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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZCRAMPS'Deviant rockabilly' punk band formed in 1975 NYC: Lux Interior, vocals (b Erick Purkhiser, Stow OH; d 11 February 2009 aged 62, Glendale CA); 'Poison' Ivy Rorschach, guitar (Krist Wallace); Bryan Gregory, guitar; Pam Gregory, drums (no bass). Lux picked up Ivy hitchhiking in California in the early 1970s; they bonded over pop culture and moved to New York '75. Their first gig was audition at CBGB's '76; they didn't record until 'The Way I Walk' '78 on their own Vengeance label, Pam replaced by Nick Knox on drums. They got TV coverage for their bizarre appearance, Interior like a crazed Elvis, Rorschach in lamé. 'Human Fly' was the second single on Vengeance; they signed to IRS '79 after making demos with UK guitarist Chris Spedding (ex-Wombles, Sex Pistols sideman). Gravest Hits '79 reflected the stage set of past years, including a demented version of 'Surfin' Bird' ('64 Trashmen hit), produced along with Songs The Lord Taught Us '80 by Alex Chilton. IRS (proprietor Miles Copeland) got them valuable exposure supporting Police and garnered an intense cult following in Europe; they were featured in Copeland's video/LP extravaganza Urgh! A Music War. Kid Congo (Brian Tristan, ex-Gun Club; aka Kid Congo Powers, or just Congo Powers) replaced Bryan Gregory for Psychedelic Jungle '81, second or third LP depending whether five-song Gravest Hits was a mini-LP or maxi-EP. Off The Bone '83 showcased the best of their output to date as they left IRS/Illegal, including three tracks from an EP also issued that year, as well as 'Goo Goo Muck'. They continued on their shock/rockabilly course (on Big Beat label UK) with live Smell Of Female '83 and A Date With Elvis '86, the latter including a UK indie hit 'Can Your Pussy Do The Dog'. (Elvis was considered by many their best album, but it was not released in the USA until 1990.) Further albums were What's Inside A Ghoul '88 on Pow Wow; Bad Music For Bad People '89 on IRS; CD-EP Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon (including 'Jackyard Backoff') and album Stay Sick! both '90 on Enigma; Look Mom No Head '92 on Big Beat, Flamejob '94 on the Medicine Label. Appearing as a guest DJ on a radio show in 1979, Lux had been asked about the music, and replied, 'Rock'n'Roll has absolutely nothing to do with music. It's much more than music. Rock'n'roll is who you are. You can't call the Cramps music. It's noise, rockin' noise.' In 2002 he was the voice of a character on TV's SpongeBob SquarePants; he was also the lead singer of an all-bird band called the Bird Brains. |