The glorious Ivy Rorschach – Kristy Wallace to her family and friends – is (gulp!) 68 today! And in a suitably spooky coincidence, her erstwhile colleague, the late Bryan Gregory, also shared his birthday on this day.
Any love for The Cramps on here?
this one’s dedicated to all you Gucci bag carriers out there…. it’s called you got goooooooooood taste
Love the Cramps. Saw them live at the Royal Court, [1986 according to the internet] one of the best things I’ve ever seen.
I was lucky enough to see them twice – once on that same 1986 tour, and an absolutely mental show at Leeds University in 1991. Ivy was impossibly cool and imperious, and Lux was easily in the Top 5 frontmen of all time.
I adore The Cramps. One of my perfect bands. Dumb-smart, every influence ideal. Still a joy when they pop up on my IPod. The night I saw them in 1984 was on-point as per their spirit. Still “grinding my teeth”, I returned to bed about 4 am somewhat pleased I had got home, had not lost my glasses, been arrested, or beaten up, and remembered I had a philosophy final at 10am the following morning. Reader, I survived, I passed.
I love The Cramps. Smell of Female & Off The Bone are the two albums I’ve got.
Do the crusher!
There’s something still unspeakably naughty about the Cramps: I recall thinking about (Poison) Ivy in the same way I did about smutty magazines like Parade or Carnival, the same sort of illicit thrill. The sound of the band then being so deliciously tacky and retro, hell, I was hooked. Never saw them, mind, I think I’d have been too scared.
Pity. Their 1984 gig at the Odeon is legendary.
Yep, saw The Cramps in about 1984, (I think) at Hammersmith Palais. Superb fun, and Poison Ivy was at her sexy/terrifying best.
Saw the Cramps once. 17 June 1979. On a double bill with the Police at the Lyceum in the Strand. Nearly 42 years ago. Blimey. Where does the time go, eh?
I probably told this before – I saw the Cramps on one of their last tours, at the legendary SO36 Club in Berlin. As I had arrived early I went into the comic book shop on the other side of the street from the club, and in there were Mr. & Mrs. Interior, stacking up on graphic novels and pulp paperbacks. When they left I overheard Miss Ivy telling her grinning hubby, »Great, we’ve just spent today’s earnings…«
I saw them in London on every tour between 1980 and 1990. They were a great live band and I rate Psychedelic Jungle as one of the very best rock albums of the 80s.
For anyone interested in their influences there are 10 or more compilation CDs based on Lux and Ivy’s huge record collection with loads of weird and wonderful selections.
Those are my go-to party and BBQ music. Faultless.
I first saw the Cramps in 79, at the Apollo, Glasgow – supporting the Police. One of the greatest gigs I have ever seen. Free, primitive rock and roll. I saw them many times after that – Glasgow Tech with the Fall, Barrowlands several times, and a few gigs in France too. Always great.
I was backstage at the Zenith in Paris in 86, and Lux came in to the catering section full of joy, making sure everyone was being looked after – Alex Chilton opened, then the Primevals who were tour support for the Mainland Europe leg. He walked over to one of the tables, and picked up a bottle of wine and scrutinised the label. “HEY IVY – Look, baby, they’ve got my favourite! RED!!!”
Ivy is a hugely under-rated guitarist – she has a great feel for rock and roll and a great touch. A wonderful blend of her influences – Link Wray, Duane Eddy – with her own fingerprint on it.
I listened to the records ALL THE TIME back in the day and only went back to listen to them regularly when Lux passed away. One of my friends organised a Lux Lives gig to celebrate his life, and we played at quite a few of them down the years. Always great nights, and always a joy to sit down and work out how to play the songs accurately.
Loved them too, and agree Ivy is underrated