Psychobilly: Cramps Frontman Lux Interior and Punk Pioneer Did 'Tear It Up'

Lux Interior, co-founder and lead singer of the Psychobilly punk band The Cramps, died on Tuesday at age 60 of a pre-existing heart condition. In performances, Interior was thrilling: the tall, pale, gaunt zombie-like frontman often appeared shirtless with low-slung black pants as he crawled, writhed and howled his way across the stage.

The Cramps were a part of the late 70s early punk scene and were best known for a bluesy, trebly sound and creepy live shows at Manhattan clubs like CBGB. The band never featured a bass guitarist, a style that resonates in modern minimalist groups like the White Stripes and the Black Lips. The Cramps based their style on '50s rockabilly music to invent a unique, demented sound that fused familiar chords and progressions into something totally new.


This video clip is a great example of their hard-core sound is featured below in the 1981 concert film Urgh! A Music War.

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