Which punk band formed in Lodi, New Jersey, in 1977?

The punk band formed in Lodi, New Jersey, in 1977 was the Misfits. Glenn Danzig founded the group in February 1977, initially working with drummer Mr. Jim and later bassist Jerry Caiafa, who became known as Jerry Only.

The Misfits developed a distinctive horror-punk identity by combining fast, aggressive punk with imagery drawn from horror films, science fiction, and pulp culture. Their name came from The Misfits, Marilyn Monroe’s final film, released in 1961. Their first single, “Cough/Cool,” appeared in 1977 on Danzig’s independent Blank Records label.

The band’s early history involved frequent lineup changes, but Danzig and Jerry Only were the key constants during the original period. Although the Misfits recorded the album Static Age in 1978, it was not released in full until 1996. The group dissolved in 1983, then returned with new lineups in 1995.

A common mix-up is confusing the Misfits with other influential American punk bands such as Black Flag or Bad Brains. Those groups are associated with California and Washington, D.C., respectively—not Lodi, New Jersey.