Erick Lee Purkhiser, better known as Lux Interior, was an American singer and founding member of the iconic punk rock band The Cramps from 1976 until his death in 2009. He was 62 years old at the time of his death. Lux Interior, who introduced the excitement of deviant rockabilly to the punk era as the lead singer of the Cramps, died early Wednesday at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California. The cause of his death was an existing heart condition.
The Cramps were founded in New York around 1976 by Lux Interior. The band’s leader, who was the ultimate showman, threw himself around the stage and his growl hiccuped like Buddy Holly. Rumors of the death of Interor began to surface yesterday, with the song “Poison” being one of the wildest frontmen ever. Lux Interior, born Erick Lee Purkhiser, started the band.
Lux Interior died at Glendale Memorial Hospital of a heart condition, according to a statement from his publicist, Aleix Martinez. The cause of death was heart failure, said Aleix Martinez. The Cramps were founded in New York around 1976 by Lux Interior.
In 1987, it was widely rumored that Interior died from a heroin overdose, and his wife received flowers and funeral wreaths. Lux Interior was known for wearing his interior on the outside, with any skeletons that might have lurked in his closet paraded on stage.
📹 Lux & Ivy: The Cramps Love Story (Full Documentary)
To Beverly Hills 90210, and the untimely death of Lux Interior. Thank you to DAVID J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) for appearing …
What happened to Lux the singer?
On February 4, 2009, Lux Interior, a celebrated vocalist and composer, succumbed to an aortic dissection at the age of 62.
How old is Lux Interior?
On Wednesday morning, Lux Interior, the 62-year-old lead singer of the Cramps, who is credited with introducing deviant rockabilly to the punk era, passed away in Glendale, California.
Were Lux and Ivy married?
Kristy Marlana Wallace, also known as Poison Ivy or Poison Ivy Rorschach, is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, producer, and occasional vocalist who co-founded the rock band The Cramps. Born in San Bernardino, California, she was raised near Sacramento and met future Cramps singer Lux Interior in 1972. They moved to Akron, Ohio, and New York City in 1974, and in 1976, they began performing as The Cramps.
They gained a reputation for their rockabilly-inspired music and wild live performances. The Cramps continued to release records and perform live until 2006, enjoying commercial success mainly in Europe and a strong cult following worldwide.
Are the cramps punk or goth?
The Cramps were an American punk rock band formed in 1976, active until 2009. They were part of the early CBGB punk rock movement in New York and were known for their pioneering work in psychobilly and gothic rock. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior, who passed away in 2009. The Cramps were known for their influence on early gothic rock bands. Their members included Rick Purkhiser on vocals, Kristy Wallace on guitar, and Harry Drumdini on drums.
How did Lux Interior meet his wife?
The Cramps, a punk band, was founded by Steve Ivy and his wife Kristy Wallace in 1972. They moved from California to Ohio in 1973 and New York in 1975, where they became part of the flourishing punk scene. The name “Lux Interior” was inspired by an old car commercial and a vision she received in a dream. The band’s musical style was described as psychobilly and gothabilly, a term used in Johnny Cash’s song “One Piece at a Time”.
Interior was known for his frenetic and provocative stage show, featuring high heels, near-nudity, and sexually suggestive movements. His speciality was the microphone blow job, where he could get the entire head of an SM-58 microphone into his mouth. The Cramps gave their last show in November 2006.
Was Dance Moms scripted?
In a recent interview, Payton Ackerman, a former contestant on the reality TV show “The Apprentice,” asserted that the program was not entirely scripted but underwent significant editing. She asserted that her mother and she were depicted as antagonists from the outset and even received threats of violence. Ackerman underscored the point that reality television is not scripted; rather, it is a reflection of reality.
What happened to Lux at Valerie’s house?
Lux, a young girl, was placed in the care of Valerie Gilbert, whose husband Trey mistreated her and threatened her if she didn’t comply. Lux hit Trey with a lamp and suffered a stroke due to her heart condition, which led to dysgraphia and abandonment issues. She kept these secrets until Tasha’s trial against Trey for assault.
Lux believed Cate would return for her, but 15 years later, it seemed unlikely. She and Natasha formed a plan to get emancipated and live with their boyfriends Gavin and Bug. Just before her 16th birthday, Lux is trying to get her emancipation paperwork together to get out of the foster placement system. She hunts down her birth father Baze to get release forms signed, and when Tracy (Baze’s girlfriend at the time) tells her her birth mother is Cate Cassidy, the host of her favorite radio show, Baze realizes he is beginning to bond with her.
At Lux’s court hearing, the judge explains that no one would rent a jobless 16-year-old an apartment, so both birth parents offer to co-sign for her. However, the release signatures are not notarized, making them invalid. Instead, the judge grants joint custody to Baze and Cate, surprising the recently reunited trio.
Cate sees Lux outside of the Open Bar waiting for Baze, and she tells her that she will have a family.
What happened to the members of the Cramps?
The Cramps, an American rock band formed in 1976, were known for their psychobilly subgenre, which combines elements of punk rock with rockabilly. The band’s lineup rotated frequently, with Lux Interior and Poison Ivy being the only ever-present members. The first complete lineup was formed in April 1976 with the addition of guitarist Bryan Gregory and drummer Pam Balam. The band released their debut album Songs the Lord Taught Us in 1980. However, the band split after lead singer Interior’s death in 2009.
Does Lux ever call Cate mom?
In the series, Cate shares a distant relationship with Lux, who initially blames her father for her miserable childhood. However, as the series progresses, they become closer and Lux starts to see her more as a mother. In the final episode, Lux and Cate bond when Lux learns she will be the only child Cate can ever have after losing her baby with Ryan.
Laverne’s relationship with Cate is negative, similar to that of Baze’s dad. The extremes of this relationship are revealed in season 2’s episode Music Faced, which reveals Laverne did not want Cate when she had her and pressured her into giving Lux away. However, their relationship does not entirely change, and her absence at her granddaughter’s graduation questions whether Cate truly reconciles with her mother.
Cate’s sibling rivalry with her younger sister, Abby, changes when she gets pregnant with Lux. She wishes someone would have been there for her, but she doesn’t attend Lux’s graduation. Grant, Cate’s father, is disappointed by his departure from his family and his anger towards Baze. When Cate, Lux, and Baze meet him in Lake Tahoe, he refuses to walk her down the aisle at her wedding, leaving Cate shattered.
Alice, Cate’s best friend, is her show’s producer. She may be one of the people she can share her feelings with, aside from Ryan. Season 1 of the show features various characters and themes, such as romance, family dynamics, and unexpected love.
What gender is Lux?
The name Lux is derived from the Latin word for “light” and can be a source of pride and love. The Latin root word “Lux” or “Luchs,” from which the name Lux is derived, can imbue the name with elements of poise and elegance. The name Lux has associations with both German and French, where it is understood to mean “lynx.” It is thought to be a possible variation of Luchs. Irrespective of its etymological provenance, the name Lux promises to illuminate one’s life.
What happened to Poison Ivy?
Poison Ivy, a woman with a mysterious power, believes her powers are killing children she cared for. She seeks Bruce Wayne’s help to reverse her powers and become a normal human being. Hush convinces her to take another serum to restore her powers, and she appears briefly in Robinson Park, killing corrupt cops who killed one of her orphans. One year later, Ivy is alive and active, controlling flora like Swamp Thing or Floronic Man. She resumes her crusade against corporate environmental enemies with a new fanaticism, viewing Batman as a “hindrance” rather than a main opponent.
After returning from a year-long absence, Batman discovers that Ivy has been feeding people, including “tiresome lovers”, “incompetent henchmen”, and those who returned her smile, to a giant plant. In an unprecedented event, her victims’ souls merge with the plant, creating a botanical monster called Harvest. With Batman’s intervention, Ivy is saved, but her whereabouts remain unknown.
📹 Lux Interior Explains Where Real Rock ‘n’ Roll Comes From
Lux explains why Archie and The Bunkers do their thing… https://www.facebook.com/archieandthebunkersofficial/
I saw The Cramps when I was 16 and I am 51 now. I had been listening to Bad Music for Bad People for a few years at that point but had never seen what they looked like and had no idea what to expect. The first site I got of Lux was him coming out on stage which I was right up against and he just walked right out and spit wine all over us. Ivy had a on a gold bikini and there was red pubic hair hanging out all over the place. I left the show bleeding and with a busted lip from being punched in the mouth by a guy with a Liberty spike Mohawk and cut my hand on a busted beer bottle from slipping and falling on the glass from the beer on the floor. I also involuntarily learned what the sweat from another man’s back tasted like. It was the best show I have ever seen.
I catered for the cramps and they were beautiful people. Their catering Ryder demanded that all left overs must be donated to a local food bank. Ivy called the venue I worked at the next day to ensure that it was in fact donated. I received the call just after I got back from the food bank. They were beautiful!
Peter Crowley told me that when he saw that CBGB audition he thought “Everythjng they didn’t know, they could learn, and everything they did know couldn’t be taught”. In all my years in this business that’s probably my favorite quote about a band. He also told them he’d only give them a gig if they bought a tuner for their guitars. He said they came to his office all excited because they’d found one in a dumpster by Manny’s. They showed him the tuner and he gave them the gig. One of my favorite bands of all time. Thanks so much for making this film!
No one ever believes that I saw the Cramps at Napa State Hospital, but I did. I grew up in Napa, three generations of my family worked at the hospital at one time or another. A buddy of mine got wind of the Cramps doing a show there through a San Francisco D.J. friend of his. Long story short, the show was outside and you could hear a mile away, we simply walked in, and it was great!
As a kid that was into metal and punk, Cramps was my gateway band into rockabilly, surf, garage and the blues. I remember as a long haired teenager with my leather jacket covered in metal and punk pins first listening to the Cramps at a friend’s house, my jaw fell open and my eyes rolled into the back of my head. This sounded like the stuff my parents and grandparents played on the record table when I was a kid but it was twisted. Been a Cramps fan ever since.
I met Lux & Ivy over at a party at Ray Zone’s house in Los Angeles. They were the friendliest, most open people, the opposite of their stage personas. A few of us were smoking weed over to one side and Lux came over. “Ah, hippy pot!” he said. “Yeah, ya want some?” I said. “Sure!” Was his reply. Very nice people, indeed!
I met Lux at a show in Hollywood, ’99. Being from Iowa and seeing Cramps 12″ singles going for $25 each (I know), and drinking all day, I saw him in the crowd at a show that night. I came up on him and said “I ALMOST bought one of your records today but they were too expensive!” He pinched my arm and “Ya skin flint!” We both laughed. A cherished memory.
Are you guys ready for the best intimate Cramps show ever?? So in 2002 i went to see the Cramps on 2nd street in Seattle. I was hanging out with the Makers a lot and was gonna catch ’em at the Cramps show. I was instantly mesmerized by Lux’s vocals and Poison’s cramped super reverberated Gretsch. I went right in front of her and drooled accordingly. Towards the end of the show I decided to get in front of Lux and help him scream his dirty lyrics. He kept putting the mic in front of me to help him sing the chorus in their songs. Apparently Lux was digging my enthusiasm as i screamed with him. At some point he grabbed me by my neck and pulled me on stage. He proceeded to knaw on my head like he was a zombie. When a zombie eats your brains you die, so i died. Im laying dead on stage as Lux props a proper heart extract out of my chest and proceeded to feed my heart to some sexy punk rock chicks up front. At this point Poison was going off with a real Linkish solo and came over to my lifeless corpse and started to pee on my face. So I did what any rockabilly dude would do if Poison Ivy peed on you face, I drank like I had never drank before. As i violently lapped my tongue I came to life but i was bitten by Lux as a zombie so now im a zombie so i zombied my way off stage back into the crowd. Thank you for the best show Ive ever been to, The Cramps!!!
First saw them 85 on the A Date with Elvis tour at Liverpool aged 15. Saw them 6 times in total all in the UK. Still to this day one my favourite bands, got 3 Cramps tattoos, most of their vinyl, a stack load of Tshirts and a photo signed by Lux and Poison Ivy. The Cramps live on in the hearts of many who “got” them 🤘
Erick Perkheiser has a son from a previous marriage and he’s my best friend for 25 years. I met the cramps on the Cleveland stops on the Fiends From Dope Island tour and the one before that. I worked midnights at a grocery store with him, and referred to him as “Lux Jr”, then one we went to the Beachland met everybody. His uncle Mike will back this story up. Canton/Akron area of Ohio.(as far as Erick having a son ect. )
Superb article! Ghoulardi is the father of Paul Thomas Anderson who directed “Boogie Nights” and “There Will Be Blood” among other great movies. I never saw The Cramps live because they played 21 and up venues in my region, but I was/still am a massive fan. I wore black vinyl leggings throughout high school because of their influence on my little hick self. One of my prized possessions is a copy of “A Date With Elvis” on colored vinyl with a tour poster enclosed from 1984. I found it at a record store in Kentucky era 1996, I was 15!
I saw the Cramps at the University of Utah in the late 80s (?) and it was just fantastic, over the top and fun… I never missed a Cramps show after that and saw them live several times. I had tickets to a show at Club DV8 in 2003 but it was cancelled due to some problem the club had with permits… I was totally bummed out. I have a wide variety of musical taste (being a musician and artist) and over the years punk became boring but I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the Cramps… they are one of the greatest bands in my book. Thanks 👍💯🔥
Saw the Cramps around 2001 or something, watched the sound guys tape 3 mic stands up with duct tape before the show. When the show started, lux had destroyed 2 of the mic stands, drank an entire bottle of wine, and was hanging from the ceiling rafters within seconds of the show starting. Lux bent one of the mic stands into a U shape and threw it over one of the rafters and created handle bars that he could swing around over the audience with, all while the mic was shoved into his mouth! Somehow I ended up with one of those destroyed mic stands at the end of the show, one of the bouncers gave it to me. I could not for the life of me bend it back into shape, it sat in the corner of my studio for years.
The Cramps. I still wear my concert shirts. Lux signed my Big Beat at the show. Told him Flamejob was his masterpiece at the tour bus. They were a great band. If anything Ivy could do comic cons and sell autographs. People are cleaning up doing it and I’m sure the fans would love to talk to her. Great article I enjoyed it.
The Cramps are Thee Only Band for some of us, thanks for this well researched doc. You did great considering you were using Porter’s book so much. I’m sure you used the FB pages etc too. The Cramps are truly difficult to keep up with. I was impressed with your band member correctness, felt badly for you & your Excel spreadsheet 😂 Just another way being CRAMPED makes you part of the gang too. The history, lore, endless band changes and labels… Knowing you’ll never get to see them live again hurts like you can’t describe to someone who hasn’t spent all their money, time & life doing just that. It made your life better until next tour. You waited it out for the next album, hoped the tour was in your favor. Family and friends knew. Cramps on tour? So are you. It was the best times I ever had, with all the best people I knew. Rawk In Panties Lux. See you on Mars 🖤✨🛸
I was mad for The Cramps in my mid teens, a bonafide member of the fan club after sending a stamped addressed envelope to the address that was printed on the back cover of early pressings of the “Psychedelic Jungle” album. The first chance of seeing them was in 83 or 84 when Ike Knox was in them. They did a short tour of the UK, 7 gigs in 8 days. I managed to get to all 7 dates hitchhiking around the UK. Great concerts & a great time. I repurchased “Psychedelic Jungle” again last year & relived old memories.
Great doco mate!! A mate played The Way l Walk at High School breakup, in 78/79? I was hooked!! I was also one of the Aussies who’d been hanging out to see em… And it got cancelled!!! Saw em the next year 85(?).. at the Thebby.. Lux was drinking bottles of Rovalley Invalid Port…95¢ a bot back then!! My kids have grown up listening to their albums, and me crucifying their songs on guitar!! Thankyou for making this, and don’t eat stuff off the sidewalk!!
At a gig in Cardiff in the mid eighties Lux did his usual climbing on the speakers while singing Human Fly. Below he was shaking hands with people as i reached over to shake he kissed the back of my hand and immediately realised i wasnt one of they young ladies that were in front of me. He apologised and we both laughed as he saw I’d seen the funny side of it😂 59 still love the Cramps. Great article thanks for sharing it.
Such a great Documentary – thank you!! so many memories – I was obsessed with the Cramps for years. I come from the prehistoric era when you would hear about a band before actually knowing their music. I always thought they had such a cool name, look and logo but expected them to sound like the Misfits or something. I finally heard ‘A date with Elvis’ when I was 15 thanks to an older friend, and first saw them live in 1990 when I was 16 at Glasgow Barrowlands, I then discovered and got more and more into their back catalogue. I have to say I think “Stay Sick” was their last great stand.
I just discovered your website, Dennis. Great Cramps docu. Psychedelic Jungle was my first and is my favorite Cramps album. A classmate loaned me the tape back in 1987-ish. Nick Knox was such a great component to their throbbing, pulsing sound. Thanks for all the fascinating info and discography details, Dennis!
I saw the Cramps live a couple of times. The most memorable was a gig in Budapest, which began in a hail of strobes and Lux swinging the entire microphone stand around and around in circles over his head (they’re really heavy—have you ever picked one up?). People were freaking out and ducking out of the way because those microphone stand helicopters he was making were very uneven and someone could have gotten brained. Then they tore the house down. Great show—they never gave less than 110 percent. Lux and Ivy were the real thing. I feel lucky to have been a teenager in the 80s when they were in their prime
This is excellent Dennis, I’m stocked! You weave a most impressive history of the band and weaves for us a most fascinating story. I was also very impressed with your editing choices. Everything was well thought out a with seamless flow. I really dug your style of fonts you used in the different sections, specially the yellow ones. I also dug how you outlined the buildings and other props and. people in black to contrast with the backgrounds. I think I’ll have to watch it a couple more times to ‘get’ all the nuances you served up there. Definitely a more than on watch show! Congratulations! ~X~
Love The Cramps 💚 from the moment I heard ‘ Songs the Lord taught us’ probably the best album ever. Kissed Lux as he walked off stage in Wolverhampton back in the 80s. I’m 57 now & if I listened to the Cramps every day for the rest of my life I would never get bored of them fantastic guitar riffs 💚🎸🇬🇧💚
i saw the cramps firsr time in 1981 with the great brian on guitar .it was a double bill with siouxsie and the banshees .but cramps ruled 1 of the best gigs i ever saw. saw em a few years later with kid congo powers in londen..i was sitting in the 5 th row smoking a spliff and lux crawled over everyone.half naked..landed on my lap..during human fly..took my spliff..and passed me the microphone. and while he was lying on my lap smoking my spliff i had to sing the song.. it was insane .and the gig was crazy he hanging upside down on the huge speaker with the mike stuffed deep in his troath..going buzzz buzzz buzzzz grrrr..best live band in the world..saw em later..with candy on guitar. still great but i preffered the earlier gigs..and then in 2006 saw em again..lux looked insaner then ever..the band was totall killer i think w slim on guitar..absolute killer gig…the cramps where just the best .ever❤
Being a huge fan since I was 15Yo when I discovered them with “the human fly”, I saw them in Hammersith Palais in the late eighties while I was living in London (I’m French). Fur Dixon was in the band at the time & she was pretty good in her part, chewing gums during the entire gig that was monumental, with Ivy’s poisonous riffs, Lux hoping around from every corner half naked and Nick’s primal beats. Since then, I collected all their albums & those who inspired them. I’ll always love them, they were true & raw, & nobody compared ever since.
I met Lux before a show at the legendary Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa. He was at the back bar a couple hours before the show. I knew he was a stereo photography buff and I’m a photographer and so I just went up to him and struck up a conversation about his collection. He was so nice. We chatted for about 30 mins. Great job, Dennis.
I saw them in Albuquerque around 1998. I actually won tickets from a local radio station but was going anyway. Guitar Wolf opened for them. Awesome show. Lux had mic problems so he destroyed it by slamming it on the floor. He climbed atop a stack of amps and humped them at one point. He was dressed in a vinyl green suit like the Riddler on the 60s Batman show. Ivy wore a gold skintight suit with flakes in it. She didn’t move from where she stood, just doing her groove as she twisted back and forth. Sexy as hell. They were scorching that night, so good. I remember when I was in HS, ten years prior, at the local record store just getting into alternative music, the Bad Music for Bad People LP was always there and I never got it. When I later got into them I wished I had. Today I have a serigraph of a fictional Cramps album cover with Ivy, Lux, and a bug-eyed vampire in a coffin. I love them and wish I’d started listening to them earlier. My dad would have loved them cuz he was into what we’d now call Psychobilly. When Lux passed I was totally gutted. A bit like I am today, just losing Albini. Rare that a musician’s death hit me so. Bowie. Albini. And Lux. Just a great frontman for a great band. I listen to them all the time. They never disappoint. They are one of the rare bands that everyone respects, for good reason. I miss thgem.
Im 47. I saw the Cramps abunch of times. At 18 they were the guests on LoveLine on KROQ LA. I called and talked to yo Lux and Ivy on air….I was starstruck. They were promoting a show at Las Vegas University. With a couple pals I flew on my first plane from LA to Vegas and saw the Cramps with “They Might Be Giants”, Concrete Blonde, and co headlined with Tom Jones who cancelled for Letterman or Leno or something. Soon after I discovered that Bryan Gregory (who was kind of MIA at the time) was the district manager of 4 porno shops near Disneyland. I went there like a nerd with my albums in hand to be signed. He was wayyyyy cool. He looked crazy….crazier than he ever did un his Cramps years. He talked to me for a good couple of hours and offered me a job at one of the stores he managed. He trained me on cash register and I worked there for a few months. Store scandl got us all fired, ha. Bryan died a few years later. I met Lux at the very first Hootenanny Festival. Ivy flipped me off that day (lovingly). I always considered the Damned and The Cramps as my 2 favorite bands ever. I have tons of love for them.
-I saw thwm live in Sydney. And totally legit, I left there saying – “that is the best rhythmn guitar I have ever heard. The guitar chords of Ivy, were amazing. I was a raver then, and not expecting to be so impressed by the musical performance, I was totally impressed. I had friend who was a psychobillie, and I won’t say I was dragged there, but I wouldnt have gone, if My buddy Ant wasnt a total fan. I guess I am too now. Ant is dead, and if I remember anything about him, it was his constant quotes of the Cramps.
Love this and thank you!…BUT how could you mention the sanitarium concert without mentioning THEY WEREN’T EVEN INVITED!? That’s right folks, they showed up at a mental hospital and played a whole concert, and the employees just thought another employee must have forgotten to mention it. That story is what made me listen to their stuff, and they’re def a top 5 all-time fav.
Correction: Although the photograph on the cover of Smell Of Female does depict the original Peppermint Lounge, which was opened by Ralph Saggese, and was the place that Joey Dee & The Starlighters made famous, and where The Ronettes debuted, and where The Twist really exploded as a dance craze, and which was located at 128 West 45th Street; the truth is The Cramps did not record Smell of Female there. Where The Cramps played was The New Peppermint Lounge, which not only didn’t have the red walls, it was a much LARGER club than the original Peppermint Lounge had been. The new Peppermint Lounge opened in the 1980s, and was located at 100 5th Avenue. It was opened by Jim Fourratt, Rudolf Pieper, Frank Roccio and Tom Goodkind to be a New Wave rock club, mostly. The original Peppermint Lounge and the New Peppermint Lounge shared the name “Peppermint Lounge” but there was really little else in common between that 1960s club and this 1980s venue other than that they were both rock & roll clubs. I assume that the reason The Cramps used a photograph of the original 45th Street Peppermint Lounge for the album cover, rather than a photo of the new 5th Avenue Peppermint Lounge where they actually recorded the live record, was because the outside of the original Peppermint Lounge just looked much cooler!!! The exterior of the new Peppermint Lounge was drab in comparison. I also have never been to the original Peppermint Lounge where Joey Dee & The Starlighters were the regular house band.
I love the Live at Napa State Mental Hospital gig the most I’m working on a psychedelic visual re edit of it to consider posting on my non monetized for fans of music – website I just love perusal the one patient hop up n down w glee as lux interior looks on w pride and vigor as he howls from the stage ❤️ r.i.p. lux
Saw The Cramps back on February 29 (Leap Day), 1992 at The Graffiti in Pittsburgh, PA. (34 years ago this past week.) The Reverend Horton Heat opened. By the end of the show, Lux had lost every stitch of clothing save his high heels. It was the most disgraceful show I have ever witnessed. It was absolutely fantastic.
this is a wonderful story, bless you Dennis for telling it straight, you are an excellent story teller, I was a fan of theirs since late 70’s, seen them many times, they were the best band I ever seen and I seen Commander Cody (first show I seen) to Tom Waits (last show I seen) and everybody in between, punk, rock, country, Coachella, Perry Farrell at the Lhasa Club, Rajis, Al’s Bar, the Palomino, the Green Door and most of all the other clubs in So Cal, man I loved the Cramps. still do. thank you brother.
Well I missed The Cramps. Have some vynil records and I’ve been following them for many years. I’ve been to other “crazy live shows” like Iggy Pop or Jane’s Addiction, but I believe The Cramps have been one of the last real Rock N Roll bands (rockabilly & garage roots) most rebellious and on the knife edge. Definitely they had their own thing like no other.
Saw them live at the Thebby, Adelaide June 16, 1986 The Date With Elvis Tour. No colored lights, only really bright white lights behind them on stage. They were great! I remember the crowd booing when Lux threatened to pull down his spandex pants and squirting red wine (from his mouth) out between his legs. I remember the absolute snarly faces of Ivy and Fur the bass player who was wearing a bunny outfit. Harsh, loud and a good time.
The Stay Sick tour in New Haven CT….the encore (Birdfeed) found Lux on top of the speaker columns and banging his mike on the ceiling of Toads Place while Ivy just roared with pure feedback..this went on for about 15-20 minutes….one of the loudest shows I ever saw…… I was left wondering,”Do they do this every night?”
First time I listened to them was in 1989 in Brasil. I was 15 and started my journey into alternative rock. A friend got a tape that was a copy of a copy of a copy of Bad Music for bad People I guess, and we used to listen to it non-stop. At that times records were REALLY expensive to import and we had to rely on low quality tapes. Good times. 🙂
When I first heard them I loved their raw rythm jungle drum and fuzz guitar sound and off course Lux’s lunatic voice. But when I first went to one of their concerts I was in awe for the whole show, and fell in love. It was in the nineteen-ninetees and they had the same horrific shock on people as the first rock’n’roll Gods had like Little Richard, Elvis, Chuck Berry or Bo Diddley,just to name a few. But this was in the 90’s, I mean by that time the shock effect of Rock’n’Roll had worn off,dramaticly. Mainstream people had been through and overcome hard hits by then, like the Who smashing guitars,Alice cooper with his snakeshow, the Sex-Pistols insulting the Queen and Ozzy with his ridiculous chicken head thing, just to name a few. But when mainstream people saw The Cramps it hit them so hard that they didn’t know how to react. They also never ‘dressed-up’ for a show or tour: this was how they allways were. I consider myself a very lucky person to have seen them live many times! True Rock’n’Roll at it’s finest!
Saw them in Toronto. Masonic Temple. I was..18? Which makes it sometime about 1990? I knew some of their songs and liked them but wasn’t a massive fan or anything. They were late. Reverend Horton Heat played before them and it was ok….kept us all from going crazy. Then they came on. Flashy. Garish. Poison Ivy was gloriously uninterested. To my 18 year old brain she was about the coolest thing I’d ever seen…sexy as hell. But Lux and the energy of the place took it to the next level. He was in a red spandex bodysuit/leotard with black pumps when he came out. Over the course of the evening he downed a bunch of wine from multiple bottles until he smashed one and used a sharp edge to cut away the body suit and did the last few songs nude, likely pissed out of his mind. I became a fan than night. And it changed forever what I thought I knew about performance, art, and rock n roll. I’ve heard many very talented people play music over the years, but that show will ALWAYS stand out as one of the best ever. It set the bar. It rocked my world, and nobody else has ever come close.
I used to sell merchandise for most of the clubs in Boston as well as outside trash and vaudeville in the record canteen and CBGB and have literally seen thousands of bands play but the best show I ever saw was the cramps at the Roxy and we both stayed next door at the same Hotel I was in the elevator with poison ivy in lux interior on the way up…. 1971 I’ll have to go look at it poster of a date with Elvis
I SEEN ONE OF THERE LAST SHOWS AT THE HOUSE OF BLUES……in Hollywood……I didn’t know who they were really ….. years later I realized I had seen one of the most amazing BANDS ever….. P.s. they didn’t take the stage till MIDNIGHT…..1 hour and 30 minutes after the previous band…..it was SO COOL……hearing people talk about there not coming out…..
I love The Cramps, can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen them! I used to work in nightclubs in NY & I booked them many times in the 80s (prob when I last saw them perform, late 80s-maybe 90. I was also in charge of dealing with “the talent” making sure they had everything needed to perform so I was fairly well acquainted w/ them & they were all very nice. Last saw Ivy maybe in 90-91 hanging out in another nightclub I’d worked at. I was so sad when Lux died far too young😢💔. Cheers! Jet 🧡🎸🎶⚡️🦋🏍 edited to add: I forgot: a friend still has Lux’s underwear from a show maybe around 81-83 when he took it all off, flung them into the crowd— they were so much fun & so wild! 😅
Always been a huge fan since I was about 14 When I was discovered them. I’m forty seven now. It broke my heart when I miss them on the Stay sick tour. I would have had to run away to see them. I did finally catch them years later on the flame job tour in Atlanta GA. And it was absolutely incredible Everything I could have imagined anymore. Thanks so much for making and sharing this great documentary
If they recorded only THE HUMAN FLY, they deserved their place in r’n’r history. F… the R’N’R HALL OF …whatever…. CRAMPS were exciting, out of time and fashion, yet, they did it. IVY & LUX were the perfect match. Can you imagine THE CRAMPS without them? I miss NICK KNOX and GREGORY too, the best line up. Ever. Put some ALEX CHILTON in the formula and the commercial dissaster is guaranteed. That’s the way of the world (thanx to FLIPPER)
my punk rock boyfriend Lynn Rousseau saw them in san francisco in 1980 – 1982 ??, we grew up in san jose, calif., sadly i found out years later my ex boyfriend died in a motorcycle crash. I moved to a northern suburb of Pittsburgh, Pa in 2012 and i live about 1hr 45 min from Stowe, Oh were lux grew up
Great docu, thanks! I really appreciate that the timing of the graphics matches the narration. I saw them at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver in 1992. I’m pretty sure I had a great time! Except the irony of having to fight from being shoved into the mosh pit when I just wanted to watch the band and dance. 😾
Boston is not on the way to New York traveling from Memphis. Boston is north of New York City so they would’ve had to of passed New York City to get to Boston. By the way the Cramps lived upstairs from PanTaZia, my record stores on 2nd Ave & 4th St. above the 82 Club, across the street from the short-lived CBGB theater where they rehearsed often thru 1977 and 78. This was really good excellent job. I’ve been hit on the head with the microphone stand more than one or two times at CBGB’s in the very early days. I’ve never seen the Cramps without Bryan and I must’ve seen them 100 times.. Lux and Ivy used to come into my store all the time and hang out playing imported Charley Sun Records that they couldn’t afford yet.
The best gig I’ve ever seen was The Cramps in Helsinki, Finland in 1992. I was in the front row at the gig with my index finger up until suddenly Lux put her mouth on my finger. It was something incredible for a fan boy. I also got a swig from Lux’s bottle of red wine during the gig. At that point I had already been digging the band for ten years. I have all their official records. Fortunately, I managed to see the band at two festivals in Finland and Denmark. The Cramps is the world’s best rock’n’roll band.
Very kind people, I was their driver in Belgium for the Lokerse feesten in 2006. I still want to apologise for the Belgium way of driving of the first driver who picked them up on the airport, in Belgium we drive 120 km/h on the highway… Americans are not used to that. Me, aware of that fact, never exceeded 90 km/h. I still remember the words of Lux. “Can’t you be our driver for the during of our stay here, because the other driver, …. he drives like crazy,…. he has a fucking deathwish….. When I drove them back to the airport Poison Ivy told my she loved a French singer named Sylvie Vartan, a very different genre, I will always remember that. Very kind…and good looking to (for here age). By the way, I enjoyed their gig then very much, it was the second time I saw them I Belgium.
I NEED to get that Porter’s book! Years ago when I bought the boxed vinyl set of Cramps it was accompanied by the book The Wild Wild World of The Cramps but I don’t recall that official (?) biography containing many of these facts presented here. Granted it has been like 30 years when I read it so memory might not serve me well… 🙂
First time I ever left my oldest child with a sitter to go out was to see The Cramps live. Pretty sure The Cramps were playing when we conceived our second child. Last time I saw The Cramps live I was pregnant with that child (who is named after Hasil Adkins but that’s a whole other story) In the fall of 2008 my husband and I were wanting to have another child when we lost our home to a hurricane. In the beginning of 2009 we were trying to rebuild our lives when we found out that Lux Interior had passed. We decided right then that if we did ever have another child, we’d name them after Lux Interior. Two hurricanes, three water damage homes and ten years later we added our Lux to our family. (But as far as my MIL is concerned, their name means “Light Of God” or something 😉)
Was at the Sac State show. Weezer was on the bill right before and walked off after two songs because their equipment was still in San Jose. The Cramps came on and blew apart the Hornet’s Nest. All the kids were there for Weezer and looks on their little baby faces was classic. They got to learn firsthand what Rock & Roll was all bout. RIP Lux!
It’s 3am n i have no choice but to watch it ❤w jello as narrator ? O no wait thats someone else i thi k lol😊a friend of mine was at a Cramps show in nyc and they played Drug Train. Someone starred a conga line n it became one his favorite all time memories from a show. Ditch went to ALot of shows..i miss hearing him laugh about that 😂 RIP ditch and my fallen brothers and sisters. I miss you❤
I saw The Fall supporting The Cramps when Bryan Gregory was in the band, in 1980 at the Glasgow Tech in Scotland 🏴! Both bands were at their absolute feral peak!! A truly awesome gig that no one recorded, apart from a few crappy photos than did it no justice. That realisation turned me into a mad bootlegger for the next decade. Me and my trusty Sony Professional Walkman and TDK SA tapes, sneaked in to countless gigs over the rest of the 80’s all over the U.K. and Europe taping my favourite bands. A far more risky venture back then than it is today, where everyone is a potential bootlegger with a mobile!
Still, almost 40 years later and hundreds of concerts/shows… I can unequivocally say that seeing the Cramps at the Jockey Club in Newport, Kentucky in 1986 touring for the “Date with Elvis” record was the single Greatest Rock and Roll experience of my Life. Decadent, debauched, devilish, and a little dangerous…it was everything a Rock and Roll show should be. Nothing has come close.
Can we all just appreciate that Lux actually grew up and was born the same year as all baby boomers in ’46 the same year the my grandma who raised me as my own r.I.p.🙏🙏🙏 was born in and that the fact that this man seems as ageless as anybody! was just a literal defile of nature.. God bless you lux✋👌✌️
I got to see the Cramps a few times. One of the times we made a wig hat and he wore it for a song and the one I remember the most was at the Ritz(I think) in NY and Lux got up on the PA and rocked it back and forth so far it looked like it was going to fall in top of us. There were no chains or anything holding them up, he rocked them so hard it ripped out the wires and the entire backline was out for a while. lol.
Saw the Cramps on their second to last tour before Lux Interior passed away…Lux stole my lighter and put it in his mouth, we smacked his latex-clad ass when he shoved it in our faces during “Garbageman,’ and every time we looked over in Poison Ivy’s direction she shot us an amazing glare. What a night 🔥
If/when ever asked if I like The Cramps… When lady Zero brought home our new Cat, freed from Jail… 33lbs of Black Cat… I named him, LUX EXTERIOR,, RIP… When i Seen the Cramps, All i could do was watch Poison ivy.. One thing I like pointing out about them, Look at the Album Covers… Lux Interior Loved Ivy.. Who’s hotter, Why would any other Women be more attractive than Her.. That’s Love, Lux adored Her… Cheers from Orange County California 🇺🇸 @∅
i remember we were always vaguely aware that Lux was older than you would think he was but back in the 80s and 90s i had NO idea that he was only 3 years younger than one of The Beatles. unfortunately i never got to see them in the 80s, i only saw them once in the early or mid 90s. that band Doo Rag was opening and i had no idea who they were i remember i was actually excited because my mind for some reason convinced me that Doo Rag was going to be like a Doo Wop Equivalent of The Cramps take on Rockabilly, which was something i had wished for for years. but it was something closer to maybe Primus and the drummer played boxes with mics inside them rather than drums and the singer sang through an old vacuum tube and i think had some sort of home made looking guitar or banjo thing, i do not really remember i was too disappointed. and they may have been a great band but i had already had my expectations set so high on some sort of weird Doo Wop group LOL. The Cramps had that guy Slim playing with them and i just remember thinking WTF!? this dude looks like me, like seriously looks like a shorter me. i was in a Deathrock band back then and i had long blonde hair and make up on, and in those days i was 6’5″ and weighed 140 lbs and this dude looked a lot like me and that just made me jealous that i was not the one in The Cramps. i am almost 52 now and people tell me all the time that they thought i was in my mid 30s which is a nice complement BUT i feel terrible. i do not know how in the hell these bands keep touring in their 50s and 60s and how Lux still had the energy to do all that stuff on stage.
I got to see the Cramps play for free back in 2004 in San Diego. At the end of the show, Lux started ripping his clothes, including his black tights. He was left in ripped clothing with his “manhood” hanging out. I was on the front row just left of center so I had a good view.😂 One of the best shows I’ve ever been too.
I’ve seen the Cramps more than any other band,the first time was at the new Peppermint lounge when I was about 14,it wasn’t the smell of female show but identical except that was at the old peppermint lounge.I met and hung out with them and used to go out drinking with Candy DelMar and she would put me on the list whenever they came to N.Y.Theyre very friendly and down to earth and willing to talk to fans.I always felt like I was hanging out with friends.
I LOVE what Ivy’s wearing (at 0:45 min.) 2 strings & 2 shells, so simple and so great! I don’t have to try that with my bigger cup, so for all you girls out there with little tits, it’s great that they’re small cause they always look great, they don’t hang, and they’re handy with great (punky or else) clothes. And I love to see this documentary about Lux & Ivy, because I was always curious about their relationship, cause they’re an amazing couple.. They played fantastic exciting original music and concerts, and they keep on inspiring many people! ☠❤ Thanx for this doc!!!
Saw them three times met them have pictures of myself with Lux and Ivy while they were record and vintage clothes shopping. I also have close up pictures at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. I made a film of the first song and a half but lost it. All I have is a poor quality filmed off the wall with VHS from the original super 8 with sound. The film had incredible color and sound
I was at the Brighton Top Rank show it was wild. the Gig started with lux being struck in the face with a can or bottle or something someone from the audience throw at him in the which pissed him off from there on he was crazy. He kept trying to wrap his mic lead around the stage lights and pull them down. At one point Lux climbed up onto the balcony. straddled between the balcony and the Speaker Stack about 20 feet above us and took his silver pants down, we thought he was gonna piss on us. He ended the show being dragged of stage wrapped in a towel. It was a great mind blowing show and a great night, We all ended up across the road at Sister Rays a seedy basement new wave/punk/goth club and I ended the night with one of my mates vomiting on my new suede shoes. haha! good times.
Zurich Volkshaus, 21st April 1986 – Lux climbed up the speaker tower, in the balcony there was a stupid skin head which smashed Lux a full fist on his nose, Lux went back to the stage full of blood on his naked torso, grumbled something like: «I saw worse things than that, boy» and continued the show still bleeding for a couple of more songs. After the show some musculous roadies of the Cramps-crew picked up that dull skinhead, directed him to the toilet and took revenge for Lux
i saw the Cramps in 2004 when i was 25, it was a big open festival, the Cramps gig was absolutely fantastic Lux final surfin bird cover was totally weird,he completely stripped himself of his black leather clothes Poison ivy was really hot,I watched almost the entire concert looking at her with my mouth open After Cramps gig they had to play Rancid, all the audience did a great pogo, but the Cramps gig was absolutely punk as i uderstand it..i liked Rancid too but in comparision whit Cramps show they seemed,,stupid teenagers…i went to get a beer Love Cramps Love Rancid love music hugs and beer to all
1986 : Hollywood Palladium with Social Distortion as support. Snuck in from the emergency exit door, there was a gap at the bottom of the door, you could reach under, shake it and the door would pop open. STAY SICK !!!! 1997 : at The Hootenanny at Irvine Lake with the Reverend Horton Heat. Was arrested at the end of the show by the O.C Sheriff STAY SICK !!!!! ( MISSED OPPORTUNITIES: 1984, Cuukoo’s Nest on a school night, Mom said it was too far to go to Coasta Mesa on a school night. But would green light my trips Hollywood on a weekend. Also, The Cramps at Perkins Palace with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as support, at the last minute my ride flanked out. ) 2 out of 4 shows is not too bad.