Poison Ivy (musician)


Kristy Marlana Wallace, known as Poison Ivy or Poison Ivy Rorschach, is a guitarist, songwriter, arranger, producer, and occasional vocalist who co-founded the American punk-rock band The Cramps.

Early life

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.

Career

In 1974, they moved first to Lux Interior's hometown of Akron, Ohio, and then to New York City. In 1976, as part of the emerging punk rock scene, they began performing as the Cramps. 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 and acquiring a strong cult following worldwide.
Throughout The Cramps' career Ivy co-wrote with Lux Interior all of the group's original songs 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" ; "New Kind of Kick" ; and "Thee Most Exalted Potentate of Love".

Guitars

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. Since 1985 she has mostly used a 1958 Gretsch 6120 hollow-body. She uses Fender Pro Reverb amplifiers onstage, and smaller Valco and Allen amps in the studio.

Personal life

Ivy and Lux were married for 37 years, until his death on February 4, 2009. She lives in Glendale, California.