The Misfits are an American rock band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. Since the band's formation in 1977 numerous cover versions of their songs have been recorded and released by artists who cite the Misfits as an influence.
After the band's initial breakup in 1983 singer Glenn Danzig formed Samhain, re-recording several songs he had written and performed with the Misfits. These included "Horror Business", re-recorded as "Horror Biz" for Initium (1984),[1] "All Hell Breaks Loose", re-recorded as "All Hell" for Unholy Passion (1985),[2] and "Halloween II" which was re-recorded for November-Coming-Fire (1986).[3] Live recordings of all three songs, as well as of "Death Comes Ripping" and "London Dungeon", were released on Live '85–'86 in 2001.[4]
Five compilation tribute albums to the Misfits have been released over the years, made up of various artists covering Misfits songs. Louisville Babylon (1994) featured bands from Louisville, Kentucky and was released by the Analog Distillery label.[5] In 2007 a sequel was released, Louisville Babylon 2.[6] In 1997 Caroline Records released Violent World, featuring primarily punk rock bands.[7] Hell on Earth was released in 2000 by Cleopatra Records and featured industrial rock, death metal, and garage punk acts.[8] In 2008 Acoustic Fury released Acoustic A.D.: An Acoustic Tribute to The Misfits.[9]
In 2005 The Nutley Brass released Fiend Club Lounge, an album of Misfits songs performed in an instrumental lounge and space age pop style.[10] Another band to record albums of instrumental Misfits covers are The Crimson Ghosts, who released surf rock-style covers on Some Kinda Hits (2005) and Earth E.P. (2008).[11]
In 2007 former Misfits guitarist Bobby Steele recorded covers of all of the songs from the unreleased Misfits album 12 Hits from Hell with his band The Undead and posted them as streaming audio through the band's website on Halloween.[12]
Nearly all of the Misfits covers that have been officially released have been versions of songs written by Glenn Danzig and recorded during his tenure with the band from 1977-1983. Balzac are one of two bands to have released cover versions of songs from the later eras of the band's career, as they signed to Misfits bassist/singer Jerry Only's Misfits Records label in 2002. They covered "The Haunting" and "Don't Open 'Til Doomsday", both songs by the 1990s incarnation of the Misfits which included singer Michale Graves. These were released on a split single with the Misfits (who by then consisted of Jerry Only, Dez Cadena, and Marky Ramone) on which the Misfits covered Balzac's "The Day the Earth Caught Fire". The single was released under the title "Day the Earth Caught Fire" in North America and as "Don't Open 'Til Doomsday" in Japan.[13] The Computers covered seven Misfits songs for a Halloween/Black Friday release, including a cover of Scream, a post-Danzig era Misfits song.[14]
| Artist | Song | Release(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The 69 Eyes | "Return of the Fly" | ||
| Mad Sin | "London Dungeon" | Teachin` the Goodies - Lesson One | |
| 84 Lumber | "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?" | Louisville Babylon | |
| 88 Fingers Louie | "Night of the Living Dead" | ||
| 108 | "Death Comes Ripping" | ||
| AFI | "Last Caress" | Shut Your Mouth and Open Your Eyes | |
| AFI | "Demonomania" | A Fire Inside EP[15] | |
| AFI | "Halloween" | All Hallow's E.P.[16] | |
| Aiden | "Die, Die My Darling" | ||
| Aiden | "London Dungeon" | Some Kind of Hate[17] | |
| Alkaline Trio | "Halloween" | "Halloween" | |
| Alkaline Trio | "Children in Heat" | "Halloween" | |
| The Amazing Crowns | "American Nightmare" | Payback Live[18] | |
| The Analogs | "Attitude" | Talent Zero[19] | |
| The Ataris | "Astro Zombies" | Live at the Metro[20] | |
| Austrian Death Machine | "I Turned into a Martian" | Double Brutal[21] | |
| Backyard Babies | "Teenagers from Mars" | ||
| Balzac | "Devil's Whorehouse" | ||
| Balzac | "The Haunting" / "Don't Open 'Til Doomsday" | "Day the Earth Caught Fire" | |
| Behemoth | "Devilock" | Ezkaton | |
| Bigger Better Bombs | "Horror Hotel" | If this one doesn't scare you... You're Already Dead! | |
| Black Kerouac | "Night of the Living Dead" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Blitzkid | "Theme For a Jackyl" | Head Over Hills - EP | |
| The Bouncing Souls | "Mommy, Can I Go Out and Kill Tonight?" | ||
| The Bouncing Souls | "Hybrid Moments" | Complete Control Recording Sessions (The Bouncing Souls EP) | |
| Bratmobile | "Where Eagles Dare" | The Real Janelle[22] | |
| Buck-O-Nine | "Teenagers from Mars" | Barfly[23] | |
| The Casting Out | "Skulls" | Dropcard EP | |
| Chemic | "Return of the Fly" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Cherub Scourge | "Nike-A-Go-Go" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Coliseum | "Bullet" | Superchunk / Coliseum split single[24] | |
| Fiskales Ad-Hok | "Angelfuck" | 12 | |
| Content Zero | "Last Caress" | Louisville Babylon | |
| The Cooters | "Static Age" | Chaos or Bust[25] | |
| The Cooters | "TV Casualty" | Chaos or Bust | |
| Cradle of Filth | "Death Comes Ripping" | From the Cradle to Enslave[26] | |
| Cradle of Filth | "Halloween II" (as "HW2") | ||
| Crain | "Teenagers from Mars" | Louisville Babylon | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Attitude" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Hybrid Moments" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Astro Zombies" (also as "Fastro Zombies") | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "I Turned into a Martian" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "American Nightmare" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Halloween" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Some Kinda Hate" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Hollywood Babylon" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Ghouls Night Out" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Skulls" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Where Eagles Dare" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Angelfuck" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "She" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Last Caress" | Some Kinda Hits | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "London Dungeon" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Return of the Fly" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Horror Hotel" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Teenagers from Mars" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Children in Heat" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "20 Eyes" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Night of the Living Dead" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Vampira" | Earth E.P. | |
| The Crimson Ghosts | "Die, Die My Darling" | Earth E.P. | |
| Crunchy Cereal | "London Dungeon" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Da Yodelin' Taxidermist | "Skulls" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Deadguy | "Horror Business" | ||
| Deadline | "Teenagers from Mars" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Tamara Dearing | "Hybrid Moments" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Demons | "She" | ||
| Deranged | "Green Hell" | ||
| Drag the River | "Hybrid Moments" | Live at the Starlight[27] | |
| Dropkick Murphys | "Halloween" | ||
| Earth Crisis | "Earth A.D." | ||
| Electric Hellfire Club | "Devil's Whorehouse" | ||
| Endpoint | "Attitude" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Ensign | "Hatebreeders" | Love the Music, Hate the Kids[28] | |
| Extreme Unicorns | "Hybrid Moments" | ||
| Entombed | "Hollywood Babylon" | Hell on Earth: A Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Falling Forward | "She" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Farside | "Return of the Fly" | ||
| Gaj Mustafa Cell | "We Bite" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| The Gallery Singers | "Cough/Cool" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Gallows | "We Bite" | Gallows | |
| Gehennah | "Ghouls Night Out" | ||
| The Genitorturers | "All Hell Breaks Loose" | Flesh is the Law EP | |
| Genocide SS | "Demonomania" | ||
| Goldfinger | "Ghouls Night Out" | ||
| Gorilla Monsoon | "Braineaters" | Acoustic A.D.: An Acoustic Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Graveblind | "Devilock" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Green Day | "Hybrid Moments" | streaming media[29] | |
| Guns N' Roses | "Attitude" | The Spaghetti Incident?[30] | |
| Gyotaku | "Horror Hotel" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Hatebreed | "Hatebreeders" | For the Lions[31] | |
| Hedge | "Halloween" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Heideroosjes | "We Are 138" | 20 Years: Ode & Tribute | |
| The Hellacopters | "Bullet" | ||
| Helvetia | "Hybrid Moments" | Gladness (2001-2006)[32] | |
| Hula Hoop | "20 Eyes" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Inhuman Dissiliency | "I Turned into a Martian" | Supreme Engorgement of Exquisite Disembowelment[33] | |
| Jawbreaker | "Skulls" (as part of a medley in "With or Without U2") | ||
| Leafpile | "20 Eyes" | Louisville Babylon | |
| The Lemonheads | "Skulls" | Favourite Spanish Dishes[34] | |
| LG&E | "Some Kinda Hate" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Link 80 | "Who Killed Marilyn?" | 17 Reasons[35] | |
| Lower Class Brats | "Bullet" | Loud and Out of Tune[36] | |
| Ronnie Mack | "Horror Hotel" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Metallica | "Last Caress / Green Hell" | ||
| Metallica | "Die, Die My Darling" | Garage Inc. | |
| Molotov | "I Turned into a Martian" (as "Marciano") | Con Todo Respeto[37] | |
| Munsen | "Braineaters" / "Teenagers from Mars" (as "Braineaters from Mars") | Louisville Babylon | |
| The Murder City Devils | "Hybrid Moments" | In Name and Blood (Vinyl only bonus track) | |
| My Chemical Romance | "Astro Zombies" | Tony Hawk's American Wasteland[38] | |
| My Morning Jacket | "Hollywood Babylon" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| The Network | "Teenagers from Mars" | Money Money 2020[39] | |
| NOFX | "Last Caress" | ||
| No Use for a Name | "I Turned into a Martian" | Live in a Dive[40] | |
| No Use for a Name | "Hybrid Moments" | The Return of the Read Menace[41] | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Last Caress" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Astro Zombies" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Where Eagles Dare" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Some Kinda Hate" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Hybrid Moments" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Hatebreeders" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Teenagers from Mars" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Attitude" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Angelfuck" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Skulls" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| The Nutley Brass | "Die, Die My Darling" | Fiend Club Lounge | |
| One Small Step | "20 Eyes" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Dave Pajo | "Angelfuck" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Pennywise | "Astro Zombies" | ||
| Phantasmic | "I Turned into a Martian" | I Light Up Your Life[42] | |
| Plunge | "Death Comes Ripping" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Pont'ys Camper | "Astro Zombies" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Brook Pridemore | "Last Caress" | Acoustic A.D.: An Acoustic Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Prong | "London Dungeon" | Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Rise Against | "Hybrid Moments" | Nowhere Sessions - EP | |
| The Robots | "Night of the Living Dead" | ||
| Rodan | "Who Killed Marilyn?" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Samhain | "Horror Business" (as "Horror Biz") | ||
| Samhain | "All Hell Breaks Loose" (as "All Hell") | ||
| Samhain | "Halloween II" | ||
| Samhain | "Death Comes Ripping" | Live 85-86 | |
| Samhain | "London Dungeon" | Live 85-86 | |
| Shades Apart | "20 Eyes" | ||
| Sick of It All | "All Hell Breaks Loose" | ||
| Slate | "Die, Die My Darling" | Louisville Babylon | |
| The Slackers | "Attitude" | The Radio | |
| Slo-pok | "Night of the Living Dead" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Sloppy Seconds | "Where Eagles Dare" | Where Eagles Dare b/w Tragedy Twenty Three[43] | |
| The Slow Break | "Attitude" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| Snapcase | "She" | Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Sum 41 | "Attitude" | streaming media[44] | |
| A Sunny Day in Glasgow | "Hybrid Moments" | streaming media, download[45] | |
| Sunspring | "Where Eagles Dare" | Louisville Babylon | |
| Superchunk | "Horror Business" | ||
| Superchunk | "Where Eagles Dare" | download[46] | |
| Switchyard | "Hybrid Moments" | The Secret Life of Spiders[47] | |
| Tanner | "TV Casualty" | ||
| Tenebre | "Halloween II" | ||
| Therapy? | "Where Eagles Dare" | Violent World: A Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Throwdown | "London Dungeon" | Trustkill Takeover Volume II[48] [49] | |
| Tiger Army | "American Nightmare" | Early Years EP[50] | |
| Trivium | "Skulls...We Are 138" | Vengeance Falls (Special Edition)" | |
| Troublemakers | "Where Eagles Dare" | Hell on Earth: A Tribute to the Misfits | |
| Ultra Pulverize | "Where Eagles Dare" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| The Undead | "Halloween" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Vampira" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "I Turned into a Martian" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Skulls" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "London Dungeon" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Night of the Living Dead" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Horror Hotel" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Ghouls Night Out" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Astro Zombies" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Where Eagles Dare" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Violent World" | streaming media | |
| The Undead | "Halloween II" | streaming media | |
| The Zen Circus | "Where Eagles Dare" | ||
| The Valkyrians | "Astro Zombies" | Punkrocksteady | |
| Venetian Snares | "She" | Winter in the Belly of a Snake | |
| Volbeat | "Angelfuck" | Live From Beyond Hell/Above Heaven | |
| Wax Fang | "Halloween" | Louisville Babylon 2 | |
| WELT | "Hybrid Moments" | Brand New Dream | |
| Winds of Plague | "Halloween" | The Great Stone War | |
| Wolfpack | "Death Comes Ripping" | ||
| Yvonne | "She" | Getting Out, Getting Anywhere | |
| Emily Donohue | “Saturday Night” | ‘Vices’ |