The one thing that's always pissed me off about the Cramps is that their recordings have never really done their live sound justice-- I mean c'mon, most of the outsiders/pioneers/freaks they covered sound more vicious and in-yer-face, and they were recorded upwards of 20 years before. Whereas Cramps stuff... tinny, lifeless... hell, a lot of 'em sound as uninspired and clinical as anything this side of Slughand Crapton. That kids, is what keeps bringin' me back for my fix via these here studio outtakes from 1979.
How Alex Chilton and the band decided these versions of some of their best tracks deserved to end up unreleased is beyond me. Ivy & Bryan's guitars bash & slash away brutally; near-perfection is achieved by the ever-understated but rock-solid skinspounding of Nick Knox-- and Lux; Fuck me if Lux doesn't sound more obscenely extraterrestrial than even his idol Hasil Adkins at times. This is pure, undiluted Cramps-- now if they'd just put these out legitimately with extra topping....
TRACKS:
Twist & Shout
All Tore Up/Can't Hardly Stand It
Mystery Plane
TV Set
Rockin' Bones
What's Behind the Mask?
Uranium Rock
Under the Wires
Teenage Werewolf
Sunglasses After Dark
Jungle Hop
Mad Daddy
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ReplyDeletepass = sln2007
Yeah, I'm right there with ya. I first heard them in 9th grade by seeing their explosion on URGH! THE MUSIC WAR. The records just DID NOT catch that insanity.
ReplyDeleteThankya
thanks very much for this!!!
ReplyDeleteI think I've got the vinyl of this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting - and ... good to have you back here!
A welcome return - thank you! Oooh, the Cramps are sooo fucking good!
ReplyDeleteThis is the best there is, it's sooofunkingood.
ReplyDeleteA parallel world where Big Star never happened.
Gotta go now and goo goo-mow-mow...
Yeah hafta agree that the records were disappointing compared to the live experience.I used to see them in NYC when they first started out and they were so raw and agressive it left you feeling like you took a beating.Thanks for the great blog.
ReplyDeleteChilton likes those primitive drums, just listen to I Know Your Fine.. by the Gories. I love the Cramps 1st couple records.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, Slughand Crapton... or as I refer to him, "the least talented member of Cream"...
ReplyDeletethank you much for these Cramps...
Every once in a blue moon, you find an album online which won't leave your player for days...this is one of those moments. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYeah man, I can't wait to spin this one. Who doesn't want unreleased Cramps stuff? Keep the good stuff comin!
ReplyDeletehttp://eclectic-grooves.blogspot.com
unbelievable stuff. i love this blog. thanks for everything....
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the last time I was this excited for a Cramps record - but you're telling me they'll sound almost as good as live ... I'm in.
ReplyDeleteAnd I like the new place.
Abe
Hey Abe-- long time, no um... see. You won't be disappointed; 100% SLN-guaranteed.
ReplyDeleteTrue, I haven't been by in a while but surely you didn't think I'd have forgotten thee pope. Why the move to wordpress? Do they take better care of you here?
ReplyDeleteBlood Axis, Caspar Brotzman and the Cramps! You're half the reason blogs need to exist. The Cramps have always freaked me out (on record), as much as the Rev. Horton Heat did when I first saw him in his Smoke 'em if You Got 'em days. That's the truth & I sadly missed out on their wild live shows, unless I'd've gone into the city to see them when I was 6... It's weird, I haven't listened to the Cramps for years, then over the holidays I picked up three 45s that the Cramps eventually covered, and just today my local record shop got a used copy of the Exorcism Night boot from '79. I came home to listen to it, but found this first. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, if you've never heard the Japanese comp from 82 on Giraffe, Rebel Street, then you're not freaking out to the right music. (Sorry, I don't have a vinyl-to-CD ripper yet otherwise I'd send it on.) It's simply amazing.
I have the "Rebel Street II" (1983) comp, which is a bunch of Japcore bands like GISM, Laughin' Nose, G-Zet, The Execute etc., is there some kind of tie-in there?
ReplyDelete