The cramps
| The cramps | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 The Cramps (1992) |
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| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Garage rock , punk rock , surf rock , rockabilly , psychobilly , gothabilly |
| founding | 1976 |
| resolution | 2009 |
| Website | http://www.thecramps.com |
| Founding members | |
| Erick "Lux Interior" Purkhiser | |
| Kristy "Poison Ivy" Wallace | |
Electric guitar |
Greg "Bryan Gregory" Beckerleg (until 1980) |
| Pam "Pam Balam" Beckerleg (until 1976) | |
| Last occupation | |
singing |
Erick "Lux Interior" Purkhiser († 2009) |
Electric guitar |
Kristy "Poison Ivy" Wallace |
Drums |
Harry Drumdini (since 2006) |
| former members | |
Electric guitar |
Brian "Kid Congo Powers" Tristan (1980-1983) |
Electric bass |
Candy Del Mar (1986-1991) |
Drums |
Nick Knox (1977-1991) |
Electric bass |
Sean Yseult (since 2006) |
The Cramps were an American musical group that was formed in 1976 and lasted until the death of singer Erick Purkhiser, aka Lux Interior, in 2009. In addition to Lux Interior, his wife and guitarist Kristy Wallace, aka Poison Ivy, remained the only band member who was permanently in the group.
Today the Cramps enjoy cult status and their own style, a combination of rockabilly with garage rock and punk rock , exerted a significant influence on genres such as psychobilly , death rock or horror punk .
history
The band was founded in 1976 by the couple Erick Lee "Lux Interior" Purkhiser (* 1946) and Kristy Marlana "Poison Ivy Rorschach" Wallace (* 1953) in Akron , Ohio . In the fall of 1975 they moved to New York . Greg "Bryan Gregory" Beckerleg became the band's second guitarist, while his sister Pam "Pam Balam" Beckerleg played drums for a short time . At the time, the band was part of the early New York punk scene around the CBGB . With Miriam Linna on drums, the band played the first concert on November 1, 1976 as the opening act for Suicide in the CBGB. It was followed by other performances and first recordings in a studio with Richard Robinson, who also Flamin 'Groovies produced had. However, the band was dissatisfied with the recordings and so they remained unreleased. After further appearances Miriam Linna left the band, she was replaced by Nicolas "Nick Knox" Stephanoff. In 1977 Alex Chilton became aware of the band and recorded some tracks with them in October 1977. Some of the recordings were released on two singles in April and November 1978 on the band's own label Vengeance Records . The first single was sold around 6000 times. Further appearances of the band, e.g. B. as opening act for The Clash in 1979, their name recognition expanded so that they were finally signed by Miles Copeland for his label IRS Records .
The first release was a summary of the first two singles and a new song called Gravest Hits . Copeland then sent the band to Great Britain to tour as the opening act for The Police . In July 1979 there were further recordings for the first full album Songs the Lord Taught Us with Alex Chilton in Memphis . After a subsequent tour of the United States, Gregory surprisingly left the group. After some back and forth, this gap was finally filled by Brian “Kid Congo Powers” Tristan. With him came the second album Psychedelic Jungle in April 1981 . As before, the band played without a bass player. After the release of the album and a few singles, difficulties with the label led to a two-year break, and finally the band and label separated.
From then on it came to publications on various independent labels , for example in 1983 a live album with only six songs under the title Smell of Female . Just before the release, Powers left the formation. He returned to his previous band, The Gun Club . Shrunk to a trio , the group finally recorded their next album in the fall of 1985, with Poison Ivy taking on bass parts in addition to the guitar. With the album A Date With Elvis , the Ricky Nelson was dedicated, the group reached number 34 in the charts of the UK . The addition of a bass not only changed the sound of the band, the music became a little more complex overall. Shortly after the album was released, Jennifer "Fur" Dixon joined the band, who was quickly replaced by Conny "Candy" Del Mar, who made her debut on the live album Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzeelandxxx .
With the album Stay Sick , the band was able to record another chart success in the UK charts at number 62. For the first time they were also under contract with a sub-label of the major label EMI . The single, Bikini Girls With Machine Guns , made it into the Top 40 (UK charts, 35th) thanks to frequent use of the video on MTV . However, this should remain the last chart positions for the group so far. In late 1990, Del Mar left the formation, but worse was the departure of longtime drummer Knox.
The band was able to win Slim Chance as a bass player. There was only a lively change on the drums until Harry Drumdini joined the band. In the meantime there have been other releases and label changes. On the album Look Mom, No Head! it came to a duet by Lux Interior with his role model Iggy Pop (on Miniskirt Blues ). After that, they weren't heard from for a long time. Many believed the band had broken up. In fact, they returned in 2002 with new bassist Scott "Chopper" Franklin and the album Fiends of Dope Island .
In 2004 How to Make a Monster was released , the last album with unreleased demo recordings, as well as live pieces.
Lux Interior died on February 4, 2009 in Glendale, California of heart disease at the age of 62.
style
The band mixed the rock 'n' roll and rockabilly of the 1950s with the garage rock of the 1960s. In the first phase of the band, with two guitars and no bass, the guitars were sometimes mercilessly overdriven and distorted, so that they could hardly be heard clearly.
Comics, horror, science fiction and sex B-movies served as templates for the texts .
Discography
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Studio albums
- 1979: Gravest Hits (EP)
- 1980: Songs the Lord Taught Us
- 1981: Psychedelic Jungle
- 1986: A Date With Elvis
- 1990: Stay Sick
- 1991: Look Mom, No Head!
- 1994: Flame Job
- 1997: Big Beat from Badsville
- 2003: Fiends of Dope Island
Other albums
- 1983: Off the Bone (compilation)
- 1983: Smell of Female (Live)
- 1984: Bad Music for Bad People (compilation)
- 1987: Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand XXX (Live)
- 2004: How to Make a Monster ( demos & live recordings)
Singles
- 1978: The Way I Walk / Surfin 'Bird
- 1978: Human Fly / Domino
- 1980: Fever / Garbageman
- 1980: Drug Train / Garbageman
- 1980: Drug Train / Love Me / I Can Hardly Stand It
- 1981: Goo Goo Muck / She Said
- 1981: The Crusher / Save It / New Kind of Kick
- 1984: Faster Pussycat / You Got Good Taste
- 1984: I Ain't Nuthin 'But a Gorehound / Weekend on Mars
- 1985: Can your Pussy Do the Dog? / Blue moon baby
- 1986: Kizmiaz / Get off the Road
- 1986: What's Inside a Girl? / Get off the road
- 1990: Bikini Girls with Machine Guns / Jackyard Backoff
- 1990: All Women are Bad / Teenage Rage
- 1990: Creatures from the Black Leather Lagoon / Jailhouse Rock
- 1991: Eyeball in my Martini / Wilder Wilder Faster Faster
- 1992: Dames, Booze, Chains And Boots / It's Mighty Crazy / Jelly Roll Rock / Shombolar
- 1994: Ultra Twist! / Cofessions of a Psycho Cat
- 1995: Naked Girl Falling down the Stairs / Let's Get Fucked up / Surfin´ Bird (live)
- 1997: Like a Bad Girl Should / Wet Nightmare
- 2003: Big Black Witchcraft Rock / Butcher Pete
Music videos
- 1978: Human Fly
- 1979: Garbageman
- 1990: Bikini Girls With Machine Guns
- 1990: Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon
- 1994: Ultra Twist
- 1994: Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs
- 1997: Like a Bad Girl Should
literature
- Ian Johnston: The Wild Wild World of The Cramps . Omnibus Press, London, 1990. ISBN 0-7119-2350-7 .
Individual evidence
- ^ Obituary in the Los Angeles Times, February 4, 2009
- ↑ a b Chart sources: UK
- ↑ Music Sales Awards: UK
Web links
- Official website
- The Cramps at Allmusic (English)
- German fansite
- The Cramps at laut.de