Cramps Frontman Lux Interior, Godfather of Psychobilly, Dies at 62
- Posted on Feb 4th 2009 10:30PM by Benjy Eisen
- Comments (168)
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
Reader Comments(1 of 9)
Patrickat 2-05-2009
RIP Lux ! The way you walked was just the way you walked !! gone but never forgotten !
hoonibirdat 2-06-2009
our society, esp the younger generation, would be much better off w/o these kind of exorcistic entertainers. they know nothing about morality and only serve to corrupt the airwaves with degeneristic words and phrases. RIP
itvendingat 2-05-2009
YOU MAKE THESE ANNOUNCEMENTS AS THOUGH PEOPLE KNOW THESE GUY'S....WHO THE HELL IS HE ?
Brian Sumstineat 2-05-2009
Maybe you shouldn't assume that everyone is as ignorant as you, or that people don't exist if they don't appear on MTV, People magazine, or Fox News
Shaka Zineat 2-05-2009
strange how someone can type and spell, but can't read. otherwise I guess you wouldn't have to ask a stupid question in your comment to an article that would have answered you. maybe one day when you learn to read, you'll know what I'm saying...pity the fool
RIP Lux
danielat 2-05-2009
I'm with you. I have never heard of the group or of LUX Interior. Come on you remembers "The Cramps" anyways.
loganx1975at 2-05-2009
vending and daniel. you are the americans that are at the heart of all the problems we have experienced and are experiencing as a society. this artist made his mark and made it big. you really think that most of the popular artists of right now, the kids of thirty years from now will be listening to extensively? do you have a logical cell in your entire brain? much less than one percent of us will be remembered in a hundred years and no one knows who you are now, nor will they know who you are when you pass. that's the world. so show some $&%#ing respect. this ARTIST came from a time that was entirely GENUINE and PROUD. UNLIKE ANYTHING FROM TODAYS ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. wake up. reject what they force feed you. go buy a Cramps album. try using your computer maybe two three times a week. USE YOUR BRAIN INSTEAD. i think you need a lesson on what PERSONAL FREEDOM really means. every American does. RIP LUX.
tennyjcat 2-05-2009
You got to be f@%#ing kidding me. The Cramps were awesome! Any true fan of punk knew who they were nand knew their music. Please go back to that box you live in. I will miss Lux. May he continue to punk out wherever he is!
TJC
inkusat 2-05-2009
You would know he was if you were around when they were big in the late 70's or early 80's.Great show look on youtube
Philat 2-05-2009
Ok, I'll admit, I'm probably the oldest one with a reply here, (I'm 51) but it doesnt take a genius to figure out if a death is announced it is probably some person of merit. A simple google search would tell you who Lex was!
I was really into the punk scene in the late 70's early 80's and even saw The Cramps live in NYC. It was a great fuckin' time!!! Perhaps someday in the not too distant future you too will be older (mature, I'm not too sure, but older for sure) Then in the future when The Jonas Bros. die at some ripe old age,(I don't wish an early death on anyone)Some dimwitted, moronic, dipshit will ask you, "Who the hell we're they?"
lisamichele2000at 2-05-2009
he was the lead singer of the cramps.. a band that played in nyc during the heyday of the punk era... they performed absolutely everywhere..they opened up for some of the greatest bands ever, until they began to open for them!! lead guitar was poison ivy rorsach (his now widowed wife) anyone who knows anything about music knows this..
michele
jdjordandrummerat 2-05-2009
To itvending,
Anyone who knows anything about the history of Rock 'n' Roll has heard of The Cramps. Don't be so ignorant, AOL wouldn't put it up if it wasn't worthy news.
HOLMESat 2-06-2009
He Was The Human Fly--Spelled F-L-Y
rbraduniat 2-06-2009
I agree with you. Born and raised in Akron and I've never heard of him or his band.
jpaulsyat 2-06-2009
Plenty of people know about the Cramps. . . The real question is... What are you going to be remembered for when you die?
BigBadJayneat 2-05-2009
itvending, shut yer mouth, if ya don't know who the man is then why comment?
I saw that band three times during my life, they were awesome. RIP Lux, a true original
Amy Rogersat 2-05-2009
"When I die don't you bury me at all, just nail my bones up on the wall. Beneath these bones, let these words be seen. Here's lies the bloody gears of a boppin' machine." Roll on Lux. RIP
dennisgnicholsat 2-05-2009
R.I.P. Lux, Indeed. If you know nothing of Lux and The Cramps, check out the live LP "Rockin' and Reelin' in Auckland, New Zealand." It captures Lux at his flamboyant, raunchy, Elvis-from-Hell best.
Coraat 2-05-2009
RIP, Lux. You will be missed.
procksucksat 2-05-2009
I saw the Cramps a couple of years ago in Philadelphia. I had been in a car wreck that day, had stitches in my face and walking was painful. They were worth it. Lux led a hard life, and blazed trails doing it. To those of you who read this and are perplexed, grab an album and get taste of something unmanufactured, catchy and funny. You won't regret it.