BORN ON THIS DAY: LUX INTERIOR

Erick Lee Purkhiser aka Lux Interior (October 21, 1946 – February 4, 2009)

“Rock ’n’ roll has absolutely nothing to do with music. It’s much more than music. Rock ’n’ roll is who you are. You can’t call the Cramps music. It’s noise, rockin’ noise.”

— Lux Interior

“Rock'n'roll is so great that everyone in the world should think it's the greatest thing that's happening. If they don't, they're turds.”

— Lux Interior

 “Lux seemed like a creature from another world, with one foot already out of this dimension. As much as we might wonder, ‘Where are you now?’ we can also wonder, ‘Where on Earth did you come from?’ Now that’s a mystery!”

— Poison Ivy

“I don't know what will happen. Maybe we will cause a little change in one place; people will start wearing garter belts or something. I don't know what, but whatever we can do, we'll do. Ours is not to reason why, ours is to get out there and do it!”

— Lux Interior

"Because rock and roll is a whole landscape, it takes you from here to there. And you can't look at that as 

great 'art. It's not that socialized; it's an outlaw art. And you can't judge it unless you're living a rock and roll 

lifestyle either."

— Lux Interior

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• LUX THROUGH THE YEARS •

Erick Lee Purkhiser, better known as his stage name Lux Interior was born on October 21st, 1946 in Akron, Ohio. He grew up enamored with the culture of the 1950s. In particular he loved Rockabilly music, EC Horror comic books and B-movies. As a child he was drawn to the antics of the early 60s Cleveland horror host Goulardi, whose rebellious act and off-color jokes would earn him much scorn from the local PTA. Purkhiser later joked that Goulardi was so popular the crime rate went down when he was on because everyone was watching his show. In 1972 in Sacramento he met his soul mate, Kristy Wallace, better known as Poison Ivy; a fellow fan of Alice Cooper, LSD, record collecting and B-movies. According to legend he picked her up while she was hitch-hiking. After discovering just how similar they were the two moved back to Ohio in 1973 and later to New York City in 1975. Influenced by the burgeoning punk scene in New York with bands like The New York Dolls and The Ramones setting the standard the two decided they would start their own punk rock band, The Cramps. In contrast to other punk bands at the time however, they also mixed a heavy dose of Rockabilly and B-movie imagery to form their own unique image. It was during this time that Purkhiser took the stage name Lux Interior, taking his name from a car advert. He also created a unique stage persona, one of a complete honky tonk punk wild man, or as one reviewer put it "the psychosexual werewolf/ Elvis hybrid from hell". The genre they helped create was later known as "Psychobilly" even though Interior denies that that is what their music really is. In 1978 The Cramps showed the world just how deep their love for the weird and the off beat went when they gave a free concert to the patients at the Nappa Valley State Mental Institution. The next year The Cramps released their first official EP, "Gravest Hits". That same year they released their first LP, "Songs the Lord Taught Us". In 1985 The Cramps were able to perform one original song for Dan O'Bannon's classic horror-comedy zombie flick The Return of the Living Dead with the song "Surfin' Dead". Sadly, however, Lux Interior passed away on February 4th 2009 from a pre-existing heart condition. The rock and roll world lost an irreplaceable member on that date, but luckily the spirit of the Cramps still lives on through their recordings as well as the numerous bands that count The Cramps as a major influence.

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• THE CRAMPS ALBUMS & EPs •

THE CRAMPS- GRAVEST HITS (1979)

The debut 12" EP from The Cramps. All songs were produced by Alex Chilton. 

THE CRAMPS- SONGS THE LORD TAUGHT US (1980) 

The debut studio album from The Cramps. All songs were produced by Alex Chilton. 

THE CRAMPS- PSYCHEDELIC JUNGLE (1981)

The second studio LP from The Cramps. All songs were self produced by the band. 

THE CRAMPS- SMELL OF FEMALE (1983)

The first live release by The Cramps. The EP was recorded at The Peppermint Lounge on February 25–26, 1983 and issued on I.R.S. Records

THE CRAMPS- ...OFF THE BONE (1983)

The first compilation of previously released material by The Cramps. It was released in 1983 in the United Kingdom on Illegal Records.

THE CRAMPS- BAD MUSIC FOR BAD PEOPLE (1984)

The second compilation of previously released material by The Cramps. It was released on I.R.S. Records following the departure of the band from the label. 

THE CRAMPS- A DATE WITH ELVIS (1986)

The third full-length studio album by The Cramps. It was initially released on Big Beat Records but was rereleased on Vengeance Records in 2001 with bonus tracks.  

THE CRAMPS- ROCKIN' N' REELIN' IN AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND XXX (1987)

The second live album by The Cramps. It was recorded live on August 30, 1986 at the Galaxy in Auckland, New Zealand. 

THE CRAMPS- STAY SICK (1990)

The fourth studio album by The Cramps. It was self-produced by Poison Ivy. 

THE CRAMPS- LOOK MOM NO HEAD (1991)

The the fifth studio album by The Cramps. It was self-produced by Poison Ivy.

THE CRAMPS- FLAMEJOB (1994)

The sixth studio album by The Cramps. It was self produced by Poison Ivy and Lux Interior. 

THE CRAMPS- BIG BEAT FROM BADVILLE (1997)

The seventh studio album by The Cramps. Self produced by Poison Ivy and Lux Interior. The only album to feature all original songs from the band. 

THE CRAMPS- FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND (2004) 

The the eighth and final studio album by The Cramps. It was self-produced by Poison Ivy and Lux Interior.

 

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• THE CRAMPS BOOTLEGS & DEMOS •

THE CRAMPS- MEMPHIS POSEURS DEMOS 

Great twelve-song collection of Alex Chilton recorded demos from the "Songs The Lord Taught Us' sessions in 1977.

Download: http://mediafire.com/?liet3a6kq3bmn12

THE CRAMPS- FRANK FURTHER AND THE HOT DOGS 

Live recording from CBGB's on January 13, 1978. Copies of the limited edition LP's were given away at CBGB's 20th Anniversary Show on December 10th, 1993 by The Cramps

Download: http://mediafire.com/?2pgi5jgg8gdq9of

THE CRAMPS- ALL TORE UP

Set of demos recorded in 1979 in Ohio

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?vyffwhm2tv14c6n

THE CRAMPS- TALES FROM THE CRAMPS

LP from the garage

Download: http://mediafire.com/?mima1pn3dk0d4i6

THE CRAMPS- SAME AS THE CAVEMEN

First eight songs KFAT radio broadcast, Palo Alto, CA - Feb. 1979, Last five songs studio outtakes from 1979

Download: http://mediafire.com/?nb5530ulk3yzz6e

THE CRAMPS- BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE CRAMPS

Recorded at the Ritz New York 1983 and the Lyceum London 1980

Download: http://mediafire.com/?5q95tqgfngzm9ye

THE CRAMPS- TRANSYLVANIAN TAPES 

Side A produced by Chris Spedding December 1978

Side B Live at Max's Kansas City New York 1978

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?k8by5qxkvedk2dk

THE CRAMPS- CBGB'S

Live performance recorded 10 June 1977 at CBGB

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?e2z5777bzfzac25

THE CRAMPS- THE MOST EXHALTED POTENTATES OF TRASH

45 RPM Mini-LP

Download: http://mediafire.com/?c9ydnr1syhujav0

THE CRAMPS- 7" BOOTLEG RARITIES VOL 1

Rare demos and studio takes from The Cramps

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?c4n9nhhgnt1s6vo

THE CRAMPS- TEENAGE DRUG IDOL 

Studio Outtakes 1977-1983

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?44d0g4t2b2988lc

THE CRAMPS- FETISCHISM 

Live, Harry's Hideaway, Toronto, Canada, June 14, 1982. 

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?n3r4vob910mq55w

THE CRAMPS- VOODOO RYTHMS

Tracks 1–4 Studio Outtakes

Tracks 5–8 Soundchecks

Tracks 9–12 Live at CBGB's 1982

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?0s5qxyr57n8icqi

THE CRAMPS- DEMONS OF THE SWAMP

Performance recoded at Max's Kansas City in 1978

VOL 1 Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?mpn4d2qdnllvm7h

VOL 2 Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?e4s7866698cue8q

THE CRAMPS: 1976 DEMO SESSION

Early demo with female drummer Miriam Linna

Download: http://mediafire.com/?ipvwktfkps3l4cd

THE CRAMPS- ELECTRIC CHEESE

Tracks 1 -8 Brixton Academy London 25 February 1990

Tracks 3–5 (Side B) – MTV Europe 2 February 1995

Track 6 (Side B) – Montreal 16 May 1984

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?8hydk4lkeo48jir

THE CRAMPS- UNLEASHED AND UNRELEASED 

Collection of live performances in California and New York as well as album outtakes and early demos.  

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?86h3omw19bspg0z

THE CRAMPS- PERSECUTED PROPHETS WITH B MOVIE SOUL

Track 1–4 Smell of Female Rehearsal

Track 5–8 Studio Demos with Terry Graham on Drums

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?9ja49fwkv9ww3ld

THE CRAMPS- SECRET LIFE OF THE CRAMPS

Collection of b-sides from various EPs and singles. Album was released only in Australia

Download: http://www59.zippyshare.com/v/98613652/file.html

THE CRAMPS- HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER

Compilation album comprising of rare, previously-unreleased tracks from The Cramps.

Download: http://rapidshare.com/files/259771191/Cramps_-_Monster_Mundodastrocas.rar

THE CRAMPS- FILE UNDER SACRED MUSIC

Early singles from The Cramps. 

Download: http://www11.zippyshare.com/v/77914847/file.html

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• LUX & IVY'S FAVORITES •

Vol 1: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_01.zip

Vol 2: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_02.zip

Vol 3: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_03.zip

Vol 4: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_04.zip

Vol 5: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_05.zip

Vol 6: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_06.zip

Vol 7: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_07.zip

Vol 8: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_08.zip

Vol 9: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_09.zip

Vol 10: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_10.zip

Vol 11: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_11.zip

Vol 12: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_12.zip

Vol 13: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/LF/LAIF/Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_13.zip

Vol 14: http://www.mediafire.com/?mig1nzmjggy

Vol 15: http://www.mediafire.com/?gaucrk4d2ke75nd

Vol 16: pt 1= http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KR/LAIF_16_SIDE_ONE.zip

pt 2= http://www.mediafire.com/?rhyhsl0kc07tn8h

Vol 17: http://blogfiles.wfmu.org/KR/LAIF_17.zip

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• THE CRAMPS MUSIC VIDEOS & LIVE PERFOMANCES •

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• THE HUMAN FLY •

Screenshots from the rare, unreleased film The Human Fly. I would kill to see this, folks!

More info on the human fly film here