The only 'dope island' I like

A few days ago I already shared my thoughts on the Cramps with you in the post about the 'Bad Music For Bad People' LP (which i just updated btw.). No need to do that again. This time I want to share a bit about how I approach(ed) collecting Cramps releases.

I bought my first Cramps records at a chainstore called 'Zweitausendeins' which is actually a publishing company that sells books, cds, dvds and a bit of vinyl. At the time they had all the Cramps reissues on the bands own label Vengeance Records available at the bargain price of 5€ each. After I had listened to my first Cramps LP and realized how good that band is I went back and bought a copy of each of the other full lengths available. 6 in total. Not a bad start for a collection. But sure enough I wanted a copy of each of the other official releases as well. I just couldn't be bothered with certain pressings as there are A LOT of releases with too many different pressings for about each of them. Thus I picked up a copy here and there not minding the pressing but with every record added to the collection my love for The Cramps grew until I wanted to make a serious attempt at collecting their output. But what to do? Collecting each and every pressing would certainly be the most serious thing to do. Somehow I'd like that but my pockets aren't deep enough so I settled for the next best thing. First pressings! Still quite a long road to travel, yet I consider it doable. This is another step on that journey.

 

The Cramps - fiends of dope island - Vengeance Records 675 - released 2003

One time pressing on clear red vinyl and therefore the most easy to collect release.
No matter what your approach is.

Beautiful Vengeance innersleeve. Same design on both sides.

Is this my beach?

"Cool and strange blend of punk, Beach Boys and Residents. Witty surf punk with a synthesizer and great melodies. It's a novelty, but it's not that bad really. Quite unique."

I never cared for the Beach Boys and I've never knowingly listened to the Residents. Nevertheless the above review from the flex discography got me interested. Being a sucker for late 70s early 80s US west coast punk the attributes 'great melodies', 'novelty' and 'unique' were not needed to be thrown into the mix for me to make a mental note about this record. Always looking for that little something extra that makes a record stand out from the rest I knew I had to check it out even though 'not that bad' would put a negative spin on it in most peoples books. Not in mine. It only means that someone else is not into it. Just like a lot of people around me are not into quite a few bands I love. I'm known to have weird taste so the Surf Punks' 'My Beach' LP could really be for me.

The record was originally released as a self titled 15 track LP in 1979 on Day Glo Records and re-issued as 'My Beach' by Epic Records in 1980 including two extra tracks. Figuring that the original would probably be a lot more expensive and being lured by those two extra tracks I decided right away to keep my eyes peeled for the rerelease even though it comes without a lyric sheet as opposed to the 1st press.

To my big surprise I found a copy that might just be Mint sitting in a cheapo bin...

...next to 2(!) Mint looking copies of their last LP 'Oh No Not Them Again' released by Enigma Records in 1988. Without a listening station available I opted for buying all of them because they were so cheap thinking how bad can it be and that I'd give one of them to a couple I'm friends with, who do surf and are into punk. Perfect gift right there.

The printed innersleeves for both copies of this LP do have those Shirts crossed out in exactly the same way. Seems they ran out of them before the innersleeves were printed.

Right now the tour I'm working on has left Zuerich, Switzerland (where I bought the records) and is now residing in Essen, Germany which is a lot closer to where I live. Due to that I was able to go home and spend a bit of time with my wife. Of course I was eager to listen to all those new records. When it was the Surf Punks turn I naturally started with the first LP and was pretty disappointed. It has all the elements mentioned in the review but somehow it's not leaning quite enough towards punk. At least not in the traditional sense of the associated musical style. So a day or two later I put on the 'Oh No Not Them Again' LP hoping that they'd be one of the few bands in punk that do get better with time. Are they? You might already get the feeling that they are not and boy are you right.Meanwhile though I gave 'My Beach' another try and I have to say it's not as bad as the first time. I hear some Devo in there. Maybe it's one of those records that grow on you each time you give it another try.

Unless the later LP gains a better reputation with me I'm a little hesitant to turn that spare copy into the initially intended gift. What would you do? Present a gift you don't like? Sounds a tad off to me. But then again they might like it. What do I know?