Brought up on the radio shows of the legendary rock 'n' roll DJs, the moondogging Alan Freed, Mad Daddy and, later, the ghostly Ghoulardi, it was hardly surprising that The Cramps' Lux Interior and Poison Ivy began trawling the thrift stores for juvenile delinquent tunes, lip curling bad boy rock 'n' roll, strange exotica, bizarre novelty 45s, dysfunctional doo wop, psychedelic weirdness and instrumentals made by madmen. In America in the 1950s and 1960s there seemed to be small town versions of such vinyl madness everywhere that, by the 1970s were remaindered and to the majority of people unwanted. To the fledgling Cramps this was nothing short of heaven.
The duo filled their house with novelty memorabilia, schlock horror furniture and a record collection to die for. Lux eventually gravitated to his own Purple Knif Radio show and the Cramps delivered their versions of some of the stuff they'd found. The duo name-checked many a 45 along the way and seeking them out and sampling their eccentricities is nothing short of mind blowing.
This 24-track collection positively effervesces with eccentricity. Again the vinyl only double-10“ is divided into 4 themes: „The Rock`n´Rollers“, „New Dance Trend“, „Instrumentals“ and „The Mad Daddies“.
Every track pirouettes dangerously and at times hap hazardly around the expected. These are songs for strange times by what can definitely be considered strange people. Gems and nuggets that sparkle even more bright in today's manufactured music maelstrom.
The population of Badsville welcomes you aboard.
Tracklisting:
Side 1. * The Rock`n´Rollers
1. Gary Link & The Rock-A-Fellas - Rhythm Rock
2. Buddy Starr & The Starliners - Hold It
3. The Saints - Call My Name
4. Jamie Coe - Summertime
5. Bo Toliver & His Timers - Begging
6. Dossie Thunderbird Terry - Fool Mule
Side 2. * New Dance Trend
1. The Vocaleers - The Cootie Snap
2. Celestine - Shake, Baby, Shake
3. Young Jessie - Shuffle In The Gravel
4. Creel Sisters - Stop The Clock Rock
5. The Phaetons - Fling
6. Burt Keyes With Teddy McRae & His Orchestra - Stop Jivin' Start Drivin'
Side 3. * Instrumentals
1. The Dawnbeats - Midnight Express
2. The Stereos - Hot Rod
3. The Ramblers - Devil Train
4. The Storms - Tarantula
5. The Ramblers - Rambling
6. The Renegades - Charge
Side 4. * The Mad Daddies
1. Nightmares Jimmie Maddin Orchestra - (Oooh I'm Scared) Of The Horrors Of The Black Museum
2. Don Johnston - The Whipmaster
3. Jivin' Gene And The Jokers - Up... Up... And Away
4. Freddy Montell - (Ooey Gooey) Green Cheese
5. Terry Corin And Her Boyfriends - Sick! Sick! Sick!
6. Mr. Undertaker - Here Lies My Love