The Misfits disbanded in 1983, and Glenn Danzig went on to form Samhain and then Danzig. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music later became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock. After a series of legal battles with Danzig, Only and Doyle regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits. They formed a new version of the band in 1995 with singer Michale Graves and drummer Dr. Chud. This incarnation of Misfits had more of a heavy metal sound, and released the albums American Psycho (1997) and Famous Monsters (1999) before dissolving in 2000. Jerry Only then took over lead vocals and recruited former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for a Misfits 25th anniversary tour.
This lineup released an album of cover songs titled Project 1950 and toured for several years. In 2005, Marky was replaced by Robo, who had played with Black Flag in the early 1980s and had also previously been Misfits' drummer from 1982 to 1983. This lineup released a single titled "Land of the Dead" in 2009. The Misfits' lineup of Only, Cadena, and drummer Eric "Chupacabra" Arce released a new album titled The Devil's Rain in October 2011. In 2015, it was announced that Cadena would be taking a break from music after receiving a cancer diagnosis, and was replaced by Only's son Jerry Caiafa II, presented as Jerry Other. That same year Soulfly's Marc Rizzo joined the band, also playing guitar. He filled in for Cadena, before Caiafa would move on to become the sole guitarist for the band.
In September 2016, for the first time in 33 years, Danzig, Only, and Doyle reunited for two headlining shows as the Original Misfits at that year's edition of Riot Fest, along with drummer Dave Lombardo and second guitarist Acey Slade. The Original Misfits lineup continued performing sporadically through 2019.
Each incarnation of the Misfits has made use of horror film and science fiction film-inspired themes and imagery, with makeup, clothing, artwork, and lyrics drawn from B movies and television serials, many from the 1950s through 1970s. Musically the band are often recognized as progenitors of the horror punk and psychobilly subgenres and have drawn from punk rock, heavy metal, and 1950s rock and roll and rockabilly to inform their style. Rolling Stone describes them as "the archetypal horror-punk band of the late 1970s and early '80s", and they are considered icons in punk music and culture.
TV Casualty
Misfits Lyrics
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the vapor rub is lying on a table of filth
christmas cards to which i never reply
my eyeballs absorb only blue filtered light tv casualty,
tv casualty we're all right tv casualty, tv casualty
i wish they'd put prince namor on the tube hold on,
i think i have to puke there's a spot in the corner where i always go
i like to feed the flies that i know
please don't feed my television screen
please don't feed my television screen
please don't feed my television screen tv casualty,
tv casualty we're all right tv casualty,
tv casualty babies in prison, they call it a womb
nine month sentence, no parole slivers of steal stuck in your lungs
breathe deep, we need a donor for blood
jaguars at the cemetary cadillacs grazing at your grave
zeniths grazing at your grave sonys grazing at your grave
tv casualty, tv casualty we're all right tv casualty,
tv casualty we're all right tv casualty, tv casualty
The Misfits’ song “TV Casualty” is a critique of television culture in America. The song is characterized by its unique punk rock sound, as well as its haunting and aggressive lyrics. The song begins by describing the singer's physical surroundings, which are marked by paint smears and filth. The singer continues to lament about never replying to Christmas cards and about his enjoyment of feeding flies in the corner of the room. However, the main focus of the song is the TV. The singer pleads with the listener not to feed the television screen, which he describes as an all-consuming entity.
The phrase “TV Casualty” becomes a repeated chant throughout the song, with the singer expressing a desire for more diverse programming, including the fictional comic book character Prince Namor. The final verse of the song takes a darker turn, referencing the prison-like environment of the womb for unborn babies, as well as the dangerous effects of breathing in slivers of steel. The song ultimately ends on a somber note, with the image of electronics like Zenith and Sony televisions “grazing” at graves like wild animals.
Line by Line Meaning
there are paint smears on everything i own
My belongings are covered in paint smears and stains.
the vapor rub is lying on a table of filth
The container of vapor rub is sitting on a dirty and unclean table.
christmas cards to which i never reply
I receive Christmas cards but never respond or acknowledge them.
my eyeballs absorb only blue filtered light tv casualty,
I spend all my time watching blue filtered light from the television, which has made me incapable of understanding and rationalizing things in the real world.
tv casualty, tv casualty we're all right tv casualty, tv casualty
The constant bombardment of television has made us all mindless and uncritical while being unaware of our own decline.
i wish they'd put prince namor on the tube
I wish Prince Namor, a fictional superhero character, would be broadcasted on television because I am obsessed with fictional characters and shows.
hold on, i think i have to puke
I feel nauseous and think I may vomit due to the overconsumption of media that is constantly fed to me.
there's a spot in the corner where i always go
I have a designated spot where I go to engage with my addiction to media consumption.
i like to feed the flies that i know
I am so obsessed with my routine and addictions that I even find enjoyment in feeding flies, something that most people find repulsive.
but please don't feed my television screen
Even though I am addicted to watching television, I don't want any physical objects other than myself to interact with my television screen.
babies in prison, they call it a womb
The metaphorical womb, a place of growth and development, has become a prison for babies due to the toxic media environment they are exposed to from birth.
nine month sentence, no parole slivers of steal stuck in your lungs
A reference to the detrimental effects of the pollution caused by constantly consuming mass media that can create long-term damage in a short period - as if one is doing a nine month sentence in the toxic media space without any hope for redemption.
breathe deep, we need a donor for blood
We desperately need to break free from our media addiction as it is suffocating and compromising our well-being in ways we may not be able reverse. We need to wake up and find ways to cut it off to not lose ourselves entirely.
jaguars at the cemetary cadillacs grazing at your grave zeniths grazing at your grave sonys grazing at your grave
Reference to the consumerism and superficiality that is widely spread through TV - a culture that is death worshiping and is fueled and enabled by television advertising.
Contributed by Katherine J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.