the
post--but now that we have the basics maybe I can do a good live interview
in the near future)