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From: reeves@ucla-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Cramps Discography
Message-ID: <6869@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 17-Sep-85 22:14:00 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucla-cs.6869
Posted: Tue Sep 17 22:14:00 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 23-Sep-85 00:19:59 EDT
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department
Lines: 98


The last time I made a recommendation, I got it up and down for not knowing
of the existence of a Souxie & the Banshees singles compilation.  This time
I've checked with the record collection before posting, but there still may
be  omissions,  outright lies, etc.  Any corrections or extensions would be
appreciated.

History:  The Cramps got together during the New York punk scene  of  1975-
76.  Lineup  #1  was  Lux  Interior,  vocals,  Ivy  Rosarch,  guitar, Brain
Gregory, guitar, and  Nick  Knox,  drums.  Predating  both  the  (American)
rockabilly  revival  and  death/ghoul  rock  genres,  the  Cramps were most
frequently characterized as 'punkabilly'; Rosarch cranked up the reverb  to
cover  both  the  rhythm  and bass (like Link Wray or the surf guitarists),
while Gregory did the leads: mostly white noise and punctuation.  Visually,
this was one tough outfit.  Candles burned on top of the amps (Congo Powers
once lit his hair on fire leaning over  to  screw  with  the  knobs),  Knox
hammers  on  one  of the smallest drum kits ever put on stage, Gregory spit
butts through his white forlock, and Interior rolls on the audience in  his
lowriding leather pants, chewing on whatever kind of garbage was passed up.

   Gregory split to form  a  performace  art-type  band  in  San  Francisco
sometime in 1979, amid rumors of his increasing interest in the occult.  He
was replaced by a female guitarist (from the NYC-based  Mad,  reportedly  a
Sonic Youth style noise/anarchy band), whose only vinyl apperance is on the
_Urgh!  A Music War_ soundtrack (lineup #2).  She was replaced by Kid Congo
Powers  (ex-Gun Club) (lineup #3) when the band relocated to Los Angeles in
1981.  Powers left in 1984, supposedly to rejoin the Gun  Club  (which  has
since  broken  up).  I don't know if Powers appears on Jeffery Lee Pierce's
solo record.

   Interior and Rosarch are avid record collectors, explaining  the  number
of  obscure,  'Pebbles'ish  cover  versions  on their records, and recently
appeared on Stella's Friday night radio show on KXLU to play weird old jazz
records.  They  haven't  done  any live shows in quite a while, but one can
hope that they've been woodshedding and plotting for the future.

LP's and EP's:

_Gravest  Hits_  (Illegal/A&M)  Five  song  EP  produced  by  Alex  Chilton
(Boxtops,  Big Star) in Memphis, 1977.  Human Fly / Surfin Bird / The Way I
Walk / Domino / Lonesome Town. (Lineup #1)

_Songs The Lord Taught Us_  (Illegal/IRS)  LP  produced  by  Alex  Chilton.
(Lineup #1)

_Psychedelic Jungle_ (IRS) LP self produced in January, 1981. (Lineup #3).

_Smell of Female_ (Enigma) Six song EP  recorded  live  at  the  Peppermint
Lounge, NYC Feburary 1983. (Lineup #3).

_Off the Bone_ (Illegal U.K.  Import) Singles compilation, contains all  of
_Gravest Hits_ .

Singles:
                           
Human Fly b/w Domino (Vengeance)  a  DIY  single  from  the  sessions  that
produced  _Gravest  Hits_. (I think that Surfin Bird b/w The Way I Walk was
also released as a single). (Lineup #1).

Fever b/w Garbageman (Illegal U.K.) from _Songs..._ (Lineup #1).

Garbageman b/w Drug Train (Illegal/IRS) A-side is from' _Songs..._ , B-side
appears on _Off the Bone_. (Lineup #1).

Drug Train b/w Love Me / I Can't Hardly Stand It (Illegal U.K.) appears  on
_Off the Bone_. (Lineup #1).

The Crusher b/w  New  Kind  of  Kick  /  Save  It  (IRS)  12"  single  from
_Psychedelic Jungle_. (Lineup #3).

Other Appearances:

'Tear it Up' on the _Urgh!  A Music  War_  soundtrack  (IRS)  (lineup  #2).
(Could also appear in the movie, I haven't seen it).

An Ep or 12" single with a yellow cover,  featuring  a  Savage  Pencil-like
caricature.  I don't know what's on it.

One unreleased track on an IRS compilation.  I've forgotton the name of both
the compilation and the song.

'Surfin Dead' on the _Return of the Living  Dead_  soundtrack  (Enigma).  I
haven't  seen this record so I don't know who plays on it.  The record also
features the killer Michael Wagner (X, Dokken,  Accept)  production  of  45
Grave's 'Party-time'.

    Recommendation:

One of the best American punk bands, the Cramps are unique,  original,  and
any  other  superlative  for  great  stuff.  Not for the musically timid or
audiophiles. _Off the Bone_ gives the best coverage (if you can  find  it),
but I'm partial to _Songs the Lord Taught Us_.

  "DO YOU UNDERSTAND???".

  John Reeves
  Computer Science Department  UUCP: ...!{ihnp4,ucbvax}!ucla-cs!reeves
  A.I. Lab, 3531 Boelter Hall  ARPA: reeves@LOCUS.UCLA.EDU