Several weeks back, I took sort of a potshot at hipster millennials for getting all hot and bothered and incredulously rapturous about LCD Soundsystem’s return to active duty after what was effectively a very brief hiatus. That wasn’t a knock on LCD –- as I said, I quite like them -– but rather a reminder to the young’uns to keep things in perspective.
Now, conversely, when a band that hasn’t played together in 33 goddamn years -– and who has a rich and storied history of acrimony, shit-talking and repeated litigation -– suddenly announces that they’re reuniting, now THAT is something to get genuinely amazed about.
The reality, of course, will probably fail to live up to expectations. I mean, how could it not? Glenn Danzig, Jerry Only and Doyle have all stayed active in the ensuing decades, but they’re hardly the hungry, lean and hostile dudes they were in 1983. Well, they’re probably still pretty hostile, but still … three decades will slow you down (trust me on that one … I know of what I speak).
And yes….it’s somewhat hard to fathom these three dudes getting together and burying the hatchet (or, at least, not trying to bury said hatchet in each other). I’m sure it took a crass amount of money to make it happen. And yes … Danzig remains a pugnacious conservative who probably supports Trump. They’re doing it for the money, and they’re a pack of grumpy old farts who’ll invariably have a very hard time replicating the feverish stealth of their glory days. But so what?
My friend Drew commented that seeing The Misfits after all this time might almost do more harm than good to their reputation, given the probability that they won't (or simply can't) deliver their music in the same way that they used to. He drew a parallel to the hypothetical notion of Minor Threat attempting same. I countered that it would invariably be more difficult for Minor Threat given their po-faced convictions and lyrical concentration on all things youth. Given that the Misfits were never so idealistic, and that they sang primarily about werewolves, martians, necrophagia and murder, that shouldn't be a problem. That stuff never gets old.
In any case, I’m all for seeing them try to attempt it. I won’t be at those shows, but I’ll be hoping for some NYC appearances if it all goes to plan … which it probably won’t.
Remember when?...
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