The Cramps

The Cramps
The Cramps
	The Cramps in 1982
Background information
Origin	New York City, United States
Genres	Garage punk, psychobilly, punk blues, new wave, gothabilly, rockabilly
Years active	1976–2009
Past member(s)	See: former members
Website	thecramps.com

The Cramps were an American punk rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. They were part of the early CBGB punk rock movement that had emerged in New York. The Cramps are widely recognized as one of the prime innovators of psychobilly, and they inspired many of the early gothic rock bands.

Members

Final line-up

Lux Interior (Erick Purkhiser) – vocals, March 1973 to February 2009
Poison Ivy (Kristy Wallace) – lead guitar, March 1973 to February 2009
Harry Drumdini – drums, February 1993 – July 2003 and August 2006 to February 2009

Former members

Bryan Gregory (Greg Beckerleg) – guitar, April 1976 – May 1980
Julien Grindsnatch – guitar, July 1980 – September 1980
Kid Congo Powers (Brian Tristan) – guitar, December 1980 – September 1983
Mike Metoff (as Ike Knox) – guitar, October 1983 – November 1983; January 1984 – July 1984
Click Mort – guitar, December 1983
Scott "Chopper" Franklin – bass & guitar, January 2002 – September 2006
Sean Yseult (Shauna Reynolds, of White Zombie) – bass, October/November 2006
Touch Hazard (Tim Maag of The Mechanics & D.I.) – bass, 1985
Fur (Jennifer Dixon) – bass, March 1986 – May 1986
Candy del Mar – bass, July 1986 – January 1991
Slim Chance – bass, March 1991-August 1998
Doran Shelley – bass, 1998–1999
SugarPie Jones (aka Tim Ferris) – bass, 2000
Pam Ballam (Pam Beckerleg) – drums, April 1976 – September 1976
Miriam Linna – drums, October 1976 – June 1977
Nick Knox – drums, July 1977 – January 1991
Jim Sclavunos – drums, 1991
Nickey Alexander – drums, June 1991 – January 1993
Bill "Buster" Bateman – drums, June 2004 – August 2006
Jen Hanrahan – castanets June 2000 – August 2000.
"Jungle" Jim Chandler – "Laid down the primal beat" for the European tour 2004

Discography

Studio albums

Songs the Lord Taught Us (1980, Illegal)
Psychedelic Jungle (1981, I.R.S.)
Smell of Female – (live at the Peppermint Lounge) 6-track mini album (1983, Big Beat)
A Date with Elvis (1986, Big Beat)
Stay Sick (1990, Enigma)
Look Mom No Head! (1991, Enigma)
Flamejob (1994, The Medicine Label)
Big Beat from Badsville (1997, Epitaph)
Fiends of Dope Island (2002, Vengeance)

Compilations

Off the Bone (1983, Illegal)
Bad Music for Bad People (1984, I.R.S.)
How to Make a Monster (2004, Vengeance)
The Secret Life of the Cramps (2006) ^[source?]