History V | The Fiend Crypt

Googy's departure left The Misfits in another inactive period, they didn't perform a show for two months and it was a one off appearance on June 25th, 1982 at Irving Plaza featuring The Necros Todd Swalla on drums. Shortly after The Misfits got lucky when Black Flag drummer Robo became unlucky; Black Flag had recently performed a European tour [winter 1981] but Colombian born Robo was detained on their way back to the United States due to visa issues. Black Flag went on without him picking up Emil Johnson as a "band aid"; upon Robo's return to the states he got in touch with Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins to find out what was going on. Rollins informed Robo that they were moving on without him but that The Misfits had recently lost their drummer.

Fiend Club edition

regular distribution edition

limited 3 pack edition; featuring 3 copies of the EP with 3 different covers

Back of regular Evlive EP (other editions were slightly altered) and insert included in the Fiend Club edition.

Robo joined The Misfits in July 1982 but the band wouldn't tour again until September of that year, in support of their upcoming live 7" EP, Evilive (December 1982). The tracks found on the release were recorded at two separate shows; November 20th, 1981 at On Broadway in San Francisco and December 17th, 1981 at The Ritz in New York. The chronology of the shows is actually reversed on the album with side 1 being comprised of the latter show and side 2 the former.

Robo drumming at his first show with The Misfits at The Big Room in Akron, OH on September 24th, 1982.

While the band was in California (October 1st-8th, 1982) they went to Unicorn Recording Studio in Santa Monica to record material for their new EP; they had played a show at Florentine Gardens in Los Angeles on October 2nd and headed straight to the studio afterward. They recorded 7 songs from midnight to 8 a.m.; Glenn slept during much of the recording, performing vocals on only 3 of the songs plus waking up to do the "Mommy...Can I Go Out And Kill Tonight?" vocal break.

During their time in California in October 1982 Glenn, Jerry and Doyle got their Misfits tattoos from Rick Spellman.

The band found themselves, The Necros (and a group of fiends) arrested for "graverobbing" on October 18th after their performance at Tupelo's in New Orleans (on October 17th). The group had headed over to St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 around 3 a.m. that morning to "check things out" and search for the tomb of infamous voodoo queen Marie Laveau but neighbors heard the sightseers and alerted the police. The Misfits were bailed out by Rocky on the 18th and they ventured on to their next show; October 19th, 1982 at Finder's Lounge in Hallandale Beach, FL. They finished out October with a handful of shows before finishing out the year with four shows in December.

In preparation of Earth A.D.'s upcoming release The Misfits headed out on the Earth A.D. Tour beginning on January 6th, 1982 in Akron, OH. In June Glenn went into Mix-O-Lydian Studio to record the rest of his vocals for Earth A.D., the band also continued to support their next release but the shows were becoming further and further apart at this point.

The Misfits performing at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. on October 22nd, 1982.

During an appearance at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on June 11th, 1983 Henry Rollins was told by Glenn that he was going to leave the band; he had previously mentioned during an interview with Flesh and Bones magazine (March 1983) that he was working on another solo project but this time the record "will actually have a band on it". He had already written The Shift, The Howl, All Murder, All Guts, All Fun and He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named for the untitled project.

Flyer for, and the Misfits performing at, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Santa Monica, CA on June 11th, 1983; it was the largest audience (3000) the Misfits had performed for at that time.

In July the band went to Fox Studio in Rutherford, NJ to finish the 7 previously recorded Earth A.D. songs as well as recording 4 more songs; two of these, Bloodfeast and Death Comes Ripping Glenn had originally intended to be used for his next solo effort. Die, Die My Darling was also taken from a previous Mix-O-Lydian Studio session in 1981 and remixed to sound like the rest of the new tracks.

The Misfits performing at Channel Club in Boston, MA on August 21st, 1983;

it would end up being their second to last show.

By the release of The Misfits second LP the band was back on hiatus having cancelled several September shows in Canada and having last performed on August 21st, 1983 at the Channel Club in Boston. The reason for this doldrum (and the canceled shows) was yet another drummer leaving; Robo had butted heads with Glenn one to many times and by August he had had enough and quit the band.

Misfits promo photo

Glenn used this downtime to meet with Brian Baker, Lyle Preslar, Jeff Nelson (all from Minor Threat) and Graham McColluch (Negative Approach) in Washington, D.C. to begin work on a proposed "super group". Glenn also overdubbed Archangel at Reel Platinum in Lodi in August as well as recording the song Initium with Steve Zing in September. That same month Glenn rehearsed "Samhain" material with Eerie Von (on drums) and Craig Richardson (both from Rosemary's Babies) as well as returning to Washington D.C. to rehearse with Brian Baker and Lyle Preslar again; this time with Eric Zelsder (The Meatmen) on drums and Steve Zing (Mourning Noise) on bass.

Front/back of Rosemary's Babies 7" (Summer 1983)

The Misfits sixth year was drawing to a close and they were down yet another drummer but managed to release their second LP as well as a live EP; they had also squeezed out around 40 shows during Robo's time with the band (right around a year).

Up next...Last Show Ever

This note was made possible by Misfits Central, James Greene Jr.'s book This Music Leaves Stains as well as various Misfits interviews. As always thanks to all the fiends (and photographers) that have provided all the photographic history.