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Glenn Danzig (born Glenn Allen Anzalone on June 23, 1955 in Lodi, New Jersey, USA) is an accomplished singer and musician, and the creative force behind The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. He is one of the most influential individuals in dark rock music.

He is perhaps best known for his crooning vocal style, which borrows from a mix of Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and Jim Morrison. His career spans nearly thirty years and encompasses a multitude of musical genres - from punk rock, to heavy metal, to blues, to industrial, and classical. He is a much maligned figure due to his flirtations with the Satanic and his abrasive persona. Glenn is also a determined weightlifter, comic book publisher and a collector of rare Japanese toys. He is also a certified teacher of Jeet Kune Do, a Martial art he began studying in 1992 after training in the style of Muay Thai. He was taught Jeet Kune Do by Jerry Poteet, one of Bruce Lee's five original students.

Early years

Glenn Danzig was born into a Protestant family of Italian, German, and Scottish-American heritage. Although Glenn's birth name is Anzalone, he has stated in various interviews that "Danzig" is a family name that he adopted for personal reasons, and is not a stage name.

Glenn was introduced to hard rock music at an early age when one of his older brothers (he had two older brothers and one younger) played him an album by Blue Cheer. Not long afterwards, he saw Black Sabbath in concert, an experience that solidified his love for hard rock music. Alice Cooper's use of horror and theatrics also made an impact on Glenn who is known to be fascinated in the "macabre". The Doors and Elvis Presley were also among his favorite musicians/bands during his early years. His views often clashed with those of his father, who was a strict Marine Corps veteran of World War II and the Korean War.

During his teen years, though fond of drinking and causing mischief around the small town of Lodi, New Jersey, Glenn also spent a lot of his time dwelling in his bedroom - where he indulged in gory horror films, comic books, professional wrestling, pornography, and Japanese Animation (especially Captain Harlock and Devilman). He became an avid collector, his collections ranging from rare Japanese toys, to comic and occult books, and the skulls of deceased animals.

He graduated from Lodi High School in 1973. He aspired to become a professional comic book artist, and also had an interest in photography. He had trouble maintaining a steady job due to his stubborn attitude and tendency to clash with authority. A one time run in with the law lead him to a misdemeanor conviction for alleged defecation in public.

Musical career

Glenn started in the music business at the age of 11 - first as a drum roadie, and then as a bass player in a few local garage bands. Glenn had never taken vocal lessons, but the first time he auditioned for the role of a vocalist, he was surprised at the powerful voice he could achieve. His vocal prowess soon got him noticed in the local scene. Throughout his teenage years he sang for several local bands, such as Talus and Whodat And Boojang - most of which played half original songs and half Black Sabbath songs.

In 1977, twenty-one year old Glenn Danzig got serious about music, wanting to do an all original band. So he started The Misfits, taking the band's name from Marilyn Monroe's last film. The Misfits combined campy horror and sci-fi lyrics/imagery with Danzig's melodic vocals, backed by chaotic punk thrashing.

In 1983, after releasing several singles, two full albums, and gaining a small, but devoted underground following, Glenn disbanded The Misfits due to increasing animosity among the band members and his dissatisfaction with their musical abilities.

He devoted his full attention to another band project, which he had already begun working on, called Samhain. Samhain was a darker, more occult and "real life horror" themed band that strayed from the tongue-in-cheek imagery of The Misfits. Samhain released two full length albums and an EP of gritty deathrock music.

During this time, Glenn took an interest in Eastern philosophy, and aspired to reach his peak physical and mental condition. He stopped his reckless drinking, undertook serious body building, and began to study martial arts - namely Jeet Kune Do, founded by Bruce Lee.

In 1987, Samhain was signed to a major label by famous producer Rick Rubin and the name of the band was changed to Danzig. The band consisted of lead guitarist John Christ, bassist Eerie Von, and former DOA drummer Chuck Biscuits. Glenn continued to evolve his music into a combination of dark, brooding heavy metal, and classic blues.

In 1993, Glenn Danzig reached the height of his popularity and broke into the mainstream when the live video for his song "Mother" became a hit on MTV, five years after the original song was recorded.

In 1995, after four dark and blues inspired hard rock albums, the band underwent a complete overhaul. The original lineup had fallen apart, as had Danzig's relationship with their record label, American Recordings. Glenn enlisted new band mates, signed to a new label, and began recording Blackacidevil, the fifth Danzig album. With Blackacidevil, Glenn once again altered the direction of his music, this time infusing heavy metal with industrial rock. Sometime shortly after the recording of Blackacidevil, Glenn's voice went through a noticeable change. The warm, supple vocals he was known for had become more harsh and raspy. The reason behind this change is unclear, although some speculate that his tendency to sing in a harsh throaty bellow (which some fans jokingly refer to as his "cookie monster voice") has damaged his vocal chords. Others simply believe his voice has changed due to the natural process of getting older.

Danzig's subsequent musical offerings have strayed from the industrial influence of Blackacidevil to more stripped down, heavier metal. The Danzig band lineup continued to change with the albums. Although Danzig's later releases never got the mainstream attention of the "Mother" single, the band has maintained a worldwide cult following.

In 2005, Danzig's tours to support the Circle of Snakes album and the Blackest of the Black festival, have been notable for the special guest appearance of Doyle, The Misfits most prominent guitarist who has become an iconic figure to fans of the band. Doyle joined Danzig on stage for a 20 min set of classic Misfits songs, to the ecstatic approval of their fans. Glenn, who had been shooting down rumors of a Misfits reunion for many years, has stated in interviews that seeing him perform with Doyle is as close as anyone will ever get to seeing a true Misfits reunion.

After touring in support of Circle of Snakes and Blackest of the Black, Glenn Danzig says he is ready to take a break from touring, perhaps permanently, to work on other projects and produce other bands. Currently, Glenn is working on his feature film "Ge Rouge". He has also been putting the finishing touches on his second solo album Black Aria II (follow-up to Black Aria). He has stated in several recent interviews that after he finishes Ge Rouge, he will begin putting together "The Lost Tracks of Danzig", a box set containing around thirty unreleased songs that span the entire Danzig catalog. Glenn has also stated that he and Jerry Cantrell have been discussing the possiblity of teaming up to write and record an album of dark blues songs.

Fights

Glenn Danzig has a reputation of having a hot temper and being prone to violence. Having yelled at the wife of Def Leppard's Vivian Campbell to "Get the fuck out of the way!" while carrying a bowl of soup, Danzig was kicked in the rear end and knocked down, dropping his soup. Joe Elliot and Vivian Campbell confirmed this story in an interview with MuchMusic, though did not disclose who did the actual kicking. *

A physical confrontation that took place at the end of a July 3, 2004 concert in Tuba City, Arizona between Glenn and Danny Marianinho of North Side Kings was captured on video. The argument started when technicians at the venue raised the lights and began taking the stage apart after Danzig's set, obstensibly ending the concert before North Side Kings and Rapid Fire (band), who had agreed to later set times, could begin their scheduled sets. Danzig can be heard saying "Fuck you, motherfucker!" before shoving Marianinho, who then retaliated with a punch that sent Danzig to the ground. It was leaked to the public and became one of the most widely viewed clips on the internet for a short time. Both participants are said to have diametrically opposing versions of what really took place that night. *

Legacy

Danzig's hit song, "Mother", continues to be a staple in Hard Rock radio station playlists. Over the years, his music has influenced many, most notably Rob Zombie, Melissa Auf der Maur, Metallica, AFI, Cradle of Filth, and HIM. He has also written songs for legendary musicians Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. His songs have been covered by a plethora of bands, most notably Metallica, Guns 'n Roses, and AFI. His style of singing, song writing and use of dark imagery has been fundamental in the establishment of the Horror Rock genre of music.

He currently owns a comic book publishing company called Verotik, which publishes dark comics intended for an adult audience.

He continues to record music and perform with the band that shares his namesake, although he plans to take time off from touring so he can produce other bands, release a few albums and direct a horror film named 'Ge Rouge', a film based on one of his comic books.

Trivia

  • In the early 90's, Danzig founded a small-press comic book company called Verotik, which specialized in dark, violent and erotic stories, many of which were written by Glenn.

  • Glenn has had a life-long facination with art, and is responsible for illustrating many of his band's album covers, such as The Misfits' Horror Business EP, Samhain's November-Coming-Fire LP, Danzig's self-titled LP, and the Danzig 4 LP.

  • He was approached by 20th Century Fox in the late 90's to audition for the part of Wolverine in the film adaptation of X-Men. He reluctantly turned down their offer due to scheduling conflicts. Standing about 5'5", Danzig is actually a closer physical match to the character Wolverine, who is 5'3", than the 6'3" Hugh Jackman.

References

  • Coast to Coast - October, 1981
  • Concrete Foundations - December 10, 1988
  • MTV News, June 3, 1997
  • Interview with Glenn Danzig by Adrian Breeman WHSR Loud Rock music October 28, 1999
  • Heavy Metal's Dark Angel EntertainmentPress - December 21, 1999

Discography

The Misfits

Studio albums

Singles

Live albums

Samhain

Studio albums

Singles

Compilations

Danzig

Studio albums

Singles

  • "Mother" (1988) - CD single
  • "Her Black Wings" (1990) - CD single
  • "Killer Wolf" (1990) - CD single
  • "A Taste Of Danzig III" (1992) - CD single
  • "Dirty Black Summer" (1992) - CD single
  • "How The Gods Kill" (1992) - CD single
  • "It's Coming Down" (1993) - CD single
  • "Mother '93" (1993) - CD single
  • "Until You Call On The Dark" - (1994) - CD single
  • "Brand New God" (1994) - CD single
  • "Cantspeak" (1994) - CD single
  • "I Don't Mind The Pain" (1995) - CD single
  • "7th House" (1996) - CD single
  • "Sacrifice" (1996) - CD single
  • "Unspeakable" (1999) - CD single
  • "Sacrifice" (2000) - CD single

Live albums

Other

Solo

Glenn Danzig & the Power and Fury Orchestra

External links

1955 births | Living people | American male singers | The Misfits | New Jersey musicians | Satanists | Glenn Danzig | Glenn Danzig | Glenn Danzig | Glenn Danzig | Glenn Danzig

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Glenn Danzig".

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