GLENN DANZIG: Democrats Are 'Fascists Disguised As Liberals'

Kory Grow of City Pages Minneapolis recently conducted an interview with Glenn Danzig. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

City Pages Minneapolis: You mentioned that [the DANZIG song] "Mother" was about the PMRC [Parents Music Resource Center; the American committee formed in 1985 with the stated goal of increasing parental control over the access of children to music deemed to be violent, have drug use or be sexual via labeling albums with Parental Advisory stickers]. Were they a problem for you specifically?

Danzig: Yeah, you know, Al Gore [Senator and later Vice President, who was then married to Tipper Gore, co-founder of the PMRC] wanted to tell people what they could listen to and what they couldn't, what they could record. It was basically coming down to the idea that he wouldn't let anybody record any music that he didn't think you should be doing. There was going to be an organization that would tell you what you could and couldn't record. And certainly if you couldn't record it, you couldn't put it out. It was really fascist. My view on Democrats is that they're fascists disguised as liberals, or liberal moderates. You're not allowed to say anything that they don't agree with. You're not allowed to do anything. Also, the whole Obama, "I can kill anybody with a drone with no trial," is kind of disturbing. I'm surprised that more people who are supposedly liberal aren't more disturbed by it. I think whatever Obama does is OK with them, because he's Obama. It's bullshit. It's the same thing with the PMRC telling you, "Bands can go on trial for their music." What's next, Wagner is going to get arrested? What? He's dead. [laughs]

City Pages Minneapolis: When is the covers album you've been working on coming out?

Danzig: It's done. I'm just waiting for my new deal for it to come out. I'm hoping for late fall. But we'll see.

City Pages Minneapolis: How did you get together with [THE RUNAWAYS'] Cherie Currie?

Danzig: I recorded "Some Velvet Morning" with her. These managers that I fired wanted me to use some hip, new dorky chick. I was like, "No." And they were like, "Who were you thinking about?" And I was thinking of Cherie Currie. They were like, "What? No. No." I was like, "Yeah, it'll be cool." And of course they were so wrong, and I was so right. [Laughs] She's got a great voice. And you know her history. She's really easy to work with and really excited. It was great. She's playing with me here in L.A. at the Universal Amphitheater. Gibson bought the rights to the name a while ago. We've played there a bunch, and they wanted us to play the last week before it got torn down for a Harry Potter ride. She went crazy when I asked her to do it and said, "Yeah, I've always wanted to play there. I never have." It's where she first saw David Bowie when she was 14 and it made her want to be a singer. And she's just so excited, it's great. I love that venue. It's one of my favorite places to play.

City Pages Minneapolis: Your covers album also contains a BLACK SABBATH cover. Which song did you choose?

Danzig: "N.I.B." I did an arrangement for it, back when [the 1994 BLACK SABBATH tribute album] "Nativity In Black" came out, and they couldn't work out a deal with [American Recordings head honcho] Rick [Rubin]. I think they wanted singles rights and he wouldn't give it to them. So I did an arrangement for "N.I.B.", and for this album I retooled it and showed it to Tommy [Victor, guitar] and Johnny [Kelly, drums] and we did it.

Read the entire interview at City Pages Minneapolis.