Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index

Horror Business

Horror Business was the second 7" EP by the punk band The Misfits. The band's third release was self-produced and distributed as Plan 9 Records number PL1009.

It was released on June 26 of 1979, but serious problems with the original plant resulted in a first pressing of only 25 copies on black vinyl. A second set of pressing plates were then made by a different plant and the full, original order of 2000 copies was pressed and released in August 1979 on yellow vinyl.

The cover art for Horror Business featured the first appearance of the "Crimson ghost," from the 1946 series, who would become the band's trademark.

The lyrics "Psycho '78" and "I'm warning you, I'll put a knife right in you" in the title track, "Horror Business," were inspired by the murder of punk groupie Nancy Spungen by the Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious in October of 1978.

The EP was recorded between January 26 and February 5 of 1979 at C.I. Recording in New York, NY. However, the original insert makes this claim about the recording:

"On February 28, 1979, the Misfits and a mobile recording unit entered an abandoned haunted house in northern New Jersey. They recorded and left. While mixing the tapes back at a NYC recording studio, strange voices and noises were heard in the background. No explanation of these sounds could be given by the band or the recording crew."
All three songs in actuality were part of the group's second session at C.I. Recording, which produced a total of five tracks for 2 Misfits records. Recording was done on one 2" 16-track tape. Mixing was completed on February 5, 1979, the last day of recording, although the original insert incorrectly claims it was on February 28, 1979.

The three tracks from this EP were initially intended for release as the B side of the Who Killed Marilyn? 12" EP. However, after Danzig had the acetate made, he did not have the capital to order a full run of a 12" at that time. Only that original acetate was ever pressed of the EP that would have been Plan 9 number PL1007.

Track listing

Side A.

  1. "Horror Business" (Danzig) - 2:42

Side B.
  1. "Teenagers From Mars" (Danzig) - 2:41
  2. "Children In Heat" (Danzig) - 2:05

Recording details