![In October 1977, the Cramps ventured into Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee with producer and Cramps translator extraordinaire, Alex Chilton. The band had planned on recording their song ‘TV Set,’ as an A side, along with another track or tracks. Mr. Chilton told them the way he liked to work was to have a band record a lot of songs and from that they would pick the best of the bunch. Luckily for Cramps fans everywhere, the band did just that. The first evidence of these sessions was unleashed upon an “unsuspecting human world” in April 1978 on the band’s own Vengeance Records label. It was a two song 7-inch with a version of the Trashmen’s 1963 classic ‘Surfin’ Bird,’ pushed well beyond its breaking point, forcing it to mutate into a much higher form of lowdown, and Jack Scott’s 1959 cool burning ‘The Way I Walk,’ dragged back into the Stone Age... After one listen, it was clear the Cramps had absolutely tapped into Rock ’n’ Roll’s mainline. In November of the same year, and again from the October 1977 sessions came another two song lesson in how it’s done, or undone, with easily one of the greatest A sides of all time: ‘Human Fly.’ The B side was held hostage by “Domino,” originally sung by Roy Orbison. The Cramps’ version swaggers with infinite confidence and is an absolute thrill to listen to. In the summer of 1979, young degenerates in England were treated to a 12-inch by the Cramps called Gravest Hits, which featured not only the aforementioned four tracks, but also a fifth, again from the October 1977 sessions... “What happened to the rest of the tracks from those auspicious days in October 1977? In 2026, Larry Hardy, owner and operator of In The Red Records, rapelled down, deep into the vast, sunless vault of the Cramps tape collection, and resurfaced hours later, disoriented and out of breath, but overjoyed with what he’d returned to topside with: six ¼” reels of tracks, mixed by Lux [Interior] and [Poison] Ivy... Gravest Gravy is one of the purest collections of unrestrained, wild music you’ll ever hear—like Jerry Lee Lewis unchained, like Elvis meets Tarzan—like it should be. The Cramps were one of the greatest bands in the history of recorded music, and anyone who heard or saw them, knows and abides by this groovin’ truth. From their inception to this day, the band has fans whose enthusiasm for their life-changing music never wavers. The Cramps made this music for the love of Rock ’n’ Roll. Lux and Ivy made this record for you.” – Henry Rollins](https://groundzero.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/a2020420881_10.jpg)
Description
En octobre 1977, les Cramps se rendirent aux studios Ardent de Memphis, dans le Tennessee, avec le producteur et interprète hors pair Alex Chilton. Le groupe avait prévu d’enregistrer leur chanson « TV Set » en face A, ainsi qu’un ou plusieurs autres titres.
M. Chilton leur expliqua que sa méthode de travail consistait à faire enregistrer un grand nombre de chansons au groupe, parmi lesquelles ils sélectionnaient les meilleures.
Pour le plus grand bonheur des fans des Cramps, le groupe s’exécuta. Les premiers enregistrements de ces sessions furent dévoilés au public en avril 1978 sur leur propre label, Vengeance Records. C’était un 45 tours deux titres : une version du classique de 1963 des Trashmen, « Surfin’ Bird », poussée à l’extrême, la transformant en une version bien plus sombre et intense, et « The Way I Walk » de Jack Scott (1959), un morceau cool et incandescent ramené à l’âge de pierre…
Dès la première écoute, il était évident que les Cramps avaient trouvé la formule magique du rock ‘n’ roll. En novembre de la même année, et toujours issus des sessions d’octobre 1977, ils nous offraient une autre leçon magistrale de deux titres, avec « Human Fly », sans doute l’une des meilleures faces A de tous les temps.
La face B était occupée par « Domino », interprétée à l’origine par Roy Orbison. La version des Cramps déborde d’assurance et est un pur régal pour les oreilles. Durant l’été 1979, les jeunes déjantés anglais découvrirent un maxi 45 tours des Cramps intitulé Gravest Hits, qui comprenait non seulement les quatre titres déjà mentionnés, mais aussi un cinquième, issu lui aussi des sessions d’octobre 1977… « Qu’est-il advenu du reste des morceaux de ces jours mémorables d’octobre 1977 ?
En 2026, Larry Hardy, propriétaire et gérant du label In The Red Records, descendit en rappel dans les profondeurs obscures et immenses archives des bandes des Cramps, et remonta à la surface des heures plus tard, désorienté et essoufflé, mais fou de joie : six bobines 6,35 mm de titres mixés par Lux Interior et Poison Ivy…
Gravest Gravy est l’un des recueils les plus purs de musique sauvage et débridée que vous entendrez jamais – un Jerry Lee Lewis déchaîné, un Elvis croisé avec Tarzan – comme il se doit. »
Les Cramps étaient l’un des plus grands groupes de l’histoire de la musique enregistrée, et quiconque les a vus ou entendus le sait et adhère à cette vérité incontestable. Depuis leurs débuts jusqu’à aujourd’hui, le groupe compte des fans dont l’enthousiasme pour leur musique inspirante reste intact. Les Cramps ont créé cette musique par amour du rock ‘n’ roll. Lux et Ivy ont fait cet album pour vous.
– Henry Rollins
Tracklist
#1 TV Set (1977 Version)
#2 Weekend On Mars (1977 Version)
#3 Twist & Shout (1977 Version)
#4 Jungle Hop (1977 Version)
#5 I Can’t Hardly Stand It (1977 Version)
#6 Hungry (1977 Version)
#7 The Natives Are Restless (1977 Version)
#8 Domino (1977 Version)
#9 Can’t Find My Mind (1977 Version)
#10 Rockin’ Bones (1977 Version)
#11 Problem Child (1977 Version)
#12 Rocket In My Pocket (1977 Version)
![In October 1977, the Cramps ventured into Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee with producer and Cramps translator extraordinaire, Alex Chilton. The band had planned on recording their song ‘TV Set,’ as an A side, along with another track or tracks. Mr. Chilton told them the way he liked to work was to have a band record a lot of songs and from that they would pick the best of the bunch. Luckily for Cramps fans everywhere, the band did just that. The first evidence of these sessions was unleashed upon an “unsuspecting human world” in April 1978 on the band’s own Vengeance Records label. It was a two song 7-inch with a version of the Trashmen’s 1963 classic ‘Surfin’ Bird,’ pushed well beyond its breaking point, forcing it to mutate into a much higher form of lowdown, and Jack Scott’s 1959 cool burning ‘The Way I Walk,’ dragged back into the Stone Age... After one listen, it was clear the Cramps had absolutely tapped into Rock ’n’ Roll’s mainline. In November of the same year, and again from the October 1977 sessions came another two song lesson in how it’s done, or undone, with easily one of the greatest A sides of all time: ‘Human Fly.’ The B side was held hostage by “Domino,” originally sung by Roy Orbison. The Cramps’ version swaggers with infinite confidence and is an absolute thrill to listen to. In the summer of 1979, young degenerates in England were treated to a 12-inch by the Cramps called Gravest Hits, which featured not only the aforementioned four tracks, but also a fifth, again from the October 1977 sessions... “What happened to the rest of the tracks from those auspicious days in October 1977? In 2026, Larry Hardy, owner and operator of In The Red Records, rapelled down, deep into the vast, sunless vault of the Cramps tape collection, and resurfaced hours later, disoriented and out of breath, but overjoyed with what he’d returned to topside with: six ¼” reels of tracks, mixed by Lux [Interior] and [Poison] Ivy... Gravest Gravy is one of the purest collections of unrestrained, wild music you’ll ever hear—like Jerry Lee Lewis unchained, like Elvis meets Tarzan—like it should be. The Cramps were one of the greatest bands in the history of recorded music, and anyone who heard or saw them, knows and abides by this groovin’ truth. From their inception to this day, the band has fans whose enthusiasm for their life-changing music never wavers. The Cramps made this music for the love of Rock ’n’ Roll. Lux and Ivy made this record for you.” – Henry Rollins](https://groundzero.fr/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/a2020420881_10-150x150.jpg)