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Originally intended to be a full-length release, like so many
recordings before it, the MSP session instead became the launching pad
for their legendary Walk Among Us album.  Recorded on August 7, 1980,
several of the twelve recorded tracks ended up being released on two
classic Plan 9 Records singles, while the rest of the tracks remained
unheard outside of tape dubbing and bootlegging.  Part of the
"Halloween" single was taken from these recordings while the "3 Hits
from Hell" 7", which came out in April 1981, drew upon this session
for "London Dungeon", "Horror Hotel" and "Ghouls Night Out".

These recordings came at a very important time for the band.  A time
in which they ultimately and unceremoniously kicked out guitarist
Bobby Steele and replaced him with Jerry's little brother, Doyle.  In
fact, both Bobby and Doyle recorded various guitar tracks in this
session (with Bobby laying down a vast majority of them) although the
band was never actually a five-piece.  Together, however, their styles
intertwined to create a sound that the world hadn't experienced to
date, and hasn't heard since.

This album is sequenced exactly as the band had envisioned it back in
1980, based on original hand-written notes on MSP letterhead (the
handwritten song titles on the back are from those very notes).  Like
Static Age before it, 12 Hits From Hell gives us all a proper
historical view of the band.  It's not simply a compilation or a
splicing-together of random tracks from over the years - 12 Hits From
Hell is very much a perfectly focused picture of the band.  This
allows us a glimpse of where the Misfits were at the time as well as
where they were going in the years to come.

Tom Bejgrowicz / 2001

PRODUCTION / TRACKING NOTES:

The versions of the recordings included here have been completely
re-mixed and mastered for this release.  They were taken directly from
the original 16 track 2" master tapes as they were recorded in 1980.  
This mix is not meant to re-invent the past nor is it to emulate the
original mixes either.  It is a mix which draws heavily upon a bigger
and fuller stereo sound, Bobby Steele's guitar tracks, Jerry's bass
and the kick drumming of Googy.

All of the songs were recorded in one take except "London Dungeon"
which took two full run-throughs in the studio.  The band chose the
first take as the version they'd use on the 3 Hits From Hell single,
Take two, never before heard outside of those sessions, is included
here as a bonus track.  The sound on this version is more straight
forward based on the fact that the band did not bother recording
over-dub tracks on guitar, bass or backing vocals for this take.