features in: Album Chart of 1980 ● Album Chart of the Decade: 1980s ● 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die |
A bass-less Rock n Roll horror show from the NYC quartet, an oft-forgotten offspring of CBGB’s. The debut Cramps set was produced by Alex Chilton and aptly recorded in Memphis at Phillips Recording, operated by former Sun Records label owner Sam Phillips. The sound was lo-fi – dirty and raw, but passionate and intense. Rockabilly was reinvented right here as psychobilly, borne of the charismatic lunacy of, and the sexual chemistry between, the husband-and-wife duo, Lux Interior (33) and Poison Ivy (27). As a band, they nailed down an irresistible new template which would be aped to death from hereon. Opener “T.V. Set” is completely terrific – these garage cats are primitive, that’s how they live. The prowling, unhinged “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” is the album highlight – like a menacing Gene Vincent fronting up Link Wray’s bad-ass hombres. In all, 8 originals are offered up with 5 covers; “Rock On The Moon” (Jimmy Stewart, 1959), “Sunglasses After Dark” (based on "Ace Of Spades" Link Wray, 1962), “Strychnine” (The Sonics, 1965), “Tear It Up” (Johnny Burnette and The Rock n Roll Trio, 1956) and “Fever” (Little Willie John, 1956). Rock n Roll is back; in its new psychobilly guise it seems sexier and more dangerous than ever before…
The Jukebox Rebel
07–Oct–2010
Tracklist |
A1 | [03:12] The Cramps - T.V. Set (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Proto-Punk |
A2 | [01:53] The Cramps - Rock On The Moon (Jimmy Stewart) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
A3 | [03:37] The Cramps - Garbage Man (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
A4 | [03:03] The Cramps - I Was A Teenage Werewolf (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
A5 | [03:47] The Cramps - Sunglasses After Dark (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace, Rosalind Michelle Pullens, Fred Lincoln Wray Sr.) Blues / Rhythm n Blues |
A6 | [03:48] The Cramps - The Mad Daddy (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B1 | [02:43] The Cramps - Mystery Plane (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B2 | [01:55] The Cramps - Zombie Dance (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B3 | [02:05] The Cramps - What’s Behind The Mask? (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B4 | [02:24] The Cramps - Strychnine (Gerry Roslie) Post-Punk |
B5 | [02:37] The Cramps - I’m Cramped (Erick Purkhiser, Kristy Wallace, Bryan Gregory, Julien Grindsnatch) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B6 | [02:32] The Cramps - Tear It Up (Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, Paul Burlinson) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly |
B7 | [04:17] The Cramps - Fever (Eddie Cooley, Otis Blackwell) Crooner / Cabaret |