''Beware'' is the fifth release by the American punk rock band

Misfits Misfits or The Misfits may refer to: Film and television * ''The Misfits'' (1961 film), a film starring Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe, and Montgomery Clift * ''The Misfits'' (2011 film), a Mexican film * ''The Misfits'' (2021 film), an American ...

. First issued in January 1980, this EP combined the Misfits' previously released singles " Bullet" and "

Horror Business "Horror Business" is the third single released by the American horror punk band Misfits. It was released on June 26, 1979 through vocalist Glenn Danzig's own label, Plan 9 Records, and is commonly said to have been inspired by the unsolved murder ...

", and was originally intended as a recording that the Misfits could bring with them on their tour of the United Kingdom with the British punk rock group the Damned in late 1979. Along with songs from "Bullet" and "Horror Business", ''Beware'' also includes the track "

Last Caress "Last Caress" is a song by American punk rock band Misfits, first released on their 1980 EP '' Beware''. Written by vocalist Glenn Danzig, the song was later included on the compilation album ''Collection II'', released in 1995, as well as on t ...

", which had never been released previously.

Background

In November 1979, the Misfits flew to the United Kingdom for a six-date tour with the Damned. The Damned, having scheduled a different opening act for their tour, were not expecting their arrival, but the Misfits were added to the bill nonetheless. After not receiving any payment for performing, the Misfits soon cancelled their remaining appearances on the tour. This was followed by the arrest of Misfits vocalist Glenn Danzig and then-Misfits guitarist

Bobby Steele Bobby Steele (born Robert Charles Kaufhold on March 18, 1956) is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, songwriter, and sole original member of the punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple other bands, m ...

, who had been involved in a fight with a group of

skinhead A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England, in the 1960s and soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working class skinhead movement emerging worldwide in th ...

s at the Rainbow Theatre in London on December 2, 1979. Danzig and Steele spent two nights in jail in Brixton, England, which inspired them to create the song "

London Dungeon The London Dungeon is a tourist attraction along London's South Bank, England, which recreates various gory and macabre historical events in a gallows humour style. It uses a mixture of live actors, special effects and rides. History The L ...

". Then-Misfits drummer

Joey Image Joey Poole (March 5, 1957 – June 1, 2020), known professionally as Joey Image, was an American punk rock drummer. He joined the Misfits in November 1978. He was the drummer for both the "Horror Business" and "Night of the Living Dead" sessio ...

returned to the United States by himself on December 15, effectively quitting the band. On December 18, the other members of the group flew back to their home state of

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

, where they produced ''Beware''. The title of the EP was derived from a series of road signs that the Misfits had come across while in London, which read "Beware

Bollards A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. The term originally referred to a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats. It now also refers to posts installed to control road traffic and posts designed to prevent automotive v ...

". The band, unfamiliar with the term "bollard", initially thought that it might refer to a cryptid such as their own

Jersey Devil In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying ...

. Originally planned as a record that the Misfits could bring with them on their tour with the Damned (they were not able to do so, as the cover artwork had not been completed in time), ''Beware'' combined songs from the Misfits' previously issued singles " Bullet" and "

", except the latter's track "Children in Heat" was replaced by the song "

", which had never been released prior to ''Beware''. ''Beware'' was the Misfits' only original UK release, and was issued in the UK by Armageddon/ Spartan Records and in the U.S. by the band's own label,

Plan 9 Records Plan 9 Records, originally known as Blank Records, was an independent record label that was founded in 1977 by Glenn Danzig of the horror punk band The Misfits. The label was discontinued in 1995. In 1977, Danzig founded Blank Records as a mea ...

Track listing

Personnel

Band

* Glenn Danzig – vocals, guitar *

Jerry Only Gerald Caiafa Jr. (born April 21, 1959), better known by his stage name Jerry Only, is an American musician, best known as the bassist for the Misfits and later the vocalist as well. He is the only member to appear in every Misfits lineup. Biog ...

– bass, background vocals *

Franché Coma Franché Coma (born Frank Licata August 17, 1957), is an American musician. He is the original guitarist of the Misfits. Coma joined The Misfits in the fall of 1977 as the band's first guitarist eight months after singer Glenn Danzig, bassist Jerry ...

– guitar, background vocals (1978 session only) *

Mr. Jim ''Mister'', usually written in its contracted form ''Mr.'' or ''Mr'', is a commonly used English honorific for men without a higher honorific, or professional title, or any of various designations of office. The title 'Mr' derived from earlier ...

– drums (1978 session only) *

– guitar, background vocals (1979 session only) *

– drums (1979 session only)

Production

* Dave Achelis –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the limit ...

References

Sources

* * {{Authority control Misfits (band) EPs Horror punk EPs 1980 debut EPs Plan 9 Records EPs