ROCK BRIGADE, 1996
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 [Translated from Portuguese by Romulo (fogaca@unisys.com.br)]


   Have you ever heard Metallica playing Last Caress/Green Hell or Guns N'
Roses playing Attitude? This songs were composed by the Misfits, one of the
most influential bands of American punk/hardcore. After years of silence -
there was a problem with their ex-vocalist Glenn Danzig (playing in Danzig
nowadays) - The Misfits return with Michale Graves (vocal), Jerry
(bass), Doyle (guitar), Dr. Chud (drums), satisfaing your fans with a
reunion tour and a compilation box set. Now that the band prepares a new
album follow this interview that we made with the band when they passed by
Los Angels in this so expected tour.

ROCK BRIGADE- Why did the Misfits go out in a tour without an album to
promote to?
JERRY- We have a set of 50 songs, that lasts something about 2 hours. When
Michale and Chud joined the band, the best way to present was touring in
Europe, because we didn't appear too much there. We just played in England
in 78, with the Damned; this was the first time that we actually tour
across Europe. We went there in the end of march (96), having an excellent
reception for 3 weeks. We didn't worry about releasing new songs because we
had too much old songs that we love to play them. Although we didn't bring
the band back only to play old songs, we want to continue and make new
stuff. The old songs are the wheels that move us. We have a lot of fans
that have never ever seen us on stage, so this was the only oportunity for
them to listen to the old songs. We'll have 45 minutes of new songs when we
release the new album, so we'll take off 45 minutes of old songs. As we
released a box set, it was important not to confuse new material with seven
years of work. We could have stayed in the studio in the summer, but we'd
rather tour now and worry about the new songs later.

RB- Having a new front-line, how will the Misfits keep their old musical
spirit in the next album?
JERRY- Honestly, with this front line, the spirit  of the Misfits has never
ever been so strong. In 77, when we started, I was 17 and Glenn was 20.
Michale is 21, the youngest Misfits member. He brought a new energy to the
band. There is a fully different idea because he was a teen in the early
90's and I lived my teen years in 77, when I started the band. A lot of
people want to interview me now because I'm an original member. I'm
dedicated to my music, my family and the fans because this is my life. I
could tell you what happened 15 years ago but, honestly, who cares? The
present is what matters. With this new energy we are a much greater band. The
real problem is that people have an illusion about the old Misfits. As they
hear stories about the past we have to satisfy their imagination. It's not
easy, because they see us from different ways. we show them what we are,
but we weren't so good 15 years ago. We used to play 15 or 18 songs on
stage. Now we play 40, the show is three times bigger.

RB- Is this front line established?
JERRY- Only the usual things can destroy it: money and fame. If the new
members get influenced by such things, we're going to have problems. I'm a
very natural guy - I'm a father, I have 2 children and I help people the best 
that I can. I don't think I'm better than anybody that come to our shows. Fame
and money ruined the band in the past. When there weren't fame nor money,
there were no troubles. (laughs)

RB- Glenn Danzig refuses to talk about the Misfits in his interviews. What
do you think about a musician that hides his own past?
JERRY- We worked hard and took the band seriously. When we ended with it,
Glenn was disappointed he couldn't get a band with the same caliber. It
always messed with him because any musicisn searches for a better band.
When you play basketball or football, the better your team is, better will
be your potential. If you take his old interviews Glenn never praises his
band mates. He says how shitty we are, but if we are so shitty, why do
people still scream to hear our songs? (laughs) I don't consider myself
better than any of his band mates, but Glenn should be pleased for using
the Misfits as a stair to reach where he is now. IF YOU REACH THE TOP AND
SET THE SUPPORT ON FIRE, YOU WILL SOON FALL. That's what is happening to
him now. He's falling because he didn't learn with his experiences. He
never understood that a musician needs a band to add his musical talents.
You can't play a song in "mono". When you reach "stereo", the "mono"is no
longer accepted.

RB- How Michale has been received, once vocal changes are always
complicated.
JERRY- We choose Michale 'cause he's young, he is little experienced on
stage and he never listened to the Misfits before joined the band. That's
pretty cool because he plays honestly the same that Glenn did. He listens
to our records at home, learning the musics and lyrics, but he hasn't
listened to Glenn's versions for 10 or 15 years. I thought we would have 1
in 5 people tellings us that the Misfits are not the same without Glenn.
But we are having 1 in 100. People have understood that music is more
important than who plays it. People that saw us on stage told me that it
was the best show they ever saw. It's a new band with a new begginig, but
I'll never regret my past. It doesen't matterwhat Paul McCartney does, there
will always be a question about the Beatles. But I doubt he will answer: "I
hate the Beatles, nobody should buy another Beatles' album."

RB- Did you face any contract problem with Glenn and/or his label in order
to put the band back?
JERRY- That's the reason we couldn't be back before. We stayed in the
tribunals for almost 8 years. Between the 70s and the early 80s, me and Doyle
discovered that Caroline was selling our products. Then we discovered that
Glenn was using and selling the Misfits name. He registered the band name,
makiing a lot of money. Our first lawyer was a vagabond that did
nothing and took all of our money for three years. It was a big endeavour
to bring the band back.

RB- How do you feel about knowing that the Misfits has influenced so many
bands, including Metallica, Guns N'Roses?
JERRY- In fact, no band plays our songs enough to say "well, they're
better than us". I heard the Guns N'Roses version, but I wasn't impressed
because it sounded too rock  n' roll. The Metallica version is not
bad, but we have a much more agressive sound. By the way, I was flattered
that so many bands were influenced by us, although I haven't heard any 
wonderful version. Caroline is releasing a tribute album with several bands 
playing our songs. I didn't want a tribute-album because our band is not 
finished yet, But, legally, Caroline can do with us whatever they wish with our
songs, without getting my or Glenn's permission. We had to sell them
our catalog to pay the bills.

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