Long before Thrall made “Mother” a rock radio hit, and long before some random fat dude knocked Glenn Danzig out on youtube, I thought Danzig’s self-titled release was the greatest thing in rock music. From 1988 to 1994 they could do no wrong as far as I was concerned. Right around 1994/1995 Chuck Biscuits (drums), Eerie Von (bass) and John Christ (guitar) all left the band (or got fired) and, in turn, my interest waned and I have not heard anything Glenn has done since. However, for those formative years of 15 to 21 the band takes up an enormous portion of my soundtrack. Though I had not listened to any Danzig in years, I found myself thinking about all of this the other day holding a used copy of the self-titled disc in my hands at my local record store. I decided to pick it up for at least one listen, if nothing else. The second the opening riffs of “Twist of Cain” started, I was right back in my teens. Windows down. Stereo cranked. Devil Fists in the air and a ‘fuck you I’m evil‘ look for the old lady beside me in traffic. I do not care what sort of a caricature Danzig has become over the years. For my youth, Danzig was dangerous and that made him cool.

Danzig - Twist of Cain (from Danzig I)
Danzig - Mother (from Danzig I)
Danzig - Long Way Back From Hell (from Danzig II: Lucifuge)
Danzig - I’m the One (from Danzig II: Lucifuge)
Danzig - Heart of the Devil (from Danzig III: How the Gods Kill)
Danzig - How the Gods Kill (from Danzig III: How the Gods Kill)
Danzig - cantspeak (from Danzig IV)
Danzig - I Don’t Mind the Pain (from Danzig IV)

original lineup