Misfits - Legacy of Brutality

When I started writing this entry, I had a quick look at the release on Discogs and it looks like this second-hand, first pressing is worth about £50, which is considerably more than the £9 I paid for it one Saturday afternoon in Damaged. I can only imagine Welly didn't know it was of any real value - this was before Discogs was the resource it is now. There are coloured vinyl pressings that sell for much, much more, so I guess they're the ones people get really excited about. It was December, so the final instalment of my monthly-record-from-Damaged year and I'd covered a good selection of the punk that he stocked in there - older staples like Husker Du, Descendants, the Minutemen and Fugazi and newer bands like The Draft, Hot Water Music and The Loved Ones; I figured this was a worthy addition in the older staples category.

The first thing you notice about this record of how terrible it sounds. It's not a fault of the vinyl, it's just incredibly shittily recorded. But that's part of the charm - when you have songs like these, who needs production. I knew a bunch of these songs from covers I had, but that still doesn't really prepare for just how solid these songs are - Angelfuck, Where Eagles Dare, Hallowen, Hybrid Moments and Some Kind of Hate are all huge. Ridiculously huge songs. I think I have covers of all of them in my collection. Who wouldn't want to play those songs?

Despite all that, I've never bought another Misfits record. I just can't see myself getting any more enjoyment from their other albums than I get from this one.

Format: 12"
Tracks: 13
Cost: £9 second-hand
Bought: Damaged, Cardiff
When: 20/12/08
Colour: Black
Etching: none
mp3s: no

The Computers - We Are Misfits

Like almost everyone, I have a Misfits record. They've got enough catchy songs that you pretty much need at least one record, but not so many you need to seek out their whole back-catalogue (that's my opinion on it anyway). I own a second-hand copy of Legacy of Brutality, which I'll write about on here at some point in the future (maybe I'll save that one for Halloween). I wrote about The Computers a short while back, and I certainly consider myself a fan. Therefore, a limited edition 10" picture disc of The Computers playing Misfits songs definitely seemed like something I'd be into.

Considering these seven songs are of a punk band covering a punk band, you'd never know it. These versions sit somewhere between 50's rock 'n' roll, lounge music and soul and, surprisingly, it works. The first time I played the record I was a bit shocked, but I got into after a few plays. It's also worth noting that if this is how The Computers play punk songs, then their new album was surely going to sound pretty different to the first. I still haven't bought the new record (or any other new records for a while) but I have seen them play the new songs and they sound a lot more like this record (which is fine by me).

Like I said, The Misfits had some catchy songs, and some of the best are here (Halloween, Hybrid Moments and Where Eagles Dare are all fine examples). I hadn't heard the original version of Scream for about 12 years when this record first arrived in the post - Hugh had a video that came free with Metal Hammer (an actual VHS! Needless to say, this was long before YouTube) which had a bunch of music videos on, including the one for Scream. I remember borrowing the video and particularly enjoying the Misfits song (although not enough to buy an album for about eight years). I can't remember any of the other songs on there now.

This record was released for Black Friday Record Store Day, which is mostly bullshit because nobody outside the US even knows what Black Friday is and I can't afford to be financially crippled twice a year. Luckily, there have been very few interesting releases for the November RSD, which is good because no one wants to be queueing down Eden Street in winter. I did stay up, however, and order this one online. I say "stay up", but they went on sale at midnight and I'm often still up then anyway (although I could've waited because they're still available now). It came to £15 including postage and what I can only assume is the usual RSD mark-up (not to be too cynical, sorry), but I think I've had at least £15s worth of enjoyment out of it, so it's all good. The Computers were due to release a similar 10" of Elvis (Costello AND Presley) covers this RSD but it's been pushed back to November. I'm a fan of Costello, so I'll probably pick that one up too.


Format: 10" picture disc
Tracks: 7
Cost: £15 new
Bought: Banquet Records website
When: 30/11/12
Colour: Picture disc
Etching: Side A: "From Exeter they came" Side B: none
mp3s: no