I recently got into The Cramps after listening to a series on No Dogs in Space, an incredible music history podcast. Ever since, I've come to the conclusion that they are one of the best bands in rock history. So I was excited to see this poster in our current auction with the Psychedelic Art Exchange, advertising a show the band put on in November of 1998 in Portland, Oregon.

Poster Style

The Cramps were an undeniably weird band. Their musical style combined rockabilly and punk, and they are often credited with creating the psychobilly genre. They performed in character and were inspired by old horror films. The Cramps went through many lineup changes over the years but were always led by founding members, the husband and wife duo of Lux Interior and Poison Ivy.

This poster captures the spirit of the band: their campiness, their weirdness, and of course, lead guitarist Poison Ivy all come across beautifully. The image features two girls fighting. The girl on the left is undeniably Poison Ivy. You can tell because of her signature attire, short shorts and a crop top, and her big, teased hair. Poison Ivy is known for her feisty nature, which is evident in this image. You definitely get a feel for The Cramps by looking at this poster, a technique that artist Mike King excels in.

Collecting Cramps Posters

The Cramps are the subject of many concert posters throughout history, and Mike King alone has created several of them. Many of them depict monsters and other horror movie-inspired images. Several of them feature images of band members, especially Poison Ivy. All of them incorporate pieces of the band's iconic style. The band was active for over 30 years, from 1976 to 2009. Thus, there's a large history covered by these concert posters. Many are already rare and valuable, and as you know, will surely gain value as time goes on. Don't forget to bid on this one before it's too late!

Check out the auction before it ends on 9/24!