D.J. Fontana, Nick Knox & Shows # 725, 726, 727

In June of this year we lost two drummers that both were known for their no-nonsense drumming style. These drummers were from different time periods, but they provided an important back beat for rock music.

D.J. Fontana (1931-2018):

Drummer D.J. Fontana started out as a drummer for the Louisiana Hayride radio program. He was the Saturday staff drummer for artists that appeared on the program, which featured musicians such as Hank Williams, Sonny James, Hank Snow, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. At the time when Fontana was playing drums, drummers were often looked down upon in country music and seen as sacrilegious to the genre. He would often play behind a curtain when he did play drums with these artists and on October 16th, 1954 he played drums for the first time with Elvis Presley and The Blue Moon Boys. The Blue Moon Boys featured Bill Black on bass, Scotty Moore on lead guitar and Elvis Presley on rhythm guitar and vocals. Although he did play behind a curtain the first time he played with Elvis, it would not last long. He joined Elvis Presley in 1955 and did not have to play behind a curtain following this time.

Playing on over 460 recordings with Elvis Presley, Fontana brought a unique approach to drumming that would lay the foundation for what was to become rock and roll music. He played with an uncomplicated sense of rhythm, one that was based on feel and one that was informed by big band music. Fontana had this to say of his drumming style: “I learned the value of simplicity at the Hayride. I heard Scotty and Bill and Elvis one night and knew that I couldn’t mess up that sound. That’s why I always play what I feel. If that won’t work, I just won’t do it again. I think the simple approach comes from my hearing so much big band music. I mixed it with rockabilly.”

Fontana would play with Elvis for fourteen years, despite the fact that Elvis’ backing band broke up officially in 1958. He would record and perform with Presley and Moore on several occasions. Following 1968’s Come Back Special, Fontana became a session musician in Nashville playing on many recordings with a wide array of country and rock musicians. You can hear his simple, effective, slightly restrained, yet explosive drumming style on songs such as “Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”, “All Shook Up” and “Don’t Be Cruel” to name a few. It was this backbeat that would be revealed from behind the curtain of country music and sketch out the blueprint for what became known as rock and roll music.

Nick Knox (1953-2018):

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1953, Nick Knox is perhaps best known as the drummer for The Cramps. Following a brief stint with the Cleveland, Ohio band Electric Eels, he joined The Cramps following the departure of their original drummer Miriam Linna in 1977. Knox, real name Nicholas Stephanoff, played drums with The Cramps until he left the group in 1991. His drumming style brought a cohesion to the band’s sound and helped to define it. Mixing in elements, of rockabilly, garage and surf, his drumming can be heard on The Cramps first four albums (Songs The Lord Taught Us (1980), Psychedelic Jungle (1981), A Date With Elvis (1986), Stay Sick (1990)), their debut EP Gravest Hits (1979) and several live albums.

The Cramps sound is often described as psychobilly, but it is a lot of things at once. From songs on their first EP such as his driving beat which holds down the creeping guitar rhythms and Lux Interior's slithery, buzzing vocals, the sleazy grooves of “Garbageman”, “Aloha From Hell”, and “People Ain’t No Good” to name a few, Knox’s backbeat is one that brought a primitive, relentless energy to The Cramps music. On early Cramps recordings, there was no bass featured. It was just guitars, drums and vocals. This created a unique dynamic within the group. Usually dominated by a mixture of fuzz guitar and noise, the drums filled the void of the bass. The Cramps first album to feature bass was 1986’s A Date With Elvis. All of the bass on this album was played by guitarist Poison Ivy Rorschach.

Following his time with The Cramps, Knox liked to stay out of the public eye and spent time with friends and family. Most recently Knox served as a mentor for the Cleveland band Archie & The Bunkers. He was often referred to as “Grandpa Nick”. While there may be interviews with Knox somewhere, they are hard to locate online. He was a private person, but he let his drumming do the talking. If you listen to any of the recordings that he’s been on, there’s a certain feeling there. One that taps into the rebellious rock and roll spirit that goes back rock’s early, wild beginnings. His drumming style was never complicated, it was tight, to the point, no non-sense and helped The Cramps deliver their musical message in those early years of the band.

Show 727 Play List (Originally Aired On June 23rd, 2018)(The 427's, Rolling Blackouts CF, The Mummies):

1. Courtney Barnett - Walking On Eggshells
2. Father John Misty - Disappointing Diamonds are the Rarest of Them All
3. Rolling Blackouts CF - Talking Straight
4. Rolling Blackouts CF - Mainland
5. The Mummies - That's Mighty Childish
6. The Mummies - A Girl Like You
7. Shitkid - Sugar Town
8. The Electric Prunes - Long Day's Flight (Till Tomorrow)(Live Stockholm 1967)
9. Young Rival - Dead End Scene (Demo)
10. The 427's - Liberty Belle
11. The 427's - Diablo
12. The Sadies - One Million Songs
13. The Bicycles - B-B-Bicycles
14. Iceage - Pain Killer
15. James Williamson and the Pink Hearts - Judith Christ
16. Jerry Nolan - Take A Chance With Me
17. Grounders - Scum for You
18. Cardboard Brains - Out Out Out
19. Beat Happening - I Spy
20. Baby Cages - Polly
21. Neko Case - Last Lion of Albion
22. Dumb - Romeo
23. Dumb - Party Whip
24. Fugazi - Bulldog Front
25. Shame - Friction
26. The Bureaucrats - Today & Everyday
27. The Radiators - Not Too Late
28. The Flaming Lips - Everything's Explodin'
29. Guided By Voices - Gray Spat Matters
30. The Electric Eels - Cyclotron
31. Ceramic Dog - Rawhide

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 23.

Show 726 Play List (Originally Aired On June 16th, 2018)(D.J. Fontana & Nick Knox):

1. Elvis Presley - Shake, Rattle & Roll (Take 12)
2. Elvis Presley - All Shook Up
3. Elvis Presley - Lawdy Miss Clawdy
4. The Cramps - Heartbreak Hotel (Live in New Zealand 1986)
5. The Cramps - Blue Moon Baby
6. The Cramps - Where Is My Mind?
7. The Cramps - Human Fly
8. Paul The Tailor - Shakin' All Over
9. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Steal A Ride
10. Blacktop - From Beyond
11. Gene Gray and The Stingrays - Surfer's Mood
12. The Chevells - Riptide
13. Goldtones - Strike
14. Atomic 7 - Meet Me Tonight In The Shadow of Love
15. The 427's - Yellowbelly
16. Pow Wows - Do The Splash
17. The Ketamines - Midnight Dawn
18. The Haunted - Eight O'Clock This Morning
19. Paul Jacobs - Sharp Dress
20. The Fuzzy Undertones - Sharks
21. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard - All Is Known
22. Jerry Jerry & The Sons Of Rhythm Orchestra - Downhearted
23. South River Slim - Mountain Soliloquy/Cracker Girl
24. Sandy Denny & The Strawbs - Everyone But Sam Was A Hypocrite
25. Leonard Cohen - Tonight Will Be Fine
26. Umbra & The Volcan Siege - If Not For You
27. The Soft Pack - Down On Loving
28. The Plugz - A Gain, A Loss
29. The Ripcordz - Break It Out
30. Shotgun & Jaybird - What Is This … Vegas?
31. The I Don't Cares - Whole Lotta Nothin'
32. Teenanger - Alone on Acid
33. Teenanger - Big Spirit Payback
34. X - We're Desperate

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 16.

Show 725 Play List (Originally Aired On June 9th, 2018)(The Cheetahs, Cherry Glazer, Peach Kelli Pop, Oblivians):

1. The Cheetahs - Undercover Girl
2. The Cheetahs - Doctor
3. The Breeders - Nervous Mary
4. Cherry Glazer - Haxell Princess
5. Cherry Glazer - White's Not My Color This Evening
6. Peach Kelli Pop - Cherry (That's Not Her Real Name)
7. Peach Kelli Pop - Crooked
8. Cold Warps - Dip Tripper
9. The Courtneys - Tour
10. Captain Beefheart - Ant Man Bee
11. Fire Engines - Lubricate Your Living Room Part II
12. The Pixies - Dancing The Manta Ray
13. Arctic Monkeys - Science Fiction
14. La Luz - Cicada
15. Os Tartaros - Tartaria Portugues
16. Wave of Terror - Instrument Of Love
17. Hot Garbage - Kimono Dragon
18. A. Savage - Eyeballs
19. Eamon McGrath - Power
20. Mac DeMarco - Treat Her Better
21. Nap Eyes - Sage
22. Colter Wall - Me and Big Dave
23. Lonesome Lefty & The Cryin' Shames - Texas Blues
24. The Tracys - People Scare Me
25. Psychic Void - Terminal Vacation
26. Chromatics - Washed Up On A Beach of Infants
27. Oblivians - Big Black Hole
28. Oblivians - I'm Not A Sicko There's A Plate In My Head
29. Oblivians - Never Change
30. Prehistoric Cave Strokers - Let's Id!
31. Ceramic Dog - Agnes
32. The Cramps - Don't Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk


To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for June 9.

The Cramps Human Fly & Show 428

 

In 1979 The Cramps released their Gravest Hits EP, which was a collection of re-worked covers and one original song “Human Fly”, but prior to this EP’s release the band put out two singles in 1978. “Human Fly” was released as the bands second single on Vengeance Records. The Cramps sound introduced elements of Rockabilly, Garage, Surf with a primitive Punk edge and “Human Fly” was the first original composition to display this sound. The song is a reference as were many early Cramps songs to 50’s Horror films, however The Human Fly was also a comic book superhero, what The Cramps did was take the B-Horror movie influence most likely from the 1958 film The Fly and this title “Human Fly” and put their own twisted primitive spin on it. "Human Fly" begins with creepy fly-like guitar rhythms as fuzzy Garage guitars distort in the background via both Poison Ivy Rorschach and Bryan Gregory before the drums of Nick Knox kick in, throughout the song Lux Interior buzzes in and out with his demented Elvis like vocals. The B-side to this track is the song “Domino” which is a Roy Orbison cover. For this song the band swings it into their own with heavy pounding drums and Lux Interior’s erratic vocal delivery.

The songs were recorded by Alex Chilton at Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee in October of 1977, as would be the bands first full length release Songs The Lord Taught Us, which would be released in 1980. The sound of The Cramps has often been called Psychobilly and some fans disagree with this label, they are also listed as Garage Punk too. The bands sound was described in the linear notes to 1979’s Gravest Hits by Dr. J.H. Sasfy, Professor of Rockology, American Rock'n'Roll Institute, Washington D.C., U.S.A. as this: " It is one of first documents of the rockabilly revival genre, and the psychobilly genre. The term "Psychobilly" can actually be traced back to the Johnny Cash song "One Piece At A Time", which was released in 1976 and is the first recorded piece of music to use that term. The Cramps would also use this term on early show posters to advertise their sound, in the process they helped to coin the term and define a genre. This was done inadvertently, Lux Interior has been outspoken about this saying that The Cramps music was just Rock music.

With lyrics like “I got 96 tears and 96 eyes”, “Human Fly” not only conjures up retro Horror movie images, but also pays homage to ? and the Mysterians a Detroit based Garage band who had a hit song called “96 Tears”. In the very same song we find lyrics such as “I got a garbage brain/it’s drivin’ me insane/And I don’t like your ride/so push that pesticide” which can be seen as a metaphor for the time in which The Cramps were releasing this music in the midst of the 70s Punk scene in which they became a fixture in New York. It was something they also built upon in the song “Garbage Man”, although it tended to lean more towards the state of mainstream radio in that song. Compared to the other music at the time, The Cramps along with the 70s Punk scene represented a shift and The Cramps definitely took elements of Rocks past adding the edge of Punk to move forward in their own direction. Not unlike the story told in Johnny Cash's "One Piece At A Time" in which he tells us of putting together a Frankenstein-like car with different stolen parts from car different models, The Cramps pieced together their music from different parts of what makes Rock music great and exciting. Whether it was Surf, Garage, Country, Rockabilly or Punk, The Cramps did this one piece at a time in each song and "Human Fly" is one of the first examples of this.

This Week's Play List:

1. Big Vinny & The Cattle Thieves – Got Me A Monster
2. Queens of The Stone Age – Burn The Witch
3. Torn Down Units – Lost On Ghost Road
4. Unicorns - Tuff Ghost
5. Mudhoney - Halloween
6. Screaming Lord Sutch - She's Fallen In Love With A Monsterman
7. The Cramps - Human Fly
8. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Up Jumped The Devil
9. Siouxsie and the Banshees - Halloween
10. Rotten Tropics – Nightmare Index
11. Deja Voodoo – Phantom Skateboarder
12. Ramones - Pet Semetary (Live)
13. Black Belles – Honky Tonk Horror
14. Cold Warps – Don’t Haunt Me, Ok?
15. Metz - Knife in the Water
16. Indian Wars – Commanche Killer
17. Tom Waits - Temptation
18. Ghost Bikini – Spooks
19. Spooks – Koji Kondo
20. TEENANGER – Frights
21. Fuzztones - She's Wicked
22. The Misfits – 20 Eyes

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 30. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Zombie Dance...The Story of The Cramps & Show # 323

The Cramps had their initial beginnings in Sacramento, California in 1972. Erik Purkhiser and Kristy Wallace met at the City College there and soon found out some common interests that they shared. They both loved music, record collecting and the strange, obscure, and early primal sounds of Rock and Roll. They soon decided to form a band, Erik would be the vocalist renaming himself Lux Interior, naming himself after a car advertisement, and Kristy would be the guitarist calling herself Poison Ivy Rorschach. Her name is said to have come to her in a dream, but it is also hinted that it originated from the Rorschach, test. They would move to Akron, Ohio briefly and then to New York in 1975. In New York, Lux met Greg Beckerleg through working at a record store, he would soon join the band as a second guitarist renaming himself Bryan Gregory. He also got his sister to join as the drummer. The band would change drummers twice fairly quickly from Miriam Linna to former Electric Eels drummer Nicky Knox.

The bands sound differed greatly from all of the artists from the emerging New York scene at the time. While they did have the energy and attitude of Punk, their sound consisted of a mix of Rockabilly, early Rhythm and Blues, 60s Surf such as Dick Dale, Link Wray and The Ventures, 60s Garage such as The Standells, The Trashmen, Green Fuzz and The Sonics, as well as bands such as The Ramones and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Their songs visually projected images of B Horror/Sci-Fi movies, while physically they bashed out their songs with two guitars, minimalist drumming, and Lux Interiors demented ghastly vocal style. They clawed their way through the New York scene playing places such as CBGB’s and Max’s Kansas City, quickly building up a following. The band first released two seven inch singles on their own label Vengeance Records. The singles were recorded in Memphis in 1977 at Ardent Studios with Alex Chilton in the producing seat. The band would sign to Miles Copeland’s I.R.S. label and the bands first EP, Gravest Hits was released in 1979. The EP was a collection of the bands first two independently released singles. Of the five songs on the EP, there was only one original “Human Fly”. This fuzz guitar drenched song was complete with surf like effects that fly in and out of the primal drumming and Lux’s distorted vocals and buzzing sound effects. With lyrics like “I Got 96 Tears and 96 Eyes”, the band references the popular Garage Rock hit by ? and The Mysterians. The other songs on the EP are covers of classic 50s and 60s songs in true Cramps style. This EP is the first evidence of a Rockabilly revival and the first beginnings of the genre that would be known as Psychobilly.


After touring in support of The Police, The Cramps returned to Memphis with Alex Chilton producing to record their first full length album at Phillips Recording that would be entitled Songs The Lord Taught Us. The album featured more originals than covers this time with songs such as “Garbage Man”, “TV Set”, “I Was A Teenage Werewolf”, “Zombie Dance”, and “Mystery Plane” the band upped the ante on this album added more primal psychosis to their sound (also with the help of Chilton’s producing abilities) releasing and album encompassing their beginnings on Gravest Hits, while adding more layers to their sound at the same time. Also on the album are covers of The Sonics “Strychnine”, and Billy Burnette’s “Tear It Up”. The song "Garbage Man" is apparently a song about the state of mainstream radio at the time. The B-side to this song was the twisted and humorous song "Drug Train". Released in 1980 the album should have been followed with a US tour, but following its release guitarist Bryan Gregory split town leaving the band without telling them and taking a van full of their equipment. Minus one guitarist Lux, Ivy, and Nick Knox relocated to Hollywood, California.

The band quickly recruited Gun Club guitarist Kid Congo Powers in their ranks and they began recording their second full length album Psychedelic Jungle, which would be released in 1981. The album features Cramps reworkings of “Green Fuz”, and “Goo Goo Muck”. The album also contains originals such as “Can’t Find My Mind”, “The Natives are Restless”, and “Caveman”. There is also the strange freak out sensibilities of “Don’t Eat Stuff Off The Sidewalk”, and the unique Cramps rearrangement of the song “Green Door”, originally done in the 50’s by Bob Davie. Overall, the album has a swampy, trashy creepiness. The album was produced by The Cramps themselves with Paul McKenna handling engineering duties. It should also be noted that the cover of the album was taken by famed photographer Anton Corbijn. Some of the B-sides produced from these recording sessions are just as essential as material found on Psychedelic Jungle. "She Said" said is a stripped back cover of a song originally by Hasil Adkins, the song is rumoured to be sung by Lux with a disposable cup in his mouth to give it an incoherent vocal style. The other B-sides include "Save It", and "New Kind of Kick".

During the recording of this album the band got into a dispute about royalties and creative rights with their label at the time, resulting in them having to go to court. During this time, the band was not allowed to record any new material until the matter was settled. In 1983 The Cramps returned in recorded form with the live album Smell of Female, which was recorded at New York’s Peppermint Lounge. The band would once again face line up changes, adding Mike Metoff (renamed Ike Knox) of The Pagans on guitar. He accompanied them on their 1984 European Tour, which included four nights at The Hammersmith Apollo in London, all of which were sold out. Two compilations were released compiling material from their earlier releases and B-sides. In 1983 ...Off the Bone was released in the UK and in 1984 Bad Music For Bad People in the US.

In 1985, The Cramps recorded a song for the Horror movie The Return of The Living Dead. The song they contributed was called “Surfin’ Dead”. On this track there was even bass guitar played by Poison Ivy, she also played the guitar. This would also be the beginning of an era of The Cramps where they modified their primal two guitar and drum attack to include bass. This was even more evident on the bands next full length album A Date With Elvis that was released on Big Beat Records. For this album Poison Ivy ended up played both the guitar and bass parts. The band also shifted their lyrical prowess on this album, from their classic B Horror/Sci-Fi movie themed lyrics to ones that featured more double entendres in the sexual realm. Musically the album had a Garage Rock fuzz, mixed with their Rockabilly and Surf connotations for a unique and original album featuring songs such as “Kizmiaz”, “Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?” This album being the bands seventh full length release was recorded in Hollywood, California at Ocean Way Studios by engineers Steve McMillan and Mark Ettel. The band toured in support of this album playing many sold out dates in places in Europe, even having their first charting hit with “Can Your Pussy Do The Dog?” in the UK.

Acquiring a permanent bassist (Candy Del Mar) in 1986, the band recorded a live album Reelin’ and Rocking in Auckland New Zealand that was released in 1987. The band signed to Enigma Records and then released another full length album that was produced by Poison Ivy entitled Stay Sick! In 1990. Nick Knox left the band in 1991, at the time they had a top 40 hit in the UK with “Bikini Girls With Machine Guns”. In 1995, The Cramps appeared on a Halloween episode of the TV Show Beverly Hills 90210, performing two songs “Mean Machine” and “Strange Love”. The band continued on in various incarnations through out the 90s and early 2000’s releasing more albums and playing numerous live shows. The bands last full length album would be released in 2002, it was entitled Fiends of Dope Island on their own Vengeance record label. A collection of live recordings, and demos from the bands early career was released in 2004 on a compilation called How To Make A Monster. On February 4th, 2009 Lux Interior passed away due to aortic dissection, he was 62. The Cramps were a fascinating musical concoction of Rock and Roll mixing in a variety of styles that came out sounding unique, fresh and exciting. They helped coin the term Psychobilly, and while Lux Interior has said that this description does not suit their style, they definitely had a style all their own.

This Week's Play List:

1. The Cramps - Human Fly
2. The Cramps - Mystery Plane (Original Mix)
3. Sting-Rays - Catman
4. The Razorbacks - Saturday Night
5. Deja Voodoo - Cheese and Crackers
6. The Dundrells - Nothing On TV
7. Bob Dylan - Walkin' Down The Line
8. Olenka & The Autumn Lovers - Clean
9. Gamma Gamma Rays - Health & Growth
10. The Cramps - Can't Find My Mind
11. The Cramps - Green Door
12. Link Wray - Jack the Ripper
13. The Hillbilly Soul Surfers - Cha Wow Wow
14. The Reverb Syndicate - Shake Don't Stir
15. Say Domino - The Amount
16. Anagram - I've Been Wrong Before
17. The Mark Inside - House of Cards
18. The Cortinas - TV Families
19. The Scabs - Amory Building
20. The Sonics - Have Love Will Travel
21. The Kinks - Till The End of the Day
22. The Kinks - I'm Not Like Everybody Else
23. The Cramps - Sunglasses After Dark
24. The Cramps - Good Taste (Live)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for October 26th. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.