Bad Music for Bad People
1984 compilation album by the Cramps
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Bad Music for Bad People is the second compilation album of previously released material by the American rock band the Cramps. It was released in 1984 on I.R.S. Records and was seen by most fans as a cynical cash-in by the record label, following the departure of the band. Sounds, the now defunct UK music paper, gave the album a 5-star review but said, "Miles Copeland's IRS label pick the carrion of their former label mates even cleaner by releasing a watered down version of the ...Off the Bone singles collection that was released in the UK...The music's still great even if the scheming behind Bad Music for Bad People stinks of decay and corruption".[4]
| Bad Music for Bad People | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Album art by Stephen Blickenstaff (artist) | ||||
| Compilation album by | ||||
| Released | 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1977–1979 | |||
| Genre | Punk rock[1] | |||
| Length | 31:17 | |||
| Label | I.R.S. | |||
| Producer | Poison Ivy | |||
| The Cramps chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Tom Hull – on the Web | B+ ( )[3] |
Cover art
The cover art is a caricature of Cramps vocalist Lux Interior by Cramps fan Stephen Blickenstaff who created it on Halloween night 1983. He attended The Cramps concerts in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. and was able to meet and befriend band members with his artwork at the 9:30 Club. I.R.S. Records eventually asked for and was granted permission to use those drawings by Blickenstaff who at the time had no expectations that it would be used as album art.[5]
In the 1990 movie Wayne's World a supporting character played by Dan Bell is seen wearing a sleeveless t-shirt printed with the album cover.
In 2017, novelty music king Dr. Demento curated a compilation called Covered in Punk, featuring new version of classic punk rock songs. For this album, William Shatner recorded a melodramatic spoken-word-meets-rock cover of The Cramps' "Garbageman". In 2019, a single version of Shatner's "Garbageman" was released for Record Store Day and featured new artwork modeled after Blickenstaff's but showing Shatner's face.
Track listing
All tracks are written by Lux Interior and Poison Ivy Rorschach; except where indicated.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Garbageman" | 3:33 | |
| 2. | "New Kind of Kick" | 3:27 | |
| 3. | "Love Me" | Marty Lott | 1:59 |
| 4. | "I Can't Hardly Stand It" | Jody Chastain, Charlie Feathers, Jerry Huffman | 2:40 |
| 5. | "She Said" | Hasil Adkins | 3:13 |
| 6. | "Goo Goo Muck (Single Mix)" | Ronnie Cook | 3:01 |
| 7. | "Save It" | Mary Biggs, Hargus Robbins | 2:55 |
| 8. | "Human Fly" | 2:13 | |
| 9. | "Drug Train" | 2:35 | |
| 10. | "TV Set" | 3:12 | |
| 11. | "Uranium Rock" | Warren Smith | 2:26 |
Personnel
- Lux Interior - vocals
- Bryan Gregory - guitar
- Kid Congo Powers - guitar
- Poison Ivy Rorschach - guitar
- Nick Knox - drums