''Beware'' is the fifth release by the American punk rock 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. Bullets are made of a variety of materials, such as copper, lead, steel, polymer, rubber and even wax. Bullets are made in various shapes and ...

" and " Horror Business", 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 Glenn Allen Anzalone (born June 23, 1955), better known by his stage name Glenn Danzig, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, film director, and record producer. He is the founder of the rock bands Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. He owns ...

and then-Misfits guitarist Bobby Steele, who had been involved in a fight with a group of

skinhead A skinhead is a member of a subculture which originated among working class youths in London, England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its nor ...

s at the

Rainbow Theatre The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as a cinema. It later became a music venue. Today, the building is used by the Universa ...

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

Brixton Brixton is a district in 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 centu ...

, England, which inspired them to create the song " London Dungeon". Then-Misfits drummer

Joey Image Joey Poole (March 5, 1957 – June 1, 2020), known professionally as Joey Image, was an American punk rock drummer. He joined the Misfits in November 1978. He was the drummer for both the " Horror Business" and "Night of the Living Dead" sessi ...

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 in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

, 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 A bollard is a sturdy, short, vertical post. The term originally referred to a post on a ship or quay used principally for mooring boats. It now also refers to posts installed to control road traffic and posts designed to prevent automotive ...

". The band, unfamiliar with the term "bollard", initially thought that it might refer to a

cryptid Cryptids are animals that cryptozoologists believe may exist somewhere in the wild, but are not believed to exist by mainstream science. Cryptozoology is a pseudoscience, which primarily looks at anecdotal stories, and other claims rejected b ...

such as their own

Jersey Devil In South Jersey and Philadelphia folklore in the United States, the Jersey Devil (also known as the Leeds Devil) is a legendary creature said to inhabit the forest of Pine Barrens in South Jersey. The creature is often described as a flying bi ...

. 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 " Horror Business", 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 Spartan Records was founded by John T. Frazier in Seattle, Washington in January 2007. It is currently home to the bands Schematic, Barren Womb, Ourlives, Shy, Low, and several others. Prior to founding Spartan, Frazier was the director of mar ...

and in the U.S. by the band's own label, Plan 9 Records.

Track listing

Personnel

Band

– 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. Bio ...

– bass, background vocals * Franché Coma – guitar, background vocals (1978 session only) * Mr. Jim – drums (1978 session only) * Bobby Steele – guitar, background vocals (1979 session only) *

– drums (1979 session only)

Production

* Dave Achelis –

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

References

Sources

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