CITIZINE REVIEWS

Misfits
Project 1950
(Misfits Records, 2003)

By Mark Prindle
www.markprindle.com

The Nu Misfits ran into some internal difficulties following Famous Monsters, and singer Michael Graves and drummer Chud took a hike! During their hike, they decided to leave the band. Then guitarist Doyle said "Yo, Jerry! I have real-life issues to deal with! I'll be back at your ass for the nine-four!"

Jerry responded by putting together an All-Star Punk Rock Extravaganza featuring guitarist Dez Cadena from DC3 and drummer Marky Ramone from Marky Ramone and the Intruders and Marky Ramone and the Speedkings. Neither artist has ever appeared on stage or record with any other band.

Having secured himself an at least 'semi-stable' line-up, Jerry Caiafa, the 'Only' member of the Misfits that was still in the band (hence the name he gave himself 26 years earlier, "Jerry Only") decided to pay tribute to the music he loved while growing up. Though not born until 1960 (I think), he grew up listening to his mother's 45s from the '50s, and thus decided to put together this 24-minute CD of ten songs from early rock and roll history.

The influence of oldies music on the sound of the Misfits was evident in such totally basic r'n'r tracks as "Astro Zombies" and "Angelfuck," and at the time, it may have been mistaken by many as simple Ramones influence, but not anymore!

It's impossible to listen to the nu-nu Misfits' punk rockin' covers of stuff like Gene Vincent's "You Belong To Me," Richie Valens' "Donna" and Bobby Pickett's "Monster Mash" and not hear the sounds that sowed the seeds of love's early Misfits. But it's also impossible to listen to by-the-numbers (but louder) covers of stuff like Bobby Darin's "Dream Lover," Paul Anka's "Diana" and Jerry Lee Lewis's "Great Balls Of Fire," and not wonder, "What the fuck is the point of this shit?"

Well, I'll tell you the point. And it's a point that was explained to me by a friend of mine who thinks quicker than I do. I won't give his name, because then I'll have to pay him royalties on every sale of this review, which has already gone double platinum even before hitting the shelves.

But suffice it to say that this fellow says to me, he says, "See, that's the thing -- you look at the Rolling Stones up there playing Chuck Berry songs, or The Who up there doing "Shakin' All Over" and you have to realize that, to them, these are the greatest songs of all time. They get REALLY excited playing these songs that they grew up with and love to death. And the rest of us just go, 'NOOO! Play your own songs, not this generic rock and roll crap!'" And yes, I'm paraphrasing, but sometimes we have to take liberties in our writing. My friend continued, "As head of the Bilderberg Group, I sit in a room and control the world with an elite team of international bankers and powerful CEOs."

The point is that this music means a heck of a lot to Jerry Only, and perhaps to this Supergroup power trio as well. But that doesn't mean it's going to have any sentimental or musical value to anybody else who hears it. It certainly doesn't hold any memories for me, and hell, I went back in time to 1955 and had to somehow find 1.21 jigowatts of plutonium!

My message is clear: This comes with a free DVD, and some of the songs are really good. Others are too simplistic to mean much to a generation weaned on the intricate polyrhythms of the Offspring. But it was Jerry Only's dream, and he did a fine job putting it together. He even has a great booming '50s teen idol voice! And Ronnie Spector's on it! Just like Eddie Money says, Ronnie say, "Be my little baby!"

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