Target Video of San Francisco - Ahead of Their Time

In June 1978, The Cramps played a free concert for the patients of the California State Mental Hospital in Napa, California. Many people believe that The Cramps were at their peak at that point. At that time, they had just finished recording "Gravest Hits." In this performance, midway through the second song, a young woman jumps on the stage and begins sharing the mic with Lux. By the time the Cramps launch into "Human Fly," chaos has ensued both on and off stage with the patients dancing, grabbing at the mic and embracing each other. It is a spectable of once-in-a-lifetime proportions.

No, I was not there... but I did see it - on the DVD now available of this amazing Target Video production. Songs on the disc include: "Mystery Plane," "The Way I Walk," "Human Fly," "Domino," and "Garbage Man."



Target Video was the collective brainchild of Joe Rees, Jill Hoffman, and Jackie Sharp, who were living in an artist loft scene in San Francisco among other art types, zine makers, scene makers, filmmakers and punks of every kind imaginable. Target was the punk version of Andy Warhol's Factory in my estimation.... Jackie has said that Warhol's Factory is too generous a characterization...but its the closest way I can describe what I think it is.

Target also traveled the world and videotaped all the coolest and most cutting edge bands, local and international - everyone from the Dead Kennedys in Germany to the Bush Tetras in New York City.

There's also a couple of great Target DVD's out there you should look for: