(Dylan Rogers commemorates another painful loss to the rock-‘n’-roll underground and recognizes the Cramps’ California connection.)
“Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed away yesterday due to an existing heart condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital.”
Holy shit! Not again!
The Cramps are one of my fave bands. I have seen them more than any other band. They really got me through some lean musical times (late ’80s -mid ’90s); for a while, they were the only decent bands you could go see with ties to early punk.
Yes The Cramps are associated with New York, but the true beginnings of the band started in the early- to mid-1970s in Sacramento, Calif., in a small apartment on the corner of 21st and H, where Lux and Ivy first lived together. (Rumor has it Lux picked up Ivy hitchhiking, and they had been together ever since.)
Back in the ’70s the Midtown neighborhood in Sacramento where the roots of The Cramps began to grow had just a few distinguishing characteristics: great records, insane people, junkies and some famous serial killers. Sacramento had a profound influence on Lux and Ivy and what would become The Cramps.
For a few years, I lived in Sacramento near the corner of 21st and H. There is a coffee house next door to the building where Lux and Ivy lived. … I would sit and sip coffee and look up at the apartment were they lived and think to myself, “One of the coolest bands in the world was born right there.”
So long Lux, and say hello to Buck Naked for me! Thanks for the music!
— Dylan Rogers
He was too young. While driving up I-5 in a rental car, Goo Goo Muck came on the Underground Garage on Sirius the other day. I love their spare, soulful sound.
I always had a crush on Candy Del Mar, still kind of do….my first Cramps was at The California theatre.
Kristen/Kristi, thanks for adding a more heart felt ode to Lux.
I kinda dropped the ball on that.
I think knowing were someone comes from or were they have been helps us understand them a bit more and thats why I added the stuff about Sacramento.
Holy shit- hell has frozen over! Lux Interior’s death is on the Yahoo front page dead center.
I first had my young mind warped by the Cramps via Jim McInnis on his radio show ‘the Modern World’. I finally got my chance to see them at NPLC I think it was late ’81. Lux in a sort of undertaker’s get-up complete with top hat and Ivy in skin tight gold lame Capri’s, a white see-through blouse with black bra underneath(“What color panties are you wearing? What color panties are you wearing?!!”)They went way beyond what I was listening to on those cruddy cassettes(Thanks Dave E.) I was finally getting the whole package in vivid technicolor and there was no turning back! At an Adam’s ave. show Lux stopped and shook my hand as the band headed up to the balcony after their set. It was a Marsha Brady meets Davey Jones moment. I’m sure I looked like the deer in the head lights. years later I was formally introduced to both Lux and Ivy at a friends birthday party .Again,deer in the head lights. These guys are the reason you’ll find me elbow deep in a box of old 45’s or watching some old obscure monster movie. They’ve influenced so many people yet they never became a household name. You can have your John Lennons, Jim Morrisons, Kurt Cobains, etc. I’ll keep my Cramps. Stay sick!
Todd: Thanks for reminding me of the NPLC show. I was at that show too! I just checked and it was in May 1980, so was Bryan Gregory still in the band? I can’t remember.
The SD Concert Archive lists Fairmount Hall in November ’81, in ’82 and the Adams Ave Theater and at the Spirit, and the show Dylan mentioned at the California Theater in ’86 with the Pandoras and the Tell-Tale Hearts.
No, It was Kid Congo. So maybe it was Fairmont Hall, although I remember the stage being smaller.
I never noticed the bass player much. Spent most of the time looking at Ivy! My heart goes out to her right now.
It was fairmont hall. That was the first time I saw them too. They didnt have a bass player back then…two guitars, no bass… that was when they were at their best.
John Satterburg and I met them once outside of the Roxy in L.A. in the early 80s. We hung around by the side door before the show because John had some records he wanted to get autographed. Ivy said no, they didn’t have time, but Lux took them and signed them… so then of course she did too.
Speaking of Lux and playing old 45s, here’s an archive from 2004 of when Lux and Ivy were on one of my favorite radio shows, Fools Paradise with Rex on WFMU.
Lux and Ivy on WFMU
I don’t know if this stuff is on youtube(and I don’t have time to look for it) but I think “The Cramps Live at Napa County Mental Hospital 1978” is thee greatest concerts caught on video tape.
Target video rereleased it a few years ago…… a must see!
Dylan: That video has been spreading like wildfire on the internet since Lux died. So many people have been asking me lately “did you see that Napa Mental Hospital video?”.
Dean, I made a mistake it’s “Live at Napa State Mental Hospital” not county.
Ever one should see this, it’s so fugg’n great! At the end of the dvd bonus stuff for target video there is some footage of “CRIME” live at San Quintin….very cool stuff.
Hi Julie,
I was at the same Christian Death show…i even have pics of Roz singing at one of his performances. Like you, I always liked both these bands and saw their shows often, even though they didn’t “fit” into the more Mod or psychedelic sounds that I usually identified with.
There is no substitute for good music and great performers-both of which appear in all sorts of sizes and dressings! The question remains…”Does this band have soul?”, and if you check the ‘yes’ box-well, then the band and their music is “in like Flynn”!