On this day (July 1) in 1986. the Misfits released their self-titled compilation album. Also called Collection, Collection 1, or Collection I, the 20-track release included tracks from Walk Among Us, Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood, Legacy of Brutality, and some of the band’s early singles. The band broke up for the first time three years before the release. As a result, vocalist and founding member Glenn Danzig selected the songs for the compilation.
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The history of the Misfits is full of band breakups and legal disputes. For instance, Danzig was the only member of the band who received royalties for this release, Legacy of Brutality, and Evilive. Nearly a decade later, Danzig, Jerry Only, and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein would take the issue of royalties to court. The case concluded with former band members receiving pro-rated royalties on their previous releases.
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Many fans already owned many of the songs included on Misfits in one form or another. Most of the tracks appeared on previous releases or bootleg tapes that circulated through the scene. However, this collection allowed fans to get many of the band’s best songs in one place. It would also be an incredible starting point for future fans to dig into recordings from the band’s iconic original lineup.
Misfits Is Full of Classics
Nearly 40 years later, many of the songs from the compilation’s tracklist remain favorites among casual Misfits fans as well as full-fledged Fiends. As a result, it’s a must-have for longtime fans and the perfect place to start for listeners who are just getting into the horror punk pioneers. More than any of the band’s more recent releases, this collection showcases the sound and songwriting that made them legends. Additionally, it shines a light on the wide range of places from which Glenn Danzig found inspiration for his lyrics.
The compilation contains songs based on true crime cases, horror films, the band’s lived experiences, and more. Here’s a brief breakdown of the inspiration behind some of the Misfits’ classic tunes.
- “She”–Patty Hearst’s time with the Symbionese Liberation Army
- “Horror Business”–Likely about the unsolved death of Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious
- “Bullet”–The assassination of John F. Kennedy
- “London Dungeon”–Written while Danzig was in jail in the United Kingdom
- “Night of the Living Dead”–The classic zombie horror film Night of the Living Dead
Featured Image by Alison Braun/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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