CRAMPS FIENDS ONLY

I wrote most of this at 1 o'clock in the morning so it might be slightly incoherent... I was watching that BBC four documentary on mods and rockers and it got me thinking about what kinds of groups or tribes there are around today and if I belong to any sort of group. The closest thing I could come up with was Cramps fans. I'll try to explain what I mean. I think with the Cramps there's a definite sort of culture that stands apart from everything else and is so much more than just liking the music from a particular band. When someone says they like the Cramps I instantly feel like we've got a lot in common. I think there's a definite sense of camaraderie that I haven't felt with any other group of fans and I think it says a lot about a band to be able to unite people in that way.

To be honest I haven't met an unpleasant Cramps fan yet, I think they're the nicest people and I'm glad to be part of that community. I suppose in a way I'm like a first generation fan i.e. I didn't hear of The Cramps from my parents, like those punk kids you see on instagram wearing Cramps shirts from birth, or kids who've been lucky enough to have their dads playing Cramps records all their lives. In fact, my parents really dislike The Cramps - they think the music is awful and everything looks like a monster. I just bought a Cramps shirt with Lux on the front and my mum has nicknamed it "the Frankenstein shirt" but somehow I think Lux would be cool with that... Anyway, I guess I had to discover them myself and I'm glad I got accepted into this little online community sorta thing by people who I suppose are the 'original fans', if you know what I mean, and actually bothered to talk to me and add me on Facebook and maybe even think I'm something sorta resembling what people might call 'cool'. So thank you, because most bands' fans don't do that.

Another thing I love is the fact that the "you've got good taste" thing is thrown around so often as a little in-joke that nobody else gets. Seriously, a guy said that to me when I was buying a Cramps record and sometimes it's little things like that which make your day... It's also a very true statement; I mean, anyone who likes The Cramps generally has pretty good taste. And can I just add that you guys (I'm assuming anyone still reading this is a fan of The Cramps) are probably some of the most generous people I've ever met. Never in my life have I been offered anything. Ever. And then suddenly I meet all these really cool people with really cool stories and who offer to send me stuff - most of which I can't accept because of US to UK shipping costs WHICH SUCKS - but I really appreciate it anyway. And when I first started using instagram properly, three different people gave me download codes for Cramps albums out of nowhere and for no other reason than just being nice because they could see that I really liked The Cramps which made me really really happy! I also got some really nice birthday messages from people online too.

"What's inside a girl? Mostly Strongbow ;)"
Favorite birthday Cramps reference, thanks Carl

Since this has kinda turned into a thank you post, I just wanted to mention a couple of really great guys who I'm really grateful for. Colin, who does the Lux Lives events in Glasgow and is a really friendly, amazing person, and Kogar, who of course put together all 17 volumes of the Lux and Ivy's Favorites compilations without which I probably wouldn't have discovered half of it. Oh and also the people who run the Facebook and Yahoo groups. As for me, I run stay-sick-turn-blue.tumblr.com. I figured there were enough Cramps-related Facebook pages and personally I prefer tumblr anyway, but the blog also has an instagram account. Just my two cents - I'm British I will never use that phrase again it sounds so weird - I guess because I'd like more of my generation to know who The Cramps are.