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Cramps Frontman Lux Interior, Godfather of Psychobilly, Dies at 62

After spending more than 30 years freaking out the squares, Lux Interior, the flamboyant lead singer of the Cramps, passed away on Wednesday morning due to an existing heart condition. He was 62.

Interior, born Erick Purkhiser outside Akron, Ohio, and his wife, Poison Ivy (nee Kristy Wallace), formed the Cramps together in 1976. The legend goes that they met in the early '70s when he picked her up as a hitchhiker in Sacramento, Calif. After a brief spell back in Akron, they moved to New York City to be a part of the punk scene that was bursting out of the legendary dives CBGB and Max's Kansas City.

However, with their heavy rockabilly influence combined with their love of other 1950s trash culture iconography such as grade-Z horror flicks and lurid EC comics, married with Alice Cooper's antics and the Stooges' bravado, the Cramps somehow turned out to be genuine originals. The band called its unique style "psychobilly," and it had a measurable impact on punk and garage rock, shock rock and the rockabilly revival of the '80s. The Cramps went through personnel almost as fast as they went through record labels, with Lux Interior and Poison Ivy remaining the only constants.

Interior was as infamous for his onstage antics as much as his howling yelp and was even known on occasion to projectile vomit into an adoring crowd. His memory will be kept alive not only through the Cramps' extensive discography, the throngs of bands they influenced and an entire breed of feral frontmen following in his footsteps but also through a bass drum on display in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in his former home state -- customized by Interior when he smashed his head through it.




Dearly Departed Musicians

    Lux Interior, Feb. 4: The frontman of the legendary punk band the Cramps passed away due to a pre-existing heart condition.

    Dave Allocca, Getty Images

    Joven Deala, Feb. 3: The half-brother of Black Eyed Peas star Allan Pineda aka apl.de.ap (pictured), was murdered outside of his girlfriend's apartment in the Philippines.

    Getty Images

    Hank Crawford, Jan. 29: The prolific saxophonist, who led Ray Charles' band, played with Jimmy McGriff and had a successful career in his own right, died at his home in Memphis. He was 74.

    Tom Copi, Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

    John Martyn, Jan. 29: The acclaimed British singer-songwriter, who worked alongside the likes of Eric Clapton and Phil Collins and released 20 albums throughout a 40-year career, died at a hospital in Ireland. He was 60.

    Samir Hussein, Getty Images

    Billy Powell, Jan. 27: The longtime Lynyrd Skynyrd keyboardist, who survived the beloved band's deadly plane crash in 1977, died at his home in Florida of undisclosed causes. He was 56.

    Michael Bush, WireImage

    Charlie Cooper, Jan. 22: The Telefon Tel Aviv star, left, was 31. The cause of death is currently unknown.

    Bpitch Control

    David 'Fathead' Newman, Jan. 20: The tenor sax player not only played with Ray Charles and other legends, but also had a successful solo career. He died of pancreatic cancer at 75.

    Getty Images

    Pedro Aguilar, Jan. 13: The mambo dancing legend known to most as 'Cuban Pete' was one of the genre's leading men in the 1950s. He died at the age of 81.

    AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Raul Rubiera

    Ron Asheton, Jan. 6: Along with Iggy Pop, left, the guitarist helped define the Detroit garage rock sound with the beloved Stooges. Although it hasn't been made official, it's believed that Asheton suffered a heart attack at his Ann Arbor, Mich. home. He was 60.

    Harold Cunningham, WireImage

    Freddie Hubbard, Dec. 29: The 'hard bop' jazz trumpet legend who worked with greats like John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman and Art Blakey during his prime died more than a month after suffering a heart attack on Nov. 20. He was 70 years old.

    Tom Copi, Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

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_ruffnek_

You obviously do very bad business...wanker

February 19 2009 at 9:44 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to _ruffnek_'s comment
_ruffnek_

that was to 'i have been in the music business for 35 years and have never heard of them' ... seems like replys don't stick to the comment they were addressed to... apologies then to whoever got the virgin comment.. and the one about yanks... and the other one...

February 19 2009 at 9:46 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
_ruffnek_

lol... you still think punk is about mohawks...wankers..(p.s. in australia that's what we call people who are fkin dickheads,....maybe wanna google translate that as well...)
We were blessed to have the Cramps come visit us in Adelaide about ten years after I got into them and to this day when asked - is in my top 2 gigs ever. I feel for all you people who have to live with such ignorance and... well atypical Americans that the rest of the world derides. Kudos to those who bothered to say something nice about Lux - a tremendous influence on so many musical genres - but unlike most - he was alive while it happened. As we have gathered - most of the complainers won't be influencing anyone of note..RIPLUX and strength to those who have to endure the fuckwits.

February 19 2009 at 9:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
keanne

I'm probably one of the youngest ones here, 16. The Cramps was GOOD MUSIC and good music stays around and gets passed down forever. RIP Lux. strange rockers, a dying breed.

February 08 2009 at 4:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jyx1138

luckilly they didn't strive for mainstream acceptance or top 40 hits. I'd say thier most mainstream songs would have to be "Goo Goo Muck" as it was played in and on the soundtrack for Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2(Starring Dennis Hopper), and "Surfin Dead" that was featured in the movie and on the soundtrack for Return Of The Living Dead. "Bikini Girls With Machine Guns" was also used in a movie, but I can't for the life of me remember which one.

February 06 2009 at 9:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
stan

what was their big hit? I was in to music but I never heard of them.

February 06 2009 at 8:01 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to stan's comment
_ruffnek_

Music ain't about hits.

February 19 2009 at 9:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Tee

RIP Lux. I didn't know your music, but it is very mean to say hateful things about someone who has passed away. That will be you one day, life is short. Have some respect.

February 06 2009 at 7:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Nick

They had a reunion back in 2008 and called themselves The Gramps!

February 06 2009 at 6:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
syl1969

WHO????? From WHAT?????

February 06 2009 at 5:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ludrukee

THEY SUX.

February 06 2009 at 5:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
commercialsignco

Never heard of him.

February 06 2009 at 4:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply