The Cramps

The Cramps is an American group of music formed in 1975 and always in activity.

Throughout their long career, although they were classified in various categories by their fans and the musical journalists with the liking of the modes, they are defined themselves as a group of Rock-and-roll, in the sound as in the spirit, but their sound remains the definition even Psychobilly. Their acknowledged initial goal was to carry out the crossing between Carl Perkins and The Shadows off Knight. The basic receipt is simple: A good amount of rockabilly (Carl Perkins), of 60 ' S punk (Shadows off Knight), a suspicion of Psychédélisme, energy Punk, add to that of drug, the sex, the horror of series B, shake the whole and the turn is played.

History

The history of Cramps is the history of the couple Lux Interior and Poison Ivy and the origin of Cramps is their first meeting in 1972 with Los Angeles or Lux, then called Erik Lee Purkisher takes in stop Ivy Rorschach. They are discovered a common passion for the subculture of the 45 turns rock'n'roll' roll rare and obscure, the B films and all that is Trash, well before that is the fashion.
Tired insults of the hippies of the vicinity each time they leave downtown, they decide to turn over to Akron, Ohio, where Lux was born. D' Akron, it often make the voyage 9 hours of road towards New York to see the Ramones in concert with CBGB, club now mythical of New York, cradle of the movement Punk. They decide to form The Cramps, choosing this name because it evokes the violent pain.

In September 1975, they take the great step and move in New York where Lux works at a record dealer and Ivy in a club. The colleague of Lux, Greg Beckerleg is coincidentally also somebody with the same odd tastes and it was born the same day as Ivy. The three are made to get along. When Greg hears of the Cramps project he asks to form part of it. The following day it returns with a guitar of occasion of which it cannot play, and the pseudonym of Bryan Gregory. They miss a beater, problem quickly solved by Brian Gregory of a telephone call to his/her sister Pamela Beckerleg. This one proposes for the station, even if it does not have any experience and joint on the matter the group under the name of WFP Balam.
The fact that Cramps did not have a appointed bass player drew the attention at their beginnings. In fact very often Bryan Gregory played of the parts of low on its guitar.
WFP Balam throws sponge shortly after during the summer and is replaced by Miram Linna.
Their first concert is done with the CBGB on November 1st 1976 in first part of The Dead Boys. Inexperience makes them equip their guitars with new cords and thus play the désaccordé concert. The owner of the CBGB prohibits to them to go up on scene.
The following concerts with the max Kansas City, another mythical club of New York, occur better and attract the sympathy of Ramones which enable them to return to play to CBGB. About the middle of 1977, Miriam Linna leaves the group and is replaced by Nick Knox. Their first recording, left in 1978 on their own label Revenge Records, is one 45 turns, `' The Way I Walk'', soon followed `' Human Fly''. These titles appear on the mini-album `' Gravest hits''.
In 1979, they are signed on IRS.
They record with Memphis with Alex Chilton with the orders as a producer the album `' Songs the Lord Taught custom'' which leaves beginning 1980.
Brian Gregory then leaves in its turn the in May 1980 group, not to join a worship of sorcery as IRS for advertizing reasons claimed it, but to form another group with a girlfriend.
Cramps move then for Los Angeles. They replace Bryan Gregory by Brian Tristan, then guitarist of the Gun Club that Lux and Ivy rename Kid Congo Powers .
The new formation records `' Psychedelic Jungle'' which leaves in 1981. The sound is less violent than for the first album and the rates/rhythms are in general slower. But the insanity remains present, more larval than frantic. The disc like the precedent, balances original pieces with recoveries 50' S Rockabilly and 60' S Punk. The album is also the beginning of the problems with the recording company and start legal procedures against this one.

In 1983, IRS leaves the album Off The Bone . Cramps as for them off leave Smell Female in the circuit the independent labels (Big Beat, New Pink,…). This Live disc recorded in New York with the Peppermint Lounge, is also the end for Kid Congo Powers which is not any more in a position to play in Cramps and which turns over to join Gun Club. It is temporarily replaced by Ike Knox, a cousin of Nick Knox which will not remain.
The album `' on date with Elvis'' is recorded in 1985 in trio, Ivy posing with a wig on the small pocket of the disc as bass player.
Candy del Mar joined them in 1986. It is bass player and contrary to number of the preceding members, it can play of its instrument. Cramps now have a rhythm section which holds the road.
In 1990, Nick Knox leaves in its turn the group.

The members exchange themselves and the albums are connected during the Années 1990 and Cramps does not generate any more interest but for one group of fans which decreases with the passing of years. It is necessary to await the beginning of the Années 2000, with the return of interest for the Rock garage so that their importance is recognized and that a public more, all things considered, returns towards them.

Members of the group

Poison Ivy Rorschach, guitar, low
Lux Interior, Song
Bryan Gregory, Guitar
WFP Balam, Battery, 1976
Myriam Linna, Battery, 1977
Nick Knox, Battery, 1978-1990
Harry Drumdini, Battery
Kid Congo Powers, Guitar
Candy Del Mar, Low
Slim Chance, Low
Franklin, Low Chopper

Discography

Gravest Hits, 1979, mini-LP, IRS
Songs The Lord Taught Custom, 1980, LP, Illegal
Psychedelic Jungle, 1981, LP, IRS
Smell Off Female, 1983, mini-LP, New Pink
Faster Pussycat, 1983, Individual, New Pink
Off The Bone, 1983, LP, Illegal
Edge Your Pussy C The Dog, 1985, EP, New Pink
on Date With Elvis, 1986, LP, New Pink
Get Off The Road, 1986, EP, Planet
Rockinnreelininaucklandnewzealandxxx, 1987, LP Revenge
What' S inside has Ghoul, 1988, Pow Wow
Bad Music for Bad People, 1989, CD, IRS
Bikini Girls With Machine Guns, 1990, SP, Enigma
Creature From The Black Leather Lagoon, 1990, SP, Enigma
Stay Sick!, 1990, CD, Enigma
Look Mom No Head!, 1991, CD, The Cramps
Blues Fix, 1992, CDEP, Happy Big
Flamejob, 1994, CD, Medicine
Happy Big From Badsville, 1997, CD, Epitaph
Fiends Off Additive Island, 2003, CD, Vengeance
How To Make has Monster, 2004, CD, Vengeance

Videotex

Live At Napa State Mental Hospital, 2004, DVD

External bonds

Official site of Cramps

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