The Cramps is an American band formed in 1976 and originally composed of Lux Interior (real name Erik Purkhiser), Poison Ivy (real name Kristy Wallace), Brian Gregory and Pam Balam.
A band that released a first Single "Surfin' bird" in 1978, a Single that unfortunately went somewhat unnoticed...
It was the release in 1980 of their first album "Songs the Lord taught us" that allowed them to move from the shadows to the light, notably thanks to the Single "Fever". A Single that was ranked in the independent charts but ranked all the same.
The album "Psychedelic jungle" that was released the following year in 1981 was not really going to have such a favorable fate and did not produce any hit worthy of the name...
It would take them five more years and the release in 1986 of the album "A date with Elvis" to finally achieve the recognition they had been chasing since their beginnings. The album will be a real global hit, particularly thanks to the 2 flagship Singles "Can your Pussy do the dog ?" and "What's inside a girl ?".
In terms of Singles, it was the year 1989 that saw them reach the top thanks to the title "Bikini girls with machin guns", a Single that will remain the highest ranked of their entire discography. A title taken from the album "Stay sick !", an album that will be released the following year in 1990 and which paradoxically will only have a limited level of success to say the least...
The adventure will continue thereafter with the release of other albums and other Singles but without having the same level of success as before.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others...) :
70s Decade :
Surfin’ bird 1978
The way I walk 1978
Human fly 1978
Domino 1978
80s Decade :
Fever 1980
Garbageman 1980
Drug train 1980
I can't hardly stand it 1980
Goo goo muck 1981
The crusher 1981
Save it 1981
Faster Pussycat 1984
You got good taste 1984
I ain’t nuthin’ but a gorehound 1984
Can your Pussy do the dog ? 1985
What’s inside a girl ? 1986
Kizmiaz 1986
Get off the road 1986
90s Decade :
Bikini girls with machine guns 1990
All women are bad 1990
The creature from the black leather lagoon 1990
Eyeball in my Martini 1991
Let’s get fucked up 1994
How come you do me ? 1994
Ultra twist 1994
Naked girl falling down the stairs 1995
Like a bad girl should 1997
I walked all night 1997
Cramp stomp 1997
2000s Decade :
Big black witchcraft rock 2003
Hang up 2003
Tracks :
1978...a first high-octane title that rhymes with a luxury cover of the Trashmen's song from 1963. Not sure that this high speed helps more than that...
1978...the tempo has seriously slowed down but that won't allow the group to make a name for himself. Nice try anyway...
1978...a rather confidential start to a career with a level of success that still hasn't taken off. They'll have to work a little harder to get there...
1978...the big take-off will not take place during this decade of the 70s, it is clear. We will therefore have to wait a little longer...
1980...they decided to revisit Little Willie John's flagship title from 1956. A daring bet but a bet that was partly successful since they managed to achieve their first success with this title...
1980...a title that is nothing like the one that preceded it. That's what you call a big gap, to say the least...
1980...whatever the rise in power is slow but real with a new success achieved on this title. Certainly in the Independent Charts but still...
1980...on the other hand it is obvious that their music is not 'for all audiences' as they say and this necessarily limits their level of influence as a result...
1981...a year 1981 that will see them mark time more than anything else. After that, they have to let time take its course and their efforts will end up paying off at some point or another...
1981...it is clear that the group must strengthen its fundamentals if he wants to move into the big leagues. He can and must do better therefore...
1981...it remains to be seen whether they are ready to develop their music or whether, on the contrary, they consider that it should not go towards something 'too commercial'...
1984...we'll lose sight of them for almost 3 years but here they are again anyway. A winning return since it is synonymous with a return to success...
1984...success there is but once again in the Independent Charts. They still can't get past that level of recognition that they've been struggling with since their debut...
1984...it won't be on this title yet but they are getting closer to it slowly but surely. Come on, a little more work and it should do it...
1985...and they will succeed in passing the famous milestone with this title. They achieve their first major success here, finally...
1986...a new major success which confirms that the group is now at cruising speed. Now it remains to last at the highest level...
1986...a mid-80s decade that sees the band at its best and this in a more than obvious way. And it could be that the best is yet to come...
1986...this title will go somewhat 'through' but nothing to worry about at this stage whatever it is, especially when we see what is on the horizon...
1990...it is with THIS title that the group will definitively inscribe its name in the musical Pantheon of the 80s. A title which will remain as their only and above all big global success in terms of Singles...
1990...the group having reached the top of the mountain it is obvious that they will have to come down. And it is with this title that the famous descent will begin...
1990...for the moment this descent is happening rather gently and suggests that the adventure is far from over...
1991...unfortunately the speed of descent begins to accelerate and does not necessarily herald only good news, that's for sure...
1994...we'll lose sight of them for almost 3 years but here they are again anyway. A return that will be far from being a winner, both in terms of albums and Singles...
1994...this new album will not be classified and most of the titles that will be extracted will pass 'through'. Hard law of the trade...
1994...only this title will get out in extremis but really just. And it will be the last time that they will classify one of their titles...
1995...everything that comes out after that will not be classified and the adventure at the highest level will therefore become considerably more complicated...
1997...this does not prevent them from continuing the adventure but it is clear that they will have to realize that the best years are now far behind...
1997...it must be said that their style has evolved very little since their beginnings and that it is no longer really trendy in this 90s decade...
1997...this doesn't seem to bother them more than that but it is necessarily to the detriment of the rest, notably their level of visibility with the general public...
2003...they will try to move on to the 2000s but it could well be that the adventure comes to an end. Hard law of the trade once again...
2003...an adventure that will have lasted almost 25 years, which is not nothing. And as in music nothing is ever finished, who knows if they will not come back one day or another...
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :
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