Halloween (Misfits)
Encyclopedia
"Halloween" is the fifth single
by the horror punk
band the Misfits. It was released on October 31, 1981 on singer
Glenn Danzig
's label Plan 9 Records. 5,000 copies of the single were pressed on black 7" vinyl, some of which included a lyrics sheet.
The "Halloween" single was the last Misfits release to include guitarist
Bobby Steele
. Both songs on the single had been recorded in August 1980 for a planned album. During the sessions bassist
Jerry Only
was grooming his younger brother Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
to join the band, and Doyle recorded his own guitar tracks and overdubs
separately in addition to Steele's. The tracks were mixed in September, but in October Steele was ejected from the band in favor of Doyle and the planned album was scrapped. Five of the songs were released as the 3 Hits from Hell
EP
, while "Halloween" and "Halloween II" were released as a single. In 2001 Caroline Records
announced attempted to release the complete sessions as 12 Hits From Hell
, but production was called off after Danzig and Only expressed concerns with the album's layout, packaging, liner notes, mixing, and mastering.
The lyrics to "Halloween II" are in nonstandard Latin
, translating to
Legacy of Brutality
with overdubbed guitar and bass tracks recorded by Danzig. The original versions of both songs were re-released on Collection II
in 1995, and all of the versions were included in The Misfits box set in 1996, along with the original studio recording of "Halloween II".
included a sample of "Halloween" in their 1988 cover of Sonic Youth
's song of the same title on the "Touch Me I'm Sick"/"Halloween"
split single. "Halloween" has been covered
by several other bands in subsequent years: AFI
covered the song for their All Hallow's EP
(1999), and Dropkick Murphys
recorded a version for the compilation Back on the Streets: Japanese/American Punk Unity (2000) which was later re-released on Singles Collection, Volume 2
(2005). The american death metal band Winds of Plague
recorded a cover of the song that they included as an iTunes bonus track on their 2009 album The Great Stone War
.
Danzig re-recorded "Halloween II" with his post-Misfits project Samhain
. This version appeared on November-Coming-Fire
(1986) and Live 85-86 (2001). "Halloween II" has also been covered by Tenebre on the tribute album
Hell on Earth: A Tribute to the Misfits (2000) and by Cradle of Filth
on the Underworld: Evolution soundtrack and Thornography
(2006), though Cradle of Filth's cover is based on the Samhain version.
-based punk rock
band Alkaline Trio
recorded a cover version
of "Halloween" in August 2002 while on tour. Their version was released as a single
through Asian Man Records
, with a cover of "Children in Heat" (from "Horror Business
") as the B-side
, and given away exclusively to attendees at their performance on October 31, 2002 at the Metro Chicago
. This performance was filmed and released on DVD
in 2003 as Halloween at the Metro, the fourth installment in Kung Fu Films
' The Show Must Go Off! series. In 2004 the band re-released the single as a digital download
exclusively to members of their fan club the Blood Pact, adding a cover of The Damned's "Wait for the Blackout
" recorded in 2003 at the BBC
's Maida Vale Studios
.
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
by the horror punk
Horror punk
Horror punk is a music genre that mixes Gothic and punk rock sounds with morbid imagery and lyrics, which are often influenced by horror films...
band the Misfits. It was released on October 31, 1981 on singer
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig
Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
's label Plan 9 Records. 5,000 copies of the single were pressed on black 7" vinyl, some of which included a lyrics sheet.
The "Halloween" single was the last Misfits release to include guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Bobby Steele
Bobby Steele
Bobby Steele is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, songwriter, and sole original member of punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple other bands, most notably, as the second guitarist of The Misfits...
. Both songs on the single had been recorded in August 1980 for a planned album. During the sessions bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Jerry Only
Jerry Only
Jerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
was grooming his younger brother Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein
Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein , is an American guitarist best known for his material with the horror punk band the Misfits.-Life and career:...
to join the band, and Doyle recorded his own guitar tracks and overdubs
Overdubbing
Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously recorded performance....
separately in addition to Steele's. The tracks were mixed in September, but in October Steele was ejected from the band in favor of Doyle and the planned album was scrapped. Five of the songs were released as the 3 Hits from Hell
3 Hits from Hell
3 Hits from Hell was the sixth release from the Lodi, New Jersey horror punk band The Misfits.The 7" EP was released in April 1981 as Plan 9 Records number PL1013...
EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
, while "Halloween" and "Halloween II" were released as a single. In 2001 Caroline Records
Caroline Records
Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
announced attempted to release the complete sessions as 12 Hits From Hell
12 Hits from Hell
12 Hits From Hell is a cancelled studio album by the Misfits. It was recorded in 1980 but went unreleased. Caroline Records attempted to release it in 2001, but band members Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only called off production and the album was scrapped....
, but production was called off after Danzig and Only expressed concerns with the album's layout, packaging, liner notes, mixing, and mastering.
The lyrics to "Halloween II" are in nonstandard Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, translating to
Ancient formulas of exorcisms and excommunications
That witches and those made wolves believe
I maim now the demon clothed in wolfskin
Having to hide in the hollow of a tree
I say werewolves can change shapes
Re-releases and other versions
Following the band's breakup in 1983, "Halloween" was reissued on the 1985 compilation albumCompilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
Legacy of Brutality
Legacy of Brutality
-Credits:* Glenn Danzig - vocals, guitar and bass on tracks 9, 10, and 13, overdubbed guitar and bass on tracks 1-8, and 11, clapping on track 13* Franché Coma - original guitar for tracks 1-8, and 11* Bobby Steele - original guitar for tracks 9, 10 and 12...
with overdubbed guitar and bass tracks recorded by Danzig. The original versions of both songs were re-released on Collection II
Collection II
Collection II is the companion album to The Misfits' Collection I. Both compilations collect all the early singles and the entire Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood album, and are meant to complement Walk Among Us and Legacy of Brutality with little overlap...
in 1995, and all of the versions were included in The Misfits box set in 1996, along with the original studio recording of "Halloween II".
Track listing
Personnel
- Glenn DanzigGlenn DanzigGlenn Danzig Glenn Danzig Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone; June 23, 1955 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, entrepreneur, and a progenitor of the horror punk subgenre of music. He is a founder of bands the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig...
- vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Bobby SteeleBobby SteeleBobby Steele is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, songwriter, and sole original member of punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple other bands, most notably, as the second guitarist of The Misfits...
- guitar - Jerry OnlyJerry OnlyJerry Only is an American bassist. He is the current bassist and vocalist for the Misfits. He is credited with creating the infamous hair style known as the devilock.-Life and career:...
- bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Arthur GoogyArthur GoogyArthur Googy was a drummer for the horror punk band The Misfits.He was the longest running drummer of the bands original era, spanning the years 1980 - 1982, and was present during the "Master Sound Productions Sessions" that led to the Walk Among Us album...
- drums - DoyleDoyle Wolfgang von FrankensteinDoyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein , is an American guitarist best known for his material with the horror punk band the Misfits.-Life and career:...
- guitar
Cover versions
MudhoneyMudhoney
Mudhoney is an American alternative rock band. Formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988 following the demise of Green River, Mudhoney's members are vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison, and drummer Dan Peters. Original bassist Matt Lukin left the...
included a sample of "Halloween" in their 1988 cover of Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
's song of the same title on the "Touch Me I'm Sick"/"Halloween"
Touch Me I'm Sick/Halloween
"Touch Me I'm Sick/Halloween" is a split single by American alternative rock bands Sonic Youth and Mudhoney, released in December 1988 by the independent record label Sub Pop....
split single. "Halloween" has been covered
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by several other bands in subsequent years: AFI
AFI (band)
AFI is an American alternative rock band from Ukiah, California that formed in 1991. They have consisted of the same lineup since 1998: lead vocalist Davey Havok, drummer and backup vocalist Adam Carson, with bassist Hunter Burgan and guitarist Jade Puget, who both play keyboard and contribute...
covered the song for their All Hallow's EP
All Hallow's EP
All Hallow's E.P. is an extended play by American rock band AFI. It was released on October 5, 1999 through Nitro Records. It contains three original songs and a cover of the Misfits song "Halloween".-Background:...
(1999), and Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
recorded a version for the compilation Back on the Streets: Japanese/American Punk Unity (2000) which was later re-released on Singles Collection, Volume 2
Singles Collection, Volume 2
Singles Collection Volume 2 is a b-side and rarities compilation album released by Boston punk rock band Dropkick Murphys, on March 8, 2005. It contains songs released on singles, compilations and splits...
(2005). The american death metal band Winds of Plague
Winds of Plague
Winds of Plague is an American deathcore band from Upland, California, formed in 2002. They are best known as one of the only deathcore bands to incorporate symphonic elements into their music....
recorded a cover of the song that they included as an iTunes bonus track on their 2009 album The Great Stone War
The Great Stone War
-Personnel:Winds of Plague* Jonathan "Johnny Plague" Cooke - vocals* Nick Eash - guitar* Nick Piunno - guitar* Andrew Glover - bass* Art Cruz - drums* Kristen Randall- keyboardProduction* Daniel Castleman - producer and mix engineer...
.
Danzig re-recorded "Halloween II" with his post-Misfits project Samhain
Samhain (band)
Samhain was an American rock band formed by singer Glenn Danzig in 1983, immediately following his departure from the Misfits. Samhain played in more of a deathrock and heavy metal-infused style of horror punk than Danzig's previous band. By 1987 Samhain's membership evolved into a new band,...
. This version appeared on November-Coming-Fire
November-Coming-Fire
Samhain III: November-Coming-Fire was the band Samhain's third release. It was issued in 1986 on lead singer Glenn Danzig's independent record label, Plan 9. It is considered by many fans to be the band's best piece of work, as they were evolving their own style of music, which was often described...
(1986) and Live 85-86 (2001). "Halloween II" has also been covered by Tenebre on the tribute album
Tribute album
A tribute album is a recorded collection of cover versions of songs or instrumental compositions. Its concept may be either various artists making a tribute to a single artist, a single artist making a tribute to various artists, or a single artist making a tribute to another single artist.There...
Hell on Earth: A Tribute to the Misfits (2000) and by Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth
Cradle of Filth are an English extreme metal band, formed in Suffolk in 1991. The band's musical style evolved from black metal to a cleaner and more "produced" amalgam of gothic metal, symphonic black metal, and other extreme metal styles, while their lyrical themes and imagery are heavily...
on the Underworld: Evolution soundtrack and Thornography
Thornography
Thornography is the seventh full-length studio album by Cradle of Filth released through Roadrunner Records in October, 2006. The album is produced by Anthrax guitarist Rob Caggiano, engineered and co-produced by Dan Turner and mixed by Andy Sneap, and once again features narration by Doug Bradley...
(2006), though Cradle of Filth's cover is based on the Samhain version.
Alkaline Trio version
ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-based punk rock
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio is an American punk rock band that formed in McHenry, Illinois, in 1996. The band's line-up consists of Matt Skiba , Dan Andriano , and Derek Grant...
recorded a cover version
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Halloween" in August 2002 while on tour. Their version was released as a single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
through Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records
Asian Man Records is a small, DIY record label run by Mike Park in Monte Sereno, California. Park started a record label and began releasing music in 1989 under the name Dill Records, with the Asian Man label established May 1996.-Artists:...
, with a cover of "Children in Heat" (from "Horror Business
Horror Business
"Horror Business" is the third single released by the horror punk band the Misfits. It was released on June 26, 1979 on singer Glenn Danzig's label Plan 9 Records....
") as the B-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
, and given away exclusively to attendees at their performance on October 31, 2002 at the Metro Chicago
Metro Chicago
This page is about the concert hall; for the metro region surrounding Chicago, see Chicago metropolitan area.Metro is a concert hall at 3730 N. Clark Street in Chicago, Illinois that plays host to a variety of local, regional and national emerging bands and musicians. The Metro was first opened in...
. This performance was filmed and released on DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
in 2003 as Halloween at the Metro, the fourth installment in Kung Fu Films
Kung Fu Records
Kung Fu Records is an American independent record label founded in 1996 by Joe Escalante and Warren Fitzgerald of the punk rock band The Vandals. Founded in order to release a record by the Riverside, California band Assorted Jelly Beans, the label soon grew to include a roster of notable artists...
' The Show Must Go Off! series. In 2004 the band re-released the single as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
exclusively to members of their fan club the Blood Pact, adding a cover of The Damned's "Wait for the Blackout
Wait for the Blackout
"Wait for the Blackout" was a single by The Damned.Initially, Chiswick issued Wait for the Blackout instead of The History of the World Part 1 as a single to promote The Black Album in Spain, with Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde as the B-side....
" recorded in 2003 at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios
Maida Vale Studios is a complex of seven BBC studios on Delaware Road, Maida Vale, London.It has been used to record thousands of classical music, popular music and drama sessions for BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio 4 from 1946 to the present...
.
Track listing
Personnel
- Matt SkibaMatt SkibaMatthew Thomas Skiba is the lead singer and guitarist of Alkaline Trio.-Early life and family:...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Dan AndrianoDan AndrianoDaniel Michael Andriano is the bassist and co-vocalist of the punk rock band Alkaline Trio.-Education and early bands:...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Derek GrantDerek GrantDerek Grant is the drummer for punk band Alkaline Trio, where he replaced Mike Felumlee. He was previously a member of The Suicide Machines, Telegraph, Gyga, Thoughts of Ionesco, Remainder, Walls of Jericho, The Exceptions and Broken Spoke, a side band with Royce Nunley and Jay Navarro...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....