The Misfits - Project 1950 (Limited Edition '2003 & Expanded Edition '2014) ULTIMATE UPGRADE

On Summer of 2003, an all-star lineup of the Misfits released the covers album Project 1950, performing renditions of vintage Classic Rock and Roll songs from the 1950s and 1960s. The album featured guest appearances from Ronnie Spector, Jimmy Destri, Ed Manion, and John Cafiero. In October 2014 the album was reissued as expanded edition with a bit different sound.

Project 1950 is technically a Misfits album, but it's more like Frankenstein's monster, a cobbled-together project given life by the kinetic, funbox electricity emitted by a bunch of guys chopping out punkified covers of favorite oldies. Led by the amateurish yet somehow delightful warble of Jerry Only, who sounds like Brad Garrett of Everybody Loves Raymond if the glowering actor were to sing, this reincarnated Misfits lineup also includes drummer Marky Ramone and ex-Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena. Since each veteran provided Project 1950 with believable liner notes professing his love of the vintage material, it's good to hear their excitement in the recordings, which crackle with enthusiasm. Produced by John Cafiero with attention to maximum thickness, "This Magic Moment" explodes out of the box with a flourish of guitar and pounding drums, only to hit another gear with the addition of supporting vocalist Ronnie Spector – yes, Ronnie Spector. The erstwhile Ronette sounds like an angel with a dirty mind backing up the devil-lock'd Only; together with Ramone and Cadena's thudding instrumentation, their version is like the soundtrack to a greasers-only formal. Though Spector doesn't return until the album's closing number, Only and his henchmen continue on through a boisterous "Dream Lover" (complete with background "oohs," "aaahs," and "yeah yeahs") and an overdriven "Donna" that's the most punk-leaning of 1950's material. The album flags a bit by its middle – "Great Balls of Fire" and "Latest Flame" seem to pile on top of one another, as if Only's Fred stopped short and Ramone and Cadena came crashing in behind him like Scooby and Shaggy. But the guys crank it up again for an obligatory tear through "Monster Mash," and "Runaway" isn't half bad, either. Project 1950 isn't really the Misfits. For one thing, it's about as scary as a bunch of cartoon ghouls driving around in a goosed-up Munsters funny car. But the album is really enjoyable in a nostalgia sort of way – it's most interesting for being nostalgic both for rock & roll's birth and its punk rock adolescence. [Note: The CD arrives with a bonus disc featuring five of the songs here, as well as another handful featuring Japanese ghoul-rockers/label mates Balzac]

~ Johnny Loftus, all media guide

Tracklist - Limited Edition '2003:

01. This Magic Moment (Originally by The Drifters)
02. Dream Lover (Originally by Bobby Darin)
03. Diana (Originally by Paul Anka)
04. Donna (Originally by Ritchie Valens)
05. Great Balls Of Fire (Originally by Jerry Lee Lewis)
06. Latest Flame (Originally by Elvis Presley)
07. Monster Mash (Originally by Bobby (Boris) Pickett And The Crypt-Kickers)
08. Only Make Believe (Originally by Loretta Lynn And Conway Twitty)
09. Runaway (Originally by Del Shannon)
10. You Belong To Me (Originally by Jo Stafford)



DVD Content:

01. This Magic Moment (Live at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships)
02. Dream Lover (Live at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships)
03. Diana (Live at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships)
04. Donna (Live at the Phillips US Open Snowboarding Championships)
05. Runaway (Live at The World in NYC)
06. Day the Earth Caught Fire (Live in NYC: Misfits with Balzac)
07. The Haunting / Don't Open 'Till Doomsday (Live in Japan: Balzac with Misfits)
08. Day The Earth Caught Fire (Live in Japan: Balzac with Misfits)
09. The Haunting / Don't Open 'Till Doomsday (Balzac MV)
10. Out of the Blue (Balzac MV)





Tracklist - Expanded Edition '2014:

01. This Magic Moment (feat. Ronnie Spector)
02. Dream Lover (feat. John Cafiero)
03. Diana
04. Donna
05. Great Balls Of Fire (feat. Jimmy Destri)
06. Latest Flame
07. Monster Mash (feat. John Cafiero)
08. Only Make Believe
09. Runaway (feat. John Cafiero & Jimmy Destri)
10. You Belong To Me (feat. Ronnie Spector)
11. Witchcraft [Bonus Track - Originally by Frank Sinatra]
12. Daughter Of Darkness [Bonus Track - Originally by Tom Jones]
13. (You're The) Devil In Disguise [Bonus Track - Originally by Elvis Presley]


Produced by John Cafiero. Arranged by Misfits Records. Additional Production by Marky Ramone (2003)
Bonus tracks on 2014 Edition Produced, Engineered & Mixed by Ed Stasium. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music
Recorded at Schoolhouse Studios NYC & West West Side Music. Engineered by Tim Hatfield, Anthony Esposito & Jesse Cannon
Mixed & Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. All additional information read inside the booklet.

• Jerry Only - lead vocals, bass
• Dez Cadena - guitars
• Eric "Chupacabra" Arce - drums (2014)
• Marky Ramone - drums & percussion (2003)

special guests:
- John Cafiero: background vocals on "Dream Lover", "Monster Mash" and "Runaway"
- Ronnie Spector: background vocals on "This Magic Moment" and "You Belong to Me"
- Jimmy Destri: keyboards on "Runaway" and "Great Balls of Fire"
- Ed Manion: saxophone on "Diana" and "Runaway"

Release Date: July 29, 2003 / October 27, 2014
Number Of Discs: 2 / 1
Format: Limited Edition / Expanded Edition
Label: Rykodisc / Misfits Records
Catalog No.: RCD 10643-2 / MRCD 01600