Doyle Wolfgang Von Frankenstein was born Paul Caiafa in 1964 on September 15th. Known for his participation in The Misfits, one of Americas most influence punk rock bands! Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein was crucial to the heavy and ferocious guitar sound responsible for The Misfits role in hardcore punk and heavy metal influence for years to come. Coming from Lodi New Jersey, Doyle was groomed by his brother Jerry Only into being the sole guitarist for the band by the age of 16 in October of 1980. Starting out as the bands roadie, Glenn Danzig and Jerry (the founding members of the horror punk group) taught Doyle how to play guitar and the Misfit songs, and in about three months time, Doyle was offically a member of the Horror Punk Proprieters, The Misfits!
Danzig, Only, Doyle (who at this time was playing guitar on an Ibanez Iceman electric guitar) and a veritable revolving door of percussionists, had continued on as the Misfits until the intial dissolution in 1983. By 1987 Doyle and his brother Only, had formed a short lived project called Kryst the Conquerer, a Christian Heavy Metal concept with which an album has yet to be officially released. This is around the time that Doyle had finally completed his design for the custom Rand Annihilator guitar that he went on to be so well known for. 1995 brought about change in the Misfits camp when Danzig finally allowed Only and Doyle permission to use the name and imagery for a continuation project with a new drummer named Dr. Chud and vocalist named Michale Graves.
The new linup brough about an album by 1997 (American Psycho) and then another in 1999 (Famous Monsters) until the bands second breakup in 2000 when Dr. Chud and Michale “Graves” Emanuel departed. Doyle then decided to take an indefinite hiatus as well. Jerry decided to continue to milk the Misfits name and push forward with a less than fulfilling three piece version involving former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone who went on to be replaced by former Black Flag percussionist Robo.
Doyle decided to move forward as well by 2004 and rejoined forces with Glenn Danzig for a taste of a Misfits reunion by performing a 30 minute set in the middle of Glenns regular set with his fulltime band, Danzig. In 2007 Doyle and Danzig had produced Doyles own side project album titled “Gorgeous Frankenstein”.
Want to learn more about the guitar that Doyle started with? Check out the Ibanez Iceman!
