The recent death of Lux Interior of the Cramps still weighs heavily at LOUIE Central, as do more deaths than I care to think about. Some close friends of mine have also lost some dear people in their lives, and my heart goes out to them.
At the LOUIE Party Yahoo Group, some of my pals weighed in on the legacy of Lux Interior.
My friend Theo DeGrood of the Louie Louie Pages shared these words:
So sad to hear about Lux’s death, I don’t think I skipped any of the Cramps’ gigs whenever they played in the Netherlands. They opened up a magic box of weird and wonderful music which otherwise for certain would have stayed closed. At least over here.
Anyway, there is a closer link between the Cramps and Louie Louie. It used to turn up sometimes in their live setlist. At least two recordings have been ‘released’: the ‘Live on Venus’ bootleg from London 1983 and a bootleg cassette ‘Daze Of Future Passed’, recorded somewhere in the USA during their 1981 tour.
Lux’ fascination with Louie Louie must have been from the same order as Iggy or Frank Zappa and is another proof we got a real anthem here.
May he continue his great quest for the undiscovered on the other side in the shape of a teenage goo goo muck (you always duck, when I show up!)
Chester Rocket of the UK chimed in with these thoughts…
I am REALLY sad about this… to quote my myspace blog
… felt I had to add my own about the loss of the truly great Lux Interior. I only saw the Cramps twice – once in the early 80’s and then a couple of years ago when the toured the UK again. That last show was the best time I had a gig for YEARS. I had a grin on my face that cracked it in two for 6 months afterwards. They were just everything I love about great rock and roll. How can anyone not love a band that starts a show with a song called Dames, Booze Chains and Boots? And ended with 15 minutes of Surfin’ Bird – a song they rescued from “world’s worst record” and recognised for the classic that it is? They introduced me to so much music I would never otherwise have heard. Pretty much my entire musical taste has been shaped by them one way or another. You only have to look at my profile to see what I mean. I saw an article a little while ago that saw them as the first band to spot the end of rock and roll and take it back to the future – which sounds about right to me. By all accounts he was a lovely fella offstage too. Must be an awful time for Ivy – thoughts go out to her. Is so sweet how they were together all that time. My mobile has been pinging all morning – there are many people upset about this. A very sad day and a great loss.
RIP Lux – but really so many thanks for the memories and the lasting legacy and influence.
KFJC alumni Stretch Riedle had these comments:
Wow, this one surprised me. I didn’t realize Lux was older than me or had health issues.
Lux was undoubtedly influenced by Iggy Pop. At times looked like him, and used some of his stage antics, like putting the microphone down his pants, etc.
Also, the Cramps members were music buffs and really liked to collect and listen to a lot of cool roots music. I’ll miss him.
The Cramps did more than one song that borrowed from “Louie Louie”. E.P. already mentioned ‘Garbage Man’, which I have both studio AND live versions of in my collection. Also give a listen to ‘Papa Satan Sang Louie’ from the album FIENDS OF DOPE ISLAND, as well as ‘I Wanna Get In Your Pants’ from the album LOOK MOM NO HEAD!.
So today for the LOUIE of the Week, I’m acknowledging a Cramps version of LOUIE LOUIE that’s up on YouTube. Thanks to theeggman01 for sharing this one. The video itself is just a placeholder for the music, so don’t expect too much in terms of entertaining visuals on this one.
Taken from an old cassette tape marked, The Cramps, venue, 81. Right or wrong ? who cares. Turn your volume nob to 11
If you want to see more cool Cramps videos, that aren’t necessarily LOUIE-related, click below…
The Cramps – Bikini Girls with Machine Guns
The Cramps – I Was a Teenage Werewolf
The Cramps – Goo Goo Muck (Live 1981)
The Cramps – Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?
Cheers for the quote EP 🙂
I realised after I wrote that how I had not talked enough about his wonderful lyrics. Sooooo funny… pretty much every song is guaranteed to raise a smile. I Wanna Get In Your Pants mentioned by Stretch is a great example… every time I hear it I get fits of giggles. He had more rhymes for “pantyhose” than anyone else I know – I particularly like Eyeball in My Martini “we went to lovers lane, to look for UFO’s, you’ll never guess what i saw, when i pulled down her pantyhose” LOL. Some other favourites (lyrically)..
Drug Train (yes sometimes they are a little reprobate haha) – “you put one foot up, you put another foot up, you put another foot up, and you’re on board…”
New Kind Of Kick – “I learned all I know, by the age of 9”
What’s Behind The Mask “how come I can’t see your face, when I see what’s in your pants”… “sorry I ever asked” (you need to hear the whole song!)
Zombie Dance – “they tap their toes, but they don’t get sweaty”
What’s Inside A Girl “momma told me that girls were hollow, but some things baby I just can’t swallow…”
Sado County Auto Show – “with your rear end all dipped in rubber”
Inside Out And Upside Down With You “.. I got my pants around my ankles over you”… (OK there is a bit of a theme here LOL)
Under The Wires “What colour panties are you wearing, and how long have you been wearing them”
Like A Bad Girl Should “the way your perfume makes you stink”
I could do every song really. So funny. And so smart. In that Ramones way that it takes someone smart to write something so pithily dumb!