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CRAMPS, THE • Live At Napa
State Mental Hospital • (2003
MVD)
Gery
Vermin rates it: ![]()  ![]()
![]() THE
CRAMPS
Live At Napa State Mental
Hospital
(MVD)
"Somebody told me you
people were crazy..."
While the quality of this
here little gem leaves a lot to be desired (it was
filmed on 1/2" tape with a Sony Port-a-Pak and a
solitary microphone), it more than makes up for it's
flaws with it's historical value. As you may or may not
know, on June 13, 1978, New York schlockmeisters The
Cramps performed a free mini-concert before the inmates
of the Napa State Mental Hospital and the results
were/are... certifiable, at best. Having just wrapped up
their GRAVEST HITS debut, singer Lux Interior and his
guitar meltin' missus Poison Ivy took their
ever-revolving rhythm section behind padded walls for an
unforgettable, eight-song, 20 minute set. "Way I Walk",
"What's Behind The Mask", "Love Me" and the classic
"Human Fly" are banged out in rapid succession, all the
while numerous headcases (my favorite being a dapper
gent in a suit who holds an imaginary microphone and
runs in place throughout the entire set) stumbling up
and down the stairs to the riser the band are performing
on. "Domino" becomes the zenith of the set as a large
black cowboy grabs Lux in a bearhug, several loons chime
in on impromptu background shrieks and half the band and
audience become entangled in the mic
cord.
Needless to say, I laughed at this damned
thing from start to finish. But nothing says more than a
quick exchange between Lux and a frenzied, screaming,
frizzy-headed, denim-jacketed lockaway:
"I GOT
CRAMPS, WHAT AM I GONNA DO ABOUT IT???!!!"
"I got 'em
myself and I can't do anything with 'em
either."
Other features include a peek at old
Target Video productions (the DIY company that
originally released the Napa footage) with acts like
MDC, Throbbing Gristle, Crucifix, Flipper and
performance artist Mark Pauline and a "MVD Gallery"
featuring far-too-short snippets of The Circle Jerks,
The Butthole Surfers, Ramones and G.G. Allin.
Added:
Thursday, April 01, 2004
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