When Lux Interior and Poison Ivy, founder members and mainstays of the legendary Cramps, were invited onto a New Jersey radio station in 2004 to discuss the recent release of their ‘How To Make A Monster’ rarities collection, they barely mentioned the product in question and instead, over the 50 or so minutes of air time they were allocated, they sang the virtues of the records they had both accumulated during a lifetime of collecting and listening to scarce and obscure 45s, all of which, we were told, had ‘a sound to die for’.

 

This 2CD set includes 1 disc containing thirty original recordings of the songs that this fiendish duo either gave mention of during this interview, or covered, sang the praises of or otherwise made public during their delightfully colorful career – albeit one tragically ended by the untimely death of Lux in 2009.

 

But as ‘Chop Suey Rock’, ‘Do You Mean Jelly Bean’ and ‘Caterpillar Crawl’ rub shoulders with twenty seven other gems from an oeuvre it’s difficult to name but easy to recognise, a rare glimpse of the music which informed the work of one of America’s finest ever acts, is presented here for all to enjoy and learn from. Disc 2 of the set includes the full recording of the very interview mentioned above, plus a variety of other discussions with the pair, made throughout the golden age of The Cramps.

 

DISC 1

 

1. VERSATONES – BILA 2. THE SHADES – STROLLIN’ AFTER DARK 3. PAUL PEEK – OLDS MO WILLIAM 4. JACK SCOTT – THE WAY I WALK 5. THE FLAMINGOES – I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU 6. THE RIPTIDES – MACHINE GUN 7. THE PLAYBOYS – JUNGLE FEVER 8. RAY HARRIS – COME ON LITTLE MAMA 9. JIMMIE HEAP & HIS ORCHESTRA – GISMO 10. DON COVAY – SWITCHIN IN THE KITCHEN 11. RONNIE DAWSON – ROCKIN BONES 12. JAN & ARNIE – JENNIE LEE 13. JOHNNY KIDD & THE PIRATES – SHAKIN’ ALL OVER 14. THE STRANGERS – CATERPILLER CRAWL 15. THE CAPS – RED HEADED FLEA 16. THE CRESCENTS – PINK DOMINOES 17. RON THOMPSON – SWITCHBLADE 18. THE FLEETWOODS – UNCHAINED MELODY 19. THE ENCHANTERS – CAFÉ BOHEMIAN 20. ERSEL HICKEY – HANGIN’ AROUND 21. IVAN – REAL WILD CHILD 22. SHERIFF & THE RAVELS – SHOMBOLAR 23. THE INSTRUMENTALS – CHOP SUEY ROCK 24. ROLAND JANES – GUITARVILLE 25. JIMMY LLOYD – ROCKET IN MY POCKET 26. KENNY OWEN – I GOT THE BUG 27. PORTUGUESE JOE – TEENAGE RIOT 28. JOE CLAY – DID YOU MEAN JELLY BEAN 29. GENE MALTAIS – CRAZY BABY 30. GLENN GLEN – EVERYBODY’S MOVIN’

 

 

 

DISC 2

 

Interviews with Lux Interior & Poison Ivy (72:05)