Yes, indeed: Poison Ivy Rorschach, long time Cramps guitarist, is 70 today…who’d a thunk it?
She’s the reason I own an orange Gretsch!
I’ll put a vid in the comments…of course!
Happy 70th Birthday, Poison Ivy!
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Apparently I can’t count at this time of the morning – she is, of course 71!!
Sadly, I can’t edit the OP title! Aii! Caramba!
What’s one year between friends?
It gave you a chance to post a few fab clips.
Go for it!
Love the Peter Gunn!
Not sure she’s actually playing that in that clip, to judge by where her hand is on the neck. Sounds great though.
I think the fact that she’s dressed differently at various points in the clip kinda gives the game away…
I saw them in Camden some time in the very early 80s. A great night – apart from the wallies who were pissing in beer glasses (plastic, thankfully) and chucking them down the stairs.
I saw them around that time. They were superb. One of the best gigs I’ve been to. No stairs that I recall. Most of the madness was on the stage.
She must have been pleased as punch recently when this song was used so brilliantly in the TV show Wednesday…
And serendipitously, she shares/shared her birthday with original Cramp, the late Bryan Gregory.
she’s actually 71 today
See first comment after the OP…
ah yeah soz
Hell, no problemo…
A great guitarist (who doesn’t get the respect she deserves), and an iconic figure.
She and Lux created their own fabulous world, full of cool things, and opened so many people’s minds on to lost byways of rock and roll, of film, and rocking wildness.
I saw the Cramps live many times – the first one, supporting the Police at the Apollo in 79 was one of the most enthralling gigs I have ever seen. Another highlight was Paris on the Date With Elvis Tour – Barrowlands on that tour was also ferocious.
There was one great interview in a guitar magazine where she explained the difficulties of playing live in small clubs with sound engineers who wanted them to fit in to the standard space. “They always asked me to turn the reverb down. I ended up not fighting them, and then putting the reverb back to the correct setting when the show started”.
Arf! The joys of managing a big Gretsch when you’re stuck beside your amplifier…
I saw The Cramps as a support band blowing The Police away at Aylesbury Friars in 1979. I seem to recall Lux getting his dick out and rolling around the stage fellating the mic during the song Domino, it left quite an impression on a 16 year old mind but I became a fan so whatever it was it must have worked!
el hombre malo must have experienced the same set?
Yes, an astonishing gig. wild, free rock and roll. I feel very lucky to have seen them so early. I saw them a bunch of times, and they were never less than great, but this one was an explosion of brand new madness and hiccuping joy and feedback