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Danzig intimidates even without costumes Halloween show

By John Sabatini

On this evening of diabolical darkness, nightfall will be the harbinger of an entity more supremely evil than the foulest ghouls or the fiercest demons.

Tonight, the punk/metal powerhouse Danzig will descend in all its devastating potency upon the sorry souls in attendance at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheater. Fans beware: the band's reputation for force and aggression is not undeserved.

"We don't hold back; we just give it to you straight," warns lead guitarist John Christ. "And the bulk of our fans, that's how they want it. They want it loud, heavy, right in their faces. They just go nuts."

Without a doubt, strength, intensity and volume are Danzig's primary distinguishing characteristics. Christ feels that it is precisely this overwhelming vision of darkness and dominance that fans find so attractive.

"It's a powerful image. You got these three guys up in the front, and they've got black hair and the more muscles the better," Christ says. "We get off on that. And the fans get off on it, too. I think a lot of them give us a certain amount of respect because we're not these tiny, little, skinny, drugged-out 1980s glam rockers with makeup everywhere."

While he recognizes how Danzig's negative musical vibe and imposing physical appearance can be intimidating or distasteful to many people, Christ feels that true Danzig fans can find the deeper meaning in the music.

"Out on stage, there's this guy with big muscles and bare-chested with black hair and big belt buckles, flexing and belting out and howling at the crowd," Christ says. "That's enough for some people just to say, 'Oh God, this is ridiculous. Get away from me.'

"But the fans who are touched by the music and realize that there is something to it, who kind of delve into the content of the music and the lyrics and see what's actually going on, the people who make the connection and identify with it are the Danzig fans," he argues.

Touring to promote their latest album, Danzig 4, the band hopes to build on the monster success of the smash hit "Mother '93". And on this special night of horrors and haunts, Christ is anxiously awaiting the opportunity to assail the audience with the crowd favorite.

"I can't wait to play 'Mother' on Halloween," says the guitarist. "When I play the first three chords, I get to absorb the brunt of the audience reaction, the intensity when they recognize the song. That's a total rush; I get chills just thinking about it."

The popular appeal of the song has come as a surprise to many people, including the band members themselves, but Christ and the others see it as a reward for their patience and determination over the last seven years.

In fact, Danzig's recent success is quite ironic, given that the track "Mother" was originally released on Danzig's 1987 self-entitled debut album and went relatively unnoticed by the public at the time. The version currently so popular appears on the band's EP Thrall-demonsweatlive, remixed only slightly.

In explaining this phenomenon, Christ simply argues that Danzig's time has now arrived thanks to a more positive critical response and greater radio acceptance of heavy music generated by the success of grunge.

"The Seattle scene had a huge influence on this coming of age of Danzig music," he suggests. "Now radio has changed enough, and it's time. I don't necessarily say we're ahead of our time; it's just that our time has come now."

Although Christ and his bandmates are proud of what "Mother '93" has achieved and anticipate continued success, Christ insists that this taste of prosperity will not compromise Danzig's fatalistic philosophy or hardcore sound.

"As far as the band and the music goes, [success] hasn't changed the writing process; it hasn't changed Glenn [Danzig]'s style," Christ explains. "He's not doing things any differently than he would normally do to satisfy his own desires musically and creatively, which is good, which the fans appreciate and which is part of the reason we're still here."

Christ asserts that the qualities which the whole band strives to maintain include overall intensity, dark themes, musical tones and colors, and the general aura of omnipotence.

"I think retaining the essence of the Danzig sound and style has been a constant, but [we are] ever experimenting and pushing out the boundaries just around the edges," Christ says.

In particular, the guitarist stresses the evolution of Glenn Danzig's vocal style. According to Christ, the lead singer initially relied on a limited range of vocal tones but has come to feel more comfortable with experimentation. As a heavy metal guitarist in what is primarily a punk band, Christ has understood from the beginning that he must conform to the needs and expectations of the other band members. And Christ has already demonstrated his willingness to experiment for the good of the band at his own expense.

"[When I joined Danzig,] I had to dye my hair black and shave my moustache ... and go all black with biker boots and everything else," he remembers. "I had some very bad hair days in the beginning."

Having been an integral part of Danzig for more than seven years, Christ realizes how fulfilling yet difficult it can be to keep taking chances and staying fresh musically while preserving a cohesive band unit.

"I have a lot of respect for bands like Aerosmith and the Stones who've been doing it for years," Christ says. "I think they should get medals for just being able to stick together that long. I don't care how good or bad their records are, the fact that they can do that just blows my mind."

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