44 years ago
Songs the Lord Taught Us is the first album by the American punk rock band The Cramps, released in May 1980 includes the single 'Garbageman.
In memory of Nicholas George Stephanoff aka Nick Knox, American longtime drummer for the influential psychobilly punk rock band the Cramps, born on this day in 1953, Cleveland, Ohio.
In memory of Gregory Beckerleg aka Bryan Gregory, American rock musician, guitarist and founding member of The Cramps, born on this day in 1951, Detroit, Michigan.
Today 71 years old 💝
Happy Birthday to the one and only Kristy Marlana Wallace aka Poison Ivy Rorschach, co-founder of the American punk rock band The Cramps, born on this day 1953 in San Bernardino, California.
In memory of punk rock legend Erick Lee Purkhiser aka Lux Interior, singer and founding member of The Cramps, who died on this day in 2009 at the age of 62
38 years ago
A Date with Elvis is the third studio album by the American punk rock band The Cramps, released in February 1986, including the singles "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" and "What's in a girl?"
#GreatAlbums1980s - #TheCramps – Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980). The Cramps breathed oddness into everything – from Lux Interior's slithering gyrations to Poison Ivy's stilettoed strut. The overall vibe was of a rockabilly act teleported to some weirder, hotter planet.
"TV Set," "Garbageman" and "Zombie Dance" are original songs with enough menace to outstrip the toughest punks. Tributes to the Sonics, R&R Trio and Link Wray prowl the alleys of early rock and roll.
#knowyourroots
The earliest line-up of the legendary Cramps in 1976, consisting of Lux Interior, Poison Ivy, Bryan Gregory and his sister Pam Balaam as the drummer.
Artist: The Cramps (Lux Interior, he/him; Poison Ivy, she/her)
Why?
For Halloween, I decided to do something a bit different. The artists today never identified as trans as far as I know, but were so campy in queering gender and aggressively gender non-conforming that they embody the wider meaning of transgressing the gender binary.
Today, I am going to give you a crash course in THE CRAMPS!
The lead singer, Lux Interior (he/him), and lead guitar, Poison Ivy (she/her), fell in love over their shared passion as record collectors of classic blues and rock-n-roll, as well as a love for B-movie horror films. This led them to get married and form a band that basically created the genre of "psychobilly," also cementing other subgenres like "punkabilly." I think it's also fair to credit them with inspiring the aesthetics of later goth and emo scenes, as well.
Lastly, I also want to suggest people check out a video essay about the Cramps by A Grrrl's Two Sound Cents. It really highlights what was amazing about this band, how absolutely brilliant and hypnotizing Poison Ivy's guitar virtuosity is, and the abosolute unrestrained play of Lux Interior on stage.
I think it's interesting the way their journey maps onto so many queer people's stories. Lux was from Ohio but escaped to California for college where he met his brilliant and beautiful wife and bandmate, Ivy. They brought their musical circus to New York in the late 70s and were a core part of the emerging punk scene, blowing open the possibilities of what punk could be. They later settled in West Hollywood, where Lux started wearing heels and breaking gender.