The Cramps  

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-'''The Cramps''' are a [[punk rock]] band originally formed in [[1972]]. Their line-up has rotated much over the years, with Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, the lead singer and lead guitarist respectively as the only permanent members.  
-They were part of the early [[CBGB]]s [[punk rock]] movement that had emerged in [[New York]].+'''The Cramps''' were an [[American punk rock]] band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer [[Lux Interior]]. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist [[Poison Ivy (musician)|Poison Ivy]] the only permanent members. The addition of band members guitarist [[Bryan Gregory]] and drummer Pam Ballam comprised the first complete lineup in April 1976.
-They were interviewed in ''[[Incredibly Strange Music]]''.+They were part of the early [[CBGB#1970s|CBGB]] [[punk rock]] [[punk movement|movement]] that had emerged in New York. The Cramps are noted as influencing a number of musical styles: not only were they one of the first [[garage punk]] bands, they are also widely recognized as one of the prime innovators of [[psychobilly]], and they inspired many of the early [[goth rock]] bands.
 + 
 +They are best-known for their song "[[Human Fly]]".
==Characteristics== ==Characteristics==
Their music is mostly in [[blues]] form, played at varying, (though usually fast) tempos, with a very minimal drumkit. An integral part of the early Cramps sound is dual guitars, without a [[bass guitar|bassist]]. The content of their songs and image is [[sleaze]], [[trashy]] [[Americana]] (much in the style of filmmaker [[John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters]]), [[sexual fetishism]], clever bad jokes, and [[cheap]], [[horror film|horror]] [[B-movie]] [[cliché]]s. Their music is mostly in [[blues]] form, played at varying, (though usually fast) tempos, with a very minimal drumkit. An integral part of the early Cramps sound is dual guitars, without a [[bass guitar|bassist]]. The content of their songs and image is [[sleaze]], [[trashy]] [[Americana]] (much in the style of filmmaker [[John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters]]), [[sexual fetishism]], clever bad jokes, and [[cheap]], [[horror film|horror]] [[B-movie]] [[cliché]]s.
 +==Influenced by==
 +Their sound was heavily influenced by [[Sun Records]] [[rockabilly]] and proto-rock'n'roll like [[Link Wray]] and [[Hasil Adkins]], 1960s [[surf music]] acts such as [[The Ventures]] and [[Dick Dale]], 1960s [[garage rock]] artists like [[The Standells]], [[The Gants]], [[The Trashmen]], [[The Green Fuz]] and [[The Sonics]], as well as the post-[[glam]]/early [[punk music|punk]] scene from which they emerged. Production-wise they were influenced by [[Alex Chilton]]. Their influences and/or the songs they covered were compiled in the vinyl album series ''[[Born Bad]]''.
 +==Influential to==
 +In turn, they have strongly influenced subsequent punk and rockabilly revival bands, even creating a genre in their wake. "[[Psychobilly]]," a style played by bands like [[The Meteors]] and the Sharks, is a term<sup>†</sup> coined by the Cramps, although Lux Interior maintains that the term does not describe their own style. The Cramps also influenced or anticipated acts like [[The White Stripes]], [[The Gun Club]], [[The Fuzztones]], [[James Chance|James Chance and the Contortions]] and [[The Birthday Party (band)|The Birthday Party]].
 +
 +<sup>†</sup> It is debatable that the Cramps coined the phrase [[psychobilly]]. It is perhaps mentioned for the first time in [[Johnny Cash]]'s song "[[One Piece at a Time]]," released in 1976.==Discography==
 +===Albums and EPs===
 +
 +{| class="wikitable"
 +! Album Title
 +! Year
 +! Record Label
 +! [[UK Albums Chart|UK Chart]]
 +! [[UK Indie Chart|UK Indie]]
 +! [[Billboard 200|US Chart]]
 +|-
 +| ''[[Gravest Hits]] EP''
 +| align="center"| 1979
 +| [[Illegal Records]]/[[I.R.S. Records]]
 +*Released: June 1979
 +*Catalogue number: ILS 12013
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Songs The Lord Taught Us]]''
 +| align="center"| 1980
 +| [[Illegal Records]]
 +*Released: March 1980
 +*Catalogue number: ILP 005
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>1
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Psychedelic Jungle]]''
 +| align="center"| 1981
 +| [[I.R.S. Records]]
 +*Released: April 1981
 +*Catalogue number: IRS SP 70016
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Smell of Female]]''
 +| align="center"| 1983
 +| [[Big Beat Records]]
 +*Released November 1983
 +*Catalogue number NED 6
 +| <center>74
 +| <center>4
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''...[[Off The Bone]]''
 +| align="center"| 1983
 +| [[Illegal Records]]
 +*Released: May 1983
 +*Catalogue number: ILP 012
 +| <center>44
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Bad Music for Bad People]]''
 +| align="center"| 1984
 +| [[I.R.S. Records]]
 +*Released: 1984
 +*Catalogue number: IRS SP 70042
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[A Date With Elvis (The Cramps)|A Date With Elvis]]''
 +| align="center"| 1986
 +| [[Big Beat Records]]
 +*Released: February 1986
 +*Catalogue number: WIKA 46
 +| <center>34
 +| <center>1
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand]]''
 +| align="center"| 1987
 +| [[Vengeance Records]]
 +*Released: September 1987
 +*Catalogue number: Vengeance 669
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>4
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Stay Sick]]''
 +| align="center"| 1990
 +| [[Enigma Records]]
 +*Released: February 1990
 +*Catalogue number: ENVLP 1001
 +| <center>62
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Look Mom, No Head!]]''
 +| align="center"| 1991
 +| [[Big Beat Records]]
 +*Released: 1991
 +*Catalogue number: PDWIKD 101
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Flame Job]]''
 +| align="center"| 1994
 +| [[Creation Records]]
 +*Released 1994
 +*Catalogue number: CRECD 170
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Big Beat From Badsville]]''
 +| align="center"| 1997
 +| [[Epitaph Records|Epitaph]]
 +*Released: 1997
 +*Catalogue number: 86516-2
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[Fiends of Dope Island]]''
 +| align="center"| 2003
 +| [[Vengeance Records]]
 +*Released 2003
 +*Catalogue number Vengeance 675
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +| ''[[How to Make a Monster (The Cramps album)|How to Make a Monster]]''
 +| align="center"| 2004
 +| [[Vengeance Records]]
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +| <center>-
 +|-
 +|}
-Their sound was heavily influenced by early [[rockabilly]] and proto-rock'n'roll like [[Link Wray]] and [[Hasil Adkins]], 1960s [[surf music]] acts such as [[The Ventures]] and [[Dick Dale]], 1960s [[garage rock]] artists like [[The Standells]], [[The Gants]], [[The Trashmen]], [[The Green Fuz]] and [[The Sonics]], as well as the post-[[glam]]/early [[punk music|punk]] scene from which they emerged. They also were influenced to a degree by [[The Ramones]] and [[Screamin' Jay Hawkins]], who is often credited for having pioneered their style of theatrical horror-blues.+===Singles===
 +{| class="wikitable"
 +! align=center width="5%" rowspan="2"| Year
 +! align=center width="36%" rowspan="2"| Title
 +! align=center width="36%" colspan="4"| Chart positions
 +! align=center width="34%" rowspan="2"| Album
 +|-
 +! width="9%"| <small>[[Billboard Hot 100]]</small>
 +! width="9%"| <small>[[Modern Rock Tracks chart|US Modern Rock]]</small>
 +! width="9%"| <small>[[Mainstream Rock Tracks chart|US Mainstream Rock]]</small>
 +! width="9%"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart]]</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="2"| 1978
 +| "Surfin Bird" / "The Way I Walk" (US)
 +* <small>Vengeance 666</small>
 +! align="center" rowspan="18" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="13" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="18" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="9" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +| rowspan="2" | ''[[Gravest Hits]]''
 +|-
 +| "Human Fly" / "Domino" (US)
 +* <small>Vengeance 668</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="4"| 1980
 +| "Fever" / "Garbageman" (UK)
 +* <small>ILS 0017</small>
 +| rowspan="2" | ''[[Songs The Lord Taught Us]]''
 +|-
 +| "Garbageman" / "TV Set" (Fr)
 +* <small>CBS 8401</small>
 +|-
 +| "Garbageman" / "Drug Train" (US)
 +* <small>IR 9014</small>
 +|-
 +| "Drug Train" / "love Me" "I Can't Hardly Stand It"
 +* <small>ILS 021</small>
 +| ''…[[Off The Bone]]''
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="2"| 1981
 +| "Goo Goo Muck" / "She Said"
 +* <small>IR 9021</small>
 +| rowspan="2" | ''Psychedelic Jungle''
 +|-
 +| "The Crusher" / "Save it" "New Kind of Kick"
 +* <small>PFSX 1008</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="2"| 1984
 +| "Faster Pussycat" / "You Got Good Taste"
 +* <small>New28</small>
 +| rowspan="2" | ''[[Smell of Female]]''
 +|-
 +| "I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound" / "Weekend on Mars"
 +* <small>NEW33</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center"| 1985
 +| "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" / "Blue Moon Baby"
 +* <small>NS 110</small>
 +| align="center"| #68
 +| rowspan="3" | ''A Date With Elvis''
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="3"| 1986
 +| "What's Inside a Girl?" / "Give Me A Woman"
 +* <small>NS 115</small>
 +! align="center" rowspan="3"| &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +|-
 +| "Kizmiaz" / "Give Me A Woman"
 +* <small>NEW 71</small>
 +|-
 +| "Get Off The Road" (Sweden)
 +! align="center"| &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="3"| 1989
 +| "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns" / "Jackyard Backoff"
 +* <small>Enigma</small>
 +| align="center"| #10
 +| align="center"| #35
 +| rowspan="3" | ''Stay Sick!''
 +|-
 +| "All Women Are Bad" /"Teenage Rage"
 +* <small>ENV 19</small>
 +! align="center" rowspan="4"| &nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="4"| &nbsp;
 +|-
 +| "The Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon" / "jailhouse Rock"
 +* <small>Enigma</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center"| 1991
 +| "Eyeball In My Martini" / "Wilder Wilder Faster Faster"
 +* <small>NS 135</small>
 +| rowspan="1" | ''Look Mom, No Head!''
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="2"| 1994
 +| "Lets Get Fucked Up" / "How Come You Do Me"
 +* <small>7-1804 5</small>
 +! align="center" rowspan="18" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="13" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +| rowspan="3" | ''[[Flame Job]]''
 +|-
 +| "Ultra Twist" "Confessions of a Psycho Cat"
 +* <small>CRE 180</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center"| 1995
 +| "Naked Girll Falling Down the Stairs" "Lets Get Fucked Up"
 +* <small>CRE 196</small>
 +|-
 +| align="center" rowspan="2" | 2003
 +| "Like A Bad Girl Should" / "I Walked All Night"
 +* <small>LC 256</small>
 +! align="center" rowspan="18" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +! align="center" rowspan="13" | &nbsp;&nbsp;
 +| rowspan="1" | ''[[Big Beat From Badsville]]''
 +|-
 +| "Big Black Witchcraft Rock" / "Butcher Pete"
 +* <small>Vengeance 676</small>
 +| rowspan="1" | ''[[Fiends of Dope Island]]''
 +|}
-In turn, they have strongly influenced subsequent punk and rockabilly revival bands, even creating a genre in their wake. "[[Psychobilly]]," a style played by bands like [[The Meteors]] and the Sharks, is a term<sup>†</sup> coined by the Cramps, although Lux Interior maintains that the term does not describe their own style. The Cramps also influenced or anticipated acts like [[The White Stripes]], [[The Gun Club]], [[The Fuzztones]], [[James Chance|James Chance and the Contortions]], [[The Birthday Party (band)|The Birthday Party]], [[Flat Duo Jets]], and [[Queen Adreena]]. It is also widely acknowledged that The Cramps inspired the more recent Psychobilly subgenre, [[Gothabilly]] — which focuses even more so on the monster/horror themes.+===Videos===
 +* Human Fly (1978)
 +* Garbageman (1979)
 +* [[Urgh! A Music War]] (1982)
 +* Bikini Girls With Machine Guns (1990)
 +* Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon (1990)
 +* Ultra Twist (1994)
 +* Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs (1994)
 +* Like a Bad Girl Should (1997)
-<sup>†</sup> It is debatable that the Cramps coined the phrase [[psychobilly]]. It is perhaps mentioned for the first time in [[Johnny Cash]]'s song "[[One Piece at a Time]]," released in 1976. 
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The Cramps were an American punk rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members. The addition of band members guitarist Bryan Gregory and drummer Pam Ballam comprised the first complete lineup in April 1976.

They were part of the early CBGB punk rock movement that had emerged in New York. The Cramps are noted as influencing a number of musical styles: not only were they one of the first garage punk bands, they are also widely recognized as one of the prime innovators of psychobilly, and they inspired many of the early goth rock bands.

They are best-known for their song "Human Fly".

Contents

Characteristics

Their music is mostly in blues form, played at varying, (though usually fast) tempos, with a very minimal drumkit. An integral part of the early Cramps sound is dual guitars, without a bassist. The content of their songs and image is sleaze, trashy Americana (much in the style of filmmaker John Waters), sexual fetishism, clever bad jokes, and cheap, horror B-movie clichés.

Influenced by

Their sound was heavily influenced by Sun Records rockabilly and proto-rock'n'roll like Link Wray and Hasil Adkins, 1960s surf music acts such as The Ventures and Dick Dale, 1960s garage rock artists like The Standells, The Gants, The Trashmen, The Green Fuz and The Sonics, as well as the post-glam/early punk scene from which they emerged. Production-wise they were influenced by Alex Chilton. Their influences and/or the songs they covered were compiled in the vinyl album series Born Bad.

Influential to

In turn, they have strongly influenced subsequent punk and rockabilly revival bands, even creating a genre in their wake. "Psychobilly," a style played by bands like The Meteors and the Sharks, is a term coined by the Cramps, although Lux Interior maintains that the term does not describe their own style. The Cramps also influenced or anticipated acts like The White Stripes, The Gun Club, The Fuzztones, James Chance and the Contortions and The Birthday Party.

It is debatable that the Cramps coined the phrase psychobilly. It is perhaps mentioned for the first time in Johnny Cash's song "One Piece at a Time," released in 1976.==Discography==

Albums and EPs

Album Title Year Record Label UK Chart UK Indie US Chart
Gravest Hits EP 1979 Illegal Records/I.R.S. Records
  • Released: June 1979
  • Catalogue number: ILS 12013
-
<center>- <center>-
Songs The Lord Taught Us 1980 Illegal Records
  • Released: March 1980
  • Catalogue number: ILP 005
<center>- <center>1 <center>-
Psychedelic Jungle 1981 I.R.S. Records
  • Released: April 1981
  • Catalogue number: IRS SP 70016
<center>- <center>- <center>-
Smell of Female 1983 Big Beat Records
  • Released November 1983
  • Catalogue number NED 6
<center>74 <center>4 <center>-
...Off The Bone 1983 Illegal Records
  • Released: May 1983
  • Catalogue number: ILP 012
<center>44 <center>- <center>-
Bad Music for Bad People 1984 I.R.S. Records
  • Released: 1984
  • Catalogue number: IRS SP 70042
<center>- <center>- <center>-
A Date With Elvis 1986 Big Beat Records
  • Released: February 1986
  • Catalogue number: WIKA 46
<center>34 <center>1 <center>-
Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand 1987 Vengeance Records
  • Released: September 1987
  • Catalogue number: Vengeance 669
<center>- <center>4 <center>-
Stay Sick 1990 Enigma Records
  • Released: February 1990
  • Catalogue number: ENVLP 1001
<center>62 <center>- <center>-
Look Mom, No Head! 1991 Big Beat Records
  • Released: 1991
  • Catalogue number: PDWIKD 101
<center>- <center>- <center>-
Flame Job 1994 Creation Records
  • Released 1994
  • Catalogue number: CRECD 170
<center>- <center>- <center>-
Big Beat From Badsville 1997 Epitaph
  • Released: 1997
  • Catalogue number: 86516-2
<center>- <center>- <center>-
Fiends of Dope Island 2003 Vengeance Records
  • Released 2003
  • Catalogue number Vengeance 675
<center>- <center>- <center>-
How to Make a Monster 2004 Vengeance Records <center>- <center>- <center>-

Singles

Year Title Chart positions Album
Billboard Hot 100 US Modern Rock US Mainstream Rock UK Singles Chart
1978 "Surfin Bird" / "The Way I Walk" (US)
  • Vengeance 666
            Gravest Hits
"Human Fly" / "Domino" (US)
  • Vengeance 668
1980 "Fever" / "Garbageman" (UK)
  • ILS 0017
Songs The Lord Taught Us
"Garbageman" / "TV Set" (Fr)
  • CBS 8401
"Garbageman" / "Drug Train" (US)
  • IR 9014
"Drug Train" / "love Me" "I Can't Hardly Stand It"
  • ILS 021
Off The Bone
1981 "Goo Goo Muck" / "She Said"
  • IR 9021
Psychedelic Jungle
"The Crusher" / "Save it" "New Kind of Kick"
  • PFSX 1008
1984 "Faster Pussycat" / "You Got Good Taste"
  • New28
Smell of Female
"I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound" / "Weekend on Mars"
  • NEW33
1985 "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" / "Blue Moon Baby"
  • NS 110
#68 A Date With Elvis
1986 "What's Inside a Girl?" / "Give Me A Woman"
  • NS 115
  
"Kizmiaz" / "Give Me A Woman"
  • NEW 71
"Get Off The Road" (Sweden)   
1989 "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns" / "Jackyard Backoff"
  • Enigma
#10 #35 Stay Sick!
"All Women Are Bad" /"Teenage Rage"
  • ENV 19
   
"The Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon" / "jailhouse Rock"
  • Enigma
1991 "Eyeball In My Martini" / "Wilder Wilder Faster Faster"
  • NS 135
Look Mom, No Head!
1994 "Lets Get Fucked Up" / "How Come You Do Me"
  • 7-1804 5
      Flame Job
"Ultra Twist" "Confessions of a Psycho Cat"
  • CRE 180
1995 "Naked Girll Falling Down the Stairs" "Lets Get Fucked Up"
  • CRE 196
2003 "Like A Bad Girl Should" / "I Walked All Night"
  • LC 256
      Big Beat From Badsville
"Big Black Witchcraft Rock" / "Butcher Pete"
  • Vengeance 676
Fiends of Dope Island

Videos

  • Human Fly (1978)
  • Garbageman (1979)
  • Urgh! A Music War (1982)
  • Bikini Girls With Machine Guns (1990)
  • Creature From the Black Leather Lagoon (1990)
  • Ultra Twist (1994)
  • Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs (1994)
  • Like a Bad Girl Should (1997)




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