Here’s where it all started for the legendary punk outfit The Cramps. The husband and wife team of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach (the two constant members of the group) are joined by Bryan Gregory and Nick Knox for these 13 diverse and sometimes unhinged tunes that successfully catapulted The Cramps into legendary status in underground rock culture.
“TV Set” gets the listen started with Knox’s firm drums alongside the screeching and dissonant guitars, plus Interior’s inimitable, warbling voice. “Rock On The Moon” then gets right into rockabilly fun that’s dance floor ready, swift and raw. “Garbageman” lands in garage rock territory and is quite scrappy, while “I Was A Teenage Werewolf” thumps alongside the riff friendly guitars and Interior’s howling pipes.
The middle tracks bring us the buzzing and raw “Sunglasses After Dark,” as well as surf fueled rock of “The Mad Daddy.” “Mystery Plane,” one of the album’s best, is more of a straightforward punk moment that balances melody, grit and sing-alongs, even.
Deep tracks include the rhythmic and playful “What’s Behind The Mask,” but the guitar interplay between Rorschach and Gregory across “I’m Cramped” offers the highlight on the back half. “Tear It Up” and “Fever” exit the affair. The former is rowdy and shrieks with white hot intensity, and the latter finishes with the calmest moment that employs Booker C on organ.
The Cramps recently saw a trio of their earlier records reissued on vinyl (including color variants for the collectors), and this debut should be required listening for anyone with an interest in punk, garage-rock, surf-rock, gothic sounds, voodoo blues, bass-less rock or rockabilly, as few bands have influenced so many varied artists and maintained a legacy this enduring.
Very tragically, Interior passed way in 2009, which ended the band, but The Cramps’ music will never expire.