Their line-up has rotated much over the past couple of decades, with husband and wife Lux Interior and Poison Ivy--the lead singer and lead guitarist, respectively--as the only permanent members.
Lux picked up Ivy when he was driving on the highway. Ivy had raised her hand for an auto stop, Lux stopped his car and ...fate brought them together.
They were part of the early CBGB's punk rock movement that had emerged in New York, although they had formed several years earlier in California. The band is credited as a prominent factor in terms of influence on the gothabilly genre.
Their sound was heavily influenced by early rockabilly and proto-rock'n'roll like Link Wray and Hasil Adkins, 1960s surf music acts such as The Ventures, The Surfaris and Dick Dale, 1960s garage rock artists like The Standells, The Gants, The Trashmen, The Green Fuz and The Sonics, as well as the post-glam/early punk scene from which they emerged. They also were influenced to a degree by The Ramones as well as Screamin' Jay Hawkins, who is often credited for having pioneered their style of theatrical horror-blues.
On February 4, 2009, Lux Interior died of a pre-existing heart condition at the age of 62.
Discography:
Albums & EPs:
Gravest Hits
Songs The Lord Taught Us
Psychedelic Jungle
A Date with Elvis
Stay Sick!
Look Mom No Head!
Blues Fix
Flamejob
Big Beat from Badsville
Fiends of Dope Island
Live albums:
Smell of Female
Rockin n Reelin in Auckland New Zealand
Singles:
"Surfin' Bird" / "The Way I Walk" "Human Fly" / "Domino" "Fever" / "Garbageman" "Garbageman" / "TV Set" "Garbageman" / "Drug Train" "Drug Train" "Goo Goo Muck" "The Crusher" "Faster Pussycat" "I Ain't Nuthin' But a Gorehound" "Can Your Pussy Do the Dog?" "What's Inside a Girl?" "Kizmiaz" "Get Off the Road" "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns" "All Women Are Bad" "Creature from the Black Leather Lagoon" "Eyeball in My Martini" "Let's Get Fucked Up" / "How Come You Do Me?" "Ultra Twist!" "Naked Girl Falling Down the Stairs" "Like a Bad Girl Should" "Big Black Witchcraft Rock"
Compilations
...Off the Bone Bad Music for Bad People How to Make a Monster The Secret Life of the Cramps
Kizmiaz
The Cramps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take a magic carpet to the olden days.
To a mythical land where everybody lays.
Around in the clouds in a happy daze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
Flamingos stand easy on bended knees.
Palm trees wave over tropical seas of azure waves and lazy breeze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
Point to the heavens that this place has.
You would swim all the way from Alcatraz to Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
It lies on the horizon in a golden haze.
No one believes their eyes the legend says.
Held hypnotized in a frozen gaze on Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
The vibrations kiss the ships would pass. Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
The lyrics to The Cramps's Kizmiaz paint an otherworldly picture, taking the listener on a journey to a magical, mythical land where everyone is in a happy daze. This idyllic land is described as having flamingos standing easy on bended knees and palm trees waving over tropical seas of azure waves and lazy breeze. The spires of the Shaz point to the heavens, indicating the mystical nature of the place. Despite its impossible location, the thought of Kizmiaz is held with such reverence in legend that no one can believe their eyes. The final line of the song speaks to the power of Kizmiaz's vibrations, kissing the ships that pass.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a magic carpet to the olden days.
Imagine traveling back in time to a magical land.
To a mythical land where everybody lays.
This land is a mythical paradise where everyone relaxes.
Around in the clouds in a happy daze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
The inhabitants of Kizmiaz always seem to be happy and carefree.
Flamingos stand easy on bended knees.
The flamingos in Kizmiaz are so comfortable that they relax on their bent knees.
Palm trees wave over tropical seas of azure waves and lazy breeze in Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
The palm trees sway in the tropical breeze, overlooking the clear blue seas of Kizmiaz.
Over raspberry skies spires of the Shaz.
The towers of the Shaz (a mythical structure) stand tall in the raspberry sky of Kizmiaz.
Point to the heavens that this place has.
The spires of the Shaz point towards the heavens, indicating the greatness of Kizmiaz.
You would swim all the way from Alcatraz to Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
Kizmiaz is so wonderful that one would be willing to swim all the way from Alcatraz (a prison island) just to reach it.
It lies on the horizon in a golden haze.
Kizmiaz is located on the horizon, shrouded in a golden mist.
No one believes their eyes the legend says.
Many people do not believe the legend of Kizmiaz despite seeing it with their own eyes.
Held hypnotized in a frozen gaze on Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
Those who gaze upon Kizmiaz become mesmerized and seem frozen, hypnotized by its beauty.
The vibrations kiss the ships would pass. Kizmiaz...Kizmiaz.
Ships passing by Kizmiaz can feel the good vibrations emanating from the land.
Contributed by Isaac H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.