If you’ve ever studied the family tree of people who’ve either been in the Misfits over the years, or at least played in bands with former Misfits members, then you know there are more characters there than in the cast of most soap operas.
Without going into too much detail (or doing any research, so any factual errors are due to my own faulty memory)…
After the original band dissolved in the 80s, singer Glenn Danzig went on to form Samhain, which evolved into Danzig, with a number of different people. Meanwhile, the Misfits were later reformed by bassist Jerry Only. Here again there was a rotating line-up of members, but one of the best-known was the foursome that put out a few albums in the late 90s, which included Only’s brother Doyle von Frankenstein (who I believe had also participated in the band’s earlier incarnation for a time) on guitar, a drummer named Dr. Chud and vocalist Michale Graves. All of those folks have left the band at various times, leaving the bassist once again as the sole original member (and now, as I understand it, also handling vocal duties himself). Von Frankenstein was last seen as a member of the Danzig Legacy tour, which also featured the titular singer. Graves and Chud had set out on their own prior to this, working together in a band called Graves, if I’m not mistaken. Then the two parted ways, playing in other bands, and eventually the singer embarked on a solo career, which finally brings us to the present day.
Michale Graves has been performing solo acoustic shows for the past few years, in addition to releasing the album Illusions Live/Viretta Park via Screaming Crow Records in 2008. Now he’s back with a full band and kicks off his “War of Information” summer tour TONIGHT in New Jersey…
UPDATE – 18 September 2012 – click here to see the latest additions to the War of Information Tour dates!
Michale will be tearing his way through solo material as well as a few Misfits tracks with a new band that includes Chibo Jones on guitar, Johnny B. Morbid on bass, and Tony Babtist on drums.
After the tour ends, the plan is to enter the studio to finish recording the politically-charged album War of Information, which is expected to be released later this year.
Michale Graves “War of Information” tour dates 2012
July 5th @ The Boneyard in Atlantic City, NJ (w/ Sardonica)
July 6th @ The Altar Bar in Pittsburgh, PA (featuring The Cheats‘ release party for their brand-new record Pussyfootin!, as well as Children of October and Fist Fight in the Parking Lot)
July 7th @ Peabody’s in Cleveland, OH (w/ The Cheats)
July 8th @The V Club in Huntington, WV (w/ The Cheats)
July 9Th @ Soap Box in Willimington, NC
July 10th @ Island Bar and Grill in Surfside Beach, SC
July 11th @Matthews Bar and Grill in Birmingham, AL
July 12th @ 57 West in Orlando, FL
July 13th @ State Theater in ST Pete, FL
July 14th @ Church Hills in Miami, FL
July 15th @ 321 Local in Cocoa Beach, FL
July 16th @ Big Easy Tavern in Pensacola, FL
July 17th @ Crosstown Arts in Memphis, TN
July 18th @ Check Point Charlies in New Orleans, LA
July 19th @ Walters in Houston, TX
July 20th @ Frontier Bar in Austin, TX
July 21st @ LaGrange in Dallas, TX
July 22nd @ Chapa’s Place in Brownsville, TX
July 24th @ M’s Lips Lounge in El Paso, TXJuly 25th @ Silver Dome in Lukachuki, AZ
July 26th @ The Nile Theater in Mesa, AZ
July 27th @ Till Two Club in San Diego, CA
July 28th @ Thai Palms in Fresno, CA
July 30th @ Utah Valley University in Orem, UT (signing/speaking engagement)
July 31st @ Inferno Center in Loveland, CO
Aug 1st @ Three Kings Tavern in Denver, CO
Aug 2nd @ The Hideout in Omaha, NE
Aug 3rd @ The Nestor Tavern in Fargo, ND
Aug 4th @ Silver Dollar Saloon in Elizabeth, MN
Aug 5th @ Miramar Theater in Milwaukee, WI
Aug 6th @ Vaudeville Mews in Des Moines, IA
Aug 7th @ Cobra Lounge in Chicago, IL
Aug 8th @ The Hatch in Evansville, IN
Aug 9th @ Doc’s Music Hall in Muncie, IN
Aug 10th @ Brauerhouse in Lombard, IL
Aug 11th @ Whites Bar in Saginaw, MI
Aug 12th @ Rockstar Pro Arena in Dayton, OH
Aug 13th @ The Wander Inn in Mishawka, IN
Aug 14th @ Berlin Music Pub in Fort Wayne, IN
Aug 15th @ I-Rock Nightclub in Detroit, MI
Aug 16th @ Aldo’s in Altoona, PA (w/ The Cheats)
Aug 17th @ The Cup in Staten Island, NY
Aug 18th @ Brighton Bar in Long Branch, NJ
Aug 24th-26th @ Ron Paul Liberty Fest in Tampa, FL
Aug 30th @ The Higher Ground Ballroom in Burlington, VT (w/ River City Rebels)
Aug 31st @ The Dover Brickhouse in Dover, NH
Sep 1st @ Bogarts in Bridgewater, MA
Sep 2nd @The Trash Bar in Brooklyn, NY
Sep 28-29 @ Scarefest in Lexington, KY
Sep 30th @ 3rd St. Dive in Louisville, KY
*Dates subject to change.
——————————–
Michale Graves: website, Facebook
Screaming Crow Records: website, Facebook
Valley of Steel 
If I didn’t have a bunch of other stuff going on, I’d be at this gig tonight. Graves puts on a good show, and I like the Misfits ’95 material & a lot of Graves/Gotham Road stuff.
Also, the Cheats… are well, the Cheats. …and awesome.
Keep an eye on the Children of October, you may see a familiar face.
LikeLike
Yeah, sounds great. I caught the ‘Fits at Club Laga way back in … maybe about ’98, I think. Whenever the “Famous Monsters” record had come out. Good times.
Also: Fist Fight in the Parking Lot.
LikeLike
Fist Fight = total badassery. Ha ha.
I was at the Laga show, most definitely. In fact, at the time I was the Misfits Fiend Club chapter head for Pittsburgh, so I was actually backstage most of the day. It was pretty fun seeing Doyle’s guitars up close!
LikeLike