Ok, I got kind of sick of repeating this story 1000 times. So figured I'd include this in the latest volume. I'm the guy who compiles the Lux and Ivy's Favorites Compilations.

Now, here are Lux and Ivy's Favorites. Let's start off with a note I put in one of the volumes to give you a background on the series.

This interview is essential for truly understanding the mythos of The Cramps . Yes, The Cramps made amazing music, and amazing contributions to the history of music, but to really get a good idea of where they are coming from, is to listen to the music that inspired them. If you think its all crazy rockabilly, you're wrong.

This is an amazing interview with Lux and Ivy that Rex Doane conducted for his show, Fool's Paradise , back when HOW TO MAKE A MONSTER came out.

It started as a way to keep track of some of the songs Lux, and or Ivy, mentioned in THE INCREDIBLY STRANGE MUSIC BOOK. It was never really intended as anything but a way for a friend of mine and me to have 2 really kick ass compilations.

So we went about the arduous process

of finding all the songs mentioned in that interview. It took a loooong time. We used the file sharing program, Napster, as well as our own personal collections. So, one thing lead to another and when word got around that these compilations were out there, they started being traded from fan to fan to fan. So, at some point I decided to put them up on Napster and let anyone who wanted them have them. As the years went buy, more interviews with Lux and Ivy kept popping up, and the list of songs they mentioned got longer and longer. This resulted in new volumes.

People have asked why songs from THE PURPLE KNIF SHOW have appeared, or why a song or two have appeared that are on the SONGS THE CRAMPS TAUGHT US 3 cd set. Well its simple. The songs that are on TPKS are in less than stellar quality, and some are not featured in their entirety. So, I figured I'd feature them as part of LAIF. Volume one and two of LAIF "came out" or were compiled before STCTU appeared on the scene.

Other people have asked why these haven't appeared as proper releases. The answer to that is easy. I'm not in this to make any money. Like I said above, I just wanted to make compilations for myself with some of the most amazing music ever put to tape. If other people enjoy them, great, but don't expect to see these in stores or on ebay (unless somebody starts bootlegging them, but there is no need since they are easily available thru Soulseek and other file sharing programs).

When the series started I was working mostly from downloads. It was only really meant for a friend of mine and me. This was started in the mid nineties and I wasn't very computer savvy at all. Over the years many of the originals have been acquired, either on vinyl or cd. It has always been my intention to go back and "re-mix" some of these tracks because the quality isn't all that spectacular. Some volumes are better than others. Either way the intent was there, I hope some of the audio flaws aren't too annoying.

Without further ado, here we go!

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_01.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_02.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_03.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_04.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_05.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_06.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_07.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_08.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_09.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_10.zip

Lux_and_Ivys_Favorites_-_Volume_11.zip

Volume 3 happened about a year after the first two volumes and is one of my favorites. Volume 12 is not finished yet. Maybe sometime as we get closer to summer.

I hope everyone finds something to enjoy on these cd's. They are a labor of love.

In the end, these comps are a tribute to my heroes, The Cramps.

Your humble savant,

Kogar the Swinging Ape

Mention of the first 6 volumes appeared on the WFMU blog in 2006 here.

Thanks go out to Chuck in Milford NH, Patrick in France, Ben in Chicago, Rex Doane, Howie Pyro, The Mello Jello Gang, Haunted George and anyone else along the way who helped out.

Photo at top by Steve Jennings swiped from thecramps.com