By Steve Newton Back in April of 1990 I did my first interview with Cramps guitarist Poison Ivy Rorschach, in advance of a show at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver. At the time the band was touring behind its new Stay Sick album, which she produced herself, and which included the song "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns", … Continue reading That time I asked Poison Ivy what inspired the Cramps’ “Bikini Girls with Machine Guns”
Tag: the Cramps
That time Poison Ivy of the Cramps told me that she liked violent-sounding guitar
By Steve Newton If you look up "badass female guitarist" in the dictionary, you might see a picture of Poison Ivy from the Cramps. Way before the "Me Too" movement was a thing, Poison Ivy was bringing female empowerment to rock 'n' roll big-time, churning out fierce rockabilly licks on a big orange Gretsch while … Continue reading That time Poison Ivy of the Cramps told me that she liked violent-sounding guitar
Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Mountain, the Cramps, Roy Buchanan, Nazareth, the Georgia Satellites, the New York Dolls, and the Tragically Hip
By Steve Newton As you may have already heard, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2019 a couple of days ago. It includes: Stevie Nicks, the Cure, Def Leppard, the Zombies, Roxy Music, Radiohead, and Janet Jackson. That's right: Janet Freakin' Jackson. That legendary rock and roller finally got … Continue reading Newt’s Rock Hall inducts Mountain, the Cramps, Roy Buchanan, Nazareth, the Georgia Satellites, the New York Dolls, and the Tragically Hip
Idiots at the Rock Hall think Janet Jackson is more deserving of nomination than Johnny Winter, Link Wray, and Rory Gallagher
By Steve Newton The nominations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's class of 2019 were announced recently and, as expected, Jann Wenner and the other dimwits in charge of the place proved themselves jackasses of the highest order. For the past eight years I've been keeping tabs on the RRHOF's shameful derelictions of … Continue reading Idiots at the Rock Hall think Janet Jackson is more deserving of nomination than Johnny Winter, Link Wray, and Rory Gallagher
The Cramps borrow Loverboy’s barricade to keep crazed Vancouver fans at bay
kevin statham photo ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 20, 1990 By Steve Newton What do squeaky-clean teen idols Loverboy and the crude 'n' demented Cramps have in common? Sweet-bugger-all, you say? Pretty close, but the Cramps did borrow Loverboy's barricade to use in front of the Commodore stage last Thursday (April 12). With a house full … Continue reading The Cramps borrow Loverboy’s barricade to keep crazed Vancouver fans at bay
The Cramps’ Poison Ivy says that what passes for rock ‘n’ roll isn’t
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON APRIL 6, 1990 By Steve Newton Legend has it that B-movie mogul Samuel Z. Arkoff took an ass-backwards (but ultimately effective) approach to producing his low-budget films. First off he'd come up with a catchy title; then he'd build an advertising campaign around that title; and only then would he start shooting … Continue reading The Cramps’ Poison Ivy says that what passes for rock ‘n’ roll isn’t
The Cramps’ Ivy Rorschach could be happy just sittin’ on a porch, playing guitar
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 2, 2000 By Steve Newton Psychosexual. Psychosomatic. Psychobabble. Psychobilly? You’ll find all but the last word in Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, because California demento-rockers the Cramps coined the term psychobilly themselves back in the mid-’70s. Since then it has become synonymous for many with twisted Cramps tunes like … Continue reading The Cramps’ Ivy Rorschach could be happy just sittin’ on a porch, playing guitar
Dash Rip Rock has gotten into a few scrapes playing “Stairway to Freebird”
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 12, 1992 By Steve Newton It’s strange how rumours get started, sometimes. Like the one that keeps cropping up in Dash Rip Rock’s press kit, about R.E.M. bassist Mike Mills being a mortal enemy of the Louisiana-based roots-rock band. Supposedly, Mills was spotted at a particularly crazed DRR … Continue reading Dash Rip Rock has gotten into a few scrapes playing “Stairway to Freebird”