For 30 years, The Cramps have gouged a unique furrow, fuelled by Lux Interior and Poison Ivy’s passion for obscure rockabilly, trashy B-movies and tales from the crypt. Ignoring trends, they’ve created a roof-raising rock’n’roll mutant, which, despite being copied to death, remains totally their own. They deserve a book which looks at their career with knowledge, fanaticism and a healthy dose of derangement from a like-minded soul. With full cooperation from Lux and Ivy, Dick Porter provides a fascinating look at what’s behind the mask.
At 140 pages, it’s a slim but snappily engrossing rollercoaster, splattered with vital humour. Lux and Ivy’s record collection stars heavily, giving indication of where their own songs came from, and we learn the sad fate of enigmatic original guitarist Bryan Gregory. The book also makes the overlooked point that The Cramps’ fearsome racket owes as much to sex as it does horror.
Lux and Ivy have never lived in the glare, had public drug habits or craved any spotlights apart from the green one directed centre-stage. They’d rather stay in with their cats, with Lux safe in the knowledge that he made it onto Spongebob Squarepants. If you’ve ever let your pussy do the dog, this is essential reading.
