August 5, 2015

45 RPMs 7: Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn?

                
Glenn Danzig -  
Who Killed Marilyn? 
45 RPM record detail  
detail photo of record sleeve by Styrous®



53 years ago today, on August 5, 1962, Norma Jeane Mortenson died and became one of the great legends of Hollywood; her death was cloaked in mystery and many theories as to its cause. Although her life was glamorous to the outside world and by the standards of our society, in private, her life was complicated and tragic. Norma Jeane had legally changed her name to Marilyn Monroe on February 23, 1956, in New York. 


last photo of Monroe - 1962
photo by George Barris


On March 25, 2015, World News Daily Report published an article titled "Retired CIA Agent Confesses on Deathbed: 'I Killed Marilyn Monroe.'" According to the article, former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operative Normand Hodges completed 37 assassinations during his career — among them the killing of the Hollywood legend and long-rumored mistress of President John F. Kennedy. Although the report was picked up and covered by many news sources, it was later shown to be false by Snopes; however, it illustrates the ferver to attribute the event to part of a conspiracy.     


Who Killed Marilyn?


Nineteen years after Monroe's death, Glenn Danzig released the single, Who Killed Marilyn?, on a 45 RPM record. Other versions of this song have been released by the Misfts (Legacy of Brutality, the Boxset, etc.), but the Glenn Danzig version recorded on this 45, along with the B-side, Spook City USA, is only available on this 45 and has never been released on CD. There were only 5000 copies pressed.   


Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn?
7" 45 RPM record 
cover photo Copyright (c)Static Age Music
Phonographic Copyright (p) –  Static Age Music
photo of record sleeve by Styrous®
 

Who Killed Marilyn? is classic punk at its best filled with effects backing the cheesy sounding, crashing tune racing along with a frenzy to match that of the Monroe conspiracy theories.    

Marilyn is backed by the song, Spook City, but City could very easily have been an extension of Who Killed Marilyn?. The two songs are played one after the other on YouTube (link below). 


Glenn Danzig - Spook City
7" 45 RPM record 
cover photo Copyright (c)Static Age Music
Phonographic Copyright (p) –  Static Age Music
photo of record sleeve by Styrous®


These tracks were originally recorded with The Misfits in 1979, and they had one 12" "Who Killed Marilyn?" EP created on acetate; but this proved to be too expensive for them to produce at the time. In 1981 Glenn Danzig re-recorded two of the tracks, playing all the instruments himself, and released it as this solo 7" single.



Glenn Danzig - Spook City
7" 45 RPM record 
photo by Styrous®



An interesting note about the packaging of this recording is that the hole for the turntable spindle is on the nose of Monroe . . .

Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn?
photo by Styrous®




. . . this makes for a startling effect as when the spindle protrudes through the spindle hole, there is a bizarre result.  







Glenn Danzig is an American singer, songwriter, musician and founder of the bands, the Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig. He was born Glenn Allen Anzalone on June 23, 1955, sixty years ago in Lodi, New Jersey.

San Francisco, California
29 Oct, 1992
photographer unknown




Track list:

Side one: Who Killed Marilyn? 

Side two: Spook City    

Companies, etc.

 

 Credits:

 

 Notes:

 

First pressing of 5000 copies on black vinyl 


These tracks were originally recorded with The Misfits in 1979, and they had one 12" "Who Killed Marilyn?" EP created on acetate; but this proved to be too expensive for them to produce at the time. In 1981 Danzig re-recorded two of the tracks, playing all the instruments himself, and released it as this solo 7" single.

© & P static age music

Pressing plant uncredited, identified by a test pressing copy.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

  • Matrix / Runout (Side A, etched): PL-1015 A F/W DM
  • Matrix / Runout (Side B, etched): PL1015 B Fw ¢ dm



Net links:       
     
Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn? and Spook City on YouTube   
articles about Normand Hodges on the Net            
Danzig website  
Rolling Stone interview     
Glenn Danzig roast on Comedy Central      




Glenn Danzig - Who Killed Marilyn? will be for sale on Discogs      



The mystique of Marilyn will live forever! 



Styrous® ~ Wednesday, August 5, 2015


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