''Misfits'' is a 1986

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...

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 ...

. Officially titled ''Misfits'', but also known as ''Collection'', ''Collection 1'', or ''Collection I'', the album features twenty songs by the band. The tracks include some of the group's early singles, as well as songs from their 1982 album ''

Walk Among Us ''Walk Among Us'' is the debut album by the American punk rock band Misfits, released in March 1982 by Ruby Records and its parent label Slash Records. It was the first full-length album to be released by the band, although it was the third to ...

'', their 1983 album '' Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood'', and the 1985 compilation album ''

Legacy of Brutality ''Legacy of Brutality'' is a compilation album of early songs by the American punk rock band Misfits, released in September 1985. It contains overdubbed mixes of previously unreleased songs, mainly from the January–February 1978 '' Static Age ...

'', which was curated exclusively by vocalist

Glenn Danzig Glenn Allen Anzalone (born June 23, 1955), better known by his stage name Glenn Danzig, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, film director, and record producer. He is the founder of the rock bands Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. He owns t ...

after the band had dissolved in 1983. ''Collection I'' was first released on July 1, 1986 by Plan 9 and

Caroline Records Caroline Records is a record label originally founded in 1973. Initially founded in the United Kingdom to showcase British progressive rock groups, the label ceased releasing titles in 1976, and then re-emerged in the United States in 1986. ...

, and was followed by ''

Collection II ''Collection II'', also known as ''Misfits II'', a compilation album of songs by the American punk rock band Misfits. Released on November 14, 1995, it serves as a companion album to the band's previous compilation, ''Collection I''. Both compi ...

'' in 1995. Both ''Collection'' albums were included in the boxed set '' The Misfits'', which was released in 1996.

Release

''Collection I'' was released on CD on July 1, 1986 by

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 ...

(which was

's own label) and

. It was released as a

12" vinyl The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12″) is a type of vinyl ( polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a 'single' or a few related sound tracks on each surfac ...

LP and

cassette Cassette may refer to: Technology * Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback ** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...

in October 1988. Upon release, Danzig was the only member of the Misfits receiving royalties for ''Collection I'', along with the 1985 compilation album ''

'' and the 1987 live album ''

Evilive ''Evilive'' is a live album by the American punk rock band Misfits. It was initially released as a 7-song EP in December 1982 and later added 5 more songs and released as an album in October 1987. It was released on frontman Glenn Danzig's Pl ...

''. This led to a series of legal battles between Danzig and his former bandmates

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 ...

and Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein. In 1995, an agreement regarding the royalties for Misfits releases by Caroline Records was reached, wherein all future royalties would be '' pro-rated'' by instrument and track depending on the performer. As a result, Only received a full third of royalties for ''Collection I''; another third was split between guitarists

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 ...

, Doyle, and

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 ...

, and the remaining third was split between drummers

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 ...

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" session ...

Arthur Googy Arthur Googy is an American percussionist known for being the drummer of horror punk band The Misfits from 1980 to 1982. Originally from Jackson Heights, New York, he attended Blessed Sacrament elementary school followed by a brisk visit to Newt ...

, and

Robo Robo may refer to: *robot, an electro-mechanical device that can perform autonomous or preprogrammed tasks *Automation (robo-), roboticization *Robo (musician) (born 1955), Roberto Valverde, drummer in punk bands Black Flag and The Misfits *Robo ( ...

Critical reception

John Dougan of

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

gave ''Collection I'' a rating of four out of five stars, writing: "Purists may disagree, but for the benighted, 'Collection I''is the best place to start -- a 20-track anthology that gives you the most Misfits for your money. Everything that made the Misfits great is here, including the odd remix, alternate take, and re-edited version." In his book ''The Complete Misfits Discography'', author Robert Michael "Bobb" Cotter wrote that "True Fiends already had about at least a dozen versions of the songs on this compilation, but if you are indeed one, well, you'd have to get it anyway. At least there are some previously-unreleased versions of stuff with better sound quality than if you previously heard it on a

boot A boot is a type of footwear. Most boots mainly cover the foot and the ankle, while some also cover some part of the lower calf. Some boots extend up the leg, sometimes as far as the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is cle ...

." Javier Van Huss, former bass guitarist for the band

Eighteen Visions Eighteen Visions is an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, formed in October 1995. The band broke up in April 2007, less than a year after their major label debut was released through Epic and Trustkill Records. After ove ...

, noted that the album was instrumental in his early "love of the Misfits", stating that "''Collection 1'' on cassette was the first of Danzig's musical endeavors that I purchased with my own money."

Track listing

All songs written by Glenn Danzig.

Personnel

The Misfits *

– vocals, overdubbed guitar *

– bass guitar, background vocals *

– guitar on tracks 1-3 *

– guitar on tracks 4-13 * Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein – guitar, background vocals on tracks 6, 8-10, and 12-20 *

– drums on tracks 1-3 *

– drums on tracks 4, 5, and 7 *

– drums on tracks 6, 8-13, and 15 *

– drums on tracks 14, and 16-20

Release

Critical reception

Track listing

Personnel

References

Further reading