Glenn Danzig
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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 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 ...
,
Samhain Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...
, and Danzig. He owns the Evilive record label as well as
Verotik Verotik is an American comic book company founded by heavy metal/horror punk musician Glenn Danzig. The comics are aimed toward adult readers as they often contain imagery of a sexual and/or violent nature. The company's two longest-running tit ...
, an adult-oriented comic book publishing company. Beginning in the mid-1970s, Danzig's musical career has encompassed a number of genres through the years, including punk rock and heavy metal, and incorporating influences from
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
,
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
and
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
. He has also written songs for other musicians, most notably
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
and
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
. As a singer, Danzig is noted for his
baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
voice and
tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
vocal range; his style has been compared to those of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
,
Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...
, and
Howlin' Wolf Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910January 10, 1976), better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. Over a four-decade care ...
. Danzig has also cited
Bill Medley William Thomas Medley (born September 19, 1940) is an American singer and songwriter, best known as one half of The Righteous Brothers. He is noted for his bass-baritone voice, exemplified in songs such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'". Med ...
as a vocal influence.


Early life

Danzig was born Glenn Allen Anzalone, the third of four sons, in
Lodi, New Jersey Lodi (; ) is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States census, the borough's population was 24,136,United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
veteran of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. His mother worked at a record store. Danzig and his family also spent some time living in
Revere, Massachusetts Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, located approximately from Downtown Crossing, downtown Boston. Founded as North Chelsea in 1846, it was renamed in 1871 after the American Revolutionary War Patriot (American Re ...
. Danzig began listening to heavy metal music at an early age, and has described
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
, the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
,
Blue Cheer Blue Cheer was an American rock band that initially performed and recorded in the late 1960s and early 1970s and was sporadically active until 2009. Based in San Francisco, Blue Cheer played in a psychedelic blues rock or acid rock style, and ...
, and
The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
as being among his early musical influences. At age 10, Danzig began to use drugs and alcohol, leading him into frequent fights and trouble with the law. He stopped using drugs at age 15. While growing up, Danzig began reading the works of authors including
Charles Baudelaire Charles Pierre Baudelaire (, ; ; 9 April 1821 – 31 August 1867) was a French poetry, French poet who also produced notable work as an essayist and art critic. His poems exhibit mastery in the handling of rhyme and rhythm, contain an exoticis ...
and
Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe (; Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He is wide ...
, developing his appreciation for horror. Danzig collected comic books and, frustrated by American comics, he started his own company to produce "crazy, violent,
erotic comics Erotic comics are adult comics which focus substantially on nudity and sexual activity, either for their own sake or as a major story element. As such they are usually not permitted to be sold to legal minors. Like other genres of comics, they c ...
". Danzig graduated from Lodi High School in June 1973, aspiring to become a
comic book creator developed specialized terminology. Some several attempts have been made to formalize and define the terminology of comics by authors such as Will Eisner, Scott McCloud, R. C. Harvey and Dylan Horrocks. Much of the terminology in English is un ...
and professional photographer. He attended the
Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, Tisch is a training ground for artists, scholars of the a ...
and later the
New York Institute of Photography The New York Institute of Photography (or NYIP) is a for-profit online school based out of New York City, offering different courses in photography to students all over the world. NYIP currently offers ten courses in photography. History The New ...
. Danzig formed an adult-oriented comic book company called
Verotik Verotik is an American comic book company founded by heavy metal/horror punk musician Glenn Danzig. The comics are aimed toward adult readers as they often contain imagery of a sexual and/or violent nature. The company's two longest-running tit ...
in the mid-1990s.


Musical career


Early career

Glenn Danzig's introduction to performing music began when he took piano and clarinet lessons as a child. He later taught himself how to play the guitar. Danzig started in the music business at the age of 11, first as a drum roadie and then playing in local garage bands. He had never taken vocal lessons, but his self-taught vocal prowess gained him attention in the local scene. Throughout his teenage years he sang for several local bands, such as Talus and Koo-Dot-N-Boo-Jang, most of which played half original songs and half Black Sabbath songs.


Misfits and Samhain (1977–1987)

In the mid-1970s, Danzig started the
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 ...
, releasing the band's records through his own label, (originally known as ''Blank'', then later as '' Plan 9''). Danzig had attempted to get the Misfits signed to several record labels, only to be told that he would never have a career in music. The impetus for the band's name comes from
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
's last film, combined with Danzig considering himself to be a "social misfit". In October 1983, after releasing several singles and three albums, and gaining a small underground following, Danzig disbanded the Misfits due to his increasing animosity for the other band members and his dissatisfaction with their musical abilities. Danzig explained his decision: "It was difficult for me to work with those guys, because they weren't prepared to put in the hours practicing. I wanted to move things forward, and they didn't seem to have the same outlook. So it was time for me to move on." After the Misfits, he began work on a new band project,
Samhain Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...
. The origins of Samhain began when Danzig started rehearsing with
Eerie Von Eerie Von (born Eric Stellmann; August 25, 1964) is an American musician best known as the original bassist for the heavy metal band Danzig. His preferred bass is the Fender Jazz Bass. Early life Eerie Von was raised in Lodi, New Jersey. ...
, formerly of
Rosemary's Babies Rosemary's Babies was an American hardcore punk band formed in Lodi, New Jersey in 1980. Its members included J.R.(Vincent C Paladino) - vocals, Post Mortem (Robert Montena) - bass, CA Richie (Craig Richardson) - guitar, and Eerie Von (Eric Stel ...
. Danzig took the name of the band from the ancient Celtic New Year, which influenced the evolution of the modern
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
. Initially Samhain was conceived as a punk rock "super group". The band briefly featured members of
Minor Threat Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band, formed in 1980 in Washington, D.C. by vocalist Ian MacKaye and drummer Jeff Nelson. MacKaye and Nelson had played in several other bands together, and recruited bassist Brian Baker and guitaris ...
and
Reagan Youth Reagan Youth is an American anarcho-punk band formed by singer Dave Rubinstein (Dave Insurgent) and guitarist Paul Bakija (Paul Cripple) in Queens, New York City in early 1980. History Initial career (1980–1990) Rubinstein and Bakija a ...
, who contributed to Samhain's 1984 debut, ''
Initium ''Initium'' is the 1984 debut album by American deathrock band Samhain, released on lead singer Glenn Danzig's independent record label Plan 9. In various interviews, Danzig stated that the album's title, which translates from Latin to Engli ...
''. The band then settled with a lineup consisting of Eerie Von on bass, Damien on guitar, and
Steve Zing Steve Zing (born Steven Paul Grecco; June 29, 1964) is an American drummer. He has performed with Implosion, Mourning Noise, and The Undead before joining Samhain. He graduated in 1982 from Lodi High School in Lodi, New Jersey together with ...
on drums (later replaced by London May). In 1985 the ''
Unholy Passion ''Unholy Passion'' is the first EP and second overall release by American deathrock band Samhain, Glenn Danzig's band after the disbanding of the Misfits. According to bassist Eerie Von in his photographic book ''Misery Obscura,'' the album was ...
'' EP was released, followed by ''
November-Coming-Fire ''Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire'' is the second studio album by American deathrock band Samhain. It was released in February 1986, through lead singer Glenn Danzig's independent record label, Plan 9. Background ''November-Coming-Fire'' ...
'' in 1986. Samhain eventually began to attract the interest of major labels including Epic and Elektra.
Rick Rubin Frederick Jay Rubin (; born March 10, 1963) is an American record producer. He is the co-founder (alongside Russell Simmons) of Def Jam Recordings, founder of American Recordings, and former co-president of Columbia Records. Rubin helped popula ...
, music producer and head of the
Def American American Recordings (formerly Def American Recordings) is an American record label headed by producer Rick Rubin. The label has featured artists such as Slayer, the Black Crowes, ZZ Top, Danzig, Trouble, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, The Mother H ...
label, would see the band perform at the 1986
New Music Seminar The New Music Seminar (NMS) is a Music Conference and Festival held annually each June in New York City. The New Music Seminar originally ran from 1980 to 1995 and was relaunched in 2009. NMS features over 150 CEOs and other executives, presiden ...
, on the advice of then-Metallica bassist
Cliff Burton Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician who was the bassist for heavy metal band Metallica from 1982 until his death in 1986. He performed on ''Kill 'Em All'' (1983), '' Ride the Lightning'' (1984 ...
. Danzig has credited both Burton and Metallica frontman
James Hetfield James Alan Hetfield (born August 3, 1963) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, co-founder and a main songwriter of heavy metal band Metallica. He is mainly known for his intricate rhythm playing, but occasionall ...
with helping to raise awareness about his music: "I first met them at a Black Flag gig, and then we became kinda friends. We'd often bump into each other on the road...James and Cliff helped to spread the word about me, and I was very grateful to them."


Danzig


"Classic" era (1987–1994)

In 1987, after two albums and an EP, Samhain was signed to a major label by Rubin and the name of the band was changed to Danzig to allow the band to retain its name in the event of line-up changes. Danzig discussed the reasoning behind the name change: "Rick
ubin Pulau Ubin, also simply known as Ubin, is an island situated in the north east of Singapore, to the west of Pulau Tekong. The granite quarry used to be supported by a few thousand settlers on Pulau Ubin in the 1960s, but only about 38 villagers ...
convinced me it was the way to go, and would also provide me with a lot more artistic freedom. After all, I was now in charge of where we were going musically, so if I didn't want to do something, it was a lot easier to say so." Danzig's intention at the time was for each album he recorded to consist of a different recording line-up, allowing him to keep working with different musicians. The original band consisted of guitarist
John Christ John Christ (born John Wolfgang Knoll on February 19, 1965) is an American musician best known as the original guitarist for the metal band Danzig. He has been known for his bluesy hard rock sound and frequent use of the pinch harmonic. Chris ...
, bassist Eerie Von, and former Circle JerksDOABlack Flag drummer
Chuck Biscuits Chuck Biscuits (born Charles Montgomery on April 17, 1965) is a Canadian drummer best known for his work in several punk rock bands. Biscuits was a member of D.O.A. from 1978 to 1982, playing on the band's first two albums before briefly joini ...
. In 1987, Danzig, owing to his association with Rubin, was asked to write a song for
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
. The result was "Life Fades Away", featured in the 1987 movie '' Less than Zero''. Danzig also contributed to the film's soundtrack with "You and Me (Less than Zero)". Danzig had originally been asked to write the song for a female vocalist, but when Rubin could not find a suitable singer Danzig recorded the vocals himself. The song is credited to "Glenn Danzig and the Power Fury Orchestra", which featured the same membership as the initial lineup of Danzig, with the exception of Eerie Von. Since Von did not like the way producer Rubin wanted the bass played on the song,
George Drakoulias George Drakoulias (born 1965) is a Greek-American music producer and a former A&R executive at the American Recordings label. He is often considered a protégé of Rick Rubin. Drakoulias grew up in Syosset, New York, and attended Syosset High Sc ...
played the bass instead. In 1988, the newly formed band Danzig released their eponymous debut. Its sound showed a progression from the gothic–deathrock sound of Samhain, to a slower, heavier, more
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
-based heavy metal sound. In 1990, the band's sophomore effort '' Danzig II: Lucifuge'' marked an immediate change in musical direction. The album's overall bluesier tone and somewhat milder approach were departures from '' Danzig'', featuring a 50s-style ballad ("Blood & Tears") and a full-on acoustic blues ("I'm the One"). Other projects in 1990 included the final Samhain album '' Final Descent''. The album was started under the title ''Samhain Grim'' several years prior. The album contained previously unreleased studio recordings, at least some of which had been intended for the ''Samhain Grim'' album before it was aborted. In 1992, Danzig once again changed musical direction, releasing the darker '' Danzig III: How the Gods Kill''. Several songs would feature a more textured, slower sound in between fast, dominant guitar riffs. Also in 1992, Danzig tried his hand at composing classical music with ''
Black Aria ''Black Aria'' is an instrumental album composed by Glenn Danzig, the vocalist/songwriter for Danzig and previously of Samhain and the Misfits. It was released in 1992, and is Danzig's first album as a solo artist. The album debuted at number ...
''. The album debuted at number 1 on the
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
classical music chart. In 1993, Danzig released ''
Thrall-Demonsweatlive ''Thrall-Demonsweatlive'' is an EP by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was released in 1993 on Def American Recordings and has been certified Gold. Music and recording The EP is split into two sections. The first section, ''Thrall'', consi ...
'', an EP featuring both studio recordings and live tracks. Danzig broke into the mainstream when the live video of "Mother '93" became a hit on
MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
and earned
Buzz Bin MTV's Buzz Bin was a select group of music videos by up and coming artists and bands that the network deemed "buzz worthy", " cutting edge", or "the next big thing". As such, the selected videos received heavy rotation on the channel, and were al ...
rotation, six years after the original song was recorded. During this time the band reached its commercial peak, with both the debut album and ''Thrall-Demonsweatlive'' being certified Gold, and "Mother" becoming the band's highest charting single. Both ''Danzig'' and ''Thrall-Demonsweatlive'' have since been certified Platinum. In 1994, the release of ''
Danzig 4 ''Danzig 4'', also titled ''Danzig 4P'', is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. Released in 1994, it was the band's final album on American Recordings, and the last to feature the original lineup of John Christ (guita ...
'' saw the band going further into a darker and more experimental sound. The album also saw further development of his vocal style and range; most notable in songs like "Let It Be Captured" and a more blues based approach on songs like "Going Down to Die". Also in 1994, Danzig wrote the song "Thirteen" for Johnny Cash, which appeared on the album '' American Recordings''.


Later years (1995–2004)

In 1996, the band underwent a complete overhaul. The original lineup had fallen apart, as had Glenn Danzig's relationship with their record label, American Recordings, with label owner Rick Rubin's involvement as producer diminishing with each album. Danzig would later engage in a legal battle with Rubin over unpaid
royalties A royalty payment is a payment made by one party to another that owns a particular asset, for the right to ongoing use of that asset. Royalties are typically agreed upon as a percentage of gross or net revenues derived from the use of an asset o ...
and the rights to the band's unreleased songs. Danzig enlisted new bandmates, most notably
Joey Castillo Joseph William Castillo (born March 30, 1966) is an American musician and songwriter. He is best known for being the drummer of the hard rock band Queens of the Stone Age from 2002 to 2012. He is currently a member of Circle Jerks, The Bronx an ...
who would continue to be the band's drummer until 2002. Once again, he explored a new musical direction and recorded '' Blackacidevil''; this time infusing heavy metal with
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Cromagnon, Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten a ...
. Danzig went on to sign a deal with
Hollywood Records Hollywood Records is an American record label of the Disney Music Group. The label focuses in pop, rock, alternative, hip hop, and country genres, as well as specializing in mature recordings not suitable for the flagship Walt Disney Records l ...
, which led to several religious groups boycotting its parent company
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
for signing a controversial "satanic" band. As a result, the label pulled support for ''Blackacidevil'' and the record deal was severed. In September 1999, Danzig signed his band to E-Magine Records, becoming the first artist on the label. The deal also led to the release of a Samhain box set and the re-release of ''Blackacidevil''. Danzig's subsequent three albums, '' 6:66 Satan's Child'' (1999), '' I Luciferi'' (2002) and ''
Circle of Snakes ''Circle of Snakes'' is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was released on August 31, 2004. It is the first studio album by the band since their debut recording not to have a number incorporated into its title (t ...
'' (2004), all musically and lyrically evolved to a more stripped down, heavier
gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...
sound. The Danzig lineup continued to change with each album, while Danzig's voice started to show change after years of touring. In 1999, during the U.S. touring for the album ''6:66 Satan's Child'' Danzig reunited Samhain along with drummers Steve Zing and London May. Then-Danzig guitarist
Todd Youth Todd Schofield (May 15, 1971 – October 27, 2018), known as Todd Youth, was an American guitarist, best known for his work with Warzone, Murphy's Law and Danzig. Biography Schofield was born and raised in Passaic County, New Jersey, and ...
was invited by Glenn Danzig to fill in the guitar position for the Samhain reunion tour, replacing Samhain's original guitarist, Pete "Damien" Marshall, who had opted out in order to tour with Iggy Pop. Eerie Von was not invited to rejoin Samhain due to personal issues within the band. Both Zing and May handled bass duties, switching from drums to bass in between the "Blood Show". In 2003, Danzig founded the Blackest of the Black tour to provide a platform for dark and extreme bands of his choosing from around the world. Bands featured on the tour have included
Dimmu Borgir Dimmu Borgir () is a Norwegian symphonic black metal band from Jessheim, formed in 1993. The name is derived from Dimmuborgir, a volcanic formation in Iceland, the name of which means "dark cities" or "dark castles/fortresses" in Icelandic, ...
,
Superjoint Ritual Superjoint, formerly known as Superjoint Ritual, was an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band. History The band was formed by Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower in the early 1990s, later to be joined by Hank Williams III and Kevi ...
,
Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...
,
Opeth Opeth is a Swedish progressive metal/rock band from Stockholm, formed in 1990 by lead vocalist David Isberg. The group has been through several personnel changes, including the replacement of every original member; notably Isberg in 1992. Mikael ...
,
Lacuna Coil Lacuna Coil is an Italian gothic metal band from Milan. Since their formation in 1994, the group has had two name changes, being previously known as Sleep of Right and Ethereal, and they have recorded nine studio albums, two extended plays, two ...
, Behemoth,
Skeletonwitch Skeletonwitch is an American metal band from Athens, Ohio, formed in 2003. The band currently consists of lead guitarist Nate Garnette, rhythm guitarist Scott Hedrick, bassist Evan Linger, and vocalist Adam Clemans. Original vocalist Chance Gar ...
,
Mortiis Mortiis is an electronic band from Notodden, Norway fronted by Håvard Ellefsen, who is also known as the namesake of the band. The name is a misspelling of the word "mortis", which is the pronunciation used by the band. Mortiis started as the ...
and
Marduk Marduk (Cuneiform: dAMAR.UTU; Sumerian: ''amar utu.k'' "calf of the sun; solar calf"; ) was a god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon. When Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of ...
.


Recent activity (2005–2011)

In 2005, Danzig's tours to support the ''Circle of Snakes'' album and the Blackest of the Black Tour were highlighted by the special guest appearance of Misfits guitarist Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein. Doyle joined Danzig on stage for a 20-minute set of classic Misfits songs: "To do this right, I invited Doyle to join Danzig on stage at 'Blackest of the Black' for a special guest set. This is the first time we will be performing on stage together in 20 years. It's the closest thing to a Misfits reunion anyone is ever going to see." On October 17, 2006, he released his second solo album ''
Black Aria II ''Black Aria II'' is a 2006 album by Glenn Danzig and the follow-up to his 1992 '' Black Aria'' classical solo album. Despite being discussed in various interviews throughout the 1990s, ''Black Aria II'' was not released until October 17, 2006. ...
''. The album reached the top ten on the Billboard classical music chart. In November 2006, Danzig toured the west coast with former Samhain drummer
Steve Zing Steve Zing (born Steven Paul Grecco; June 29, 1964) is an American drummer. He has performed with Implosion, Mourning Noise, and The Undead before joining Samhain. He graduated in 1982 from Lodi High School in Lodi, New Jersey together with ...
on bass. They played three Samhain songs including "All Murder All Guts All Fun". In Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Doyle joined the band onstage for the encore and played two Misfits songs, "Skulls" and "Astro Zombies". In 2007 Danzig produced the debut album by ex-Misfits guitarist Doyle's metal-influenced band,
Gorgeous Frankenstein Gorgeous Frankenstein was an American horror punk/ heavy metal band formed in 2005 in New Jersey by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein and his former wife and ex-professional wrestler Stephanie Bellars ( Gorgeous George). History In 2005, Doyl ...
. In July 2007, Danzig released ''
The Lost Tracks of Danzig ''The Lost Tracks of Danzig'' is a compilation album by American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Danzig (band), Danzig. The set showcases a number of previously unreleased Danzig songs, ranging from the band's first recording sessions in 198 ...
'', a compilation of previously unreleased songs. The project took nine months to complete with Glenn Danzig having to add extra vocal and instrument tracks to songs that had been unfinished. The album included the controversial "White Devil Rise", recorded during the sessions for ''Danzig 4'' in response to inflammatory comments by
Louis Farrakhan Louis Farrakhan (; born Louis Eugene Walcott, May 11, 1933) is an American religious leader, black supremacist, anti-white and antisemitic conspiracy theorist, and former singer who heads the Nation of Islam (NOI). Prior to joining the NOI, h ...
and his use of the term "The White Devil". The song is Danzig's conjecture as to what would happen if Farrakhan incited the passive white race to rise up and start a race war: "No one wants to see a race war. It would be terrible, so the song's saying, 'Be careful what you wish for.'" Danzig himself has bluntly denied any accusations of racism: "As far as me being an Aryan or a racist, anyone who knows me knows that's bullshit." In October and November 2007, Danzig toured the western United States, along with Gorgeous Frankenstein,
Horrorpops HorrorPops are a Danish punk band that formed in 1996. The band's sound is rooted in psychobilly, rockabilly, and punk rock. History 1996–1999: Formation Band founders Patricia Day and Kim Nekroman first met when Day's now-defunct band, ...
, and Suicide City. This "3 Weeks of Halloween" tour was in support of his most recent album, ''The Lost Tracks of Danzig'', as well as the newest graphic novel release from Verotik, ''Drukija: Countessa of Blood''. On October 23, 2007, Danzig was performing the song "How the Gods Kill" in
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
and fell off the stage, injuring his left arm. He did not perform the Misfits set that night, but he continued the tour and played classic Misfits tunes with Doyle onstage as an encore with a sling on his left arm after the injury. In 2008, Danzig confirmed he had recorded the first duet of his career, with Melissa Auf der Maur. The song, titled "Father's Grave", features Danzig singing from the perspective of a
gravedigger A gravedigger is a cemetery worker who is responsible for digging a grave prior to a funeral service. Description If the grave is in a cemetery on the property of a church or other religious organization (part of, or called, a churchyard), g ...
and appears on Auf der Maur's 2010 album '' Out of Our Minds''. Auf der Maur has spoken highly about the experience of meeting and working with Danzig. Danzig's ninth album, ''
Deth Red Sabaoth ''Deth Red Sabaoth'' is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig, released on June 22, 2010, through Evilive/The End Records. ''Deth Red Sabaoth'' marked Danzig's highest-charting album since the release of '' Danzig 4'' in 1 ...
'', was released on June 22, 2010. In a July 2010 interview with Metal Injection, Glenn Danzig was asked if he was going to make another Danzig record after ''Deth Red Sabaoth''. His response was, "I don't know, we'll see. With the way record sales are now...I won't do some stupid pro-tool record in someone's living room where all the drum beats are stolen from somebody and just mashed together...and I'm not going to do that if I can't do a record how I want to do it, and if it's not financially feasible, I'm just not going to do one." During the later quarter of 2011 Danzig performed a string of one-off reunion shows called the "Danzig Legacy" tour. The shows consisted of a Danzig set, followed by a Samhain set, then closing off with Danzig and Doyle performing Misfits songs. During the third date of
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
's 30-year anniversary shows at the Fillmore Theater in San Francisco; Danzig went on stage with Metallica to perform the Misfits songs "Die, Die My Darling", "Last Caress", and "Green Hell".


Current activity (2012–present)

Danzig has said he wishes to avoid extensive and exhaustive touring in the future, preferring instead to focus on his various music, film and comic book projects: "I don't really want to tour. My reason for not doing it is because I'm bored of it. I like being onstage, but I don't like sitting around all day doing nothing. I could be home, working." Danzig has started work on a third ''Black Aria'' album, and a covers album is set for release by the end of 2013. Danzig hopes to record a dark blues album involving
Jerry Cantrell Jerry Fulton Cantrell Jr. (born March 18, 1966) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and main songwriter of the rock band Alice in Chains. The band rose to internation ...
and
Hank III Hank is a male given name. It may have been inspired by the Dutch name Henk,The Origins of 10 Nicknam ...
. He is currently working on new Danzig material with
Tommy Victor Thomas M. Victor (born 1961/1962) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. He is best known as the lead singer and guitarist for heavy metal band Prong, which he founded in New York City in 1986, as well as the guitarist for ...
and
Johnny Kelly Johnny Kelly (born March 9, 1968) is an American musician, best known as the former drummer of gothic metal band Type O Negative. He is the current drummer for the bands Silvertomb, A Pale Horse Named Death, Kill Devil Hill, Danzig, and Qu ...
. In 2014, Danzig filed a lawsuit against Misfits bassist
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 ...
claiming Only registered trademarks for everything Misfits-related in 2000 behind Danzig's back, misappropriating exclusive ownership over the trademarks for himself, including the band's iconic "Fiend Skull" logo, violating a 1994 contract the two had. Danzig claims that after registering the trademarks, Only secretly entered into deals with various merchandisers and cut him out of any potential profits in the process. On August 6, 2014, a U.S. district judge in California dismissed Danzig's lawsuit. On October 21, 2015, during an interview with Loudwire, Danzig stated his current tour with
Superjoint Superjoint, formerly known as Superjoint Ritual, was an American heavy metal band. History The band was formed by Phil Anselmo, Joe Fazzio, and Jimmy Bower in the early 1990s, later to be joined by Hank Williams III and Kevin Bond. They were ...
could be his last. On May 12, 2016, Danzig, Only, and Frankenstein announced they would perform together as the Misfits for the first time in 33 years in two headlining shows at the September 2016
Riot Fest Riot Fest is an annual three-day punk rock music festival based in Chicago, Illinois, at Douglass Park. It is known for booking reunions, guest performances, and full album performances. Riot Fest remains one of the largest independently owned m ...
in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and
Denver Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
. He later noted that he would be "open to possibly doing some more shows". The reunited Misfits did more shows and Danzig enforced a "no cell phone" policy at the reunion shows. The reunited "Original Misfits" sold out a succession of arenas, a singular accomplishment for a classic punk band, providing evidence that they are among the most popular punk bands ever. Danzig returned to Riot Fest in 2017 with his band, Danzig. The newest Danzig album ''
Black Laden Crown ''Black Laden Crown'' is the eleventh studio album, and the tenth of all-new original material, by the American heavy metal band Danzig, released on May 26, 2017. Background and production ''Black Laden Crown'' is the band's first album of o ...
'' was released on May 26, 2017.


Musical style

Danzig's musical career has encompassed a number of genres, from punk rock and heavy metal to
classical music Classical music generally refers to the art music of the Western world, considered to be distinct from Western folk music or popular music traditions. It is sometimes distinguished as Western classical music, as the term "classical music" also ...
. He is noted for his
baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the r ...
voice and
tenor A tenor is a type of classical music, classical male singing human voice, voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. The tenor's vocal range extends up to C5. The lo ...
vocal range; his style has been compared to those of
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
,
Jim Morrison James Douglas Morrison (December 8, 1943 – July 3, 1971) was an American singer, poet and songwriter who was the lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Doors. Due to his wild personality, poetic lyrics, distinctive voice, unpredicta ...
,
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
and
Howlin' Wolf Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910January 10, 1976), better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer and guitarist. He is regarded as one of the most influential blues musicians of all time. Over a four-decade care ...
. Critic
Mark Deming Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Finn ...
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 ...
described Danzig as "one of the very best singers to emerge from hardcore punk, though in a genre where an angry, sneering bark was the order of the day, that only says so much. Still, the guy could carry a tune far better than his peers". The Misfits combined Danzig's harmonic vocals with camp-horror imagery and lyrics. The Misfits sound was a faster, heavier derivation of
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United ...
-style punk with
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western music ...
influences. Glenn Danzig's Misfits songs dealt almost exclusively with themes derived from
B-grade A B movie or B film is a low-budget commercial motion picture. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified films intended for distribution as the less-publicized bottom half of a double featur ...
horror and science fiction movies (e.g. "Night of the Living Dead") as well as comic books (e.g. "Wasp Women", "I Turned into a Martian"). Unlike the later incarnation of the Misfits, Danzig also dealt with
Atomic Era The Atomic Age, also known as the Atomic Era, is the period of history following the detonation of the first nuclear weapon, The Gadget at the ''Trinity'' test in New Mexico, on July 16, 1945, during World War II. Although nuclear chain reacti ...
scandals in songs like "Bullet" (about the
assassination of John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States, was assassinated on Friday, November 22, 1963, at 12:30 p.m. CST in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Kennedy was in the vehicle with ...
), "Who Killed Marilyn" (which alluded to alternate theories about
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
's death), and "Hollywood Babylon" (inspired by the Kenneth Anger book on scandals associated with the early, formative years of Hollywood). In later years the Misfits style was noticeably heavier and faster than during their earlier releases, introducing elements of
hardcore punk Hardcore punk (also known as simply hardcore) is a punk rock music genre and subculture that originated in the late 1970s. It is generally faster, harder, and more aggressive than other forms of punk rock. Its roots can be traced to earlier punk ...
. Samhain's musical and lyrical style was much darker in tone than Misfits material, fusing an experimental combination of horror punk,
gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...
death rock Death rock (or deathrock) is a rock music subgenre incorporating horror elements and gothic theatrics. It emerged from punk rock on the West Coast of the United States in the early 1980s and overlaps with the gothic rock and horror punk genre ...
, and heavy metal. With Samhain, Glenn Danzig began to introduce more complicated
drum patterns The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a she ...
. Samhain songs often combined tribal drum beats and distorted guitars. Samhain's lyrical themes were rooted in
paganism Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christianity, early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions ot ...
and the occult, pain and violence, and the horrors of reality. The band Danzig showed a progression to a slower, heavier, more
blues Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
-based and
doom Doom is another name for damnation. Doom may also refer to: People * Doom (professional wrestling), the tag team of Ron Simmons and Butch Reed * Daniel Doom (born 1934), Belgian cyclist * Debbie Doom (born 1963), American softball pitcher * ...
-driven heavy metal sound primarily influenced by the early sound of
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. Other musical influences include
The Doors The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
, and the
ballads A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads derive from the medieval French ''chanson balladée'' or ''ballade'', which were originally "dance songs". Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and ...
of
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
. Danzig opted for a thicker and heavier-sounding guitar tone than with his previous bands, retaining his preference for a single lead guitarist and short guitar solos. After replacing the band's original line-up, Danzig began to experiment with a more
industrial Industrial may refer to: Industry * Industrial archaeology, the study of the history of the industry * Industrial engineering, engineering dealing with the optimization of complex industrial processes or systems * Industrial city, a city dominate ...
sound, before merging into
gothic metal Gothic metal (or goth metal) is a fusion genre combining the aggression of heavy metal with the dark atmospheres of gothic rock. The music of gothic metal is diverse with bands known to adopt the gothic approach to different styles of heavy met ...
. Later, Danzig albums have returned to the band's original sound. Glenn Danzig's lyrics, which had already evolved from those of the Misfits to the more serious style of Samhain, progressed even further with Danzig to become "frighteningly intense images of doom" which "convey their bleak messages with an eerie grace and intelligence". His lyrics are typically dark in subject matter, bearing "a heavily romanticized, brooding, gothic sensibility, more quietly sinister and darkly seductive than obviously threatening or satanic". Lyrical themes include love, sex, evil, death, religion, and occult imagery. Danzig's songs about love often deal with the pain of loss and loneliness using gothic romanticism. Sex is another common theme, with songs frequently alluding to various
sexual practices Sex is the biological distinction of an organism between male and female. Sex or SEX may also refer to: Biology and behaviour *Animal sexual behaviour **Copulation (zoology) **Human sexual activity ** Non-penetrative sex, or sexual outercourse ...
and depicting powerful, seductive and sometimes
supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
female figures. Glenn Danzig has tackled
Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of a ...
subjects and has offered his criticisms of organised religion. He often promotes rebellion and anti-authoritarianism, whilst embracing independence and the
left hand path In Western esotericism the left-hand path and right-hand path are the dichotomy between two opposing approaches to magic. This terminology is used in various groups involved in the occult and ceremonial magic. In some definitions, the Left-Ha ...
. In other lyrics, Danzig deals with the subject of death and questions the concepts of evil and sin. Glenn Danzig has served as the sole songwriter for every band he has fronted, and described his writing process: "Sometimes I get the guitar lines, sometimes I write on the piano, sometimes I'll write the lyrics first and then figure out the chord patterns on guitar, and sometimes I write the drum pattern first. It's all different". Danzig also records basic song ideas when away from his home: "I usually hum it into a microcassette recorder and then I transpose it when I get home and work it out on guitar or piano".


Television and film

Danzig had a minor role as a fallen angel in the 1998 film ''
The Prophecy II ''The Prophecy II'' is a 1998 American Fantasy film, fantasy-Action film, action-Horror film, horror film and the second installment in The Prophecy (film series), ''The Prophecy'' series. Christopher Walken reprises his role as the Archangel Gabri ...
'', starring
Christopher Walken Christopher Walken (born Ronald Walken; March 31, 1943) is an American actor. Prolific in film, television and on stage, Walken is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Awar ...
. He was invited by
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
to audition for the role of
Wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for "gluttony, glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is ...
in ''
X-Men The X-Men are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics, first appearing in Uncanny X-Men, ''The X-Men'' #1 by artist/co-plotter Jack Kirby and writer/editor Stan Lee in 1963. Although initially cancelled in ...
'', as his height and build closely resemble that of the film's protagonist, as described in the original comic books. However, he declined due to scheduling conflicts. He later admitted that he was glad to turn the role down as he thought the final product was "terrible" and further insulted
Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...
's performance, calling it "gay". Danzig guest-appeared as himself in the ''
Aqua Teen Hunger Force ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' (also known by various alternative titles), sometimes abbreviated as ''ATHF'' or ''Aqua Teen'', is an American adult animated television series created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro for Cartoon Network's late ni ...
'' episode "Cybernetic Ghost of Christmas Past from the Future", where he purchased the house of the character
Carl Carl may refer to: *Carl, Georgia, city in USA *Carl, West Virginia, an unincorporated community * Carl (name), includes info about the name, variations of the name, and a list of people with the name *Carl², a TV series * "Carl", an episode of te ...
. In February 2016, Danzig appeared in the ''
Portlandia ''Portlandia'' is an American sketch comedy television series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, set in and around Portland, Oregon, and spoofing the city's reputation as a haven for eccentric hipsters. The show was produced by Br ...
'' episode "Weirdo Beach".


Directing

Danzig plays a personal role in the production of the band's music videos, suggesting ideas and sometimes directing them himself. He is currently working on a film version of the Verotik comic ''Ge Rouge''. The possibility of an animated film version of the ''Satanika'' comic has also been discussed. In 2019, Danzig made his feature film directorial debut with ''
Verotika ''Verotika'' is a 2019 American anthology horror film written, directed and scored by Glenn Danzig. Based on a line of comic books published by Danzig's company Verotik, the film stars Rachel Alig, Alice Haig, Natalia Borowsky, Sean Kanan, Sco ...
'', an
anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...
horror film that premiered at Chicago's Cinepocalypse Film Festival that year. The film was directed, written and scored by Danzig. In September 2019, at the Los Angeles red carpet premiere of the
Rob Zombie Rob Zombie (born Robert Bartleh Cummings; January 12, 1965) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and voice actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live shows have be ...
film ''
3 from Hell ''3 from Hell'' is a 2019 American horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Rob Zombie. It is the third installment in the ''Firefly'' trilogy, which began with ''House of 1000 Corpses'' (2003), and stars Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Mose ...
,'' Danzig told interviewers that production for a new film would begin in October. He described the project as "a vampire
Spaghetti western The Spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's film-making style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
", after revealing there would not be any more Misfits tours. In 2020, Danzig announced his next film is ''Death Rider in the House of Vampires,'' which blends elements of the Spaghetti western with vampire horror. Danzig stated there would be several prominent actors in the film, including:
Devon Sawa Devon Edward Sawa (born September 7, 1978) is a Canadian actor. Sawa began acting when he was a teenager and appeared in several films in the 1990s including '' Little Giants'', ''Casper'', '' Now and Then'', '' Wild America'', ''Idle Hands'', a ...
,
Danny Trejo Danny Trejo ( ; born May 16, 1944) is an American actor. He has appeared in films including ''Desperado'', ''Heat'', and the ''From Dusk Till Dawn'' film series. With frequent collaborator and his second cousin Robert Rodriguez, he portrayed ...
, , and
Kim Director Kimberly Ann Director (born November 13, 1974) is an American actress. She has played the roles of Kim Diamond in '' Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2'' (2000), and Stevie in ''Inside Man'' (2006). Beginning in 2017, she has appeared as a recurring ...
. In multiple interviews, Danzig cites Italian horror director
Mario Bava Mario Bava (31 July 1914 – 27 April 1980) was an Italian filmmaker who worked variously as a director, cinematographer, special effects artist and screenwriter, frequently referred to as the "Master of Italian Horror" and the "Master of the M ...
among his directorial inspirations, along with
Sergio Leone Sergio Leone (; 3 January 1929 – 30 April 1989) was an Italian film director, producer and screenwriter credited as the pioneer of the Spaghetti Western genre and widely regarded as one of the most influential directors in the history of cin ...
and
Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the su ...
.


Personal life

In January 1992, Danzig became a student of Jerry Poteet, a
martial artist Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
in
Jeet Kune Do Jeet Kune Do is a primarily wing chun kung fu inspired eclectic martial arts philosophy heavily influenced and adapted by the Taoist personal life philosophy and experiences of martial artist Bruce Lee. Overview and philosophy Jeet Kune ...
. Danzig has since earned a teaching degree in the discipline. Danzig has also studied
Muay Thai Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterised ...
. Danzig, who is 5 ft 3 in height, also developed an interest in
bodybuilding Bodybuilding is the use of progressive resistance exercise to control and develop one's muscles (muscle building) by muscle hypertrophy for aesthetic purposes. It is distinct from similar activities such as powerlifting because it focuses ...
: : "I've always been attracted to the
Nietzschean Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) developed his philosophy during the late 19th century. He owed the awakening of his philosophical interest to reading Arthur Schopenhauer's ''Die Welt als Wille und Vorstellung'' (''The World as Will and Represe ...
idea of perfection, and so I began trying to perfect my body. I bought
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, film producer, businessman, retired professional bodybuilder and politician who served as the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011. ''Time'' ...
's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MODERN BODYBUILDING and started studying. Lifting weights is just lifting weights, but bodybuilding is about sculpting the body. Nutrition is essential, and though I'd like to be eating candy and cake, it immediately settles on my hips. Unfortunately, when I'm on the road I only get to work out a few times weekly, but when I'm at home with my weights and machines I work out four or five times a week." Danzig has several distinctive tattoos, all by tattoo artist Rick Spellman, which incorporate artwork based upon his music. These include a Danzig/Samhain skull symbol designed by Michael Golden, a bat with a Misfits Crimson Ghost skull, a wolf's head with the text "Wolfs Blood" (the title of a Misfits song), a skeleton as found on the cover art for the album ''November-Coming-Fire'', and a demon woman as found on the cover art for ''Unholy Passion''. His lower back features the logo for the ''
Devilman is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai. The manga focuses on a high school student named Akira Fudo who absorbs the powers of the demon called "Amon" with help of his friend Ryo Asuka in order to battle ...
''
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
. Danzig is a fan of
horror movies Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoc ...
and
Japanese anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
/manga, and has expressed his appreciation for the works of filmmaker
David Cronenberg David Paul Cronenberg (born March 15, 1943) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is one of the principal originators of what is commonly known as the body horror genre, with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation ...
and manga artist
Go Nagai , better known by the pen name , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with ''Meakashi Polikichi'', but is best known for creating popular 1970s ...
. Danzig's favorite composers include
Richard Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...
,
Sergei Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''., group=n (27 April .S. 15 April1891 – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, p ...
,
Camille Saint-Saëns Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns (; 9 October 183516 December 1921) was a French composer, organist, conductor and pianist of the Romantic music, Romantic era. His best-known works include Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (1863), the Piano C ...
,
Carl Orff Carl Orff (; 10 July 1895 – 29 March 1982) was a German composer and music educator, best known for his cantata ''Carmina Burana'' (1937). The concepts of his Schulwerk were influential for children's music education. Life Early life Car ...
, and film score composer
Jerry Goldsmith Jerrald King Goldsmith (February 10, 1929July 21, 2004) was an American composer and conductor known for his work in film and television scoring. He composed scores for five films in the ''Star Trek'' franchise and three in the Rambo (franchise) ...
. Danzig is an avid reader and owns a large book collection on subjects including the occult, religious history and true murder cases. He commented about the book ''
The Occult Roots of Nazism ''The Occult Roots of Nazism: The Ariosophists of Austria and Germany, 1890–1935'' is a book about Nazi occultism and Ariosophy by historian Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, who traces some of its roots back to Esotericism in Germany and Austria betwe ...
'' that "every school kid should have this book", though he later stated that the comment was satirical. Danzig also has a long-standing interest in New World Order related conspiracies: "Not only have I always been interested in the families that run the world forever, that people know now as the
Bilderberg Group The Bilderberg meeting (also known as the Bilderberg Group) is an annual off-the-record conference established in 1954 to foster dialogue between Europe and North America. The group's agenda, originally to prevent another world war, is now defin ...
. But there's an older book called '' Committee of 300'' which tells you all about it. I mean, I got in trouble for this back in the 90s, talking about this kind of stuff – how the United States is based on a
Freemason Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
thing, and I got so many government files on me from that one". Regarding his political views, Danzig has described himself as being "conservative on some issues, and some issues I'm really liberal". He defended former President Donald Trump's controversial travel ban from selected countries, arguing "It's really not a travel ban. When you walk into the country, we want to see who you are and what you're doing." Danzig has voiced his dissatisfaction with the United States'
two-party system A two-party system is a political party system in which two major political parties consistently dominate the political landscape. At any point in time, one of the two parties typically holds a majority in the legislature and is usually referre ...
; stating "the bottom line is that both parties are in agreement about one thing: They don't want a third, a fourth, or a fifth party in there. They want it Democratic and Republican. Both sides are corrupt." Though sometimes portrayed as a Satanist by the media, Danzig has denied this in several interviews, elaborating that "I embrace both my light and dark side... I definitely believe in a yin and yang, good and evil. My religion is a patchwork of whatever is real to me. If I can draw the strength to get through the day from something, that's religion... I'm not trying to be preachy or tell people what to think." Danzig has voiced his approval of certain aspects of Satanic ideologies, including the quest for knowledge and individual freedom. He has stated that religion does not play a role in how he perceives other bands and musicians.


Discography


Danzig

Studio albums * '' Danzig'' (1988) * '' Danzig II: Lucifuge'' (1990) * '' Danzig III: How the Gods Kill'' (1992) * ''
Danzig 4 ''Danzig 4'', also titled ''Danzig 4P'', is the fourth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. Released in 1994, it was the band's final album on American Recordings, and the last to feature the original lineup of John Christ (guita ...
'' (1994) – LP * '' Blackacidevil'' (1996; reissued in 2000 with extra tracks) * '' 6:66 Satan's Child'' (1999) * '' I Luciferi'' (2002) * ''
Circle of Snakes ''Circle of Snakes'' is the eighth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was released on August 31, 2004. It is the first studio album by the band since their debut recording not to have a number incorporated into its title (t ...
'' (2004) * ''
Deth Red Sabaoth ''Deth Red Sabaoth'' is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig, released on June 22, 2010, through Evilive/The End Records. ''Deth Red Sabaoth'' marked Danzig's highest-charting album since the release of '' Danzig 4'' in 1 ...
'' (2010) * ''
Skeletons A skeleton is the structural frame that supports the body of an animal. There are several types of skeletons, including the exoskeleton, which is the stable outer shell of an organism, the endoskeleton, which forms the support structure inside ...
'' (2015) * ''
Black Laden Crown ''Black Laden Crown'' is the eleventh studio album, and the tenth of all-new original material, by the American heavy metal band Danzig, released on May 26, 2017. Background and production ''Black Laden Crown'' is the band's first album of o ...
'' (2017) * ''
Danzig Sings Elvis ''Danzig Sings Elvis'' is the twelfth studio album by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was released on April 17, 2020, through Cleopatra Records. The album consists of cover versions of tracks originally recorded by Elvis Presley. " Always ...
'' (2020) EPs * '' Thrall/Demonsweatlive'' (1993) * ''
Sacrifice Sacrifice is the offering of material possessions or the lives of animals or humans to a deity as an act of propitiation or worship. Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Greeks, and possibly exi ...
'' (1996; reissued in 2000 with extra tracks) Singles * "
Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given childbirth, birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the cas ...
" (1988) – promotional CD single * "Her Black Wings" (1990) – promotional CD single * "Killer Wolf" (1990) – promotional CD single * "A Taste of Danzig III" (1992) – promotional CD single * "Dirty Black Summer" (1992) – CD single * "How the Gods Kill" (1992) – promotional CD single * "It's Coming Down" (1993) – promotional CD single * "Mother '93" (1993) – promotional and wide-release CD singles * "Until You Call on the Dark" – (1994) – promotional CD single * "Brand New God" (1994) – promotional CD single * "Cantspeak" (1994) – CD single * "I Don't Mind the Pain" (1995) – CD single * "7th House" (1996) – promotional CD single * "Sacrifice" (1996) – CD single * "Unspeakable" (1999) – promotional CD single * "Wicked Pussycat" (2001) – promotional CD single * "On a Wicked Night" (2010) – CD single * "Ju Ju Bone" (2011) – CD single Compilations * ''
The Lost Tracks of Danzig ''The Lost Tracks of Danzig'' is a compilation album by American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Danzig (band), Danzig. The set showcases a number of previously unreleased Danzig songs, ranging from the band's first recording sessions in 198 ...
'' (2007) – double LP Live albums * ''
Live on the Black Hand Side ''Live on the Black Hand Side'' is a double-disc live album by American heavy metal band Danzig. It was recorded at various shows between 1992 and 2000 (including Danzig's infamous Halloween '92 show at Irvine Meadows, CA), and was released in ...
'' (2001) – double LP Soundtracks * "Deep" '' Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files'' (1996) * "UnderBelly of the Beast" '' The Crow: Salvation Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2000) * "Mother" ''
Guitar Hero II ''Guitar Hero II'' is a music rhythm video game developed by Harmonix and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 and Activision for the Xbox 360. It is the second main installment in the ''Guitar Hero'' series and is the sequel to 2005's ...
'' (2006) * "Thirteen" ''
The Hangover ''The Hangover'' is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, co-produced with Daniel Goldberg, and written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It is the first installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. The film stars Bradley Cooper, Ed ...
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2009) * "Mother" ''
Guitar Hero Smash Hits ''Guitar Hero Smash Hits'' (titled ''Guitar Hero Greatest Hits'' in Europe and Australia) is a Music video game, music rhythm game and the fourth expansion pack, expansion game to the Guitar Hero, ''Guitar Hero'' series. The game features 48 so ...
'' (2009) * "Black Hell" ''
The Hangover Part II ''The Hangover Part II'' is a 2011 American comedy film produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the sequel to the 2009 film ''The Hangover'' and the second installment in ''The Hangover'' trilogy. Directed ...
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2011) * "Mother '93" ''
The Hangover Part III ''The Hangover Part III'' is a 2013 American action comedy film and the sequel to ''The Hangover Part II'' (2011), both produced by Legendary Pictures and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the third and final installment in ''The Hang ...
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2013) Official videography * ''Danzig (1990)'' – VHS * ''Lucifuge: The Video'' (1991) – VHS * ''Danzig III: How the Gods Kill: Special Limited Edition'' Box Set (1992) – CD/VHS * '' Archive de la Morte'' (2004) – DVD * '' Il Demonio Nera'' (2005) – DVD


Misfits

Studio albums * ''
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 ...
'' (1982) * '' Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood'' (1983) * '' Static Age'' (recorded 1978, released 1996) * '' 12 Hits from Hell'' (recorded 1980, released 2001) (deleted prior to official release) EPs * '' Beware'' (1980) * '' 3 Hits from Hell'' (1981) * ''
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 ...
'' (1982) Singles * "
Cough/Cool "Cough/Cool" is the first single released by the horror punk band the Misfits. It was released in August 1977 on singer Glenn Danzig's label Blank Records. 500 copies were produced on black 7" vinyl. Both songs from the single were re-recorded a ...
" (1977) * "
Bullet A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and co ...
" (1978) * "
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 ...
" (1979) * "
Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, with a screenplay by John Russo and Romero, and starring Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven peop ...
" (1979) * "
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
" (1981) * "
Die, Die My Darling "Die, Die My Darling" is a song by the American horror punk band Misfits. It was released in May 1984 on singer Glenn Danzig's label, Plan 9 Records, seven months after the band's breakup. The song is titled after the 1965 horror film ''Fanatic ...
" (1984) Compilations * ''
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 ...
'' (1985) * ''
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 ...
'' (1986) * ''
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 ...
'' (1995) * '' Misfits Box Set'' (1996) Live albums *''
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 ...
'' (1987) Soundtracks * "Hybrid Moments" '' Jackass: The Movie Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2002) * "Last Caress" '' True Crime: New York City'' (2005) * "Halloween II" ''
Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (2007)


Samhain

Studio albums * ''
Initium ''Initium'' is the 1984 debut album by American deathrock band Samhain, released on lead singer Glenn Danzig's independent record label Plan 9. In various interviews, Danzig stated that the album's title, which translates from Latin to Engli ...
'' (1984) * '' Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire'' (1986) * '' Final Descent'' (1990) Other releases * ''
Unholy Passion ''Unholy Passion'' is the first EP and second overall release by American deathrock band Samhain, Glenn Danzig's band after the disbanding of the Misfits. According to bassist Eerie Von in his photographic book ''Misery Obscura,'' the album was ...
'' (EP, 1985) * ''
Box Set A box set or (its original name) boxed set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists and bands ...
'' (compilation, 2000) * '' Samhain Live '85-'86'' (live album, 2001) * "Mother of Mercy" '' Guitar Hero: Metallica'' (soundtrack, 2009) * ''Live 1984 at the Stardust Ballroom'' (DVD, 2005)


Glenn Danzig and the Power Fury Orchestra

* "You and Me (Less than Zero)" '' Less than Zero Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (soundtrack, 1987)


Solo

Studio albums * ''
Black Aria ''Black Aria'' is an instrumental album composed by Glenn Danzig, the vocalist/songwriter for Danzig and previously of Samhain and the Misfits. It was released in 1992, and is Danzig's first album as a solo artist. The album debuted at number ...
'' (1992) * ''
Black Aria II ''Black Aria II'' is a 2006 album by Glenn Danzig and the follow-up to his 1992 '' Black Aria'' classical solo album. Despite being discussed in various interviews throughout the 1990s, ''Black Aria II'' was not released until October 17, 2006. ...
'' (2006) Singles * " Who Killed Marilyn?" (1981) – 7" single


Other

* '' Less than Zero Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (1987) (Danzig and Orbison wrote the song "Life Fades Away", performed by
Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...
) * ''Kinghorse'' (1990) (Eponymous debut album produced by Danzig) * '' American Recordings'' by
Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his ca ...
(1994) (Danzig wrote the song "Thirteen") * '' Songs from the Earth'' by
Son of Sam David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco, June 1, 1953), also known as the Son of Sam and .44 Caliber Killer, is an American serial killer who pleaded guilty to eight shootings that began in New York City on July 29, 1976. Berkowitz ...
(2001) (Extra guitar and keyboards on "Songs from the Earth", and extra guitar on "Stray") * ''
Gorgeous Frankenstein Gorgeous Frankenstein was an American horror punk/ heavy metal band formed in 2005 in New Jersey by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein and his former wife and ex-professional wrestler Stephanie Bellars ( Gorgeous George). History In 2005, Doyl ...
'' (2007) (Eponymous debut album produced by Danzig) * '' Out of Our Minds'' by Melissa Auf der Maur (2010) (Guest vocals on "Father's Grave")


References


External links

* *
Glenn Danzig audio interview from Synthesis magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Danzig, Glenn 1955 births American cartoonists American crooners American heavy metal singers American Jeet Kune Do practitioners American male singer-songwriters American baritones American people of Scottish descent American people of German descent American people of Italian descent American punk rock singers Danzig (band) members Horror punk musicians Living people Misfits (band) members People from Lodi, New Jersey People from Revere, Massachusetts Samhain (band) members Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Tisch School of the Arts alumni