Glenn Danzig

Photo by Daremoshiranai

A Legacy Of Brutality

What do AFI, Rob Zombie and Cradle Of Filth have in common? They’ve all been inspired by the US singer, songwriter and musician known as GLENN DANZIG founder and front man for cult bands THE MISFITS, SAMHAIN and DANZIG. With a music career spanning three decades the ever evolving father of the horror-rock genre is still as inspirational as ever. BIANCA catches up with the ‘Evil Elvis’.

At an early age Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone) was introduced to heavy music under the influence of an older brother. Witnessing Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath live in concert cemented his love of hard rock and the macabre which also planted the seed for his desire to make his own music. Asked about his heroes Danzig comments, “All my heroes are dead! And Ozzy’s almost dead so…” he jokes with much laughter – something he does often during the course of our conversation which may surprise many – despite his brooding demeanor Danzig is actually a very amusing, nice guy.

“I can’t speak for all of them but from what they tell me they say I’m a lot nicer than the media portrays me,” Danzig answers when asked about his interaction with his fans and if he feels he’s sometimes misrepresented in the media? “That’s usually if you get an asshole that interviews you,” he explains. “You’re going to treat them like an asshole. Then they get mad. You get what you give you know. That’s how I am.” Another interesting observation: Danzig is a very honest, genuine, straight up guy.

Danzig got his start in music as an eleven-year roadie, than bass player for several local bands. By the time he was a teen he had gone on to become vocalist for a couple of local acts, Whodat And Boojang and Talus, drawing his vocal style from Roy Orbison, Jim Morrison and Elvis Presely.

In 1976 Danzig decided that he really wanted to do something with himself and his music and decided to form, The Misfits (whose name was taken from a Marylin Monroe film). The horror-themed punk band released a demo that year, started gigging and began to gain a loyal underground following. Thirty years later young punks around the world are still discovering The Misfits for the first time. Asked on his feelings of that fact Danzig comments, “I’m glad. Pretty much when I first went with Rick Rubin (the man responsible for producing Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Slayer etc etc) he said ‘Tell me what you want to do and I’ll tell you how I see your band and you tell me how your see your band?’ I said ‘Look I just want to do a record that year after year people discover and I want my record to stand the test of time. I want people ten years from now to still be buying my record. He goes ‘Good ’cause that’s the way that I feel about your band’.”

Continuing Danzig adds, “That’s why I ended up going with Rubin as opposed to some of these other labels that wanted to sign my band. It worked out. Eventually The Misfits became this big cult phenomena and the same as with, but to a lesser degree Sahmain. Some people in American love Sahiman and not the Misfits which is a little strange but it is more gothy and then you have people that just dig Danzig. I’m happy for all of it.” Danzig observation number three: the man is very humble.

Speaking on his longevity and his early days as a musician Danzig tells, “I have been very fortunate, when some people haven’t been able to sustain a career, I have. I have been able to sustain a music career for almost thirty years and I have to tell you that I was told by so many different labels that ‘You’ll never have a career in America. No one will ever like your music or listen to it’. I remember taking Misfits demos to people and them going ‘This is awful this is just a wall of noise’. I was like ‘Yeah that’s great a wall of noise!’ and they were like ‘No it sucks!’” he laughs adding in a mock authoritarian voice playing the role of record company rejection guy, “’Get out of my office. You’re band sucks!’ I’m sure those guys have been fired now and here I am thirty years later.”

In 1983 after much touring, a couple of studio albums and with much success Glenn disbanded The Misfits. It has been reported that the breakup was due to a dissatisfaction with various members musical abilities and ‘animosity’ among members. Danzig went on to concentrate all efforts on Samhain which he had already started to work on. Two albums and an EP later the band changed their name to Danzig and were signed to a major label. “We’re actually doing Danzig retro tees!” he informs with more laughter. “It’s funny ’cause I never thought of Danzig as retro but I guess Danzig has been around since 1988. That’s almost twenty years ago. It’s funny.”

So after three decades what still inspires the man? “Anger and frustration at how stupid people still are,” Danzig answers. “But you know what? I read a lot, books from centuries ago and people were stupid then and then they’re still stupid now a hundred years later! They don’t learn, only a select I won’t say handful ’cause it’s more than that but, some people are just happy meandering through life and not having to think about anything or have any responsibility for their actions. They don’t want to know either, they just want to wander through life and get their pay check at the end of the week and that’s it. That’s fine but that shit just boogles my mind. I could never go through life like that.”

Glenn enlightens that from as far back he can remember he has always had very solid views. “My grandma and my mom were very independent. I’ve gotten that from my whole lineage – very independent, rebellious, question authority – and I always do,” he states.

He also admits that those traits: independence, rebelling and questioning attracted him to punk rock but adds, “The punk scene then was a lot different from what it is now. I don’t really think there is a punk scene now. I just think people think they’re into punk but they’re not really into punk. I don’t think they question things and I think they just go with the flow. Punk is more an attitude.”

Elaborating Danzig comments further on ‘punk’ these days, “It’s all about money and getting played on MTV. They definitely do not pioneer anything anymore.”

For Danzig being an artist and musician means much more then the aforementioned, “It means that you put your art before money, something that most of the MTV bands can’t say. Put your music and art or whatever it is before money. There’s nothing wrong for getting paid to do what you do and to help you keep doing what you do but it shouldn’t be the money first and then the record or movie or whatever you’re doing. It should be the record or film first and then later if you make money off it that’s great. That’s the way it should be. That’s what separates an artist from a hack.”

Danzig is currently working on the records Black Aria II, Lost Tracks Of Danzig plus various movie scripts. A punk rock icon’s work is never done.