 |
| The author circa 1999. Ignore that awesome attempt at facial hair |
This is a follow up to part one from 6 years ago.
I think the late 90’s were a time nearly completely devoid of good music. Those of us who invested time is some sort of “underground” music scene had just fought off the big business of alternative rock as hard as we could, only to have "nu metal" explode and bring an even bigger type of douche bag sniffing around. Everyone suddenly went from trying to show how introverted and emotional they were to showing how fucking “extreme” they were. People were down with the sickness, doin’ the Dew, all for the nookie, feeling like a freak on a leash, and generally annoying as fuck.
I think the late 90’s were a time nearly completely devoid of good music. Those of us who invested time is some sort of “underground” music scene had just fought off the big business of alternative rock as hard as we could, only to have "nu metal" explode and bring an even bigger type of douche bag sniffing around. Everyone suddenly went from trying to show how introverted and emotional they were to showing how fucking “extreme” they were. People were down with the sickness, doin’ the Dew, all for the nookie, feeling like a freak on a leash, and generally annoying as fuck.
 |
| Take us seriously. |
Even Glenn Danzig, after the huge misfire of Danzig 5: Blackacidevil enlisted the help of two of the fucking guys from Orgy to mix his 6th album- Satan’s Child. I have mixed feelings on the record, 17 years later and though I saw Danzig many times during the touring cycle for it; latex shirts, rubber pants (Todd Youth, I’m looking at you) and the bass player’s baggy board shorts just made me wonder what his new backup band had against black jeans and looking/ being cool. Still, The Dorkzig era was pretty decent live and much better than what was going on during the tour for 5. The most exciting part of the announcement for the initial Satan’s Child US tour was that Samhain, Glenn’s prior band and kind of the transition band from the Misfits to Danzig, was going to perform each night. I felt at the time, and still feel to this day, that Samhain is the only one of Danzig’s bands that is untarnished.
My friends and I bought up tickets as soon as they went on sale for the Cleveland gig in November of ’99 and made the nearly 3 hour trek. Our money and time was not wasted; Samhain belted out a seriously intense set. At the time, I thought that Samhain had largely been forgotten about, but people lost their damned minds during the set and I was no exception.
Samhain
Black Dream
All Murder, All Guts, All Fun
He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named
Unholy Passion
All Hell Breaks Loose
To Walk the Night
In My Grip
Mother of Mercy
Halloween II
November's Fire
The Birthing
The most interesting thing about the show was that right after the blood soaked Samhain set was over, two members swapped out and Danzig played and Glenn’s on stage persona changed. During Samhain’s set, his on stage antics were less rehearsed, more “punk” for lack of a better word, and just raw. During the Danzig set we got the same, fired up, but disappointingly more “I’m in a rock band” delivery. The set, overall, was decent, with a nice surprise of the ripping Misfits track Earth A.D. at the end, but nothing to write home about, all that was on my mind was Samhain, Samhain, Samhain.
I saw some rather stale Danzig sets the next two years, but in November 2003, I saw the best Danzig show and one of THE BEST shows I have ever seen in Poughkeepsie, NY that as a result of directly changed my life and began the career path that I am still on 13 year later. But, as the end of Conan the Babarian says ” that is another story.”
My friends and I bought up tickets as soon as they went on sale for the Cleveland gig in November of ’99 and made the nearly 3 hour trek. Our money and time was not wasted; Samhain belted out a seriously intense set. At the time, I thought that Samhain had largely been forgotten about, but people lost their damned minds during the set and I was no exception.
Samhain
Black Dream
All Murder, All Guts, All Fun
He-Who-Can-Not-Be-Named
Unholy Passion
All Hell Breaks Loose
To Walk the Night
In My Grip
Mother of Mercy
Halloween II
November's Fire
The Birthing
The most interesting thing about the show was that right after the blood soaked Samhain set was over, two members swapped out and Danzig played and Glenn’s on stage persona changed. During Samhain’s set, his on stage antics were less rehearsed, more “punk” for lack of a better word, and just raw. During the Danzig set we got the same, fired up, but disappointingly more “I’m in a rock band” delivery. The set, overall, was decent, with a nice surprise of the ripping Misfits track Earth A.D. at the end, but nothing to write home about, all that was on my mind was Samhain, Samhain, Samhain.
I saw some rather stale Danzig sets the next two years, but in November 2003, I saw the best Danzig show and one of THE BEST shows I have ever seen in Poughkeepsie, NY that as a result of directly changed my life and began the career path that I am still on 13 year later. But, as the end of Conan the Babarian says ” that is another story.”
