Kryst the Conqueror: Inbetween years (84-95) Before Jerry Only & Doyle tried to bring Misfits back

[@bobbycharleston]

I completely think that if Jerry would have named the band something else in 95, there's no way in hell that the misfits would be selling out stadiums now. As much as some of us hate what he did throughout those years, myself included, without him keeping the name in the public eye, the band just wouldn't be as relevant. They've stayed alive through these conversations of 95 vs. 78, Glenn vs. Graves, will Glenn ever reunite with them, will they take Glenn back, all these conversations we've all had with friends for decades are only possible because he kept the misfits name in your mind. Without him basically marketing the band the Kiss way, there would be FAR less kids in different generations being exposed to the misfits. Without him restarting "the misfits" the history would be, "their singer did all kinds of cool stuff, but the rest of the other guys accomplished jack shit" That type of history does not lead to enough excitement to fill stadiums everywhere they go. As much as some of the things he did annoyed me, thank fucking kryst he did! And for the record, he is just such a nice fucking guy, we all poke fun at Uncle Jerry. But he's a class act, at the first fiend fest in Tempe az, my brother and I had old bootlegs that were our moms, and we took them to him and he invited us on the rv to listen and chat. And for a couple of young teenagers dressed up as Glenn and Doyle, it was great!

[@Frumess]

Great comments and super valid. As much as I don't want to believe it, you are probably right. The biggest plus side of Jerry using the name in the 90s is everything you stated from a brand/marketing perspective. I guess it can't be denied. We will look at this on the next fiend mail episode.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

I agree with that. Cool story too

[@arriandela]

Metallica also played a role in keeping the Misfits relevant. By covering the songs and wearing the shirts they introduced the Misfits to a big crowd of rockers and metal heads that would never have listened to the Misfits.

[@drewchollingshead92]

I think Metallica helped keep The Misfits alive too.

[@MikeGiallo]

Agree , same about metallica specially the popularity of garage inc. I also think that the success of danzig band in the early 90s also contributed.

[@watchthisplaylist]

Thanks for reading my interview! - It was 1978 with Vanian (not a typo). At least that's how "Mo" remembered it (in writing). Also, I didn't put 'Danzing' Ha Ha (whoever transcribed it for the web made that error). Jerry talks a mile a minute (and he's all over the place on the phone), so it was easier by mail (pre-internet). Note: I gave him all the questions in one letter and he replied with answers. After the interview, I helped him get his Doyle / Kryst merch into stores here in the DC area, so I actually talked to him pretty regularly for several years. His court case with Danzig for the rights to the Misfits brand was ongoing. I think that all started when Glenn began re-releasing Misfits stuff on Caroline in 1985 (Jerry / Doyle didn't see a penny in royalties of course). He tried to settle out of court for $250,000, but Glenn wouldn't budge. So it continued. He finally won his case in 94 (?). He dropped Kryst like a hot potato and started up the Misfits merch machine!! Been going full speed ever since. Jerry expressed a long time ago that he wanted the Misfits to be bigger than KISS (and a lot of that came down to their pervasive merch / product licensing). On that front, I think he's succeeded $$$. BTW, posting my own video on my Kryst / Misfits experience / collection later this year (hopefully). Stay tuned! Cheers ~B

[@corpseweed]

Nice work.

[@ricks.1779]

Great video. I really dig these deep dives and your commentary. This is a really odd era for sure.

[@Frumess]

Thanks Rick, I love doing this stuff. Tons more of this on the channel - check it out and make sure you are subscribed!

[@eddie6198]

I think Jerry and Doyle reviving the Misfits for the 90s was a good thing. It kept the Misfits alive and introduced a whole new generation that then discovered the old material.

[@Frumess]

I mean, he could have done all of that and just changed the name. Danzig getting a top 40 hit helped too and there was nothing in his brand that tied him to the Misfits. People figured it out.

[@George-de6hd]

Misfits would have been relevant without what Jerry did in the 90s there legacy had already been cemented by that point ……personally I think he’s done more damage to the legacy then good …..just my opinion 🤷🏻 yes he did bring the misfits to a new generation of kids I guess I won’t take that away from him

[@Shadownugget138]

Have you ever seen the documentary about the 80's band Thor? In the doc the singer shows a personal letter Jerry sent him about joining the Misfits in the 90's. I think it's very interesting but it's never brought up anywhere.

[@Frumess]

omg! I didn't know that! I know who Thor is, from Rock N Roll Nightmare. Such great cheese. I def. gotta check out that doc.

[@jombiejuss]

Thor is the sweetest dude. He played our venue when we first opened. Highly highly recommend engaging with the man for any reason at all.

[@Frumess]

@@jombiejuss He really seems like it.

[@stiffrichard2816]

I'm a New Yorker about Doyle's age, raised on rock and roll and I never even heard of the Misfits until the 90's. I saw a promo poster in a record store and I thought they were a 60's garage band, actually that skeleton band in Mad Monster Party that sang "It's The Mummy!" making a comeback with one or two original members. It wasn't until many years later that I discovered their music and the whole story with Danzig.

[@Frumess]

That's incredible! Also there was a band in the 60s also called "The Misfits." They were not the first.

[@stiffrichard2816]

@@Frumess Ah ha! I was half-right. I think it was what the record store kid said to me that misled me. I always liked the Ramones since R&R High School and later discovered the Misfits through The Sex Pistols on YT. All those years, Metallica and all, I thought the Chrimson Ghost skull logo was just pop art.

[@kramalerav]

Kryst the Conqueror:what a curious footnote in those guys’ interim career. I couldn’t help but be curious to check out that EP they put out in 1990. It sounded exactly how I thought it would; totally cheesy 1980s heavy metal in the vein of Manowar.

[@Frumess]

It was a weird, interesting time.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

That doesn't sound too terrible. I don't listen to Man o War much, but the few songs I've heard were good. Tbh I was kinda picturing a less glammy Stryper. (Nothing wrong with Stryper's music btw, it's just the image I had in my head.)

[@MrOctober44]

Part of the problem is Eric Adams from Manowar is a phenomenal singer. No one is ever accusing Jerry of that, lol.

[@jamoandb8470]

Manowar destroys Kryst The Conqueror. Check out the song “Wheels Of Fire”, Kryst could never come close to pulling off a song like that

[@kramalerav]

@@jamoandb8470 I know. All I was saying was that they played in that style of heavy metal, not that it was any good.

[@vadermasktruth]

I still have several "Doyle Fan Club" postcards from then!!

[@Frumess]

That rules, Vader!

[@vadermasktruth]

I had a red Doyle fan club shirt, that awesome poster that everyone had, and thousands of Doyle postcards that they sent me. That was 1987, I was 16 years old and a punk as fuck death rocker!

[@Frumess]

@@vadermasktruth I hope you held onto that shirt too!

[@jon-erich9752]

I have a theory on how Jerry conceived the idea for Kryst the Conqueror and I think I might have mentioned this on Misfits Central or somewhere. Anyway, I have to imagine that he's sitting in his living room trying to think of what his next band is gonna be and he's listening to Iron Maiden on his Walkman. He then notices that the tv is playing reruns of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. Then he looks over at his book shelf and just happens to see a copy of the Holy Bible sitting right next to a copy of Homer's The Odyssey. Then Jerry has an epiphany and that is when Kryst the Conqueror was born. If you think about it, Kryst was a combination of all of those things.

[@Frumess]

Probably not too far off!

[@bezoticallyyours83]

😆 What an intriguing theory.

[@timbrown6629]

Let's not forget "The Highlander".

[@JorgeRodriguez-ro1uj]

Kryst the conquer...Doyle sounded alswome!!!!..Doyle guitar sound had more clarity and more definition..

[@Frumess]

This is when he truly became a steady, solid guitar player.

[@Mar-uo2bj]

I've got a bunch of their old 45s and singles that i bought @ Bleeker Bob's and Vinly Fetish back in the mid-80s. Just collecting dust in storage over the years. I wonder if any of them are worth anything...

[@andrewsteele6287]

I don't know what Royalties Jerry and Doyle sacrificed. Considering Danzig wrote all of the music and lyrics he was always going to get the lions share in that battle. They would obviously get royalties for performing on said songs, but without a contract with either Glenn or a label retrieving $$$for that must have been hellish.

[@Frumess]

Maybe they would have gotten a small percentage? Jerry, if that. That all would have been hammered out in court. This is kind of what happened to The Dead Kennedys, from the little I know.

[@Frumess]

@Keith1974 💯

[@MrOctober44]

Look, Glenn was the singer, songwriter, creative force I can understand that he didn't like them touring when he wasn't in the band but he was also extremely greedy. To cut them out of everything(royalties, merch, etc) was a total dick move. I'm no fan of Jerry, but the guy was there from day one. He deserved something. And redubbing stuff to cut them out was also a scummy thing. He did that to Pete/Damien from the Samhain albums.

[@itheuserfirst3186]

​@@MrOctober44 Look, what he did to John Christ. Christ said Danzig presented Mother to him unfinished based around three power chords being played very fast up and down the low E string. Christ, and Rubin were crucial to arranging those songs, and giving Danzig his solo sound. I think Christ should have gotten songwriting credit. Glenn brought the words, and the melody, but Christ was essentially co writing the instrumentation with him. Glenn's ideas were not be brought in fully formed.

[@MrOctober44]

@@itheuserfirst3186 Agreed. Look at Glenn's setlist when he tours now. It's 80% of the Christ/Eerie years.

[@neonknees]

I tried to get them to play a local show in pittsburgh in 91. Wrote a letter to Jerry asking him if he was keen. He rang me and was interested but never got back to me after that. I was a senior in high school at the time, so maybe that put him off. He did send me a Jerry Only poster and the tape of Kryst. I can't remember how I got his address to even write him. At the time, we had Aus Rotten, Submachine and Anti-Flag playing our shows. I even managed to get Sloppy Seconds to play once.

[@PatrickBateman14eighty8]

Sloppy Seconds as in Bradley Nowell's band before Sublime?

[@neonknees]

@@PatrickBateman14eighty8 as in the band from Indianapolis.

[@PatrickBateman14eighty8]

@@neonknees oh ok my bad, thanks for responding! God bless you!

[@dgenerated]

Sloppy Seconds are such an underrated band!.

[@Frumess]

Cameron, nice pull though! That would have been pre 86?

[@Joe.888]

Great video. Would be cool to go over the misfits after graves, go over the numerous lineup change and ideas. What happened to the "most extreme album since earth A.D." album.

[@Frumess]

Actually, I have an idea for this and the guy to do it with me... More on that later.

[@RavnerRavner]

are you ever going to interview John Christ?

[@Frumess]

Totally on the agenda.

[@SkullOfTheAbyss]

Mail in interviews are how 90% of every interview you’ve ever read in a zine or a mag went down.

[@xx7secondsxx]

I'm probably the ONLY PERSON IN THE COUNTRY still saying "No prob Bob!" In the infamous words of Waldo Geraldo Faldo!!🤘🎸🤘🎸🤘🍻🍻😎✊✊

[@Frumess]

The greatest tv sidekick ever.

[@alberto9594]

The mail in interviews were wicked common then. Long distance phone calls were a fortune back then.

[@Frumess]

Whoa, thanks for contextualizing that further. Makes so much sense, - it's just another aspect of the technological limitations of communication at that kind of level. We take so much for granted.

[@alberto9594]

@@Frumess I had a small fanzine around 91 it was all mail interviews. Lol

[@neonknees]

imagine if they got chuck biscuits after robo , instead of brian damage

[@Frumess]

Totally badass.

[@Frumess]

It would have given the band a new lease on life, I think. Same with Todd Swalla. Then you would have probably seen a constant, ongoing Misfits/Necros touring package.

[@erichockenberry6140]

As a (quote "punk band" unquote) the Misfits weren't concerned about the rules of commerce. They were however interested in assuring themselves a legacy. Merchandise, especially free, wins out over everything with punks.

[@xx7secondsxx]

I was there the night they broke up in Orlando!!! The new 'FITS were absolutely AMAZING!!! no one could touch em live!!! Except Bouncing Souls. Soooooooo ALIVE AND sound just like the CDs!!

[@Frumess]

Incredible!

[@chadp5530]

I was there too. I was totally confused as to what was going on. They only played a few songs, then Jerry did “We are 138” by himself and left the stage.

[@joshbachelder1343]

Awesome tattoo man! I got it on my right forearm

[@Frumess]

🤘🍕🤘

[@Cause4Alarm]

I have Kryst the Conqueror on cassette I don't think it ever came out on disc as an EP in 80s. Its sitting somewhere in the garage, Got it somewhere in the late '80s from them.

[@Frumess]

It did come out on CD as well. Not sure about the pressing info.

[@timbrown6629]

@@Frumess 10,000 demo CD's were pressed. I have one of them.

[@Appetite4ATX]

We saw and bought a few Misfits and Samhain bootlegs at the annual Austin Record Convention back in the late 80s. The bands should have seen the writing on the wall and reissued the material.

[@Frumess]

I am waiting for the day. I have a feeling it will be a long time.

[@careful...Icarus]

Jeff Scott Soto. Sang for that not worldwide known guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen ...sigh

[@Frumess]

Yes, he did!

[@patrickreeves4650]

@@Frumess snake sabo from skid row also played some solo's...

[@runnersdialzero1244]

The Murp is the only person to have a Kryst the Conqueror tattoo. The only person _so far._

[@Frumess]

There is another, but it also has a Crimson Ghost. So The Murp is the only one with SOLELY a KTC tattoo..

[@timbrown6629]

Clive Davis is probably who you see thinking of. If they got in to see Clive Davis and didn't go for it. They totally dropped the ball.

[@Frumess]

I think it was someone from Atlantic...

[@timbrown6629]

One of my girlfriends was an Italian ftom Lodi and she always said Lodi stood for "Lots Of Dumb Italians" and would laugh her ass off every time she said it.

[@tonysalinas5853]

Mother Caiafa told me that LODI joke christmas evening in 09, caught me off guard..

[@michaellaroche3354]

Jerry's bass sounded THE BALLS!!!!! at the GARDEN!!!! THE BALLS!!!! THE BALLS!!!!

[@Frumess]

What does that mean?

[@michaellaroche3354]

@@Frumess sounded great... over the top great. The balls is a good thing.

[@jombiejuss]

I heard one or 2 songs so far and liked what i heard.

[@Frumess]

They are fun for what they are if you like Metal.

[@jombiejuss]

Frumess i just went listened to more and it wasn’t that great. Their titular song is the only one really worth a damn.

[@Ringmaster138]

Speaking of LOB.. one thing that is unclear to me is if Glenn also overdubbed the instruments for "American Nightmare". Misfit Central leads me to believe that it's not overdubbed, but the recording itself sounds like it is.

[@MattiusFincham]

That's a great question--it's certainly mixed from the ground up, which is evident due to the oversaturation of reverb, as one can tell, but I've never actually wondered if it was retracked before. What a silly thing to do, in the long run, the drums could never be overdubbed, and many of the original guitar tracks are still audible. I'm sooooo glad Static Age was released properly.

[@neonknees]

If they put American nightmare instead of mommy love on WAU it would be the perfect album.

[@Ringmaster138]

If there are overdubs on American nightmare, that means there should be an American nightmare without overdubs somewhere in Caroline records vaults which I would love to hear. I doubt the hand claps by Jerry and Doyle were overdubbed, lol.

[@dgenerated]

@@Ringmaster138 There is a Plan 9 version of American Nightmare which has never been released, though im sure it's out there somewhere.. The plan 9 version of WAU is Not the same recording as the WAU album that was released.

[@Frumess]

100%

[@George-de6hd]

Legacy of brutality don’t bother me at all back in the 80s I don’t remember anyone bitching about it we just thought it was unreleased misfits stuff we didn’t know the whole story about Glenn re-recording the tracks til years later

[@Mr.Manglers]

I remember the tape. I'm in the vernon area and alot of people had em. I wish I saved one.

[@Frumess]

A great relic to have held on to... They are still in circulation.

[@Mr.Manglers]

@@Frumess I know someone who has one and doesnt honestly care about it. I gotta smooth talk em!

[@Frumess]

@@Mr.Manglers exactly! Do them a favor and take it off their hands.

[@Mr.Manglers]

@@Frumess Oh! I also just got the Scream with me book, holy shit. So worth it.

[@George-de6hd]

Davy havoc of AFI was approached (or at least he says he was and I don’t think he’s making it up ….I think he said in 1995) to sing for the new misfits ….he declined

[@bezoticallyyours83]

Is that Crush or Tang?

[@careful...Icarus]

Why shouldn't Glenn have publishing rights to Misfits songs. He frikken wrote them.

[@Frumess]

No one is saying that he shouldn't.

[@terryscrewloosesings]

I do singing videos and believe it or not the type of punk vocals I do is heavily influenced by the misfits and the damned I even have a misfits tattoo on my upper right arm also a misfits belt buckle even had misfits shoes at one point I've even seen them when they had dez cadena as a guitarist Jerry Only is a very nice guy and I got to hang out with him and that version of the band

[@Frumess]

Thanks, Terry!

[@jagone77]

Wait… legacy of brutality is basically Taylor’s Version before Taylor swift existed?

[@Frumess]

I'd say Walk Among Us 2 aka Collection 2 would be more like that Analogy. But close.

[@blazesmith8111]

honestly I'm more of the Graves era of the Misfits.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

I listened to a few of their songs, they're not bad.

[@Frumess]

Some of them were turned into Misfits 95 songs.

[@bezoticallyyours83]

@@Frumess Huh. Interesting. They had a good sound going with whoever was singing for them. Dunno which position is more cursed in that band, singers or drummers? What do you think?

[@ChrisCorkum]

It was a time… the ‘Road’ WITHOUT the Warrior…

[@Frumess]

Haha!

[@MikeGiallo]

I actually like both misfits versions i like that they work as james bond movies you have you favourite version sean connery or roger moore both you can appreciste both ,ñ.

[@roxannestorm2616]

The Misfits as Sid Vicious backing band?? That would be perfect.

[@Frumess]

It would have been very interesting to see.

[@xx7secondsxx]

They wouldn't have been able to sell out MSG if it wasn't for the 90's fits. They starrwr a fire to bring it BEYOND a cult band!

[@Frumess]

Not so sure about that...

[@Cause4Alarm]

Just starting to see the video but what I want to say is Jerry and Doyle's ep here they put out reminds me of .... When Bad Religion thought they pull off a Journey cover album with Back into the known they probably wish they could burn all those albums, which I had a copy of it which effing horrible!

[@Frumess]

And yet, they recycled the music for American Psycho and Famous Monsters!

[@paulsecrest9427]

The logo was cool looking at least. The cyclops.

[@Frumess]

Great looking logo.

[@IanNason-qn9yw]

Melting pot?

[@vadermasktruth]

Joey Image had a heroin habit?? Learn something new everyday!

[@Frumess]

It is the reason why he ultimately ultimately washed out of the Misfits.

[@Mar-uo2bj]

Yeah, he was a mess.

[@xx7secondsxx]

In like 84-85... punk went into Punk Rock and Roll. I HATE the whole macho HARDCORE scene! But!... NY saved punk rock. When it went there and went straight hardcore... it survived! By the time it made it back to Cali is when it came back into its true form

[@Frumess]

Things definitely shifted..

[@michaellaroche3354]

I heard that Chud has a collection of Glenn's tighty whities

[@Frumess]

Apparently, there is a lot going around about C.H.U.D.

[@Mar-uo2bj]

​@@FrumessDo tell!!!

[@roxannestorm2616]

So it sounds like metal. Big deal does it really matter?? No I don't think so.

[@Frumess]

Does what sound like, "metal?" I am not sure what you are referring to.

[@paulsecrest9427]

Craig bratt thats Jimmy metts little brother.

[@Frumess]

Craig?

[@xx7secondsxx]

American psycho was GOLD!!! FAMOUS MONSTERS is my fave LP by the band theiugh the whole career!!! This era!!.... embarrassing

[@Frumess]

Every part of their history is special, bwahaha!

[@j.negator8031]

Comment 138!

[@Frumess]

Congrats!!!