Project 1950

The Misfits "Project 1950" CD comes with a Limited Edition Bonus DVD with 10 songs, Live footage and more.

"It started as a twisted dream...25 years ago in a small townin New Jersey called Lodi. It was there in April of 1977, at the dawn of the punk movement that the Misfits were born. Taking the title of Marilyn Monroe's last movie as their name in a move to immortalize her image - singer Glenn Danzig and bassist Jerry Only set out to make an impression. They wound up making history and creating a legacy that's power has not only stood the test of time, but transcended into an entirley new generation. Lienup changes followed and by early 1980, the band had coalesced around co-founders Glenn Danzig and Jerry Only along with guitarist Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankinstein (Jerry's youngest brother). Throughout the span of their career, the Misfits audience has developed into an army of "fiends" (the term for diehard Misfits fans) generating more interest today than ever before.

Patriotism may be the last refuge of scoundrels, but nostalgia traditionally puts bread on the table for succeeding generations of rock musicians long after the hits stop coming. If 25th anniversary celebrations--the excuse for this Misfits "roots" covers collection--seem the very antithesis of punk, they're but another golden marketing opportunity for Jerry Only, the sole original band member still standing and arguably the Energizer Bunny of ghoul-punk. Teamed here with Marky Ramone and ex-Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena, Only turns his band's beloved PG-13 thrash-horror shtick loose on an oddball collection of his '50s and '60s musical inspirations. And just when you thought irony was passé, Only croon-howls it undead with fervent renditions of "This Magic Moment" by Jay & the Americans, Paul Anka's frothy "Diana," and Conway Twitty's "Only Make Believe." Still it's hard to like an album with this much DYI missionary zeal: Only includes a written tribute to each song--as well as a six-page illustrated musical tutorial--that bolsters his claim that this album is nothing less than "Rock and Roll 101." Also includes a bonus DVD featuring a generous slate of live performances and videos (including five of the songs here, as well as another handful featuring Japanese ghoul-rockers/label mates Balzac). --Jerry McCulley