R.I.P. Cramps frontman Lux Interior

Cramps frontman Lux Interior passed away today (Feb. 4th) at a Glendale, Calif., hospital due to a pre-existing heart condition, the band's publicist confirms to Billboard. He was 52.

The Cramps formed in 1976 and were part of the now legendary downtown New York punk scene. Their line-up shifted over the years but always included Lux and his wife, Poison Ivy. The band's rockabilly infused punk has been credited as an influence by bands like the White Stripes and the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Interior, whose real name was Erick Lee Purkhiser, was born October 21, 1946 in Ohio. He met Ivy in 1972 and started the band shortly thereafter.

The Cramps released fourteen albums over the course of their career. Their latest, 2004's "How To Make a Monster," sold 11,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Their best-selling album, 1984's "Bad Music for Bad People" has sold 95,000 copies.