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Members

Current

Name
Begin
Occupation

Nickey “Beat” Alexander

N/A

Bill Bateman

N/A

Drums (drum set)

Lux Interior

N/A

Jim Sclavunos

N/A

Poison Ivy

N/A

History

Name
Begin
End
Occupation

Kid Congo Powers

1981
1983

Bryan Gregory

1976
1980

Harry Drumdini

2006
2009

Harry Drumdini

1993
2003

Miriam Linna

1976
1977

Slim Chance

N/A
N/A

Bass guitar

Julien Hechtlinger

1980
1980

Electric guitar

Mike Metoff

N/A
N/A

Nick Knox

1977
1991

Membranophone

Candy Del Mar

1986
1991

Story of The Cramps

The Cramps, progenitors of psychobilly and purveyors of sleazy, high-octane rockabilly-punk, stormed onto the scene in 1976 and remained a potent force until 2009. The bands core—and only constant members—were the iconic husband-and-wife team of Lux Interior (Erick Lee Purkhiser) and Poison Ivy (Kristy Marlana Wallace). Their initial lineup solidified in April 1976 with the additions of guitarist Bryan Gregory and drummer Pam Balam. While their membership fluctuated wildly over the years, the duos singular vision remained consistent.

Their debut album, Songs the Lord Taught Us, dropped in 1980, marking the beginning of a prolific career. Interior and Wallace, who met in Sacramento in 1972, bonded over a shared passion for record collecting and a darkly comedic aesthetic. Interiors stage name came from a car ad, while Ivys (initially Poison Ivy Rorschach, a nod to the famous test) arrived in a dream. After relocating from Akron, Ohio, to New York City in 1975, they quickly immersed themselves in the burgeoning CBGBs scene, sharing bills with punk luminaries like the Ramones, Talking Heads, Blondie, Patti Smith, Television, Suicide, Mink DeVille, and fellow Ohio transplants, the Dead Boys. The bands legendary run ultimately ended with Lux Interior`s passing in 2009.

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