Astral Ascension

My tenure at my own Sterling Cooper is almost over. I have slowly de-contented my office of books, car parts (a surprisingly large number) and pictures.

Wednesday morning will feel so strange I am sure I will have to stop myself from driving to work on autopilot. On the way to work I was thinking about all the cars I have driven here over the last nine years; three different Lincoln Continental Mark IVs (still have two of them), 1970 Riviera GS (destroyed in an accident), a Stutz Blackhawk and my current daily driver Toronado. Of course there were a few more but these were the ones in regular service. My in car music delivery has evolved from cassette to cd changer to ipod.

Listening to the Cramps today, great band. Hearing them for the first time was almost as eye opening as hearing Elvis’ Sun sessions. A sound that opened whole new vistas. If I could be in a band it would be this one.

My brother and I even saw them live one time and lived to tell! We were up at the front of the stage for the opening act (lame) when the Cramps came on we were swamped by a crush of crazed fans and pummelled by a sonic wall of noise, Lux’s screaming and Ivy’s staccato guitar. It was all we could do to make it up to the relative safety of the balcony and pray our hearing survived. They were playing when I was in Las Vegas on business many years later, I wish I had gone.

Lux passed away in 2009, his partner/wife/band mate Poison Ivy gave him a most appropriate and loving farewell at the Self Realization Fellowship, Elvis’ own spiritual hang out in LA.

Read all about his Astral Ascension here:

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2009/03/lux_interiors_astral_ascension.php#

Almost as cool as my own preferred Viking funeral and black marble pyramid final resting place. Or if on a budget I will accept one of those weeping Victorian angels.

As you might tell from this live performance, being Trans would not have raised any eyebrows in this group.

The above photos are from the Date with Elvis album (one of their best) and a real early version of the band with Miriam Linna of Kicks and Norton Records fame. Read about her early history with the Cramps at her blog:

http://kicksville66.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-first-band-cramps-1976-pt-1.html

Hugs,

April

PS. YOU’RE A CRAMP NOW! YOU CAN’T GO BACK