The Cramps are a unique blend of rockabilly, garage rock, classic horror movies, and teenage angst. The Cramps celebrate all that is dirty and perverse and draw in listeners with their unique sound. This unique blend led to the creation of the psychobilly genre. Punk and psychobilly culture would be completely unthinkable without them, and their presence helped to influence the revival of rockabilly and later rock movements
The creation of the Cramps began in 1972 in Sacramento, CA, when Erick Purkhiser picked up a hitchhiker, a woman with a great fashion sense named Kristy Wallace. They soon fell in love and were sharing both an apartment and an enthusiasm for a new rock and roll sound. This passion for music led them to form a band; Kristy …show more content…
The Cramps, among other later bands are known as “Psychobilly.” Psychobilly is a genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is often characterized by lyrical references to science fiction, horror films, violence, sexuality, and other taboo topics which are often presented comedically. Some psychobilly bands use an upright double bass instead of an electric bass, however the Cramps are notorious for their lack of a bass player. In the mid- to late 1970s, as punk rock became popular, several rockabilly and garage rock bands appeared who influenced the birth of psychobilly. The term "psychobilly" was actually first coined in the lyrics to the country song, "One Piece at a Time", which was written by Wayne Kemp for Johnny Cash. The lyrics describe the construction of a "psychobilly Cadillac." The Cramps then used this term from the song to describe their music as "psychobilly" and "rockabilly voodoo" on concert flyers. The Cramps have since denied the idea of being a part of psychobilly subculture, stating that "We weren't even describing the music when we put 'psychobilly' on our old fliers; we were just using carny terms to drum up business. It wasn't meant as a style of music." Nevertheless, The Cramps, along with artists such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Stray Cats, are considered important precursors to
The creation of the Cramps began in 1972 in Sacramento, CA, when Erick Purkhiser picked up a hitchhiker, a woman with a great fashion sense named Kristy Wallace. They soon fell in love and were sharing both an apartment and an enthusiasm for a new rock and roll sound. This passion for music led them to form a band; Kristy …show more content…
The Cramps, among other later bands are known as “Psychobilly.” Psychobilly is a genre of rock music that mixes elements of punk rock, rockabilly, and other genres. It is often characterized by lyrical references to science fiction, horror films, violence, sexuality, and other taboo topics which are often presented comedically. Some psychobilly bands use an upright double bass instead of an electric bass, however the Cramps are notorious for their lack of a bass player. In the mid- to late 1970s, as punk rock became popular, several rockabilly and garage rock bands appeared who influenced the birth of psychobilly. The term "psychobilly" was actually first coined in the lyrics to the country song, "One Piece at a Time", which was written by Wayne Kemp for Johnny Cash. The lyrics describe the construction of a "psychobilly Cadillac." The Cramps then used this term from the song to describe their music as "psychobilly" and "rockabilly voodoo" on concert flyers. The Cramps have since denied the idea of being a part of psychobilly subculture, stating that "We weren't even describing the music when we put 'psychobilly' on our old fliers; we were just using carny terms to drum up business. It wasn't meant as a style of music." Nevertheless, The Cramps, along with artists such as Screamin' Jay Hawkins and the Stray Cats, are considered important precursors to