''Beware'' is the fifth release by the American

punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...

band Misfits. First issued in January 1980, this EP combined the Misfits' previously released singles "

Bullet A bullet is a kinetic projectile, a component of firearm ammunition that is shot from a gun barrel. They are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax; and are made in various shapes and constru ...

" and "

Horror Business "Horror Business" is the third single released by the American horror punk band Misfits (band), Misfits. It was released on June 26, 1979 through vocalist Glenn Danzig's own label, Plan 9 Records, and is commonly said to have been inspired by the ...

", and was originally intended as a recording that the Misfits could bring with them on their tour of the United Kingdom with the British punk rock group the Damned in late 1979. Along with songs from "Bullet" and "Horror Business", ''Beware'' also includes the track " Last Caress", which had never been released previously.

Background

In November 1979, the Misfits flew to the United Kingdom for a six-date tour with the Damned. The Damned, having scheduled a different opening act for their tour, were not expecting their arrival, but the Misfits were added to the bill nonetheless. After not receiving any payment for performing, the Misfits soon cancelled their remaining appearances on the tour. This was followed by the arrest of Misfits vocalist Glenn Danzig and then-Misfits guitarist

Bobby Steele Bobby Steele (born Robert Charles Kaufhold; March 18, 1956) is an American punk rock musician. He is the current guitar player, singer, songwriter, and sole original member of the horror punk band The Undead. He has been a member of multiple o ...

, who had been involved in a fight with a group of

skinhead A skinhead or skin is a member of a subculture that originated among working-class youth in London, England, in the 1960s. It soon spread to other parts of the United Kingdom, with a second working-class skinhead movement emerging worldwide i ...

s at the

Rainbow Theatre The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, then the Finsbury Park Paramount Astoria, and then the Finsbury Park Odeon, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as an "atmos ...

in London on December 2, 1979. Danzig and Steele spent two nights in jail in

Brixton Brixton is an area of South London, part of the London Borough of Lambeth, England. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. Brixton experienced a rapid rise in population during the 19th century ...

, England, which inspired them to create the song " London Dungeon". Then-Misfits drummer Joey Image returned to the United States by himself on December 15, effectively quitting the band. On December 18, the other members of the group flew back to their home state of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, where they produced ''Beware''. The title of the EP was derived from a series of road signs that the Misfits had come across while in London, which read "Beware Bollards". The band, unfamiliar with the term "bollard", initially thought that it might refer to a

cryptid Cryptids are animals or other beings whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated by science. Cryptozoology, the study of cryptids, is a pseudoscience claiming that such beings may exist somewhere in the wild; it has been widely cri ...

such as their own Jersey Devil. Originally planned as a record that the Misfits could bring with them on their tour with the Damned (they were not able to do so, as the cover artwork had not been completed in time), ''Beware'' combined songs from the Misfits' previously issued singles "

" and "

", except the latter's track "Children in Heat" was replaced by the song " Last Caress", which had never been released prior to ''Beware''. ''Beware'' was the Misfits' only original UK release, and was issued in the UK by Armageddon/ Spartan Records and in the U.S. by the band's own label, Plan 9 Records.

Track listing

Personnel

Band

* Glenn Danzig – vocals, guitar *

Jerry Only Gerald Caiafa Jr. (born April 21, 1959), better known by his stage name Jerry Only, is an American musician, best known as the bassist for the Misfits and later the vocalist as well. He is the only member to appear in every Misfits lineup exce ...

– bass, background vocals * Franché Coma – guitar, background vocals (1978 session only) * Mr. Jim – drums (1978 session only) *

– guitar, background vocals (1979 session only) * Joey Image – drums (1979 session only)

Production

* Dave Achelis –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who Invention, invent, design, build, maintain and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials. They aim to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while ...

References

Sources

* * {{Authority control Misfits (band) EPs Horror punk EPs 1980 debut EPs Plan 9 Records EPs