Punk fans know and love these songs by the Ramones, but Joey and the guys heard them here first.
Throughout the Ramones' career, from their debut gig at CBGB’s in New York in 1974 until their final concert in Los Angeles 22 years later, the band retained a keen reverence for rock’n’roll’s past, which they expressed by peppering their albums with sped-up revamps of their favourite songs.
Presented in the order in which the Ramones recorded the numbers, this collection takes us from their debut LP, which included their version of Chris Montez’s ‘Let’s Dance’, through to Joey Ramone’s posthumously released first solo album, which contained revivals of the Stooges’ ‘1969’ and, taking us out on a poignant note, Louis Armstrong’s ‘What A Wonderful World’.
Along the way you get some surf (from Jan & Dean), psychedelia (the Amboy Dukes), bubblegum (the Music Explosion), folk rock (the Byrds), British invasion (the Searchers) and a whole lot more, including the Trashmen’s demented classic ‘Surfin’ Bird’, Tom Waits’ ‘I Don’t Wanna Grow Up’ and the Troggs’ ‘I Can’t Control Myself’ – all of which sound as if they could have been written for the Ramones.
Booklet includes an essay by Cramps and Nick Cave biographer Ian Johnston.