Danzig Walks Off Into The Sunset
Wednesday February 23, 2005 @ 03:00 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Danzig

Say goodbye to Glenn Danzig. Currently on tour in support of his eighth studio effort, Circle Of Snakes, and gearing up for the release of his second instrumental album Black Aria II, this very well could be the last time you ever see the stocky crooner in your town.

And unlike the majority of aging rockers (looking at you, Ozzy), when Danzig says something, he sticks with it. Vowing to never play with The Misfits again (over a decade and still no reunion) and standing his ground despite many dust-ups — fights with various other rockers have become infamous — he has yet to go back on his word.

Not that he’s entirely committed to the idea of quitting yet. It’s still just a very strong feeling, but the fact that he’s talking about it is enough to make us blues-metal goons shake in our boots.

"I’m not really having fun [touring] anymore," he admits. "If I could magically appear onstage, do the show and then magically appear back home, I’d do it forever. You’re stuck on a bus and in some weird hotel for a month or two… it’s not the two hours onstage that are a drag, it’s the 22 hours between. But people only see the two hours so they have this idea of it. That’s not what it’s like."

Danzig would know. Quickly approaching 30 years of punk and metal history fronting legendary acts such as his namesake, Samhain and The Misfits, the dude’s been around the block about a million times… in about as many shitty touring vehicles.

"It’s easier now, ‘cause with Misfits and Samhain, we were driving in a van. Samhain had it better than The Misfits, ‘cause Samhain had a better van. It was easier to palate, but bouncing around is still bouncing around. You’d be surprised how quickly you grow tired of that."

Regardless, it took him three decades to think about quitting. It couldn’t have been that bad, right?

"No," he says, pointing out that it’s not music itself he’s grown weary with. He becomes animated when describing exactly how much of a thrill the live show still gives him and admits that it’s a kick to see the excitement of new bands just entering their careers. Hand-picking metal kids Eyes Of Fire as openers for this tour, he feels a charge from their enthusiasm.

"It’s funny to see a new band on the road and then what they realize it’s like after the first time," he says. "They see the reality. In the beginning, the first 22 hours are like two hours. But when you’ve been at it for a long time, the hours start catching up. Down the road, 22 hours becomes 40 hours, then you’re onstage and it’s over before you know it. I still love to feel the energy from the crowd and it makes me perform so much stronger, but I get down because two hours feels like a half hour, tops. It’s the energy people give you that keeps you going."

Canadian date for Danzig: