Born Bad Volumes 7 & 8

This is a continuation of my previous post in which I posted Born Bad Volumes 1 through 6, which can be found posted here: http://digitalmeltd0wn.blogspot.com/2007/04/born-bad-compilation-series-collects.html I'm on break from school, and I have to go to work as soon as I get out, so I'm going to keep this post short. Many years after the original Born Bad compilation series was released, an individual released a couple of bootlegs, Born Bad Volumes 7 & 8. For the most part the music contained within these volumes is in the same vein as the rest of the series. One noticeable difference is the absence of songs which would eventually be covered by The Cramps, which were heavily featured throughout the first six volumes. Another minor difference is that both volumes contain 16 tracks, while the original six volumes contained 14 tracks each. Aside from these differences these bootleg volumes integrate well with the first six volumes, and one can listen to them all seamlessly. Below you will find an excerpt from my previous post, which covers some of the general info about the first six volumes:

In 1986 the first of a series of compilations entitled "Born Bad" introduced listeners to a number of bands that greatly influenced the rockabilly and psychobilly bands in the decades that followed. Perhaps the most important band to emerge was The Cramps, a band that I have featured here on DM many times in the past. The Cramps helped to usher in a new wave of rockabilly acts across the world, and inadvertently created a new genre in the process. They combined the sound and style of the early country, rockabilly and garage rock acts of the '50s and '60s with the newly emerging punk rock attitude and style of the late '70s. Their unique approach was labeled as "Psychobilly", and thus a genre was born.

The Born Bad series collects together the original music that inspired bands such as The Cramps. The six original volumes contain 84 tracks, with each volume in the series containing 14 tracks. The first volume is often listed as "Volume One: Songs The Cramps Taught Us", not to be confused with the bootleg release of the same name, which can be found here: http://digitalmeltd0wn.blogspot.com/2007/12/various-artists-songs-cramps-taught-us.html A sticker was included on the vinyl release of the first volume that read "Songs The Cramps Taught Us", although it would not be included on any of the volumes that followed. For those of you who are interested in listening to the early rockabilly, country, rock 'n' roll and garage rock acts of the '50s and '60s that inspired The Cramps, it gets no better than this compilation. Those of you who are familiar with The Cramps will recognize these songs, as the band sought to pay tribute to the artists that inspired them by performing their own cover versions to many of the songs contained in the Born Bad series.

Born Bad Volume 7

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 220VBR
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. Ric Cartey - Oo Wee Baby
2. Johnny Fortune - Dragster
3. The Blues Rockers - Calling All Cows
4. Roy Brown - Buther Pete Part 1
5. Larry Phillipson - Bitter Feelings
6. Terry Dunavan - Earthquake Boogie
7. The Shells - Whiplash
8. The Fanatics - I Will Not Be Lonely
9. The Wailers - Hang Up
10. Junior Thompson - How Come You Do Me
11. The Rhythm Rockers - Madness
12. Kit & the Outlaws - Don't Tread On Me
13. Charlie Feathers - One Hand Loose
14. The Embers - I Walked All Night
15. Gene Summers - Taboo
16. Link Wray - Rumble

Download: Born Bad Vol. 7
Download Size: 51MB

Born Bad Volume 8

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. Sheriff & the Ravels - Shombolar
2. Bo Diddley - Dancing Girl
3. Walter Brown - Jelly Roll Rock
4. Keith Courvale - Trapped Love
5. Hayden Thompson - Blues, Blues, Blues
6. Lightnin' Slim - It's Mighty Crazy
7. Roy Brown - Butcher Pete, Part 2
8. Danny Dell - Froggy Went A Courting
9. Fender Four - Margaya
10. Elvis Presley - Do The Clam
11. Slim Harpo - Strange Love
12. Randy Alvey - Green Fuzz
13. Captain Beefheart - Hard Working Man
14. Sonny Burgess - Red Headed Woman
15. Don & the Galaxies - Sundown (Instrumental)
16. The Revels - Intoxica

Download: Born Bad Vol. 8
Download Size: 54MB

VA - Born Bad Volumes 1-6

In 1986 the first of a series of compilations entitled "Born Bad" introduced listeners to a number of bands that greatly influenced the rockabilly and psychobilly bands in the decades that followed. Perhaps the most important band to emerge was The Cramps, a band that I have featured here on DM many times in the past. The Cramps helped to usher in a new wave of rockabilly acts across the world, and inadvertently created a new genre in the process. They combined the sound and style of the early country, rockabilly and garage rock acts of the '50s and '60s with the newly emerging punk rock attitude and style of the late '70s. Their unique approach was labeled as "Psychobilly", and thus a genre was born.

The Born Bad series collects together the original music that inspired bands such as The Cramps. The six original volumes contain 84 tracks, with each volume in the series containing 14 tracks. The first volume is often listed as "Volume One: Songs The Cramps Taught Us", not to be confused with the bootleg release of the same name, which can be found here: http://digitalmeltd0wn.blogspot.com/2007/12/various-artists-songs-cramps-taught-us.html A sticker was included on the vinyl release of the first volume that read "Songs The Cramps Taught Us", although it would not be included on any of the volumes that followed. For those of you who are interested in listening to the early rockabilly, country, rock 'n' roll and garage rock acts of the '50s and '60s that inspired The Cramps, it gets no better than this compilation. Those of you who are familiar with The Cramps will recognize these songs, as the band sought to pay tribute to the artists that inspired them by performing their own cover versions to many of the songs contained in the Born Bad series.

The Born Bad series has proven to be one of the most popular posts on the blog. This is actually the third incarnation of the series that I have posted. Each time I have re-posted it I have attempted to improve the download being presented in terms of quality and features. Once again I have replaced the previous version with one consisting of MP3 files of a higher quality bitrate. Perhaps one day I'll get lucky enough to obtain a version of this in either FLAC or 320kbps MP3. I have exhausted all possibilities while searching for higher quality versions, but I have yet to find anything better than 192kbps. I have also included the liner notes for each individual volume, and managed to track down a number of images other than the front album covers.

Decades after the first volume was released someone decided to create two bootleg volumes to expand on the original six, and I will be posting those two volumes (Volumes 7 & 8) next. Due to the fact that they are bootleg releases, and not officially affiliated with the original six volumes, I decided to dedicate a separate post to those volumes. You can find Born Bad Volumes 7 & 8 posted here: http://digitalmeltd0wn.blogspot.com/2010/11/born-bad-volumes-7-8.html

Born Bad Volume 1

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. The Bostweeds - Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!
2. Ronnie Cook - Goo Goo Muck
3. Link Wray - Fat Back
4. Dwight Pullen - Sunglasses After Dark
5. Glenn Glenn - Everybody's Movin'
6. Roy Orbison - Domino
7. The Sonics - Strychnine
8. The Groupies - Primitive
9. Ronnie Dawson - Rockin' Bones
10. The Third Bardo - I'm Five Years Ahead of My TIme
11. Warren Smith - Uranium Rock
12. Mel Robbins - Save It
13. The Novas - The Crusher
14. Wanda Jackson - Funnel of Love

Download: Born Bad Vol. 1
Download Size: 49MB

Born Bad Volume 2

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. The Phantom - Love Me
2. Jimmy Loyd - Rocket In My Pocket
3. Tommy James & The Shondells - Hanky Panky
4. Paul Revere & the Raiders - Hungry
5. Kasenetz-Katz Super Circus - Quick Joey Small
6. Charlie Feathers - I Can't Hardly Stand It
7. Jimmy Stewart - Rock On The Moon
8. Hasil Adkins - She Said
9. Dale Hawkins - Tornado
10. Little Willie John - Fever
11. Jackie Lee Cochran - Sweet Georgia Lee Brown
12. Dave 'diddle' Day - Blue Moon Baby
13. Jody Reynolds - Fire of Love
14. Ricky Nelson - Lonesome Town

Download: Born Bad Vol. 2
Download Size: 50MB

Born Bad Volume 3

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. Kip Tyler & His Flips - Jungle Hop
2. The Busters - Bust Out
3. Jett Powers - Go, Girl, Go
4. The Riptides - Machine Gun
5. The Rivingtons - Mama-Oom-Mow-Mow
6. The Rivingtons - The Bird's The Word
7. The Trashmen - Surfin' Bird
8. Andre Williams & His New Group - Bacon Fat
9. Andre Williams - Jail Bait
10. The Frantics - Werewolf
11. Del Raney's Umbrella's - Can Your Hossie Do The Dog
12. Jack Scott - The Way I Walk
13. Andy Starr - Give Me A Woman
14. Herbie Duncan - Hot Lips Baby

Download: Born Bad Vol. 3
Download Size: 49MB

Born Bad Volume 4

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps

Tracklist:
1. Buddy Love - Heartbreak Hotel
2. The Shades - Strollin' After Dark
3. Spark Plugs - Chicken
4. Nat Couty and the Braves - Woodpecker Rock
5. Ward Darby & the Raves - Safari
6. Shortly Long - Devil With The Blue Dress On
7. The Red Crayola - Hurricane Fighter Blues
8. The Standells - Barracuda
9. Richard Berry and the Pharoahs - Louie Louie
10. The Tune Rockers - Green Mosquito
11. Duane Eddy & the Rebels - Girl on Death Row
12. The Rumblers - Boss
13. Bill Allen & the Backbeats - Please Give Me Something
14. Alfred E. Neuman - It's A Gas

Download: Born Bad Vol. 4
Download Size: 51MB

Born Bad Volume 5

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. Kai Ray - I Want Some of That
2. The Instrumentals - Chop Suey Rock
3. The Raindrops - Hanky Panky
4. Jerry Warren & the Tremblers - Rompin'
5. Carl Perkins - Her Love Rubbed Off
6. The Readymen - Shortnin' Bread
7. The Joker - What Is A Fisterris
8. The Fendermen - Mule Skinner Blues
9. Three Aces & A Joker - Booze Party
10. Lonnie Allen - You'll Never Change Me
11. Macy Skipper - Bop Pills
12. Mac Rebennack - Storm Warning
13. Freddy & the Hitchhikers - Sinners
14. Charlie Feathers - It's Just That Song

Download: Born Bad Vol. 5
Download Size: 50MB

Born Bad Volume 6

Label: Born Bad
Genres: Garage Rock, Rockabilly, Proto-Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps
Format: MP3

Tracklist:
1. Dean Carter - Jailhouse Rock
2. Lee Dresser & The Krazy Kats - Beat Out My Love
3. The Ventures - The Fourth Dimension
4. J.J. Jackson & the Jackaels - Oo-Ma-Liddi
5. The Sonics - He's Waitin'
6. The Wailers - Dirty Robber
7. Carol Connors & The Cycles - Yum Yum Yamaha
8. The Flower Children - Mini-Skirt Blues
9. The Sparkles - Hipsville 29 B.C. (I Need Your Help)
10. Jim Lowe - Green Door
11. Mel Smith & The Night Riders - Pretty Plaid Skirt (and Long Black Sox)
12. The Runabouts - When I Get The Blues (The Strangeness In Me)
13. Tommy Jim Beam & the Four Fifths - Golden Boy
14. Ric Cartey - Oo Eee

Download: Born Bad Vol. 6
Download Size: 50MB

Various Artists - Songs the Cramps Taught Us Vol. 1

The Cramps are a Psychobilly band whose only permanent members have been Lux Interior (Erick Purkhiser) and Poison Ivy (Kristy Wallace), the lead singer and lead guitarist respectively. Their musical style is stripped-down rockabilly, mostly in twelve bar blues form, played at varying, though usually fast, tempos, with a very minimal drumkit. The compelling part of the early Cramps sound is dual guitars - Ivy's Fender Twin Reverbed twang paired with Bryan Gregory's brutal Superfuzzed grind - without a bassist. The content of their songs and image is sleaze, the same trashy Americana John Waters celebrates, sexual fetishism, clever bad jokes, and a lot of cheap, horror B-movie cliches. Influences on the sound are early rockabilly and proto-rock'n'roll like Link Wray and Hasil Adkins, 1960s surf music acts such as The Ventures and Dick Dale; 1960s garage rock artists like The Standells, The Gants, and The Sonics, as well as the post-Glam/early punk scene from which they emerged. They also were influenced to a degree by The Ramones and owe a lot to Screamin' Jay Hawkins for having invented the theatrical, horror-blues stage act. In turn, they have strongly influenced subsequent punk and rockabilly revival bands, even creating a genre in their wake. "Psychobilly," a style played by bands like The Meteors and the Sharks, is a term coined by the Cramps, although Lux Interior maintains that the term does not describe their own style. The Cramps' music, flamboyance, and glamour influenced or anticipated acts like The White Stripes, The Gun Club, The Fuzztones, James Chance and the Contortions, The Birthday Party with Nick Cave, The Dum Dum Boys, The Meteors, Flat Duo Jets, and Tav Falco's Panther Burns.

Track List:
1. Sparkles - Hipsville 29 B.C.
2. Dwight Pullen - Sunglasses After Dark
3. Link Wray - Fatback
4. Sherrif & Ravels - Shombolar
5. Riptides - Machine Gun
6. Bo Diddley - Dancing Girl
7. Trashmen - Surfin Bird
8. Walter Brown - Jelly Roll Rock
9. Sonics - Strychnine
10. Rumblers - Boss
11. Third Bardo - Bikini Girls With Machine Guns
12. Busters - Bust Out
13. The Phantom - Love Me
14. Jett Powers - Go Girl Go
15. Ronnie Cook & Gaylads - Goo Goo Muck
16. Runabouts - Strangeness In Me
17. Groupies - Primitive
18. Frantics - Werewolf
19. Elroy Dietzel - Rockin Bones
20. Dale Hawkins - Tornado
21. Shells - Whiplash
22. Keith Courvale - Trapped Love
23. Freddie & Hitchikers - Sinners
24. Charlie Feathers - Can't Hardly Stand It
25. Andy Starr - Give Me A Woman
26. R. Lewis Band - Get Off The Road
27. Hayden Thompson - Blues Blues Blues
28. Lee Dresser & Krazy Kats - Beat Out My Love
29. Andre Williams - Bacon Fat
30. Jack Scott - The Way I Walk
31. Elvis Presley - Do The Clam

Download: Songs the Cramps Taught Us Vol. 1
Download Size: 103MB

The Cramps - Bad Music For Bad People

Here is yet another fine album by the Cramps. I have posted a few more albums in the past, which you will find if you use the search bar above. This collection of B-sides and rarities was seen by many as an attempt to cash in on the band's departure by I.R.S. records. This one is far from being a long player also, with "Bad Music" clocking in at only 31 minutes long. Don't let that deter you though, as each song is packed with energy and a performance that only The Cramps can deliver. The most well known song on the album is "New Kind of Kick", a song which has plenty of attitude to burn, with Interior getting lyrically rude more than once and Ivy turning in some fierce, screeching guitar. Another winner is the sleazy "Drug Train," originally the B-side to "Garbageman," which celebrates debauchery with the expected gusto. Knox gets to show his command for steady but right drumming on this one, while Interior and Ivy go crazy with the usual enthusiasm.

The usual selection of covers of rockabilly and garage rarities also surfaces, most memorably with a ripping cover of Hasil Adkins' "She Said." More semi-hits like "Human Fly" and "Goo Goo Muck" surface as well, making the whole release a fine if overly short overview of the Cramps' vision. Production at points ventures into the totally primitive, which is all the more appropriate for the band in question, admittedly giving everything the necessarily rough-and-ready atmosphere for the group's own brand of scummy sleaze. The artwork is notable in its own right, with the fleshless big-haired ghoul on the cover having turned into an icon for the Cramps and psychobilly music worldwide.

Year of Release: 1984
Label: I.R.S. Records
Genres: Psychobilly, Punk
Bitrate: 320kbps

Track List
1. Garbageman
2. New Kind Of Kick
3. Love Me
4. I Can't Hardly Stand It
5. She Said
6. Goo Goo Muck
7. Save It
8. Human Fly
9. Drug Train
10. TV Set
11. Uranium Rock

Download: The Cramps - Bad Music For Bad People
Download Size: 68MB

Edit: I re-uploaded this as requested. I also increased the bitrate to 320kbps. Enjoy!

The Cramps - Songs The Lord Taught Us

Continuing the spooked-out and raging snarls of Gravest Hits, the Cramps once again worked with Alex Chilton on the group's full-album debut, Songs the Lord Taught Us. The jacket reads "file under: sacred music," but only if one's definition includes the holy love of rockabilly sex-stomp, something which the Cramps fulfill in spades. Having spent Gravest Hits mostly doing revamps of older material, the foursome tackled a slew of originals like "The Mad Daddy" and "TV Set" this time around, creating one of the few neo-rockabilly records worthy of the name. Years later Songs still drips with threat and desire both, testament to both the band's worth and Chilton's just-right production. "Garbageman" surfaced as a single in some areas, a wise choice given the at-once catchy roll of the song and downright frightening guitar snarls, especially on the solo. The covers of the Sonics' "Strychnine" and Billy Burnette's "Tear It Up" -- not to mention the concluding riff on "Fever" -- all challenge the originals. Interior has the wailing, hiccuping, and more down pat, but transformed into his own breathless howl, while Ivy and Gregory keep up the electric fuzz through more layers of echo than legality should allow. Knox helms the drums relentlessly; instead of punching through arena rock style, Chilton keeps him the rushed rhythm running along in the back, increasing the sheer psychosis of it all. (Year of Release: 1980)

Track List:
1. TV Set
2. Rock On The Moon
3. Garbageman
4. I Was A Teenage Werewolf
5. Sunglasses After Dark
6. The Mad Daddy
7. Mystery Plane
8. Zombie Dance
9. What's Behind The Mask
10. Strychnine
11. I'm Cramped
12. Tear It Up
13. Fever

Download: The Cramps - Songs the Lord Taught Us (56.1MB)

The Cramps - Live at CBGB's January 13, 1978

This is a vinyl rip of a limited edition (autographed) live LP given away at CBGB's 20th Anniversary Show on December 10th, 1993 by The Cramps. Entitled "Frank Furter and the Hot Dogs", it features an 11 song set by the Cramps performed at CBGB's in New York on January 13th, 1978. As with any live Cramps performance, this is full of high-spirited rockabilly/psychobilly music, accompanied by the vocals, pants, howls, and growls of Lux Interior. The recording isn't of the highest quality, but it certainly qualifies as listenable, and would be an essential album for Cramps fan's collection. As a bonus, I have also added a clip of the Cramps performing "Teenage Werewolf" nearly three years later, which is taken from the Urgh! A Music War" video.

Year of Recording: 1978
Year of Release: 1993
Genre: Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Punk
Bitrate: 128kbps

Download: The Cramps - Live at CBGB's January 13th 1978
Download Size: 27MB

The Cramps - Teenage Werewolf
Urgh! A Music War (1980)






Watch In High Quality

VA - Return of the Living Dead: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Special Edition)

The soundtrack that started it all, for me at least. This is the album that, when I was twelve years old, introduced me to underground music. This soundtrack served as a sort of jump off point for me and I began purchasing albums by each of the artists included here. Chock full of awesomeness galore, this is definitely one of the best soundtracks ever put out there. It includes The Cramps, Flesheaters, TSOL, Roky Erickson, The Damned and even more! Plus they are all doing original songs written for the movie (with the exception of Roky's "Burn The Flames"). >Return of the Living Dead was an almost instant cult classic for its blend of humor and gore in homage to the greatest of zombie films, >Night of the Living Dead. If you haven't seen it then now would be a great time! The version of the soundtrack that I've uploaded for your listening pleasure is a special treat for Halloween. This is the rare version featuring dialogue from the film in between tracks and the original score music. To my knowledge, it was only released on the picture disc, which I am lucky enough to own, though I found this out there on the interwebs. The whole record is great but my personal faves are The Cramps "Surfin' Dead", 45 Grave's special "zombie version" of "Partytime", and The Damned's "Dead Beat Dance". All of these are unavailable elsewhere and are great tunes from some of the greatest bands of the era. So get your pointy little witch shoes on and prepare to shake what your monster gave ya!

Track List:
1. They Don't Leak (Film Dialogue)
2. Hideous Ugly Place (Film Dialogue)
3. The Cramps - Surfin' Dead
4. Like This Job? (Film Dialogue)
5. 45 Grave - Partytime (Zombie Version)
6. It Worked In The Movie (Film Dialogue)
7. T.S.O.L. - Nothing For You
8. It's A Way Of Life (Film Dialogue)
9. The Flesheaters - Eyes Without A Face
10. You're Not Alive (Film Dialogue)
11. Roky Erickson - Burn The Flames
12. Rigermortus (Film Dialogue)
13. The Damned - Dead Beat Dance
14. Send More Paramedics (Film Dialogue)
15. Tall Boys - Take A Walk
16. Swallowed Up (Film Dialogue)
17. The Black Berries - Love Under Will
18. Trash's Fantasy (Film Dialogue)
19. SSQ - Trash's Theme
20. Let Me Eat Your Brains (Film Dialogue)
21. SSQ - Tonight (we'll Make Love Until We Die)
22. Contingency Plan (Film Dialogue)
23. Francis Haines - The Trioxin Theme (Main Title)

Download: The Return of the Living Dead: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Download Size: 53MB

The Cramps - Smell Of Female

This live EP, recorded at famed NYC punk venue The Peppermint Lounge, was released in 1983, bridging the lengthy gap between The Cramps' second and third albums. It's a bit of a classic in its own right however. Taking its title from the voiceover prologue to Russ Meyer's cult film 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!', 'Smell of Female' includes a cover of the film's hilarious theme song, along with four original songs and a cover of The Count Five's trash-rock hit 'Psychotic Reaction'. The Cramps deliver energetically throughout, and there are no really weak songs. The CD release features three bonus tracks, including the studio cut 'Surfin' Dead', which was used on the soundtrack of 'Return of the Living Dead'. This is the best available document of the live sound of The Cramps in their heyday, and as such is highly recommended. The cover shots of Poison Ivy Rorschach shaking a tail feather are a nice bonus!

Track List:
1. Most Exalted Potentate Of Love
2. You Got Good Taste
3. Call Of The Wighat
4. Faster Pussycat
5. I Ain't Nothin' But A Gorehound
6. Psychotic Reaction
7. Beautiful Gardens
8. She Said
9. Surfin' Dead

Download: The Cramps - Smell Of Female (46.3MB)

Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease

Everybody's heard about the bird" - so say The Trashmen and a fitting opener for 16 of the most deranged tracks that you can find. One of the best selling Big Beat releases finally hits CD after a world wide search for tape copies of some of these tributes to the sheer insanity of rock & roll. The Sonics "Psycho", The Novas - "The Crusher", Legendary Stardust Cowboy - "Paralysed" - the titles say it all. The original album has lost one track but gained the legendary and rare even-on-vinyl Ralph Nielson & The Chancellors - "The Scream", Link Wray chewing the blues and spitting out Willie Dixon's "Hidden Charms" and the Milkshakes taking on the aforementioned Link Wray on "Run Chicken Run". Apart from that you still get The Cramps with Jimmy Dickinson ripping up Sonny Burgess's "Red Headed Woman", Britain's psychobilly kings The Meteors with a live "My Daddy Is A Vampire" and "Radioactive Kid" along with the late great Gun Club, Tav Falco's Panther Burns with their finest destructobilly and two other bands of this parish the Sting-Rays and The Guana Batz.
(Year of Release: 1984)

Track List:
1. Surfin' Bird - The Trashmen
2. Psycho - The Sonics
3. Crusher, The - The Novas
4. Scream! - Ralph Nielsen & The Chancellors
5. Paralyzed - Legendary Stardust Cowboy
6. She Said - Hasil Adkins
7. Hidden Charms - Link Wray (bonus track)
8. My Daddy Is A Vampire - The Meteors
9. Red Headed Woman - Jimmy Dickinson & The Cramps
10. Run Chicken Run - The Milkshakes
11. Radioactive Kid - The Meteors
12. Dateless Night - Tav Falco & The Panther Burns
13. Jack On Fire - Gun Club
14. Folsom Prison Blues - The Geezers
15. Cat Man - The Sting-Rays
16. Just Love Me - The Guana Batz

Download: Rockabilly Psychosis and the Garage Disease (54.1MB)

Levi & the Rockats - Live at The Louisiana Hayride

The Louisiana Hayride was a radio broadcast from the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana, that during its heyday helped launch the careers of some of the greatest names in American country music, names that included Hank Williams, Jim Reeves, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, & Johnny Horton. Elvis first debuted "That's All Right Mama" on October 16, 1954. He stayed with the Hayride for a year before moving on to sign with RCA Records & Colonel Tom Parker. The next big name to hang his star on the Hayride door was Johnny Horton. He remained a member of the Hayride until his death. On November 5, 1960, Horton was killed instantly in a head-on collision with a drunk driver on Highway 79 at Milano, Texas while he was returning home from a performance at the Skyline Club in Austin.

In November 1977, Levi Dexter & his band, The Rockats, made their debut at the Royal College of Art, within the shadow of The Royal Albert Hall. Johnny Thunders jammmed at the end of their set. The headliner band that night was the reggae band Steel Pulse. On December 26, 1977, Levi & the Rockats closed the “Boxing Day Relapse” concert at The Music Machine in London with Siouxie & the Banshees & Adam & the Ants, establishing them as the first neo-Rockabilly band to emerge from the burgeoning London punk scene. In March 1978, Levi records “Evil Minded Mama”, a duet with Jayne County & The Electric Chairs. They toured England, Scotland, & Wales together on the first ever Ted/Punk Tour. By May 1978 Levi had relocated to the U.S. to get an 'American Perspective', moving first to Los Angeles where they were welcomed by bands like X. On November 10th 1978, Levi & the Rockats made their U.S. debut at Max’s Kansas City in New York opening for The Cramps.


On July 14, 1979, Levi & the Roackats, a neo-Rockabilly band from England, newly transplanted to Los Angeles, became the first rock performers to play The Louisiana Hayride since Elvis Presley played there nearly 25 years before. This is the live recording of that historic show.

Levi & the Rockats are: Levi Dexter - vocals; Eddie Dibbles - guitar; Guy Hemmer - rhythm guitar; Smut Smiff - bass; & Dean Thomas - drums. The Rockats were the last act ever introduced by legendary emcee Frank Page, who had emceed the Hayride for over 30 years & who had introduced Presley in 1954. His introduction is the opening track.

Year of Release: 1981
Label: Posh Boy PBS-162
Genre: Rockabilly

Tracklist:

Side A -
Introduction by Mr. Frank Page
Rock-a-Billy Idol
She Ain't No Angel
Tired & Sleepy
Lonesome Saturday Night
Side B -
Room to Rock
Crazy Baby
Love this Kat
Other Side of Midnight
Note from the South.

Download: Levi & the Rockats - Live at The Louisiana Hayride
Download Size: 61.5MB
(Ripped From 28 yr. old PoshBoy Vinyl at 320Kbps)

The Cramps - Totally Destroy Seattle (Live Bootleg)

I couldn't find out much information about this recording, other than the fact that it was recorded on May 20th, 1982 at Astor Park in Seattle, Washington. There appears to be a lot of Cramps fans that visit here, so I thought you all would enjoy this. Here's the information that was included with this bootleg:


At one time I was a regular dealer at local record conventions. I met this guy at my booth who wanted to trade music. He said he had this album by the Cramps, which was extremely limited, even by bootleg standards. It was locally pressed in Seattle on red vinyl, and the cover was silk-screened directly on the record jacket. At a time when most boot LPs sold for under $10USD, he had paid over $25USD for it.

This record was transferred through Burwen Research Labs TNF and DNR units onto a TDK SA90 in approximately 1985. Burwen Research had developed the first analog pop and click remover (TNF = Transient Noise Filter) on the market, as well as the first analog noise reduction unit (DNR = Dynamic Noise Reduction). Burwen Research were bought out by KLH in the late 1980's, then KLH went out of business. When the name KLH was used again in the audio market some years later, it was a different company and these units were no longer produced. These units worked very well, and were easier to set than today's digital programming.

(Year of Release: 1982)

Track List:
1. Domino
2. Human Fly
3. Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
4. I'm Five Years Ahead Of My Time
5. Primitive
6. Goo Goo Muck
7. Reality (Beautiful Gardens)
8. TV Set
9. Sunglasses After Dark
10. Garbage Man
11. Psychotic Reaction

Download: The Cramps - Totally Destroy Seattle (66.8MB)

The Damned - Music For Pleasure

When I was about fourteen years old most of the other kids at school were drinking their first drink and smoking their first smoke to bands like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Motley Crue. For me, though, it was punk rock. I had fallen in love with the soundtrack to Return of the Living Dead a couple of years earlier and had scrambled to get records by all of the bands that were featured on it. The Cramps, Roky Erickson, TSOL, and most of all The Damned. I had grown up in a household full of classic rock and had gone through the New Wave period collecting singles by any band with a weird hair cut. By the mid-80's, though, I was ready for something new and discovering these bands introduced me to a whole new world of music.

"Music For Pleasure" was the second album by The Damned and, though it was trashed by the critics when it was released, it remains one of their most raw and rockin' albums to date. For any punk band from the first generation it was hard to top their debut album. Although they had eagerly covered the new explosion of sounds in 1977, the press wanted punk rock to be over with by the time all its great bands were on their second releases. Critics were uncomfortable with the movement and just wanted something new. They didn't want to treat these bands as real musicians but flashes in the proverbial pan. Sounds a lot like post-1956, too. Anyway, The Damned were just hitting their stride and wouldn't be put out to pasture just yet (in fact they still rock clubs on a regular basis and their 2001 album "Grave Disorder" sounded like a band twenty years younger).

So, here you go. The second album by the legendary Damned featuring dual guitars and a sound that's like taking their first album and adding some more complexity without losing the edge. Another rockin' summertime kinda treat with songs like "Stretcher Case", "Don't Cry Wolf", and my favorite "Politics" which still rings true for me today. "I don't need no politics to make me dance!"

Year of Release: 1977
Label: Earmark
Genre: Punk
Bitrate: 192kbps

Track List:
1. Problem Child
2. Don't Cry Wolf
3. One Way Love
4. Politics
5. Stretcher Case
6. Idiot Box
7. You Take My Money
8. Alone
9. Your Eyes
10. Creep (You Can't Fool Me)
11. You Know
12. Help
13. Sick Of Being Sick
14. Singalong A Scabies

Download: The Damned - Music For Pleasure
Download Size: 44MB

Video of the Week: The Cramps - Tear It Up - Urgh! A Music War

The Cramps - Tear It Up

Lux Interior's stage presence can be described in many ways.. electrifying, comical, or even disturbing. You can rest assured that it will never be described as dull though. This particular performance from Urgh! A Music War is one of the best that I've seen. Rather than spoil the interesting parts, I'll just let the video speak for itself.

Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1981. It featured performances by punk rock, New Wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. All performances are live, recorded around 1980, mainly in England and the USA. There is a bit of controversy surrounding the film, concerning the rights of the movie, and the possibility of a DVD release. You can read more about the film, and the surrounding controversy below.

Wikipedia Article
View More Videos From Urgh! A Music War

Radio Cramps - The Purple Knif Radio Show

Great for those long commutes to work or drag racing in your hybrid while pretending your girlfriend is Mamie Van Doren and opening your PBR with a switchbladeIt's always been a rock and roll dream of mine to hang with The Cramps at their house with a bottle of wine and just flip through their record collection. Well, after many years of listening to their music I did finally meet Lux and Ivy but, alas, we were in an antique store and not near a record player. Never fear, though, this is as close as one can get to that dream. Just crack open a bottle of your chosen poison and download this little gem of a podcast. It's called the "Purple Knif" (pronounced ka-nif) and it's an obscure radio show hosted by Lux Interior back in the 80's where he takes us on an archaeological dig through the vinyl mines of his home and dusts off some fossils of rock and roll past. Sit back and enjoy an hour of high weirdness from the Pope of Psychobilly as he plays a wide variety of poppin' and cracklin' 7-inch wonders including everything from alien offspring to a jammin' version of "The Addam's Family" theme. In between tunes Lux gives us his own introductions with appropriate delay effects and B-movie samples. Great for those long commutes to work or drag racing in your hybrid while pretending your girlfriend is Mamie Van Doren and opening your PBR with a switchblade. No track list on this one. Not only would it ruin the fun but this is a podcast so it's one long track. Just listen to it straight through and I dare you not to wanna go out and buy a leather jacket and some smelly hair jelly. Stay sick!

Download: Radio Cramps - The Purple Knif Show

Video of the Week: Otis Redding - Satisfaction

Otis Redding - Satisfation

I'm sure that during the course of time I've spent running this blog that I've described several performances as 'energetic', but I was blown away by the energy that Otis Redding pumped out in this performance. I'm sure that Mick Jagger, who was present in the crowd that night, was equally stunned. I was going to post a great video of the Cramps until I found this gem. I'm sure you won't have any problems understanding why once you've viewed it. Enjoy!