GLENN DANZIG Talks About His Upcoming Book Of Lyrics

D.X. Ferris of Riverfront Times recently conducted an interview with Glenn Danzig. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On his book of lyrics, which will be accompanied with new illustrations by Simon Bisley, the visual artist known for DANZIG covers, in addition to Doom Patrol and other comics:

Glenn Danzig: When Bisley's done with the drawings [the book will be released]. If you know the history of Simon Bisley, he's a very talented artist. I can't say he's lazy, 'cause he works hard. But I think he likes drinking and riding his bike, you know what I mean? He's an artist. In a lot of ways, he's really similar to Frazetta [the famous fantasy artist whose images were used for MOLLY HATCHET covers, among others], who would rather be golfing than painting or drawing. Simon, he loves drawing, but he'd rather take a break and go here and there. But the work is incredible, though, so what are you gonna do? So he's late, and that's why it hasn't come out.

Riverfront Times: Is the plan to include every one of your songs?

Glenn Danzig: Not every one. Maybe eventually, but this will just be a first volume in possibly a two- or three-volume thing. And it's only the songs that haven't had their lyrics reprinted. So he does an illustration, and we print their lyrics.

Riverfront Times: Color?

Glenn Danzig: No. Black and white illustrations.

Riverfront Times: Hardback?

Glenn Danzig: No. Maybe eventually hardback. But it'll probably be softbound.

Riverfront Times: Any kind of special edition, or will the book itself be the special edition?

Glenn Danzig: The book in itself is pretty special. But if we do a hardcover later on, we'll make it special. We'll see where that goes.

Riverfront Times: Do you see that distinction between metal and punk as superficial?

Glenn Danzig: It depends. There are metal bands that are metal. Back in the day, you could listen to VENOM if you were a punker or MOTÖRHEAD, and nobody would think anything of it. But if you said you listened to this band or that band, people would say, "What?" There was stuff that was accepted and that wasn't.

Riverfront Times: You've studied martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do [Bruce Lee's tradition-shattering style of martial arts, which freely drew on eclectic traditions], correct?

Glenn Danzig: Yeah, a lot of stuff.

Riverfront Times: Do you see a parallel between that and traditional martial arts as a parallel with your music? Like how traditional arts focus on the forms and doing everything the same way every time?

Glenn Danzig: Jeet Kun Do is form with no form: You react to your situation, pretty much. I don't really know that it has anything to do with that?

Riverfront Times: Is that what you do with your music?

Glenn Danzig: Not really, no. It's much different.

Read the entire interview from Riverfront Times.