.
. . . .. . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . "life is short. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . ... & full of stuff"
. . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . .. (the cramps)
"LUX INTERIOR, lead singer of influential garage-punk act THE CRAMPS, died Wednesday morning (February 4) due to an existing heart condition, according to a statement from the band's publicist. He was 62." (LA Times, Wednesday, 2/4/09)
"you ain't no punk, you punk!
.you wanna talk about the real junk?"
. (the cramps)
I first stumbled onto The Cramps in 1979 on the very first weekend after I moved to Kent, Ohio to start graduate school at Kent State University. Finding where my classrooms were located could wait. My first job was to locate the coolest record store. That happened to be the Kent Community Store - the *only* record store in town.
This was a pretty heady time for music in northeastern Ohio and so I was hoping that maybe I would stumble onto The Dead Boys hanging out at the record store, or better yet - maybe Devo standing around (still film students at Kent State at the time i believe), or better still - Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, outside the record store leaning on a parking meter in her black leather pants, or better yet -
. . .
"leanin' on a parkin' meter
humpin' on a parkin' meter"
(patti smith)
Uh - sorry about that. I was trying to think of something better than a 1979 Chrissie Hynde in black leather pants leaning on a parking meter and I kinda drew a blank.
Unfortunately, there was no such rock star sighting when I entered the store. Just some *very large* customer with an oddly effiminate voice (imagine Truman Capote crossed with Andy Warhol) dropping off a big stack of 7 inch 45s.
However, there *was* this incredible song playing on the store stereo. It was some whacked-out guy with a psycho-Elvis voice (Presley that is) singing:
"Well, I'm a human fly, that's spelled f-l-y
I say 'buzz-buzz-buzz' and it's just becuzz
Yes I'm a human fly and I don't know why
I got ninety-six tears in ninety-six eyes"
I immediately walked up to the counter and asked the clerk what was playing and he said: "This is "Human Fly" - it's from the new 6 song EP by The Cramps called "Gravest Hits."
I said "I'll take one please."
After looking around a bit more I started towards the door and the very large customer dropping off the 45s at the counter kind of nodded at me.
I returned later that week and the same guy was working and he asked "So - you enjoying that Cramps record you bought?" I said "Absolutely - it's great stuff."
We small-talked a bit more and then I asked "I'm just curious - who was that big guy that was in here dropping off those 45s the other day?" The counter guy says "Oh, that was Crocus Behemoth from Rocket From The Tombs - except he's gone back to his real name David Thomas and has a band called Pere Ubu now."
It wasn't until later that I learned that Rocket From The Tombs was *thee* number one early/mid-70s punk band from the Cleveland, and that Pere Ubu were already well on their way to becoming arguably Ohio's most influential/least known band ever.
So that's how I discovered The Cramps, with some added details/name dropping to juice my street cred just a tad.
I would like to now fast forward about 20 years to this interesting piece of Cramps trivia.
The tall, red-haired woman that played the killer psychobilly lead guitar for the band was Poison Ivy. Ms. Ivy and the late Lux Interior were married for 37 years (alright!). For the past 15 years or so they operated a small vintage clothing/50's kitsch store in northern California within driving distance of my good pal Sylvia's house.
Pretty cool, eh?
By the way, The Cramps first full length album "Songs The Lord Taught Us" from 1982 comes with my highest recommendation. It is without question in my top 25 albums of all-time - wild & wicked psychobilly coupled with some absolutely hilarious lyrics. "Gravest Hits" (1979) and "Psychedelic Jungle" (1984?) are also outstanding.
The band released a slew of albums after that, but unfortunately they sort of drifted into self-parody. Although a few of those releases contain a killer track or two, I would steer clear of most of the later albums.
Below is a brief video tribute to Lux Interior. There's quite a few more on youtube. Unfortunately there are not any really quality performances of "Human Fly" available on video.
I would normally say "Rest In Peace," but I can't imagine that would be anything that Lux Interior would want, so I'll just say "Thanks for doing it right" instead.
"Tear It Up" (live):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ4QLFl01g
"LUX INTERIOR, lead singer of influential garage-punk act THE CRAMPS, died Wednesday morning (February 4) due to an existing heart condition, according to a statement from the band's publicist. He was 62." (LA Times, Wednesday, 2/4/09)
"you ain't no punk, you punk!
.you wanna talk about the real junk?"
. (the cramps)
I first stumbled onto The Cramps in 1979 on the very first weekend after I moved to Kent, Ohio to start graduate school at Kent State University. Finding where my classrooms were located could wait. My first job was to locate the coolest record store. That happened to be the Kent Community Store - the *only* record store in town.
This was a pretty heady time for music in northeastern Ohio and so I was hoping that maybe I would stumble onto The Dead Boys hanging out at the record store, or better yet - maybe Devo standing around (still film students at Kent State at the time i believe), or better still - Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders, outside the record store leaning on a parking meter in her black leather pants, or better yet -
. . .
"leanin' on a parkin' meter
humpin' on a parkin' meter"
(patti smith)
Uh - sorry about that. I was trying to think of something better than a 1979 Chrissie Hynde in black leather pants leaning on a parking meter and I kinda drew a blank.
Unfortunately, there was no such rock star sighting when I entered the store. Just some *very large* customer with an oddly effiminate voice (imagine Truman Capote crossed with Andy Warhol) dropping off a big stack of 7 inch 45s.
However, there *was* this incredible song playing on the store stereo. It was some whacked-out guy with a psycho-Elvis voice (Presley that is) singing:
"Well, I'm a human fly, that's spelled f-l-y
I say 'buzz-buzz-buzz' and it's just becuzz
Yes I'm a human fly and I don't know why
I got ninety-six tears in ninety-six eyes"
I immediately walked up to the counter and asked the clerk what was playing and he said: "This is "Human Fly" - it's from the new 6 song EP by The Cramps called "Gravest Hits."
I said "I'll take one please."
After looking around a bit more I started towards the door and the very large customer dropping off the 45s at the counter kind of nodded at me.
I returned later that week and the same guy was working and he asked "So - you enjoying that Cramps record you bought?" I said "Absolutely - it's great stuff."
We small-talked a bit more and then I asked "I'm just curious - who was that big guy that was in here dropping off those 45s the other day?" The counter guy says "Oh, that was Crocus Behemoth from Rocket From The Tombs - except he's gone back to his real name David Thomas and has a band called Pere Ubu now."
It wasn't until later that I learned that Rocket From The Tombs was *thee* number one early/mid-70s punk band from the Cleveland, and that Pere Ubu were already well on their way to becoming arguably Ohio's most influential/least known band ever.
So that's how I discovered The Cramps, with some added details/name dropping to juice my street cred just a tad.
I would like to now fast forward about 20 years to this interesting piece of Cramps trivia.
The tall, red-haired woman that played the killer psychobilly lead guitar for the band was Poison Ivy. Ms. Ivy and the late Lux Interior were married for 37 years (alright!). For the past 15 years or so they operated a small vintage clothing/50's kitsch store in northern California within driving distance of my good pal Sylvia's house.
Pretty cool, eh?
By the way, The Cramps first full length album "Songs The Lord Taught Us" from 1982 comes with my highest recommendation. It is without question in my top 25 albums of all-time - wild & wicked psychobilly coupled with some absolutely hilarious lyrics. "Gravest Hits" (1979) and "Psychedelic Jungle" (1984?) are also outstanding.
The band released a slew of albums after that, but unfortunately they sort of drifted into self-parody. Although a few of those releases contain a killer track or two, I would steer clear of most of the later albums.
Below is a brief video tribute to Lux Interior. There's quite a few more on youtube. Unfortunately there are not any really quality performances of "Human Fly" available on video.
I would normally say "Rest In Peace," but I can't imagine that would be anything that Lux Interior would want, so I'll just say "Thanks for doing it right" instead.
"Tear It Up" (live):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCQ4QLFl01g
"The Way I Walk" (live - Napa State Mental Hospital):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2i-g8ZycNU
[Note: see youtube (or me!) for more of The Cramps legendary performance at The Napa State Mental Hospital]
"i was a teenage werewolf
braces on my fangs
i was a teenage werewolf
and no one even said thanks.
a midwest monster
of the highest grade
and all my teachers
thought it was growing pains"
(the cramps)
"my daddy drives a UFO
he drops me off
& then he goes"
(the cramps)
"yeah i'm just what you need
when you're down in the dumps
one half hillbilly and one half punk
big long legs and one big mouth
the hottest thing from the north
to come out of the south . . .
so stick out your can
'cause i'm the garbageman"
(the cramps)
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2i-g8ZycNU
[Note: see youtube (or me!) for more of The Cramps legendary performance at The Napa State Mental Hospital]
"i was a teenage werewolf
braces on my fangs
i was a teenage werewolf
and no one even said thanks.
a midwest monster
of the highest grade
and all my teachers
thought it was growing pains"
(the cramps)
"my daddy drives a UFO
he drops me off
& then he goes"
(the cramps)
"yeah i'm just what you need
when you're down in the dumps
one half hillbilly and one half punk
big long legs and one big mouth
the hottest thing from the north
to come out of the south . . .
so stick out your can
'cause i'm the garbageman"
(the cramps)
.
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