The Cramps: Zombies, Teenage Werewolves, and Rock ‘N’ Roll Saviors
The Cramps: Zombies, Teenage Werewolves, and Rock ‘N’ Roll SaviorsDigest
The episode begins with a brief introduction and a sponsor advertisement for Kickoff Premium, a credit building service. The podcast then delves into the story of The Cramps, a rock and roll band known for their unique sound and dedication to saving rock and roll from the clutches of corporate music. The chapter explores the band's early days, their signing with IRS Records, and the release of their album "Songs the Lord Taught Us," which gained them popularity in the UK and Europe. The podcast then introduces Miles Copeland, the manager of The Cramps, and explores the rumors surrounding his alleged connection to the CIA and his vampire-like behavior towards the band. Copeland's focus shifts to The Police, leaving The Cramps in a state of creative and financial limbo. The Cramps and Copeland engage in a lawsuit, preventing the band from releasing new music. Bootlegging cockroaches further complicate their situation. Despite these challenges, The Cramps overcome the legal and bootlegging obstacles and release new music, including the single "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns." The podcast discusses how the timing of this release coincided with MTV's shift away from idiosyncratic rock and roll, potentially hindering the band's mainstream success. Despite the challenges, The Cramps continued to make music and inspire countless artists. Their influence is still felt today, particularly in the Psychobilly genre. The episode concludes with a question of the week: What band made the greatest rock and roll music ever?
Outlines
The Cramps: Saving Rock and Roll
This episode explores the story of The Cramps, a rock and roll band known for their unique sound and dedication to saving rock and roll from corporate music. The podcast covers their rise to fame, challenges with their manager, and lasting influence on the Psychobilly genre.
The Cramps' Rise to Fame
The Cramps sign with IRS Records and release their album "Songs the Lord Taught Us," which gains them popularity in the UK and Europe.
The Vampire's Bite
Miles Copeland's focus shifts to The Police, leaving The Cramps in a state of creative and financial limbo.
The Lawsuit and the Cockroaches
The Cramps and Miles Copeland engage in a lawsuit, preventing the band from releasing new music. Bootlegging cockroaches further complicate their situation.
The Return of The Cramps
The Cramps overcome the legal and bootlegging obstacles and release new music, including the single "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns."
The Legacy of The Cramps
Despite the challenges, The Cramps continued to make music and inspire countless artists. Their influence is still felt today, particularly in the Psychobilly genre.
Keywords
Psychobilly
A subgenre of rock and roll that combines elements of rockabilly, punk rock, and horror. It is characterized by its fast tempos, distorted guitars, and often dark and macabre lyrics.
Bootlegging
The unauthorized recording and distribution of copyrighted music, often done without the permission of the artist or record label.
Cycle Billy
A term coined by the British press to describe the unique brand of vintage horror-influenced rock and roll created by The Cramps.
Zombie Conformist
A term used to describe people who blindly follow social norms and trends, often lacking individuality and creativity.
Rock and Roll Vampire
A metaphor used to describe individuals or entities in the music industry who exploit artists for their own gain, often draining them of their creativity and financial resources.
The Cramps
A rock and roll band known for their unique sound and dedication to saving rock and roll from corporate music.
Miles Copeland
The manager of The Cramps, known for his alleged connection to the CIA and his vampire-like behavior towards the band.
Songs the Lord Taught Us
The debut album by The Cramps, which gained them popularity in the UK and Europe.
Q&A
What is the story of The Cramps and their mission to save rock and roll?
The Cramps were a rock and roll band known for their unique sound and dedication to saving rock and roll from the clutches of corporate music. They faced numerous challenges, including a lawsuit with their manager, Miles Copeland, and bootlegging cockroaches, but ultimately continued to make music and inspire countless artists.
What is Psychobilly and how did The Cramps influence this genre?
Psychobilly is a subgenre of rock and roll that combines elements of rockabilly, punk rock, and horror. The Cramps, with their unique blend of vintage horror-influenced rock and roll, unintentionally created this genre and inspired countless Psychobilly bands.
How did The Cramps' music and style challenge the norms of rock and roll in the 1970s and 1980s?
The Cramps' music and style were a stark contrast to the prevailing trends in rock and roll at the time. They rejected the corporate rock and roll of the 1980s and embraced a more raw, primal, and subversive sound that drew inspiration from vintage rockabilly, garage rock, and horror. Their music and image were a celebration of the outsider, the rebel, and the unconventional.
Show Notes
The Cramps, led by the husband and wife team of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach, had one one mission: To save rock n' roll from the corporate monsters who threatened its destruction. The band blended rockabilly, blues, garage rock and the aesthetic of 1950s B-movies into a wholly unique and singular rock and roll concoction that set them apart from their punk contemporaries. But as they began their climb up the music industry's ladder of success, they encountered hordes of brainless zombies who didn't understand their music or their mission, swarms of radioactive bootlegging cockroaches, and a coven of blood-sucking vampires hellbent on destroying the only thing the Cramps held sacred: rock n' roll.
To see the full list of contributors, see the show notes at www.disgracelandpod.com.
If rock n' roll is defined as low down, dirty, fun music for teenagers, what band made the greatest rock n' roll in your estimation? Let Jake know at 617-906-6638, disgracelandpod@gmail.com, or on socials @disgracelandpod.
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