Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye to release long-lost album from The Cramps
Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye are teaming up to release a shelved 1977 album by The Cramps, produced by Alex Chilton and titled Gravest Gravy.
Rollins of Black Flag and Rollins Band, and MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, are reviving The Cramps’ formerly defunct label, Vengeance Records, under a new company called The Cramps, Inc.
Gravest Gravy is set to arrive on August 21st. According to Rollins, the archival tracks were found in “pristine condition.” Many came in multiple mixes, and Rollins discerned which were the final versions.
Gushing about the upcoming release, Rollins added, “Gravest Gravy is an absolute treasure. You get a performance of ‘Hungry’ by Paul Revere and the Raiders, released in 1966, which found itself in the band’s early set lists, but soon dropped out. To make it even more interesting, Alex Chilton jumps in on organ.”
He continued, “Another early Cramps cover, ‘Problem Child,’ written by Sam Phillips, is on the record. The band used to do an absolutely rippin’ version of the 1958 Jimmy Lloyd track ‘Rocket In My Pocket’ at some of their early shows. There’s a great version of it on Gravest Gravy.”
To drum up the anticipation, the duo has released the lead single, ‘TV Set’, with an accompanying Jason Willis-directed music video.
Elsewhere, The Cramps guitarist Poison Ivy, real name Kristy Marlana Wallace, has formed The Cramps, Inc with In the Red Records owner Larry Hardy and the Cramps’ former producer Jimmy Maslon.
Together, they plan to reissue the band’s records and list official merch for the band, as opposed to the bootlegged merch in current circulation.
The Cramps — ‘Gravest Gravy’ tracklist:
- ‘TV Set’
- ‘Weekend On Mars’
- ‘Twist & Shout’
- ‘Jungle Hop’
- ‘Can’t Hardly Stand It’
- ‘Hungry’
- ‘The Natives Are Restless’
- ‘Domino’
- ‘Can’t Find My Mind’
- ‘Rockin’ Bones’
- ‘Problem Child’
- ‘Rocket In My Pocket’
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