Lux Interior -Gone to the great beyond

The great Lux Interior of the Cramps has sadly passed away. I have very fond memories of seeing the Cramps and Lux just completely going nuts in all the best ways. Below is the official statement.

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.

That stinks, sorry to hear that. :cry:

This is the day that good old fashioned, kick ass, m f'n rockabilly died.

I've Got 96 Tears In 96 Eyes.

Truth in the music, since almost all of his songs revolved around "Sex, Drugs and Rock n' Roll" with a little horror and psycho humor thrown in to boot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5mH38AhOHI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAJ7l7Jojsc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqnizTkUb4Y&feature=related

The Cramps Live At Napa State Mental Hospital pretty much sums up the campiness noir I will remember Lux for. I was able to see them live several times, but the best show I saw them perform at was on New Year's Eve in San Francisco back in the day when they opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers. What a night and show.

Songs the Lord Taught Us is one of my all time favorite albums, although there isn't a single album or cd I own by the Cramps I don't like.

Back cover to the album "A Date With Elvis".

EP of "The Crusher".

"Psychedelic Jungle". If you don't own this album, stop what you are doing right now and go and buy it. As the title infers, listen to this on...well I think you know!

As the title suggests; "Stay Sick"...not for the "normal" people of the world.

Poster from the album "Off The Bone".

Who knew drugs could be "bad" for you? From "Fiends of Dope Island".

Lux and Ivy.

I didn't even know Lux was ill.

Lux, do me a favor and bitch slap Elvis for me, man!

Do the hammerlock, you turkey neck!

Later,

PTD

[ Edited by: Psycho Tiki D 2009-02-05 05:42 ]

...total suckiness......color me bummed.

..sigh,....BIG sigh.........

heartbroken
one of my all time faves
fond teenage memories and some amazing live shows.
R.I.P. Lux

yeah, this one hurts.

They were great live - had a unique sound, and a buzzing resonance that filled the hall and soaked into your bones. The last show I saw, I was standing in the balcony, and when I heard and felt their sound, I thought "I am so happy, I haven't felt this since the last time the Cramps were in town" Memories are good, but it is sad to know that I will never get to feel their sound again.

Kind of amazing that Lux was able to do all the things he did on stage, with a bad heart. It takes a lot of heart, to perform the way he did.

Vern

FUCK!!!! The Cramps has always been my favorite since I was around 12 years old. This one really hits me hard. If it wasn't for The Cramps I probably wouldn't be posting on here.

http://www.thedailyswarm.com/headlines/cramps-lux-interior-rip/#comment_list

Arrrrrrrrrr!!!!

SuckFuckShitPiss!!!!!!!!

Just needed to see them one more time.

RIP LUX !

Well...at least some of you got a chance to see them. I'm choked I'll never get that chance.

Damn shame
RIP Lux.

I saw them once around 2000.

not enough times sadly.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Saw them around mid nineties with Red Kross and Butthole Surfers...
Incredible!
We used to crank Bad Music for Bad People while i was in the Marines...
i think we got a few cold-blooded killers into them!
Bye Lux!

I saw The Cramps when I was about 15 (1995ish). Amazing show. Such a shame, I wished I'd seen them again.

I learned about Lux death last night from TikiMango...

man...

I'm bummed out too.

Saw The Cramps several times back in '79 thru about '84.

A memorable show (Can't remember where..The Ritz in Riverside perhaps? - Have to pull my old flyer collection to be sure of the venue) had the f'ckin cops arrive while the band were performing..the cops pulled the plug on the performance and then proceeded to pull some of the equipment off of the stage. Story goes the band had pieces of STOLEN equipment and the cops were just taking evidence to prosecute! You can imagine the result...small riot...smashed chairs...smashed bar etc.

What a stellar rock n roll evening for a teenager!

I need to pull some of my Cramps 45s and listen now. Bye.

R.I.P. .

LUX!, When ya get there ...TEAR IT UP! for all of us!( what else would ya do ...)
NO REST FOR THE RESTLESS!

I'm sure Lux will raise HELL in the after life...

Here he is with the band in their early days, performing a free concert in 1978 for patients at the Napa State Mental Hospital. It is perhaps not the best quality recording of their work, and not even their best performance, but it’s the kind of reckless, free-floating awesome they were.

The lead singer of the Cramps, Lux Interior, has passed away at age 60. In the liner notes of the Cramps’ “Gravest Hits” record, he was described as “the psycho-sexual Elvis/Werewolf hybrid from hell.” He is survived by his wife and longtime collaborator, the beautiful and deadly Miss Poison Ivy.
here he is with the band in their early days, performing a free concert in 1978 for patients at the Napa State Mental Hospital. It is perhaps not the best quality recording of their work, and not even their best performance, but it’s the kind of reckless, free-floating awesome they were. (Thanks, Derek Bledsoe)

Via - boing-boing

This breaks my heart. Not only do I feel fortunate to have seen the Cramps live many times, but I had the pleasure of meeting him and his wife at a screening of "The Tingler" in Glendale and they were so nice and fun to chat with. I still have the program that they signed for me (um... yes, it is framed and hanging over my bed - next to my signed pics of Forrey Ackerman and Vampira, who have also made the transition fairly recently, weird) - there was a silhouette of Wm Castle on the front and he drew a little horn on his head.

What a sweet man and a great and talented showman. I really don't get choked up over these types of things, but Lux dying hit me pretty hard.

This is so sad. Lux and Ivy met in Sacramento and formed the band there so the Cramps always played the Crest on Halloween. I knew they lived in Glendale and in 2005 when I was at the Glendale Cruise night watching Big Sandy and Dick Dale, standing right next to me was Lux and Ivy. I was so excited. This is sad news last year Betty and Forrey and now Lux.

So sad news! I saw them many times but still was looking forward to see em again!

Btw. let’s not forget, that they where big exotica fans long before the most of us did know about it! In 1986 (!) they did release the exotic tune ‘Kizmiaz’ (that you also can read as kiss my eyes/ass)

Take a magic carpet to the olden days. To a mythical land where everybody lays. Around in the clouds in a happy daze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz. Flamingos stand easy on bended knees. Palm trees wave over tropical seas of azure waves and lazy breeze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz. Over raspberry skies spires of the Shaz. Point to the heavens that this place has. You would swim all the way from Alcatraz to Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz. It lies on the horizon in a golden haze. No one believes their eyes the legend says. Held hypnotized in a frozen gaze on Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz. The vibrations kiss the ships would pass. Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.

They also did cover taboo ..

And don’t miss there story in the Incredibly Strange music book where they talk about there exotica record collection and a lot more..
(so I wonder why this topic is here, not in the music section???

Maybe Lux and Ron Ashton are going to start a new band. Really sad news!!

This one really feels like the end of an era...

I first saw them play in Edinburgh, Scotland, on the "Date with Elvis" tour when I was about 16. I couldn't be bothered going into school the next day, so I was just hanging around in town, when who should I see doing the tourist thing, taking photos of the bagpipers, Castle etc, but all four Cramps. I still regret not plucking up the courage to approach them ...

The last time was a year or two ago, here in Stockholm, and it was the wildest gig I ever saw them do. Lux ripped off his black leather pants in the last song and finished the gig with his dick hanging out. The drummer was laughing so hard he could hardly play, and so was I. What a gig! What a showman!

This was a hard blow and he'll be sorely missed, but at least he went out on a high note.

I'm getting pissed tonight and listening to as many Cramps records as I can manage before I pass out...

On 2009-02-05 12:27, Chongolio wrote:
Here he is with the band in their early days, performing a free concert in 1978 for patients at the Napa State Mental Hospital. It is perhaps not the best quality recording of their work, and not even their best performance, but it�s the kind of reckless, free-floating awesome they were.

Didn't Sven film this?

Psychedelic Jungle were, among a lot of other things, a homage to the Exotica culture of almost forgotten past. Just look a the titles: Voodoo Idol. The Natives Are Restless. Jungle Hop. Lux was the eternal hipster.
I think Sven shot some of their classic mid-eighties videos. Bikini Girls With Machine Guns among them.

I met Lux and Poison Ivy backstage in Oslo after their 1986 Date With Elvis-concert, and I'll never forget it.

When I die, don't bury me at all
Just nail my bones upon the wall
Beneath these bones, let these words be seen:
This is the bloody gears of a boppin' machine.

Hello everyone, I have been wanting to post something here for the last two days, this is really hard to take, Lux was the most talented showman of our time and he was a very nice guy the couple of times we spoke.
The Cramps never gotten the credit they so justly deserved, they have done more to change our culture than anyone cares to acknowledge or understand.

I too was surprised this wasn't in general or music, Sven did shoot the Stay Sick videos and told me that both Lux and Ivy were into Tiki. They had a mug collection way back when very few people had a clue and were supposed to contribute some of their collection to BOT. I have a girly photo magazine here someplace with photos Lux took of Ivy and in one she's posing in front of their Tiki bar.

RIP Lux

Bosko

a sad day for psychobillies everywhere.

Stick an eyeball in yer martini & remember Lux....

In 1979 I brought a girl home from the Skeleton Club, cracked a few beers, threw Gravest Hits on the turntable and fell in love (for the next 6 hours). The Cramps were the perfect make out music. I was sorry to see Bryan Gregory go so soon, but the Cramps soldered on without missing a beat. Lux's performance in URRRG...A Music War is forever burned into my brain. My condolences to Ivy.

When I was about 12 (late 80's) me thinks I was introduced to The Cramps. They became my favorite ever since and I've always said "The Cramps" when asked my who my favorite was. I've spent most of my adolescents listening to them over and over. Done probably my best drawings/art of The Cramps.

My fondest memory was when they were at Request Video, which was a small UHF show. I showed up as a young nerd with a list of questions to ask Lux and Ivy. Lux stayed and talked with me at least a half hour after the show to feed my young nerdness.

I can go on and on how much this bad influenced me. I'm usually not hurt much by celebrity death but this is a way different story. All Hail The Cramps!

wow thats a bummer Joe.
sorry man.

but you got a cool story there.
and I remember request video.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

On 2009-02-06 09:33, TIKIBOSKO wrote:
Hello everyone, I have been wanting to post something here for the last two days, this is really hard to take, Lux was the most talented showman of our time and he was a very nice guy the couple of times we spoke.
The Cramps never gotten the credit they so justly deserved, they have done more to change our culture than anyone cares to acknowledge or understand.

I too was surprised this wasn't in general or music, Sven did shoot the Stay Sick videos and told me that both Lux and Ivy were into Tiki. They had a mug collection way back when very few people had a clue and were supposed to contribute some of their collection to BOT. I have a girly photo magazine here someplace with photos Lux took of Ivy and in one she's posing in front of their Tiki bar.

RIP Lux

Bosko

part of why the cramps were so great was precisely because they never got the credit they deserved...nothing ruins a band faster than main stream attention....imagine if the frat boys in our college days were blasting the cramps from greek houses across america....how much would you want to vomit at the mere thought of it.....no, i'm glad the cramps remained under the radar for so long....it makes their legacy that much more important,personal and memorable....tom waits has managed to do the same for the large part of his career....i think that's pretty cool....

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2009-02-12 08:17 ]

the ceremony

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/news/lux-interiors-astral-ascension/

On 2009-03-13 18:24, Coco Joe wrote:
the ceremony

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/news/lux-interiors-astral-ascension/

Most excellent!

it'll be a year since his passing this Thursday...have a drink for this guy!

here is a photo of me at one of our cramps tribute shows last year...

stay sick, turn blue and have a bottle of red wine for lux!

Noland

Huh, did Lux even drink ??

That guy stayed so skinny, I assumed his beverage of choice was SPEED !!

Isn't that Iggy's diet secret as well ?? :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2010-02-03 00:27 ]

On 2010-02-03 00:26, JOHN-O wrote:
Huh, did Lux even drink ??

he did! red wine, preferably from a high heeled sneaker :wink:

Noland

a kick ass trailer for lux

http://www.facebook.com/hicksvilletrailerpalace?v=wall#!/album.php?aid=176093&id=187105389491

Lux lives!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XYHQVYry_0

The night I saw The Cramps and X on the Sunset Strip in 1980.
Will never forget it.

Unga,
I'm surprised you remember it.
:o :wink:

Jeff(btd)

30 years ago, my (at the time) roommate's girlfriend, took these pictures, at The Nest...

That was one packed night at the Nest.

What I don't understand is why there hasn't been a movie made yet about Lux, Ivy, and the incredible amount of influence the Cramps have had on music as we know it. I loved The Future is Unwritten and would love to see something of that caliber made in honor of Lux.

They also played there in 79.

An old good friend took some killer pics

that most of you have seen.

Good times!