Poison Ivy (musician)
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Poison Ivy | |
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 Poison Ivy performing in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Kristy Marlana Wallace |
| Also known as | Poison Ivy, Poison Ivy Rorschach |
| Born | February 20, 1953 San Bernardino, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, bass, theremin, vocals |
| Years active | 1976–2009 |
| Website | thecramps |
Kristy Marlana Wallace (born February 20, 1953), known as Poison Ivy or Poison Ivy Rorschach, is an American guitarist, songwriter, arranger, producer, and occasional vocalist who co-founded the rock band The Cramps.[1]
Early life
[edit]Ivy was born as Kristy Wallace in San Bernardino, California, and raised near Sacramento. In 1972, while attending Sacramento State College, Wallace met future Cramps singer Lux Interior.[2]
Career
[edit]In 1974, they moved first to Interior's hometown of Akron, Ohio, and then to New York City.[3] In 1976, as part of the emerging punk rock scene, they began performing as the Cramps.[4] They quickly gained a reputation for their unusual, rockabilly-inspired music and wild live performances. The Cramps, with Ivy, Lux, and various other guitarists, drummers, and bassists, continued to release records and perform live until the fall of 2006, enjoying some commercial success (mainly in Europe) and acquiring a strong cult following worldwide.[5]
Throughout The Cramps' career Ivy co-wrote all of the group's original songs with Lux Interior, and provided the arrangements for songs they covered. She produced or co-produced several of their albums and singles, sang on the songs "Kizmiaz" and "Get Off the Road," and played theremin on later records.
Songs written by Ivy and Interior and performed by other artists include "Human Fly" (which is based on "Do the Fly" performed and written by Ray Gentry/Rovin' Gamblers [1961], modified by The Cramps [calling it "Human Fly", 1978], but without credit to the original) [6] (Sinful Lilly, Crestfallen, The Dead Brothers, Nouvelle Vague, Supernaut, Hanni El Khatib, Los Esquizitos [a Mexican garage band] covered Human Fly as El Moscardón); "New Kind of Kick" (The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Drones, Muse, Tinfed); and "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love" (Queens of the Stone Age).
Guitars
[edit]Early on, Ivy used a clear plexiglass Dan Armstrong guitar, then the unusual Canadian-made Bill Lewis guitar heard on the first few Cramps recordings. From 1985 forward, she mostly used a 1958 Gretsch 6120 hollow-body. She used Fender Pro Reverb amplifiers onstage, and smaller Valco and Allen amps in the studio.[7]
Personal life
[edit]Ivy and Lux were married for 37 years, until his death on February 4, 2009. She lives in Glendale, California.
References
[edit]- ^ Sisario, Ben (February 5, 2009). "Lux Interior, 62, Dies; Lead Singer of the Punk Band the Cramps". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
- ^ Pius (February 23, 1992). "Poison Ivy 1992 Interview" (Interview). PENETRATING INSIGHTS. Nonozeroblog.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ Jas Obrecht (August 1990). "Oooh! Poison Ivy". Guitar Player Magazine. Phnet.fi. Archived from the original (Article) on December 25, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ J. H. Sasfy (1979). "The Cramps biography" (Extract from early biography). Liner notes of The Cramps 1979 release Gravest Hits. Thecramps.com. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ Garry Mulholland (December 2006). "Aloha from hell! The grave tale of a dead serious rock'n'roll band". The Stool Pigeon. Thestoolpigeon.co.uk. Archived from the original (Article) on February 5, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ^ Maverick 614B 45rpm, 1961
- ^ Sharken, Lisa (November 2003). "Poison Ivy". Vintage Guitar. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
- 1953 births
- Living people
- Musicians from San Bernardino, California
- Psychobilly musicians
- Gothabilly musicians
- The Cramps members
- 20th-century American guitarists
- Guitarists from California
- 20th-century American women guitarists
- 21st-century American women guitarists
- 20th-century American women singers
- 20th-century American singers
- 21st-century American women singers
- 21st-century American singers
- American punk rock guitarists
- American women punk rock singers