The Cramps

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Origin	Sacramento, California
Country	U.S.
Years active	1972-Present
Genres	Surf Rock Punk rock Psychobilly
Members	Lux Interior Poison Ivy Harry Drumdini Sean Yseult
Website(s)	thecramps.com

The Cramps are a rock band originally formed in 1972. Their line-up has rotated much over the years, with Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, the lead singer and lead guitarist respectively as the only permanent members.

They were part of the early CBGBs punk rock movement that had emerged in New York. The band is credited as the founders of the psychobilly genre of music, as well as a prominent factor in terms of influence on the gothabilly genre.

Contents 1 Characteristics 2 History 3 Personnel 3.1 Current members 3.2 Former members 4 Discography 4.1 Albums 4.1.1 Gravest Hits (1979) 4.1.2 Songs the lord taught us (1979) 4.1.3 Psychedelic Jungle (1981) 4.1.4 Smell of Female (1983) 4.1.5 Off The Bone (1983) 4.1.6 Bad Music for Bad People (1984) 4.1.7 A Date With Elvis (1986) 4.1.8 Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand (1987) 4.1.9 Stay Sick (1989) 4.1.10 Look Mom, No Head! (1991) 4.1.11 Flame Job (1994) 4.1.12 Big Beat From Badsville (1997) 4.1.13 Fiends of Dope Island (2003) 4.1.14 How to Make a Monster (2004) 4.2 Singles 4.3 Videos 5 References 6 See also 7 External links

[edit] Characteristics

Their music is mostly in blues form, played at varying, (though usually fast) tempos, with a very minimal drumkit. An integral part of the early Cramps sound is dual guitars, without a bassist. The content of their songs and image is sleaze, trashy Americana (much in the style of filmmaker John Waters), sexual fetishism, clever bad jokes, and cheap, horror B-movie clichés.

Their sound was heavily influenced by early rockabilly and proto-rock'n'roll like Link Wray and Hasil Adkins, 1960s surf music acts such as The Ventures and Dick Dale, 1960s garage rock artists like The Standells, The Gants, The Trashmen, The Green Fuz and The Sonics, as well as the post-glam/early punk scene from which they emerged. They also were influenced to a degree by The Ramones and Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who is often credited for having pioneered their style of theatrical horror-blues.

In turn, they have strongly influenced subsequent punk and rockabilly revival bands, even creating a genre in their wake. "Psychobilly," a style played by bands like The Meteors and the Sharks, is a term^† coined by the Cramps, although Lux Interior maintains that the term does not describe their own style. ^[1] The Cramps also influenced or anticipated acts like The White Stripes, The Gun Club, The Fuzztones, James Chance and the Contortions, The Birthday Party, Flat Duo Jets, and Queen Adreena. It is also widely acknowledged that The Cramps inspired the more recent Psychobilly subgenre, Gothabilly — which focuses even more so on the monster/horror themes.

^† It is debatable that the Cramps coined the phrase psychobilly. It is perhaps mentioned for the first time in Johnny Cash's song "One Piece at a Time," released in 1976.

[edit] History

Lux Interior (born Erick Purkhiser) and Poison Ivy (born Kristy Wallace) met in Sacramento, California in 1972. Due to their common artistic interests and shared devotion to record collecting, they decided to form The Cramps. Lux took his stage name from a car ad, and Ivy claimed to have received hers in a dream (she was first Poison Ivy Rorschach, taking her last name from that of the inventor of the Rorschach test). In 1973, they moved to Akron, Ohio, and then to New York in 1975, soon entering into CBGB's early punk scene with other emerging acts like The Ramones, Patti Smith, and Television. The lineup in 1976 was Poison Ivy Rorschach, Lux Interior, Bryan Gregory (guitar) and his sister Pam "Ballam" (drums).

In a short period of time, the Cramps changed drummers twice; Miriam Linna (later of Nervous Rex, the Zantees, and the A-Bones) replaced Pam Ballam, and Nick Knox (formerly with the Electric Eels) replaced Linna in September 1977. In the late 1970s, the Cramps briefly shared a rehearsal space with The Fleshtones, and performed regularly in New York at places like CBGB's and Max's Kansas City, releasing two indie singles produced by Alex Chilton at Ardent Studios in Memphis in 1977 before being signed by Miles Copeland to the young I.R.S. Records label. In June of 1978 they gave a free concert for patients at the California State Mental Hospital in Napa, recorded on a Sony Portapak video camera by the San Francisco collective Target Video and later released as Live at Napa State Mental Hospital. They released the two singles again on their 1979 Gravest Hits EP, before Chilton brought them back that year to Memphis to record their first full length album, Songs The Lord Taught Us, at Phillips Recording, operated by former Sun Records label owner Sam Phillips.

After relocating to Los Angeles, Kid Congo Powers of The Gun Club joined the Cramps on guitar. But while recording their second LP, Psychedelic Jungle, the band and Miles Copeland began to dispute royalties and creative rights. The ensuing court case prevented them from releasing anything until 1983, when they recorded Smell of Female live at New York's Peppermint Lounge; Kid Congo Powers subsequently departed. Mike Metoff of The Pagans (cousin of Nick Knox) was the final second guitarist - albeit only live - of the Cramps' pre-bassist era.

In 1985 the Cramps recorded a one-off track for the horror movie "The Return of the Living Dead" called "Surfin' Dead", on which Ivy played bass as well as guitar. With the release of 1986's A Date With Elvis, the Cramps permanently added a bass guitar to the mix, but had trouble finding a suitable player, so Ivy temporarily filled in as the band's bassist.. The album featured an increased focus on sexual double entendre, and met with differing fates on either side of the Atlantic: in Europe, it sold over 250,000 copies, while in the U.S. the band had major problems finding a record company prepared to release it.

It was not until 1986 that the Cramps found a suitable permanent bass player: Candy Del Mar [of Satan's Cheerleaders], who made her recorded debut on the raw live album ROCKINNREELININAUCKLANDNEWZEALANDXXX, which was followed by the studio album Stay Sick in 1990. The Cramps hit the top 40 singles chart in the UK for the first and only time with "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns"; Ivy posed as such both on the cover of the single and in the promotional video for the song. The Cramps went on to record many more albums and singles through the 1990's and 2000's, for various labels and with varying degrees of success.

In 2005 Baker Skateboards sold a skateboard deck designed using the cover artwork from Bad Music For Bad People; this skateboard is called the "Baker Greco Can't Hardly Stand It Deck". This name is taken from a song the Cramps covered on the album titled "I Can't Hardly Stand It", which was also used in the advertising campaign.

In honor of the excess of The Cramps, there is displayed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a shattered basedrum head that Lux's head went through during a live show.

[edit] Personnel

The Cramps have had fluctuating lineups over the years. The current lineup now includes Harry Drumdini back on drums and Sean Yseult, formerly of White Zombie, on bass.

[edit] Current members

• Lux Interior (Erick Purkhiser) – vocals, March 1976 and onward
• Poison Ivy (Kristy Wallace) – lead guitar, March 1976 and onward
• Harry Drumdini – drums, February 1993-July 2003 and August 2006 and onward
• Sean Yseult – bass, September 2006 and onward

[edit] Former members

• Bryan Gregory (Greg Beckerleg) – guitar, April 1976 - May 1980
• Pam Ballam (Pam Beckerleg) – drums, April 1976 - September 1976
• Miriam Linna – drums, October 1976 - June 1977
• Nick Knox – drums, July 1977 - January 1991
• Julien Grindsnatch – guitar, July 1980 - September 1980
• Kid Congo Powers (Brian Tristan) – guitar, December 1980 - September 1983
• Mike Metoff (as Ike Knox) – guitar, October 1983 - November 1983; January 1984 - July 1984
• Brian Emser – bass
• Candy del Mar – bass, July 1986 - January 1991
• Slim Chance – bass, March 1991-August 1998
• Nickey Alexander – drums, June 1991 - January 1993
• Harry Drumdini – drums, February 1993 - August 2003 and August 2006 - now
• Bill "Buster" Bateman – drums, June 2004 - August 2006
• Chopper Franklin – bass & guitar, January 2002-September 2006
• SugarPie Jones - Bass 2000

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Gravest Hits (1979)

1. Human Fly
2. The Way I Walk
3. Domino
4. Surfin' Bird
5. Lonesome Town

[edit] Songs the lord taught us (1979)

Side 1

T.V. set

Garbageman

Rock On The Moon

I Was a Teenage Werewolf

Sunglasses After Dark

Strychnine

Made Daddy

Side 2

Mystery Plane

Zombie Dance

I'm Cramped

What's Behind the Mask?

Tear It Up

Fever

[edit] Psychedelic Jungle (1981)

1. Green Fuz
2. Goo Goo Muck
3. Rockin' Bones
4. Voodoo Idol
5. Primitive
6. Caveman
7. The Crusher
8. Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk
9. Can't Find My Mind
10. Jungle Hop
11. The Natives Are Restless
12. Under The Wires
13. Beautiful Gardens
14. Green Door

[edit] Smell of Female (1983)

1. Thee Most Exalted Potentate Of Love
2. You Got Good Taste
3. Call of the Wighat
4. Faster Pussycat
5. I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound
6. Psychotic Reaction
7. Beautiful Gardens
8. She Said
9. Surfin' Dead

[edit] Off The Bone (1983)

1. Human Fly
2. Way I Walk
3. Domino
4. Surfin' Bird
5. Lonesome Town
6. Garbageman
7. Fever
8. Drug Train
9. Love Me
10. I Can't Hardly Stand It
11. Goo Goo Muck
12. She Said
13. The Crusher
14. Save It
15. New Kind Of Kick
16. Uranium Rock
17. Good Taste (Live)

[edit] Bad Music for Bad People (1984)

1. Garbageman
2. New Kind Of Kick
3. Love Me
4. I Can't Hardly Stand It
5. She Said
6. Goo Goo Muck
7. Save It
8. Human Fly
9. Drug Train
10. TV Set
11. Uranium Rock

[edit] A Date With Elvis (1986)

1. How Far Can Too Far Go?
2. Hot Pearl Snatch
3. People Ain't No Good
4. What's Inside a Girl?
5. Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?
6. Kizmiaz
7. Cornfed Dames
8. Chicken
9. (Hot Pool Of) Womanneed
10. Aloha from Hell
11. It's Just That Song

[edit] Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand (1987)

1. The Hot Pearl Snatch
2. People Ain't No Good
3. What's Inside A Girl?
4. Cornfed Dames
5. Sunglasses After Dark
6. Heartbreak Hotel
7. Chicken
8. Do The Clam
9. Aloha From Hell
10. Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?
11. Birdfeed
12. Blue Moon Baby
13. Georgia Lee Brown
14. Lonesome Town

[edit] Stay Sick (1989)

1. Bop Pills
2. God Damn Rock 'N' Roll
3. Bikini Girls With Machine Guns
4. All Women Are Bad
5. The Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon
6. Shortnin' Bread
7. Daisys Up Your Butterfly
8. Everything Goes
9. Journey To The Center of A Girl
10. Mama Oo Pow Pow
11. Saddle Up A Buzz Buzz
12. Muleskinner Blues
13. Her Love Rubbed Off (Studio)
14. Her Love Rubbed Off (Live)
15. Bikini Girls With Machine Guns (Live)
16. Beat Out My Love
17. Jailhouse Rock
18. Jackyard Backoff

[edit] Look Mom, No Head! (1991)

1. Dames, Booze, Chains And Boots
2. Two Headed Sex Change
3. Blow Up Your Mind
4. Hardworkin' Man
5. Miniskirt Blues
6. Alligator Stomp
7. I Wanna Get In Your Pants
8. Bend Over, I'll Drive
9. Don't Get Funny With Me
10. Eyeball In My Martini
11. Hipsville 29 B.C.
12. The Strangeness In Me
13. Wilder Wilder Faster Faster

[edit] Flame Job (1994)

1. Bob Machine
2. The Twist
3. Let's Get Fucked Up
4. Nest Of The Cuckoo Alligator
5. I'm Left-Handed
6. Sado County Auto Show
7. Naked Girl Jumping Down The Stairs
8. How Come You Do That?
9. Right-side Out And Upside In(With You)
10. Trapped Love
11. Sing To Big Eyed Rabbi
12. Strange Love
13. Blues Blues Greens
14. Winners
15. Route 666 (Get Your Mediocre On)

[edit] Big Beat From Badsville (1997)

1. Cramp Stomp
2. God Monster
3. It Thing Hard-On
4. Like A Bad Girl Should
5. Sheena's In A Goth Gang
6. Queen Of Pain
7. Monkey With Your Tail
8. Devil Behind That Bush
9. Super Goo
10. Hypno Sex Ray
11. Burn She-Devil, Burn
12. Wet Nightmare
13. Badass Bug
14. Haulass Hyena

[edit] Fiends of Dope Island (2003)

1. Big Black Witchcraft Rock
2. Papa Satan Sang Louie
3. Hang up
4. Dr. Fucker M.D. (Musical Deviant)
5. Taboo
6. Fissure Of Rolando
7. Elvis Fucking Christ
8. Owee Baby
9. Color Me Black
10. Mojo Man From Mars
11. She's Got Balls
12. Dopefiend Boogie
13. One Way Ticket

[edit] How to Make a Monster (2004)

1. Quick Joey Small
2. Lux's Blues
3. Love Me
4. Domino
5. Sunglasses After Dark
6. Subwire Desire
7. TV Set
8. Sunglasses After Dark
9. I Was A Teenage Werewolf
10. Can't Hardly Stand It

[edit] Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions				Album
		Billboard Hot 100	US Modern Rock	US Mainstream Rock	UK Singles Chart
1978	"The Way I Walk" (US)	-	-	-	-	Gravest Hits, Off The Bone
	"Human Fly" (US)	-	-	-	-	Gravest Hits, Off The Bone
1980	"Fever" (UK)	-	-	-	-	Songs The Lord Taught Us, Off The Bone
	"Garbageman" (US)	-	-	-	-	Songs The Lord Taught Us, Off The Bone
	"Drug Train"	-	-	-	-	Off The Bone
1981	"Goo Goo Muck"	-	-	-	-	Psychedelic Jungle, Off The Bone
	"The Crusher"	-	-	-	-	Psychedelic Jungle, Off The Bone
1984	"Faster Pussycat"	-	-	-	-	Smell Of Female
	"I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound"	-	-	-	-	Smell Of Female
1985	"Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?"	-	-	-	#68	A Date With Elvis
1986	"What's Inside a Girl?"	-	-	-	-	A Date With Elvis
	"Kizmiaz"	-	-	-	-	A Date With Elvis
	"Get Off The Road" (Sweden)	-	-	-	-	-
1990	"Bikini Girls With Machine Guns"	-	#10	-	#35	Stay Sick!
	"All Women Are Bad"	-	-	-	-	Stay Sick!
	"The Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon"	-	-	-	-	Stay Sick!
1991	"Eyeball In My Martini"	-	-	-	-	Look Mom, No Head!
2003	"Big Black Witchcraft Rock"	-	-	-	-	Fiends Of Dope Island

[edit] Videos

• Human Fly (1978)
• Garbageman (1979)
• Urgh! A Music War (1982)
• Bikini girls with machine guns (1990)
• Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon (1990)
• Ultra Twist (1994)
• Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs (1994)
• Like a Bad Girl Should (1997)

There is excellent footage of a Cramps concert in a mental hospital published on YouTube.

[edit] References

• The Cramps Discography, Biography and Links at Mr Bill's I.R.S. Records Corner Retrieved 23 November 2004.
• Deming, Mark. Allmusic.com Biography on The Cramps Retrieved 23 November 2004.
• The Wild Wild World of the Cramps by Ian Johnston, 1990, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-2350-7

[edit] See also

• List of psychobilly bands

[edit] External links

• The Cramps Official Page
• Gravest Cramps Collector Page
• A Cramps Fan Page
• Another Cramps Fan Page
• Yet Another Cramps Fan Page

• Kid Congo Powers' oral history of the Cramps
• Staysick Yahoo Group
• 2006 Interview with former Cramps Guitarist Kid Congo Powers