Intelligent Life On Planet Rock
Lux Interior R.I.P.
The man with the best made-up name ever passed away today. He was 60.
I really hoped that this one wasn't true, but it seems to be, although Lux has been the subject of these sorts of rumours before. I fear this one has the ring of truth about it though.
"For Immediate Release:
February 4, 2009
Lux Interior, lead singer of The Cramps, passed away this morning due to an existing heart condition at Glendale Memorial Hospital in Glendale, California at 4:30 AM PST today. Lux has been an inspiration and influence to millions of artists and fans around the world. He and wife Poison Ivy’s contributions with The Cramps have had an immeasurable impact on modern music.
The Cramps emerged from the original New York punk scene of CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, with a singular sound and iconography. Their distinct take on rockabilly and surf along with their midnight movie imagery reminded us all just how exciting, dangerous, vital and sexy rock and roll should be and has spawned entire subcultures. Lux was a fearless frontman who transformed every stage he stepped on into a place of passion, abandon, and true freedom. He is a rare icon who will be missed dearly.
The family requests that you respect their privacy during this difficult time"
I've got a head of memories to run through, mostly from the Psychedelic Jungle tour when I saw nearly every show; the night in Retford when I couldn't find anywhere to stay Lux let me sleep in the tour bus. He was a great frontman, funny & genuinely scary often at the same time & on their day The Cramps were untouchable. They showed me a way out of punk & introduced me to a lot of the rockabilly & country music I love today.
And can you top the opening of "New Kind Of Kick" - dirty scuffle of guitar chords. Pause. Enter Mr Interior: "Life is short. And filled with stuff". I think not.
It's been over ten years since I last spoke to him, but I won't forget the Garbage Man....if you don't dig him you don't dig nuthin'. Do you want the real thing or you just talkin'?
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According to the Daily Swarm it's true.
I really hope they are wrong.
Wikipedia says so
As does this
http://blog.limewire.com/posts/4834-R-I-P-Lux-Interior-of-the-Cramps-
Ah, Lux
One of the very best gigs I've ever seen. The Cramps at The Royal Court (so long ago I can't even remember)
Awesome band.
May 1981...
...it would have been...brilliant night
Wow!
That's amazing.
I'm sure he got his nob out at the end (of the show...)
Saw em at the also departed
Astoria a couple of years back. still a freewheeling force of nature
Sad
Truly great frontman. One of my favourite live videos is The Cramps: Live At Napa State Mental Hospital. The footage is grainy, the sound awful, the editing abrupt, but it's absolutely electrifying. Two patients spend the entire show rocking back and forth and jogging on the spot, lost in delirium. During Love Me a man climbs on stage, slowly turns to the house, screams long and loud, then quietly rejoins the audience. At one point Lux is writhing around on the floor with two female onlookers and, by the end of the show, it's quite clear that all concerned are having the time of their lives. It's absolutely brilliant. Here's an excerpt.
The way he walked
"Somebody told me you people are crazy. But I'm not so sure about that..."
I love this performance too - such pure enjoyment from the audience, even the one reading the paper.
Lux was soaked in rock 'n' roll - its look, its feel, its hilarious melodrama - in a way that hardly anyone is nowadays.
Also contains
the only known footage of Bryan Gregory smiling.
"At the Zombie Dance nobody moves"
I will mourn Lux’s passing in what I consider to be an appropriate manner: In the company of bikini girls armed with machine guns.
EDIT - Hilariously no-one can seem to agree on how old he was. Reuters have him listed as a sprightly 52 year old. Everyone else is pitching between 60 and 63.
damn
shame
curses
mourned even more than JM in SPT Towers. I love the Cramps
Though if Lux Interior was 52 then I'd better get off to school...
It wouldn't surprise me
If reports of his death were greatly exaggerated. But if he has gone to the boneyard then he will be hugely missed. At the goth night we frequented at the Oxford Coven (a club - in a shed - by the bus station!) in 1985 we would keep a running total of how many Cramps and Sisters of Mercy songs were played. Touch and go always who would come out on top. Some gross moments from live shows, but at the bottom of all the theatrics was some truly fantastic music.
Lux Interior Memorial Playlist
If you're curious as to who all these strangely named people are...Not sure which one works, so I've posted both sorts of link. I've kept it to 10 of the best from Lux, Ivy, Nick Knox and crew.
http://open.spotify.com/user/thlwright/playlist/1iN4XKsBtZUa0dqxrtk3vH
spotify:user:thlwright:playlist:1iN4XKsBtZUa0dqxrtk3vH
Human Fly
Good choices, Trevelyan. For those without Spotify...
Sorry for such an obvious choice, but it's worth it even for the guitar bit on the intro...
I wonder what Lux's funeral will be like? The mind boggles.
RIP Lux
I've just been caught doing the Human Fly in my office and am now trying to explain who The Cramps were to a roomfull of Robbie Williams fans.
I remember reading one of those "at home with..." style pieces in an issue of Select years ago which showed Lux and Poison Ivy's house - I remember it being one of the coolest looking places I've ever seen.
Like Elvis meets Iggy
the mighty Off The Bone comp was a must have if you were that age in the late 70s early 80s
There's a piece on it here..
http://thewolfmen.blogspot.com/2009/02/lux-interior-rock-in-peace.html
Here's a top quote...
...from Lux about the last time he "died" from the LA Times obit:
In 1987, there were widespread rumors of Interior's death from a heroin overdose, and half a dozen funeral wreaths were sent to Rorschach. "At first, I thought it was kind of funny," Interior told The Times. "But then it started to give me a creepy feeling."
"We sell a lot of records, but somehow just hearing that you've sold so many records doesn't hit you quite as much as when a lot of people call you up and are obviously really broken up because you've died."
Lux Interior - dead
Farewell, Lux. You were one crazy individual.
C is for Cramps
Just found this. It's very odd.
RIP Lux
Dave C and I used to rock out to The Cramps at Crocs in Rayleigh in the Eighties/Nineties. Just before Christmas there was a reunion for all the people who frequented the club way back when.
I asked the dj if he could play The Cramps and he duly obliged and Dave and I took to the floor for a 'flap'. It was brilliant. I still play The Cramps on a regular basis and they never fail to make me feel good.
Lux Interior was an unsung hero in my opinion. He was a brillaint showman and he will be sadly missed.
'Do The Eye Gouge...' one more time.
NEW
was just having a nice time reading the threads while my wife was watching Paris Hilton best friend[by the way the worst show i have ever seen ]when i got to this thread and now my night is filled with sadness I seen the Cramps in Milan a fewe years ago in a tiny club where Lux wrecked the stage ,such as it was, and was bleeding all over the place but insisted on playing on, brillant night. I play cards with my mates on a Wed night and heard the Cramps played for the 1st time since Peel back years ago now i know why RIP LUX INTERIOR
Glasgow Apollo, May 31 1979
The Cramps were supporting The Police, and it was a mindblowingly brilliant show - brutal, primitive, funny, sexy, wild, rockin' and free. Certainly a top 5 all-time gig - up there with the Ramones the very first time, or the Fleshtones, or the Sun Ra Arkestra, or Jerry Lee Lewis.
This was a "New Wave" crowd, mainly there for "Roxanne", pretty much, and the Cramps drew a lot of hate. Lux revelled in it - he leapt from the very high stage, ran across the backs of the seats, and somehow made it back up onstage.
I was scarred for life, in a good way.
I saw them quite a bit after that - at Glasgow Tech with The Fall, which was a riot, and in Paris with Alex Chilton & The Primevals. Lux was one of the greatest showmen of his generation, and the world is a duller place without him.
Lots of links at Next Big Thing from Lindsay Hutton who started and ran the Legion Of The Cramped,
http://nextbigthing.blogspot.com/
including info on a gathering in Glasgow tonight (SUNDAY FEBRUARY 8th @ MONO in Glasgow, 7 to midnight).
----
From Mickey Rooney of The Primevals via myspace -
Hi, My friend Colin has arranged an event dedicated to the late Lux Interior. I will play tunes known and not so known by The Cramps and will include songs highlighting their musical journey from artists such Andre Williams, Sonny Burgess, Red Crayola, Stooges , Ramones, Charlie Feathers, The Groupies, Little Willie John, Suicide, Elvis, Link Wray , Count Five and loads more as well music The Cramps have directly influenced such as The Gun Club, Panther Burns and The Fleshtones. Colin has promised to show some live concert footage such as Napa State Show and various other stuff he can find.I feel at this time it will be good to share in the greatness.This is free show and our services also will be without any payment.
article?
Is there to be an obit in the next Word? Not asking for a cover, but to be honest his music meant more to me than John Martyn. Saw them in Leeds in the 80's - one dimensional, and totally fun.