Very sorry to report that Lux Interior died today. We just happened to have put several early Cramps tracks on our current playlist, including a horrific/hilarious run-through of "I Was A Teenage Werewolf" that figures prominently in our "in the studio" set.
I once ran into Lux and Ivy on Haight St. in the 80s. (They had just come out of a comic book store...how perfect is that?) As you might expect from their wild, deranged stage act, they were very sweet, friendly and seemingly a bit shy in real life. I can't say I followed the Cramps in recent years; I always thought they made a terrible mistake in the 80s when they got a bass player instead of another guitarist. But I will always love that band, and now they're gone.
I feel sad for Ivy. Not only has she lost a husband, creative partner, and best friend, but her musical genius no longer has the perfect outlet. I hope she keeps playing guitar in some context; that mighty twang is too righteous to be silenced for long.
UPDATE:
Just what you need when you're down in the dumps. (Hey! Our first embedded video! Look out, we may start doing this all the time now!)
4 comments:
I got the news very early today 2am or so, I absolutely love The Cramps, one of the very few bands can not try to change their music and it works, their albums since "Stay Sick!" may have not been that up too par but saying that they still came out with a handful of good sleazy songs on their later albums but the problems with the later albums are they are too long.
I was wondering why they hadn't played a show for so long, a full 2 years! but it's sad to find out this way.
I wish I saw The Cramps, one of the 3 bands I wish I saw that was still going, other too are New Order (they have split up but I'm still hoping for a reunion just how I can hear them do Joy Division songs and the good New Order stuff) and Stan Ridgway.
Best Cramps video ever...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZ5PWflZ7y0
The rhythm guitar in Garbageman is unforgettably rough. What a terrific song.
The rhythm guitar in Garbageman is unforgettably rough.
Ah yes, the also-deceased Bryan Gregory, a bad-ass in his time. I saw his post-Cramps goth band the Beast at the On Broadway round about '82. I don't remember a note, but they had lots of makeup.
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