They are in the RocknRoll Hall of Fame, in a manner of speaking. A bass drum Lux put his head through was put there as tribute to that wild man of music.
The Cramps are TOO GOOD for their shitty hall of fame. Lux wouldn’t have wanted them to be in it. He preferred keeping Rock And Roll sick, the way it should be.
My mother stole Lux's glass of water and took it home. She was in love with him and kept it in her room. The morning after, she couldn't find the glass. She asked her father and he said "oh! I found it in your room last night and washed it." She was in tears. She couldn't believe her father washed Lux's glass. It didn't look any different from any other glass, my uncle took all of the glassware when they moved, who knows, they might still drink out of the same glass Lux drank out of on stage!
I tried to steal one of his giant high-heeled pumps at the show in Cleveland, but he fought me for it. But I did get the wine bottle with handwritten XXX on it. And it was pretty cool to have a tug-o-war over a size 13 pump. Love them.
I was at the show in DC August 1980. It was sweaty and scary. Lux scared the crap out of the person I was with. She was ready to cry so I left after five songs.
My favorite Cramps show was on the Look Ma, No Head tour. I saw them at Iguana's in Mexico right across the border from San Diego (30 years ago this week, in fact). The cosmic symmetry of The Cramps in Tijuana was perfection. While on stage Lux drank two bottles of red wine, the second half of the second bottle was from a suede half-boot that someone had thrown on stage. A short time later, during The Strangeness In Me, I believe, he proceeded to fellate the microphone, a truly impressive feat.
I've seen The Ramones, Damned, Toy Dolls, Buzzcocks, Bad Religion, Descendents, etc., The Cramps were by far the best freakish shows ever!!! My favorite live band!!
Great selection of bands there. I remember seeing the Ramones for the first time in Nottingham Rock City late 80s I think it was. And that was my turning point. I'd seen the Stranglers a week before and I just knew. But the Ramones did it for me. Having seen the Cramps many times too, they absolutely never disappointed. I remember poison Ivy playing and trying to wave Lux down off the speakers in Brixton Academy but he was enjoying humping them to much to notice. I do miss them
It breaks my heart, the last time they played my city was in 2000 and I wasn’t old enough to get into the venue 😥 At least I’ll always have the records 💜
I got to see them three times. Mid 90's and early 2000's they were amazing each time. First time I saw them in Portland their encore was about a 20 minute manic version of Surfin' Bird. I think he broke three microphone stands. In Seattle in the early 2000's Quintron opened for them. Quintron is a great band worth checking out too.
Poison Ivy was a sweetheart as well. Met her backstage after photographing her show. She was speaking to me and the fans like we were family. I sure miss them, but relish in the memories I've had and seeing them perform many times. Godspeed your spirit Lux!
Saw them sooo many times at clubs all over NYC All through late 70s through 90s...always a freaky rock snd roll party. I yelled a marriage proposal at Poison Ivy at the peppermint lounge ...she called me an asshole. Life changing.
I was at all those Cramps shows in DC- Hall of Nations, LBJ CLub, Psyche Deli and the Ontario show. Fantastic shows. I later built a guitar for Ivy that she used for encores and played Human Fly on it. - Rock On
The greatest thing about Henry Rollins is that he still comes across as a music fan first despite his years as a successful front man himself. And one of my proudest moments was recording in a studio that the Rollins Band had just finished a session at. They had come into this studio in the UK at the end of a European tour, and they left their backline behind afterwards since it had been bought just for the tour. I got to play through a monstrous Mesa Boogie bass rig that was simply the best setup I've ever used.
100% he’s a fan. I played bass for the Dickies for about ten years. A show we did in 2004 for a Ramones tribute where the footage was used in Too Tough To Die. Henry was there. Watched our sound check, hung out backstage. But the best part was seeing him dance at the side of the stage during our set. Beyond cool.
1979 when I was 15 my boyfriend's brother bought Songs the Lord Taught Us..... changed my life! Cried buckets when Lux died. Saw them about 10 times.... cried buckets when Lux died
I’m a 58 year old metal head/ rock n roll guy and I only discovered the Cramps a couple months ago. How I never heard them all these years is weird but I’m glad I finally did because they kick ass. Better late than never.
The Cramps were the greatest live band I've ever seen and there is nothing like them...not even close and Henry is right there was an element of horror
Spot on. I saw them in Birmingham, England, in 1984 with friends, one of whom was Martin Duffy, now of Primal Scream (name drop, name drop!) We could have all gone backstage to meet them as one of our friends worked for Creation Records at the time, but I said no, basically because I was too scared! Of course I regret it now!
One time Lux stuck his finger in my mouth and wiggled it around at a tiny show in St. Louis in the mid-90s during a wild rendition of "She Said". I didn't brush my teeth for weeks after that night.
Wow, I didn't know Nick had also passed away. I'm 51 but The Cramps really hit me in my teens, sad news. Saw them live a few times on their Euro tour back in the day and it was always a fantastic show. Lux belongs up there with Jim Morrison as an awesome performer and showman and Knox held all together with his tight, precise percussion. Gonna hit the booze tonight and have a Cramps fest..
Saw The Cramps live opening for White Zombie. It was my first exposure to the band as I never heard them before. Growing up in Vegas in the 80's and 90's sucked for exposure to music. They put on a awesome set even regardless of the fact crowd was hostile. Lux was fearless. Became a fan.
To be fair, the crowd at a White/Rob Zombie gig will be hostile to the opening act whoever it is. In the mid 1990’s, I saw the Melvins and Reverend Horton Heat treated like dirt from the WZ “fans” (I got in on the Melvins/Atlantic Records guest list in case you’re wondering). They had The Damned open their shows on an east coast trek in the early 2000’s. The Damned left the tour after three performances because of the hostile reaction the WZ fans gave them. Fuck WZ and RZ anyway.
A spark in my mind, the catalyst. Took my sister to see them at Liberty Lunch. She was surprised by a man in a leather bikini on the speakers deep throating the mic to some great rock n roll. She with Lux now goo goo mucking around…🌹🥀🖤
I watched Lux try to climb a tall speaker column and fall, breaking his ankle. He shoulda known not to try that in high heels! It was good because he had already cured 2 cancerous tumors I had and autographed a new one that was popin up.
"Cold to the touch" is so true! I ended up holding him up over the crowd at a show one time and was kind of shocked by how clammy he felt, given how hard he'd been working!
Henry, thank you for the wonderful stories, you are a true master. Lux was and is an incredible beast, a one of a kind, who is sorely missed. Long live The Cramps, we are blessed to have been alive during their time.
I got to see them four times between 1986 and 2002. I consider my self very fortunate. The only bands I've seen more times are Husker Du and The Beat Farmers.
Thank you Henry for your wonderful funny story about this great Band. I had the honour of seeing them in the decrepit old Opera House. Wow, what a show.
It is frustrating, but I get how the endgame is to keep hospitals from being overrun. Even with the caution put out there by authorities, ya still got so many citizens insisting on being contrarian and blowing off courtesy moves like masking in public. So, hate to say it, Americans are proving to be the self-centered lot that necessitated putting the quarantine in place.
Great Story!! Saw the cramps in 86 Barrowland Scotland, and Astoria London 2003. Probably a bit young to appreciate back in 86 one of my first gigs (only 16) but the London Gig was awesome!! There’s not many bands past or present sound so unique!!
Thanks for this Henry, grew up in Tampa Bay Area , Lux was the shit as you've picked up on everyone who is. I put you in the Bad Brain's clan. You scared the hell out of us at Miss Lucy's on Nebraska
One of m'y favorite rock s band,thé Cramps weré unique Infortunetly I vé never seen them on stage but I saw Henry Rollins on stage it was gréât I was Just front of him hé s massive and thé Rolling band played really good, gréât musicians
