Black (Turtleneck) Friday

.....If you have someone in your life who loves their music to be a little more thought provoking than the hit parade (or, if you read this blog often, are that person) you might be interested in this recent article from NPR's "All Songs Considered", the musical counterpart to their news magazine format show "All Things Considered". It includes a half hour audio interview with Will Hermes about his new book, "Love Goes To Buildings On Fire", about the New York art-rock scene in 1973-1977. It might make a good Christmas gift for somebody. And if you're really cheap, so would this link:

http://www.npr.org/2011/11/22/142550159/when-new-york-was-on-fire-a-mid-70s-musical-revolution#playlist

.....Someone in the comments keeps asking, "What? No Ramones?" repeatedly, which is confusing because (a) they never really professed to be or were considered to be an art-rock outfit; (b) they do appear in the book anyway because they were close contemporaries of the bands who were and staple performers at many of the same venues; and (c) they're explicitly mentioned in the interview. Yeesh. After this weekend I'll try to write about as many Christmas songs as I can on the "New Carolls For This Merry Time" blog (link on the right) and make the occasional spotty post here until New Year's Day, then switch priorities. I hope to finish the Checklist of Shame series by then (I'm doing 'S' now)so that I can get the blog back to its original purpose.

Cramps Box personnel key

.....The posts for October 20 and November 16 of this year are the two halves of a theoretical career retrospective boxed set for the band The Cramps. Each track is preceded by an alpha-numeric code that designates where it would be located on either tape or disc format and ends with a letter that stands for the line-up performing that particular track. Here is the key detailing those line-ups. I intended to include the real names of the band members when possible but I discovered that many of them also used different pseudonyms when playing in other bands, so what follows their Cramps performing name is my best guess as to their actual name. Bear in mind that some (or even all) may just be alternate pseudonyms that were chosen to sound more realistic. The dates of activity accompanying each line-up are also approximations. A few can be corroborated down to the day, others are shots in the dark.

.....A (Feb. 1976- Aug. 1976) Lux and Ivy were scenesters in New York at the time and had already gone through a blizzard of assumed names and identities before they had even started performing. Bryan and Pam were brother and sister.

• Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser): vocalist [continues through all line-ups]
• Poison Ivy Rorschach (Kristy Marlana Wallace): guitarist [continues through all line-ups]
• Bryan Gregory (Gregory Beckerleg): guitarist
• Pam Balam (Pamela Beckerleg): drums

.....B (Sep. 1976- Aug. 1977) Miriam has posted a blog about her experiences in New York before, during and since her year in the Cramps. The only official release to include recordings with her is HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER but numerous bootlegs claim to have demos and live recordings with her because collectors look for the earliest versions of songs and she is known to have left before the first official releases were recorded. Some of them do, some of them don't. As always with bootlegs, caveat emptor.

• Bryan Gregory (~): guitarist
• Miriam Linna: drums

.....C (Sep. 1977- Jun. 1980) This is the first line-up to release recordings.

• Bryan Gregory (~): guitarist
• Nick Knox (Nicholas Stephanoff): drums

.....D (Jun. 1980- Nov. 1980)

• Julien Griensnatch (Julien Hechtlinger): guitar
• Nick Knox (~): drums

.....E and F (Dec. 1980- Sep. 1983) This is the first line-up with an intentionally provisional member. Terry was a member of the Gun Club who sat in for much of 1982 while Nick had medical issues and returned to them when Nick had recovered.

• Kid Congo Powers (Brian Tristan): guitar
• Nick Knox (~): drums (E)
• Terry Graham: drums (F)

.....G (Oct. 1983- Jul. 1984 and Aug. 1984- Feb. 1986) The recordings used on the compilation come from the second period and are presumed to be studio recordings in which Lux and Nick perform their parts but Ivy plays additional guitars or bass in overdubs. During this period there were at various times three other musicians but it is not clear that they appear on any finished recordings.

• Ike Knox (Michael Metoff): guitar (Ga; Oct.1983- Jul. 1984 except for Gb)
• Click Mort (still using this pseudonym as an outsider fine artist): guitar (Gb;filled in Dec. 1983 or Jan. 1984)
• Touch Hazzard (Tim Maag): bass (Gc;briefly in studio, 1985)
• Nick Knox (~): drums

.....H (Mar. 1986- Jun. 1986) There are television appearances but no studio recordings released.

• Fur Stokes: bass
• Nick Knox (~): drums

.....I (Jul. 1986- May 1991) Technically they made only one live and one studio album together, plus about an LP's worth of other recordings that now live on as bonus tracks. But at nearly five years this was, I think, the longest consistent line-up. Touring on the strength of ALOHA FROM HELL and STAY SICK, they have their fair share of bootlegs as well.

• Candy Del Mar: bass
• Nick Knox (~): drums

.....J (Jun. 1991- Sep. 1991)

• Slim Chance (Victor Willden): bass
• Jim Sclavunos: drums

.....K (Oct. 1991- Dec. 1993)

• Slim Chance (~): bass
• Nikki Alexander: drums

.....L (Jan. 1994- Summer 1998?)

• Slim Chance (~): bass
• Harry Drumdini (Harry Misenheimer): drums

.....M (Sep. 1998- Feb. 1999)

• Doran Shelley: bass
• Harry Drumdini (~): drums

.....N (during 2000)

• Sugarpie Jones (Tim Ferris): bass
• Harry Drumdini (~): drums
• Jen Hanrahan: percussion (Jun. 2000- Aug. 2000)

.....O (2000?- Aug. 2003)

• Chopper Franklin (Scott Franklin): bass
• Harry Drumdini (~): drums

.....P (Sep. 2003- May 2004)

• Chopper Franklin (~): bass
• Jungle Jim (Jim Chandler): drums

.....Q (Jul. 2004- Aug. 2006) This line-up is the one on the live DVD released last year. That makes it the most recent recording I know of, perhaps the last authorized recording made.

• Chopper Franklin (~): bass
• Bill Bateman: drums

.....R (Aug. 2006- Sep. 2006) The same as O; Harry briefly returns.

.....S (Oct. 2006- Nov. 2006)

• Sean Yseult (Shauna Reynolds): bass
• Harry Drumdini (~): drums

.....T (Dec. 2006- Feb. 2009) The same as O; Lux passed away on February 4, 2009 and while Ivy is capable of assembling an exceptional touring unit it is not at all clear that she wants to. She would be in demand as a solo act instead, and certainly welcomed by many as a studio guest. She and Lux spent 33 years performing together and a few years more as partners in life. Losing him has to have had some impact on her. It would not have diminished her considerable, often underestimated skill with a guitar, nor the fervor of the Cramps' fan base. The only question is where she wants to go from here. Solo act? Recording mogul (she still owns Vengeance and has extensive producing experience)? Axe for hire? Grande dame of a demimonde subculture? All of the above?

Cramps Box suggested program Part 2

.....This is the second half of the playlist for a theoretical Cramps boxed set. The first half was posted on October 20, 2011 and there will be a third post containing the band's line-ups. I'd recommend reading the paragraphs preceding the first post before examining this one because they explain how the tracks are numbered for both tape and disc formats. The finished set should contain either four 90 minute cassettes (eight sides) or five audio compact discs.

1. [T5:01/D3:10-I] 1:54 EVERYTHING GOES - From a rehearsal recorded at Cahuenga Blvd. Shack, Studio City, CA in Summer, 1988 {*}.
2. [T5:02/D3:11-I] 3:20 BIKINI GIRLS WITH MACHINE GUNS - A-side 7" Enigma ENV17 (UK) 01/90.
3. [T5:03/D3:12-I] 3:17 JACKYARD BACKOFF - B-side 7" Enigma ENV17 (UK) 01/90.
4. [T5:04/D3:13-I] 2:57 HER LOVE RUBBED OFF (Carl Perkins) - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV17 (UK) 01/90. There are live versions of both this song and "BIKINI GIRLS..." that were used as B-sides later that same year. They are the only tracks from official singles I've knowingly left off this compilation, mostly because I chose to adhere to chronology as much as possible in order to organize all this material and they were released too close to the studio originals. Also, while not as common as these versions they were more widely available than later B-sides, having been released both on CD singles and vinyl as well as the very comprehensive Vengeance edition CD for STAY SICK.
5. [T5:05/D3:14-I] 2:39 DAISYS[sic] UP YOUR BUTTERFLY - From LP STAY SICK Enigma ENVLP1001 (UK) 02/90.
6. [T5:06/D3:15-I] 2:34 MAMA OO POW POW - From LP STAY SICK Enigma ENVLP1001 (UK) 02/90. This track may have also been the version used as a B-side for a Spanish 12" in 1994. (For more details, see the Livejournal posts from Feb. and Mar. 2011, also under the name pblfsda.)
7. [T5:07/D3:16-I] 2:51 SHORTIN' BREAD (public domain) - From LP STAY SICK Enigma ENVLP1001 (UK) 02/90. I couldn't (or shouldn't) just list this song without acknowledging that when it was released it met objections from some because it is one of dozens of traditional American songs that survived into the twentieth century because they were habitually included in minstrel shows, which is unfortunate since it was certainly catchy enough to deserve surviving on its own. Listeners too young to have experienced the song in the minstrel context of racial caricatures probably wouldn't understand the objections, since, in the hands of The Cramps, this dusty standard about rape, cannibalism and dead children has become something in which the possibility that one of the characters might be wearing a doo-rag would have to be the least disturbing image about it. One note about mixing: when using this album track it should quickly fade up at the beginning since the previous track carries over slightly.
8. [T5:08/D3:17-I] 3:08 ALL WOMEN ARE BAD - A-side 12" Enigma 12ENV19 (UK) 03/90. Also available as a 7" single.
9. [T5:09/D3:18-I] 2:29 KING OF THE DRAPES - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV19 (UK) 03/90. This track and the next two are collectively known as 'The Crybaby Suite', since they were once intended for use in the John Waters movie "Crybaby".
10. [T5:10/D3:19-I] 3:04 TEENAGE RAGE - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV19 (UK) 03/90. (see above) This track was also the B-side of the 7" format for "ALL WOMEN ARE BAD".
11. [T5:11/D3:20-I] 3:52 HIGH SCHOOL HELLCATS - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV19 (UK) 03/90.
12. [T5:12/D3:21-I] 4:50 JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF A GIRL - A-side 12" Enigma EPRO-287 (US) 1990, promo only.
13. [T5:13/D3:22-I] 3:12 CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON - A-side 12" Enigma 12ENV22 (UK) 08/90. This track is actually available in a variety of formats, including variant CD EP's, sometimes listed in databases and commercial sites and catalogues as mini-albums. I would advise listening to this track carefully several times before attempting to dub it into the compilation. As an album track it bleeds both out of the previous track and into the next one. I was disappointed to find the bleed was replicated on my copy of one of the CD singles. It must be faded up and faded down, thus the playing time of 3:12 I've put here is just a guideline; your time may vary by a few seconds depending on your tastes and reflexes.
14. [T5:14/D3:23-I] 2:26 BEAT OUT MY LOVE - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV22 (UK) 08/90.
15. [T5:15/D3:24-I] 2:31 JAILHOUSE ROCK (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - B-side 12" Enigma 12ENV22 (UK) 08/90, but released previously on VA2LP THE LAST TEMPTATION OF ELVIS New Musical Express NMELP 038/039 (UK) 02/90. The recording of most of the tracks on cassette side 5 were completed by the fall of 1989 after an extensive period that yielded STAY SICK and most of its contemporary single tracks. This one track was recorded in a separate facility in the US, probably later and shortly before leaving for a UK tour and at first was only available in the UK for that Elvis tribute album. I placed it here in the play order to reflect the presumed order of the recording, which coincides with the release order of the single. (I can't remember, but I think in the Livejournal pages I erroneously gave this song the songwriting credits for "HEARTBREAK HOTEL". If you've been following the project this long, sorry about that.)
16. [T6:01/D3:25-I] 3:01 MULESKINNER BLUES (Jimmie Rogers) - Recorded live at Brixton Academy, South London on Feb. 12, 1990. The studio version of this cover is the only track from the compilation A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CRAMPS which I haven't included. I used this version because, like the live version of "TEAR IT UP" from the movie "Urgh! A Music War", the momentum of the performance was more of an asset than the fidelity of the studio. That, and the fact that the STAY SICK album was already overrepresented.
17. [T6:02/D3:26-I] 3:31 YOU'VE GOT GOOD TASTE - Recorded live at Brixton Academy, South London on Feb. 12, 1990. This is from the same performance of the track above, but this was broadcast on BBC-TV's "Snub TV" shortly after it was recorded.
18. [T6:03/D4:01-Lux] 0:08 (PK excerpt) "GET OUT YOUR MAGIC DECODER RINGS..."
19. [T6:04/D4:02-J] 3:21 EYEBALL IN MY MARTINI - A-side 12" Big Beat NST135 (UK) 09/91.
20. [T6:05/D4:03-J] 4:20 I WANNA GET IN YOUR PANTS - B-side 12" Big Beat NST135 (UK) 09/91.
21. [T6:06/D4:04-J] 4:56 WILDER WILDER FASTER FASTER - B-side 12" Big Beat NST135 (UK) 09/91.
22. [__:__/D4:05-J] 2:40 MINISKIRT BLUES (L. Belden, Simon Stokes, L. Starr) - From CD5 Restless RPRO 012 (US) 1992, promo only. This one has a guest vocal from Iggy Pop. Either this track or "JELLY ROLL ROCK" must be withheld from the cassette configuration in order to fit the 90 minute limit. They are the two shortest tracks on side 6 and this is an album track. It's also the kind of track you'd also put on an Iggy Pop compilation anyway.
23. [T6:07/D4:06-J] 4:06 BEND OVER, I'LL DRIVE - From LP LOOK MOM, NO HEAD! Big Beat WIKAD (Germany) 1991.
24. [T6:08/D4:07-J] 4:36 DAMES, BOOZE, CHAINS AND BOOTS - This track comes from the same album as the previous one, but later in the year it would be the lead track for an EP on which it effectively replaces the song "HARD WORKIN' MAN" on the BLUES FIX EP. So, if you're having a hard time finding that EP (you shouldn't, but if) you can find the other three non-album songs by looking for this song's title or by searching for CD5 Intercard Record Service IRS 977-506 (Germany) 1992.
25. [T6:09/D4:08-J] 4:03 HARDWORKIN' MAN (Jack Nitzsche, Ry Cooder, Paul Schrader) - From CDEP BLUES FIX Big Beat CDNST136 (UK) 1992. Yes, that's the movie director Paul Schrader. This song was written specifically for Captain Beefheart to sing for the soundtrack of the movie "Blue Collar".
26. [T6:10/D4:09-K] 3:16 IT'S MIGHTY CRAZY (Otis Hicks, Jerry West) - From CDEP BLUES FIX Big Beat CDNST136 (UK) 1992.
27. [T6:11/D4:10-K] 2:26 JELLY ROLL ROCK (Jack Wilks) - From CDEP BLUES FIX Big Beat CDNST136 (UK) 1992. (see the note accompanying "MINISKIRT BLUES")
28. [T6:12/D4:11-K] 2:57 SHOBALOR (E.Sheriff, Aki Aleong) - From CDEP BLUES FIX Big Beat CDNST136 (UK) 1992.
29. [T6:13/D4:12-K] 3:34 WHAT'S INSIDE A GIRL - Recorded live at CBGB's, NYC on Dec. 10, 1993. From VACD5 CBGB'S 20TH ANNIVERSARY SAMPLER Giant/Warner Bros. PRO-CD 7059 (US) 1994. As I noted in the Livejournal posts, this sampler was supposed to promote an album, but I'm not entirely certain the full album shipped commercially.
30. [T7:01/D4:13-L] 3:48 ULTRA TWIST! - A-side 7" Medicine 7-17976 (US) 1994.
31. [T7:02/D4:14-L] 2:29 NO CLUB LONE WOLF - B-side 7" Medicine 7-17976 (US) 1994.
32. [T7:03/D4:15-L] 3:40 SWING THE BIG EYED RABBIT - From LP FLAMEJOB Epitaph 86449-1 (US) 09/94. The simultaneous CD release was on Medicine 9 24592-2 (US) 09/94.
33. [T7:04/D4:16-L] 2:28 INSIDE OUT AND UPSIDE DOWN (WITH YOU) - Same source(s) as above.
34. [T7:07/D4:17-L] 3:55 LET'S GET F*CKED UP - A-side 7" Medicine 7-18045 (US) 1994. Despite the standard catalogue number, this isn't a stock release; it's actually a jukebox single. This also means that it's release date is more fluid than usual and probably varies regionally. You may notice that this single is located after the next on the cassette configuration. The reasons for that will become more obvious by the end of this cassette side.
35. [T7:08/D4:18-L] 2:17 HOW COME YOU DO ME (Jason Joiner) - B-side 7" Medicine 7-18045 (US) 1994. (see above)
36. [T7:05/D4:19-L] 2:45 NAKED GIRL FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS - A-side 7" Medicine 7-17932 (US) 1995.
37. [T7:06/D4:20-L] 2:59 CONFESSIONS OF A PSYCHOCAT - B-side 7" Medicine 7-17932 (US) 1995.
38. [T7:09/D5:01-L] 14:53 SURFIN' BIRD (Sonny Harris, Turner Wilson, Carl White, Al Frazier) - That's not a typographical error; this track is nearly fifteen minutes long. It was recorded live at The Academy, NYC on Nov. 23, 1994. After the release of the FLAMEJOB album the band toured as usual and these three tracks from those shows spiced up CD singles the following year. This track was released on CD5 Creation CRESCD196 (UK) 1995. I haven't been able to locate these three tracks but I'm including them specifically because of their rarity. While there are many items in the Cramps history with lower print runs and higher collectors' prices, these songs are among the few that have never been collected on an album length CD. The problem with not having heard them in advance is that a song of this length is probably a medley of some kind, or at least incorporates familiar riffs to keep things interesting rather than just vamping for three times the normal length of the song. Because of that I can't be certain if the songwriting credits are exactly accurate. Feel free to comment if you know otherwise.
39. [T7:10/D5:02-L] 2:55 NAKED GIRL FALLING DOWN THE STAIRS (live) - From Medicine PRO-CD-7344 (US) 1995.
40. [T7:11/D5:03-L] 3:45 I'M CUSTOMIZED (live) - From Medicine PRO-CD-7344 (US) 1995.
41. [T8:01/D5:04-Ivy] 3:20 PETER GUNN (Henry Mancini) - From VACD SHOTS IN THE DARK Donna Records DOCD 2113 (US) 04/96. This is an instrumental solo recording by Ivy Rorschach. Fortunately you can find it as a bonus track on the Vengeance edition CD of BIG BEAT FROM BADSVILLE.
42. [T8:02/D5:05-L] 3:06 LIKE A BAD GIRL SHOULD - From CD5 Epitaph Europe 6527-2 (The Netherlands) 1997.
43. [T8:03/D5:06-L] 3:37 WET NIGHTMARE - From CD5 Epitaph Europe 6527-2 (The Netherlands) 1997.
44. [T8:04/D5:07-L] 2:49 I WALKED ALL NIGHT (Hargus Robbins) - From CD5 Epitaph Europe 6527-2 (The Netherlands) 1997.
45. [T8:05/D5:08-L] 3:39 MONKEY WITH YOUR TAIL - From LP BIG BEAT FROM BADSVILLE Epitaph 86516-1 (US) 09/97.
46. [T8:06/D5:09-L] 2:45 SHEENA'S IN A GOTH GANG - From LP BIG BEAT FROM BADSVILLE Epitaph 86516-1 (US) 09/97.
47. [T8:07/D5:10-L] 2:54 HAULASS HYENA - From LP BIG BEAT FROM BADSVILLE Epitaph 86516-1 (US) 09/97.
48. [T8:08/D5:11-Lux] 2:24 BAD HOROSCOPE (Dee Dee Ramone) - B-side 7"Blackout BLK 5008E7 (UK) 1997. The same version is also on Dee Dee's album CD ZONKED! Other People's Music OPM2118 (Canada) 10/97. Lux provides guest vocals.
49. [T8:09/D5:12-Lux] 1:32 UNDERWATER SUN - This song originally appeared on a special episode of "SpongeBob Squarepants" called "SpongeBob's House Party". Unlike most episodes, which contain two short cartoons, this one contained one short cartoon ("Party Pooper Pants", the title commonly used in channel guides) and a live action framing sequence including this song being performed by The Bird Brains, a rock band of marionette birds whose vocalist was voiced by Lux Interior. There are no songwriting credits given specifically for this, although 'original music' is credited to Jeremy Wakefield. Imdb lists Carlos Palazio and series creator Stephen Hillenberg as Bird Brains performers, separate and distinct from otherwise credited puppeteers. That's the closest I can get to a band credit. The episode originally broadcast on May 17, 2002 and was eventually released on DVD Sep. 27, 2005. The audio was included on VACD THE YELLOW ALBUM Nick Records 73974-2 (US) 11/15/05.
50. [T8:10/D5:13-O] 3:37 BIG BLACK WITCHCRAFT ROCK - A-side 7"Vengeance 676 (US) 03/03. The playing time for this track as it appears on the album is 3:29 on CD. The eight second difference may be an error, a different edit or a different take entirely.
51. [T8:11/D5:14-O] 3:16 BUTCHER PETE (Henry Bernard, Roy Brown) - B-side 7"Vengeance 676 (US) 03/03.
52. [T8:12/D5:15---] 2:32 FUNNEL OF LOVE (Charlie McCoy, Kent Westberry) - From the Wanda Jackson album CD HEART TROUBLE CMH Records CD-8708 (US) 10/14/03. This track was also available on the vinyl edition: Sympathy For The Record Industry SFTRI724. On this track Ivy plays guitar and both she and Lux provide backing vocals. They play with Jackson's studio band, Larry Taylor on bass and Stephen Hodges on drums. This song and the one below were actually recorded after the album tracks that close out the compilation but I felt that the last track should not only be original but more importantly be recorded under their own name.
53. [T8:13/D5:16---] 2:25 RIOT IN CELL BLOCK #9 (Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller) - This second song recorded with Wanda Jackson was one of three songs from her album HEART TROUBLE that were omitted from the vinyl edition. Otherwise the information accompanying the above track is the same for this one.
54. [__:__/D5:17-O] 3:00 SHE'S GOT BALLS - From LP FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND Vengeance 675 (US) 04/03. I'm omitting this album track from the cassette configuration due to time constraints.
55. [T8:14/D5:18-O] 4:22 DOPE FIEND BOOGIE - From LP FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND Vengeance 675 (US) 04/03.
56. [T8:15/D5:19-O] 3:19 ELVIS FUCKING CHRIST - From LP FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND Vengeance 675 (US) 04/03.
57. [T8:16/D5:20-Lux] 0:50 (PK excerpt) DOES YOUR CONSCIENCE BOTHER YOU...? This is the first half of the Lux's last spot on the Purple Knif radio broadcast (the second half involves identifying the records he had just finished playing and signing off with Ghoulardi phrases). I couldn't think of a more appropriate final track: "Okay out there all you simple life-forms, thanks for tuning in. Does your conscience bother you 'cause you did? You've been on a detour to nowhere with the Zulu king and his vigilantes. Hope you liked it. We'll see you soon. Thanks for tuning in."

.....FINALLY. 119 tracks including interstitials and approximately six hours. That's several months of my life I'm not getting back, but frankly, I'd just as soon have this box than those months. In the middle of all this I calculated that if I had abandoned the cassette format entirely and restricted myself to using only A-sides and non-album tracks that have not since become bonus tracks on the standard albums, the whole thing would have fit on two CD's. The problem with that is that many longtime concert favorites like "I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF" and "TV SET" wouldn't be represented by any versions. Also, the listener wouldn't hear the gradual changes the band made in their approach to covers from psychotronic deconstruction to nearly faithful reproduction in some cases. I have to admit I enjoyed listening through the full albums repeatedly and rediscovering songs left of the original compilation tape due to space limitations. The theoretical format is obviously more liberating but it is just as conducive to indulgence. With a little more discipline I might be able to whittle this down to three CD's without hurting the overall impact. Let me know in the comment section. What would leave off? Is there anything you'd add? (Really?) I'll be leaving the performance credits in the next post, but aside from that (and answering any questions you might have) you can all have the last word on this for the foreseeable future. To paraphrase Douglas Adams, I've spent a year dead for Lux purposes and I want to steer this blog back to its original mission.

Happy Halloween

.....You may have guessed by now that I was one of hundreds of thousands if not millions to suffer from power outages in the northeast U.S. in the wake of a freak snow storm. This should not have had any impact on completing the long overdue Cramps compilation which, frankly, I should have posted in August. However, for the previous week I'd been doing some cooking and caretaking for a relative recovering from major surgery. I brought my notes to complete editing the final track selection to make sure it fits the time limitations of the various formats. During my stay the best I could manage was to edit and post a previously written "Checklist Of Shame" installment. Now that I'm back in a position to get to work I'm finding it physically impossible to type fast enough to get this out for Halloween.

.....By some small way of compensation, I could refer you to the series of Halloween music compilations I suggested last year for those who hadn't discovered the blog. There should be a Halloween label to click on in the list to the right. Also, all this month you could have been enjoying the daily posts on http://theroadsofautumndusk.blogspot.com/ as well as http://historiesofthingstocome.blogspot.com/ for all variety of Halloween goodness (and badness), not just the musical end. Where I am trick or treating has been postponed for reasons of safety as much as convenience. Until all downed power lines have been reconnected it's best to give the kids one more day of anticipation. If I give up sleep, it might be all I need to finish the post. (And for readers in the U.S., don't forget to vote next week. You may not have any say in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but you should have a say in your own fate.)

Cramps Box suggested program

.....I'll catch up with the Checklist Of Shame for the Hall Of Fame omissions later. I've got until April for those, after all, and I really want to get this Cramps project off the back burner before Halloween. Here are some ground rules: all songs are written by Ivy Rorschach and Lux Interior except as noted in parentheses after the song titles; tracks marked "PK excerpt" are taken from an hour-long guest spot Lux spent as a DJ (details below); tracks marked {*} are currently available on 2CD HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER Vengeance 677 (US) 09/21/04; and each track is preceded by a format code showing where the track would be found on the compilation. The format code is simpler than it looks and while you might be able to figure it out from context, I'd rather just spell it for the sake of completeness. "T" stands for "tape format", meaning a 90-minute chromium oxide cassette. "D" stands for"digital format", meaning a standard audio compact disc, typically with a 80-minute upper limit. Following each of those letters will be a volume number, colon and track number. The format code ends with a letter A through T which stands for the line-up of the band playing that particular track. I've largely ignored video sources in the hopes that someone can compile a comprehensive theoretical DVD with every video document prior to the 2006 concert video. This compilation is intended to be more of an over view.

.....The Purple Knif Show was broadcast from a Hollywood radio station in July, 1984. Lux Interior sat in as a guest DJ for an hour, temporarily renaming the show "Purple Knif"after an expression used by a childhood hero, midwestern TV horror show host Ghoulardi. ('Knif' is just 'fink' spelled backwards, but was enough to establish a synergy with artist Big Daddy Roth, creator of Rat Fink.) Much of what he played was from the late 1950's and early 1960's and not surprisingly reflected the rockabilly sensibilities he and Ivy brought to the Cramps. (They are or were both fanatic record collectors.) The entire show has been sold on CD several times from a variety of labels in different territories. My own copy is from Munster Records (MR CD 151, 1999) but was licensed from Skydog (CD 62 246 2).

.....Because this post is going to be unusually long, I'm going to post the band line-ups A-T on a subsequent post.

1. [T1:01/D1:01-Lux] 0:34 Introduction, probably from VACD TRADEMARK OF QUALITY VOLUME 3 Warner Bros. PRO-CD 7206 (US) 1994 and currently available on the 2001 Vengeance edition of BIG BEAT FROM BADSVILLE as the introduction to "CONFESSIONS OF A PSYCHOCAT".
2. [T1:02/D1:02-A] 1:15 LUX'S BLUES - From rehearsals, Summer 1976 {*}.
3. [T1:03/D1:03-A] 2:57 SUNGLASSES AFTER DARK (adapted from Dwight Pullen and "FAT BACK" by Link Wray; also attributed to James Noble) - From rehearsals, Summer 1976 {*}.
4. [T1:04/D1:04-B] 3:11 I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF - Recorded live at Max's Kansas City, NYC Jan. 14, 1977 {*}.
5. [T1:05/D1:05-B] 2:34 I'M CRAMPED (The Cramps) - Recorded live at Max's Kansas City, NYC Jan. 14, 1977 {*}.
6. [T1:06/D1:06-C] 5:08 SURFIN' BIRD (Sonny Harris, Turner White, Carl White, Al Frazier) - A-side 7" Vengeance 666(US) 04/78.
7. [T1:07/D1:07-C] 2:43 THE WAY I WALK (Jack Scott) - B-side 7" Vengeance 666(US) 04/78.
8. [T1:08/D1:08-C] 2:15 HUMAN FLY - A-side 7" Vengeance 668(US) 11/78.
9. [T1:09/D1:09-C] 3:09 DOMINO (Sam Phillips) - B-side 7" Vengeance 668(US) 11/78.
10. [T1:10/D1:10-C] 3:16 LONESOME TOWN (Thomas Knight) - This outtake was recorded Oct. 1977 with the two singles above but not released until the EP GRAVEST HITS and is now on the compilation OFF THE BONE.
11. [T1:11/D1:11-C] 3:01 RED HEADED WOMAN (Sonny Burgess) - Recorded with James Luther Dickinson in Oct. 1977 during the same excursion to Memphis but in a different studio from the singles session. Dickinson's project wasn't completed but this eventually surfaced on VALP ROCKABILLY PSYCHOSIS AND THE GARAGE DISEASE Big Beat WIK18 (UK) 06/84.
12. [T1:12/D1:12-C] 3:01 WHAT'S BEHIND THE MASK? - Recorded live at CBGB's, NYC Jan. 13, 1978 and first released on the promotional LP FRANK FURTER AND THE HOT DOGS Medicine/WB PROA-6736 (US) 12/10/93 {*}.
13. [T1:13/D1:13-C] 3:02 BABY BLUE ROCK [early version of DRUG TRAIN] - (see above)
14. [T1:14/D1:14-C] 2:54 SUBWIRE DESIRE [aka UNDER THE WIRES] - (see above)
15. [T1:15/D1:15-C] 2:31 TWIST AND SHOUT [early version of DRUG TRAIN] - Demo produced by Alex Chilton, probably from Ohio in July 1979. Commonly found as a bonus track on the CD for SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US.
16. [T1:16/D1:16-C] 2:39 MYSTERY PLANE (original mix) - This may have been the version on the B-side of a known test pressing in Dec. 1979 coupled with the original mix of "GARBAGE MAN". The entire first album was remixed and the planned single was cancelled, but this track was also a bonus track on the CD for SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US.
17. [T2:01/D1:17-C] 3:27 FEVER (John Davenport, Eddie Cooley)(edited) - A-side 7" Illegal ILS 0017 (UK) 03/80. This 7" edit is not available on CD. The album edit is 4:16 and will easily fit on the CD configuration here.
18. [T2:02/D1:18-C] 3:32 GARBAGE MAN - B-side 7" Illegal ILS 0017 (UK) 03/80 and A-side 7" I.R.S. IR9014 (US) 05/80.
19. [T2:03/D1:19-C] 3:12 TV SET - A French B-side and US compilation BAD MUSIC FOR BAD PEOPLE. Most commonly found on LP SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US I.R.S. SP007 (US) 04/80.
20. [T2:04/D1:20-C] 1:55 ZOMBIE DANCE - From LP SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US I.R.S. SP007 (US) 04/80.
21. [T2:05/D1:21-C] 3:47 MAD DADDY - From LP SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US I.R.S. SP007 (US) 04/80.
22. [T2:06/D1:22-C] 1:47 ROCK ON THE MOON ("Burden"; also credited to Jimmy Stewart) - From LP SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US I.R.S. SP007 (US) 04/80.
23. [T2:07/D1:23-Lux] 0:15 (PK excerpt) "THE DE-LUX EDITION OF THE NIGHT TRAIN"
24. [T2:08/D1:24-C] 2:38 DRUG TRAIN - B-side 7" I.R.S. IR9014 (US) 05/80 and A-side 7" Illegal ILS 0021 (UK) 09/80.
25. [T2:09/D1:25-C] 2:02 LOVE ME (Marty Lott) - B-side 7" Illegal ILS 0021 (UK) 09/80.
26. [T2:10/D1:26-C] 2:43 I CAN'T HARDLY STAND IT (Charlie Feathers, Jody Christian, Jerry Huffman) - B-side 7" Illegal ILS 0021 (UK) 09/80.
27. [T2:11/D1:27-C] 2:28 URANIUM ROCK (Warren Smith) - From VA2LP I.R.S. GREATEST HITS VOLUMES 2&3 I.R.S. SP70800 (US) 01/81. This is more commonly found on the US compilation BAD MUSIC FOR BAD PEOPLE and some later editions of OFF THE BONE.
28. [T2:12/D1:28-D] 3:59 TEAR IT UP (Johnny Burnette, Dorsey Burnette, Paul Burlison) - Live recording from VA2LP URGH! A MUSIC WAR A&M SP6019 (US) 05/81.
29. [T2:13/D2:01-E] 3:32 PRIMITIVE (Steven Venet and The Groupies [Norman Desrosiers, Pete Hendleman, Ronnie Peters, Gordon McLoren and Bobby Cortez]) - From LP PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE I.R.S. SP70016 (US) 04/81. This is also the only track from the rare promo-only compilation A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CRAMPS that hadn't made it onto the first draft of this theoretical boxed set. I had originally tried to emphasize original compositions when selecting representative album tracks since covers were already inevitable among the singles.
30. [T2:14/D2:02-E] 2:49 ROCKIN' BONES (Jack Rhodes, Don Carter, Dub Nalls) - From LP PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE I.R.S. SP70016 (US) 04/81.
31. [T2:15/D2:03-E] 2:04 DON'T EAT STUFF OFF THE SIDEWALK - From LP PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE I.R.S. SP70016 (US) 04/81.
32. [T2:16/D2:04-E] 3:59 BEAUTIFUL GARDENS - From LP PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE I.R.S. SP70016 (US) 04/81.
33. [T3:01/D2:05-E] 3:07 GOO GOO MUCK (Ronnie Cook, Ed James) - A-side 7" I.R.S. IR9021 (US) 05/81.
34. [T3:02/D2:06-E] 3:17 SHE SAID (Hasil Adkins) - B-side 7" I.R.S. IR9021 (US) 05/81.
35. [T3:03/D2:07-E] 1:48 THE CRUSHER (Bob Nolan) - A-side 12" I.R.S. PFSX 1008 (UK) 09/81.
36. [T3:04/D2:08-E] 2:57 SAVE IT (Mel Robbins, Mary Biggs) - B-side 12" I.R.S. PFSX 1008 (UK) 09/81.
37. [T3:05/D2:09-E] 3:32 NEW KIND OF KICK - B-side 12" I.R.S. PFSX 1008 (UK) 09/81.
38. [T3:06/D2:10-E] 1:50 RUMBLE BLUES (Milt Grant, Link Wray) - From rehearsal at Modern Music Studio, Hollywood,CA in Fall, 1981 {*}.
39. [T3:07/D2:11-F] 3:03 SOMETIMES GOOD GUYS DON'T WEAR WHITE (Ed Cobb) - Recorded live in Seattle, WA May 20, 1982.
40. [T3:08/D2:12-F] 2:11 I'M FIVE YEARS AHEAD OF MY TIME (Rusty Evans, Victoria Pike) - From secretly recorded demos, probably recorded Oct. 1982 {*}.
41. [T3:09/D2:13-F] 4:36 CALL OF THE WIGHAT - (see above)
42. [T3:10/D2:14-E] 3:03 THEE MOST EXALTED POTENTATE OF LOVE - From EP SMELL OF FEMALE Enigma 21 (US) 1/83.
43. [T3:11/D2:15-E] 2:31 {2:47 on LP} FASTER PUSSYCAT (Bert Schefter) - A-side 7" New Rose NEW28 (France) 02/84. The single edits for these four songs are not commonly available on CD (for details please read the Livejournal entries from Feb. and Mar. 2011, also posted under the name pblfsda). The slightly longer edits from the Vengeance CD for SMELL OF FEMALE are included in brackets and the total additional time, should you choose to employ them in assembling this compilation, is only 0:42 and should not exceed the time limits of either format.
44. [T3:12/D2:16-E] 3:21 {3:33 on LP} YOU GOT GOOD TASTE - B-side 7" New Rose NEW28 (France) 02/84.
45. [T3:13/D2:17-E] 3:02 {3:16 on LP} I AIN'T NOTHING BUT A GOREHOUND - A-side 7" New Rose NEW33 (France) 02/84.
46. [T3:14/D2:18-E] 2:33 {not on LP} WEEKEND ON MARS - B-side 7" New Rose NEW33 (France) 02/84.
47. [T3:15/D2:19-G] 4:12 SURFIN' DEAD (Ivy Rorschach, Lux Interior, Nick Knox) - From VALP RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD Enigma 72004-1 (US) 06/85.
48. [T4:01/D2:20-G] 3:19 CAN YOUR PUSSY DO THE DOG? - A-side 7" Big Beat NS110 (UK) 11/85 and A-side 7" New Rose NEW66 (France) 11/85.
49. [T4:02/D2:21-G] 2:39 BLUE MOON BABY (Meridan?, Satalsky, Rowe) - B-side Big Beat NS110 (UK) 11/85. By most accounts this was originally recorded by Dave Diddle Day, but I've found conflicting songwriting credits, none of which include first names. In at least one case, Satalsky's name was spelled "Sétalsky".
50. [T4:03/D2:22-G] 3:20 GEORGIA LEE BROWN (Hafner, Zinn, Hafner) - B-side New Rose NEW66 (France) 11/85.
51. [T4:04/D2:23-G] 2:36 ALOHA FROM HELL - From LP A DATE WITH ELVIS Big Beat WIKA 46 (UK) 02/86.
52. [T4:05/D2:24-G] 3:18 THE HOT PEARL SNATCH - From LP A DATE WITH ELVIS Big Beat WIKA 46 (UK) 02/86.
53. [T4:06/D2:25-G] 3:47 PEOPLE AIN'T NO GOOD - From LP A DATE WITH ELVIS Big Beat WIKA 46 (UK) 02/86. Improbably, this one is performed with The McMartin Preschool Choir. And the title is not ironic.
54. [T4:07/D3:01-G] 3:23 WHAT'S INSIDE A GIRL? - A-side 7" Big Beat NS115 (UK) 04/86.
55. [T4:08/D3:02-G] 3:12 GET OFF THE ROAD (Herschell Lewis) - B-side 12" Big Beat NST115 (UK) 04/86.
56. [T4:09/D3:03-G] 2:26 GIVE ME A WOMAN (Willie Jacobs) - B-side 7" Big Beat NS115 (UK) 04/86 and above.
57. [T4:10/D3:04-G] 3:02 KIZMIAZ - A-side 7" New Rose NEW71 (France) 06/86.
58. [T4:11/D3:05-G] 4:11 HOW FAR CAN TOO FAR GO? - B-side 7" New Rose FREE7 (France) Spring 1986. This album track was the flip of the promotional copy of "KIZMIAZ". The stock copies of the 7" and 12" used the B-sides from the UK "WHAT'S INSIDE A GIRL?" singles.
59. [T4:12/D3:06-I] 4:50 CORNFED DAMES (based on the novel by Dave Stuckey) - Recorded live at The Galaxy, Aukland, NZ on August 30, 1986. From LP ROCKINNREELININAUKLANDNEWZEALANDXXX Vengeance 669 (US) 09/87.
60. [T4:13/D3:07-Lux] 0:07 (PK excerpt) "OO-WEE-AHH, LISTEN TO THAT CLICKIN'; TIE ON THEIR BIB NOW AND LET'S HAVE SOME CHICKEN." This is a tough edit, but worth it. Lux interjected this snippet into the play order while guest DJ-ing as an introduction to the original version (by The Spark Plugs) of the next song.
61. [T4:14/D3:08-I] 1:37 CHICKEN (Traditional, arranged by IR/LI)(live) - From the same source as "CORNFED DAMES".
62. [T4:15/D3:09-I] 2:44 DO THE CLAM (Sid Wayne, Ben Weisman, Delores Fuller)(live) - From the same source as "CORNFED DAMES".

.....I'm going to cut off here at the half-way point and continue tomorrow. This project is so overdue that I'm anxious to let people to know I haven't abandoned it.

[Posted November 16, 2011 after editing and revision.]