05/27/2026
Henry Rollins and Ian MacKaye have teamed up with Poison Ivy Rorschach to launch a new reissue campaign dedicated to psychobilly legends The Cramps. The first release in the series will be 'Gravest Gravy,' a previously unreleased album recorded in 1977 and produced by Alex Chilton.
Set for release on August 21 via the newly revived Vengeance Records, 'Gravest Gravy' predates The Cramps’ debut album 'Songs the Lord Taught Us' by three years. Chilton, who would later produce that landmark 1980 debut, was also behind these early recordings.
In a statement announcing the project, Henry Rollins said: “I am beyond stoked to announce the formation of The Cramps, Inc., that will restart The Cramps’ label, Vengeance Records, create official merchandise, and venture into the vaults to unleash unheard recordings of this amazing band.”
Rollins explained that The Cramps Inc. consists of Poison Ivy Rorschach, In The Red Records founder Larry Hardy, and film producer Jimmy Maslon, all longtime collaborators and friends of the band. Rollins and MacKaye are working together under the name RAM Prod. (Rollins and MacKaye), handling tape restoration, editing, mixing, mastering, and lacquer cutting duties in partnership with Inner Ear Studios in Virginia and Infrasonic Sound in Nashville.
The announcement continues Rollins and MacKaye’s recent archival work together. Earlier this year, the longtime friends collaborated on the release of a rediscovered 1977 single by UK punks The Adverts.
Rollins also addressed the issue of unofficial Cramps merchandise online, noting that “many Cramps records and items, such as t-shirts you see on the Internet—are bootlegs,” adding that official merchandise is currently in development through a new partnership with Easy Partners.
