How to Make a Monster

Lux Interior passed away yesterday - from the AP: Lux Interior, co-founder and lead singer of the pioneering horror-punk band the Cramps, has died, the group's publicist said. He was 60.Interior -- whose real name was Erick Lee Purkhiser -- died Wednesday of a pre-existing heart condition at a hospital in Glendale, Calif., publicist Aleix Martinez said in a statement.Interior met his future wife Kristy Wallace -- who would later take the stage name Poison Ivy -- in Sacramento in 1972.The pair moved to New York and started the Cramps with Interior on lead vocals and Ivy on guitar. The group was a part of the late '70s early punk scene centered at Manhattan clubs like CBGB, alongside acts like the Ramones and Patti Smith.Their unmistakable sound was a lo-fi synthesis of rockabilly and surf guitar staged with a deviant dose of midnight-movie camp. Some called it "psychobilly."The pale, tall, gaunt Interior appeared shirtless with black hair and tiny, low-slung black pants, looking part zombie, part Elvis Presley as he crawled, writhed and howled his way across the stage.The group had the raw intensity of punk, but took the music in new directions by incorporating theatrical elements, often horror-themed, in songs like "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" and "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns." Their breakthrough debut EP was 1979's "Gravest Hits."The band made a notorious appearance at a California mental institution, Napa State Hospital, in 1978. The performance, whose video is still popular on YouTube, was a punk-era echo of the Folsom Prison concert of Johnny Cash, one of the band's influences.Interior was widely rumored in 1987 to have died from a heroin overdose, and his wife received flowers and funeral wreaths."At first I thought it was kind of funny," he told the Los Angeles Times at the time. "But then it started to give me a creepy feeling."The Cramps' lineup changed often through the decades but Interior and Ivy remained the center. Their bluesy, trebly sound -- the group didn't have a bass guitarist -- resonates in modern minimalist groups like the White Stripes and the Black Lips.The band's last release was the 2004 rarities collection "How to Make a Monster." They were still touring as recently as last November.

Variable sound quality on this one, but the poor audio quality of some of the live stuff cannot hide the fact that this is the Cramps and is therefore The Cramps and I am going to love it even if it sounds... not so good. but there is also good sounding stuff here too. I enjoy the audience banter as well even though I bet that one guy got thrown out of clubs quite often. Musically -- Great! Sonically -- Hit and Miss. a fascinating document of early live Cramps along with studio out-takes and some other oddities (love the birthday song for Nick). If I tell Cramps fans to buy it I am preaching to the converted; if you are newer to the Cramps skip this one for some others first and come back for this after you can't get enough. Remember Don't Eat stuff Off the Sidewalk. RIP Lux.

i lost track of the cramps somewhere around a date w/ elvis. it is *great* to hear this again. they defined a time. i used to play in a secondary band, called the junkie sluts, that started out doing nothing but cramps copytunes (yes, i probably owe them some money). but that band, me on guitar and gary indiana on drums, created the flat duo jets, who in turn, created the white stripes.you *need* songs the lord taught us before this. maybe nothing else. well, maybe a guitar.

This CD is for die hard fans or completest only. Most of the songs on CD 1 are one mic badly recorded takes. It is interesting to hear the development of the band. Especially how the song Sunglasses After Dark evolved.CD 2 consists of two early live recordings. The first appears to be an audience recording that is of poor quality. The 2nd is a slightly better recording. Neither is as good as some bootlegs that are available.

I ordered this cd for my boyfriend for christmas on the 27th of november. To my surprise, I received the package on December 1st!! Not only is it in great condition, but the service was great and speedy! I recommend this seller to anyone looking at their merchandise! I was very happy with everything!!

This set's lengthy liner notes, written by Lux and Ivy, are the closest thing we'll ever have to a Cramps autobiography.

Bought as a gift for someone in the household, this is played often and sang too wildly! We enjoy the CRAMPS and this had songs we didn't previously own.

Me love The Cramps when ever I'm feeling cramped up I turn on and up the amplifier and hey ho I gooo....​

FEATURING DEMO'S. REHEARSAL'S, SUDIO OUTAKE'S AND LIVE RECORDINGS, THIS IS THE ORIGINAL AND BEST CRAMPS LINE UP. IT IS A VERY RAW AND PRIMITIVE RECORDING BUT IT SHOWS WHAT A GENIOUS ROCK AN ROLL BAND THEY WERE AND WHAT WAS TO EVOLVE.THE PACKAGING SAYS FOR CRAMPS FIENDS ONLY.AND THATS PROBABLY TRUE. EXISTING FANS SHOULD INVEST IN THIS. AS AN ABSOLUTE FAN THIS IS AMAZING STUFF AND THE BONUS IS IT CONTAINS SIX TRACKS I HAVE NOT HEARD BEFORE. STUNNING.

Excellent. Fast delivery. Thank you.

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I am very happy with the service they provided. I have no complaints and I will gladly use them again.