There’s never been another band like The Cramps. Before their existence, during, or after. They seamlessly blended the imagery of 1950s–’60s Horror, Sci-Fi, Grindhouse, and Sexploitation film genres with Rockabilly, Surf, Garage, and Punk Rock, creating a mutant musical language one writer dubbed “Spookabilly.” Now, with The Cramps legendary lead guitarist Poison Ivy’s full approval, Henry Rollins (Black Flag, Rollins Band) and Ian MacKaye (Nation of Ulysses), have helped exhume the band’s previously unreleased 1977 recordings, produced by Alex Chilton (Big Star) at Memphis’ Ardent Studios.
Gravest Gravy captures lead vocalist, Lux Interior, Guitarist, Poison Ivy, Bass player, Bryan Gregory, and drummer, Nick Knox before the legend was fully formed, but already terrifyingly complete. These tracks don’t sound like archaeological artifacts, instead they sound dangerous. Through the 12 tracks assembled here like the killer opener “TV Set” or their frenzied rendition of “Twist and Shout” Lux howls and yelps like a back-alley ghoul, Ivy’s cranks out razor sharp guitar grooves, Gregory adds radioactive fuzz, and Knox pounds out primitive, skeletal rhythms that make every song feel one bad decision from total collapse.
Chilton’s production keeps the performances raw without sanding away their delirious edges. The result is a snapshot of four freaks discovering that their particular passion for trash culture and Rock ’N Roll could become something genuinely new and electrifying.
Gravest Gravy is evidence that, in 1977, Lux and Ivy were already digging graves for conventional Rock ’N Roll. Fortunately, they brought shovels big enough for everyone.
