Glenn Danzig Punch Video: Former Misfits Singer Ridiculed After Ordering Attack On Cellphone-Wielding Fan

Glenn Danzig’s horror business is wearing thin on music fans.

At a show in Tampa, Fla., last week, the aging punk pioneer appeared to blatantly order his audience to attack a concert-goer who was recording cellphone video of the show. The video, it should go without saying, was uploaded to YouTube, where it has since been viewed more than 66,000 times. In it, a sleeveless and slovenly Danzig can be seen performing the song “Blood and Tears,” from the 1990 album “Danzig II: Lucifuge.” The former Misfits frontman grows annoyed by the audience member’s cellphone and begins pointing and wagging his finger like a schoolteacher.

Finally he yells to the audience, “Somebody punch that f--king a--hole right there.”

Audience members can be seen lunging at the cameraperson before the video cuts off shortly after. The person who posted it, YouTube user “Filicid,” said he did not get punched but rather thrown out of the show by a bouncer. (He claims he eventually got back in.) Other commenters noted that signs were posted throughout the venue prohibiting cellphone usage, and Danzig, who is 58, is known to forbid filming of his shows for fear of bootlegging.

In the description of the video, titled “Glenn Danzig is an A--hole,” the poster said it was his first time seeing Danzig, and “also my last.” Many fellow commenters seemed to agree:

“That's just sad. I mean I like his music, but all I’ve heard of Danzig is that he’s a goddamn diva. Seems like he’s a coward to boot. If you feel like giving the guy a lesson, do it yourself and face the charges. Besides, so what if the person in question acted stupid by filming the gig, that's no reason to use violence.”

Other YouTubers piled on, using words like “washed up,” “insecure,” “moron,” “cartoon Satanism” and a variety of insults that can’t be repeated here. Conversely, a fair amount of commenters noted that the growing proliferation of phone-wielding audience members over the last few years has diminished the experience of live concert-going. Likewise, writers on Gawker, Spin and elsewhere suggested the cameraperson had it coming, but it’s difficult to see how inciting violence is a fitting response to a minor breach of Danzig-concert etiquette.

At any rate, the singer is taking a fair amount of ribbing on social media:

Danzig, who pioneered the horror-punk genre in the 1970s and '80s with the Misfits and, later, Samhain, has a reputation for ill-tempered outbursts. In a now-famous 2005 video, viewed more than 2.4 million times, Danzig himself is seen getting punched out after he starts a physical confrontation with a larger man.

Watch the full video of Danzig’s latest outburst below.

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Correction: The original version of this article misstated the name and release year of 1990 album "Danzig II: Lucifuge."