RAMONES FOREVER, AN INTERNATIONAL TRIBUTE
SPECIFICATIONS
TYPE | CD |
LENGTH | 62:16 |
COUNTRY | USA |
LABEL | Radical Records |
YEAR | 2002 |
BANDS | Golden Green (BEL) - Neven (BEL) - No Bluff Sound (FRA) - Sherman (BEL) - Mika (GRC) - The Dirty Scums (BEL) - Davo Vermeersch (BEL) - La Fille d'Ernest (BEL) - 5c Deposit (USA) - Skunk (DEU) - KPW (BEL) - Bad Preachers (BEL) - De Bossen (BEL) - De Lama's (BEL) - Marky Ramone Group (BEL) - Fezz (BEL) - Club Diana (NLD) - JMXW (BEL) - Cortina (BEL) - Huntingtons (USA) - Daan (BEL) - Ramon da Silva (HUN) |
COMMENTS | 23 songs, 23 bands. We found this one on the net and weren't aware of its existence. It's a selexion of songs that appeared on the "1, 2 ,3 ,4 ... A Lo-Fi Ramones Tribute", compiled by KlootPerW. |
BELGIUM | Most bands are Belgian bands. |
THE DIRTY SCUMS
LINE-UP | Pik - Zjantie - Jenz |
SONGS | Ramones-medley |
COMMENTS | It seems this song has started an own life. It originally appeared on the Really High-EP (1993), later in a remixed version on the "The Pils Sessions"-CD (1996), then on the "1, 2, 3, 4 ..."-compilation (2001) and now we discovered this one. |
THE MUSE'S MUSE - April 2002
Audio fan fiction – i.e. tribute
albums – can be great. But you have to like the band/artist the tribute is
based on. Not just for the songwriting, but for the class of fans that band
attracts, because those are the aggressive souls that go after the hard to get
spots on albums like this International Tribute, which as you can see from the
track list below brings in bands from all over to give respect to the godfathers
of punk.
If you like the Ramones, you’ll love this album. If you love the Ramones, you’ll be amazed at what global groups manage to do with some of these classics. Personally, my favorite is probably ‘Psycho Therapy’ because it’s more weird than harsh rock; then again, it’s damn short. A sort of techno-geek piece. Also, Belgium’s electronic elephant ‘Blitzkrieg Bahn’ filters the power like a hard to hear broadcast from far, far away. But man, I like the sound and spirit.
Radical Records is just around the corner from CBGB, where the Ramones began, and part of the money from this cd will go to the Joey Ramone Fund. This should prove to you all, the album knows what it’s doing, and you should support it if you’re into oddball & rock music at all. With 23 tracks, there’s bound to be Something here to please even the most critical Ramones fan.
Ben Ohmart
ROCK
N ROLL EXPERIENCE - May 2002
Hmmmm, how can I describe this disc in one
word ? Crazy it's got some covers
that are easy listening style muzak stuff, some straight ahead punk covers, some
new wave stuff, some reggae stuff ... I'll put it to you this way, if you like
the Ramones, you should buy this disc, because it's an interesting experiment
& some of the proceeds go towards the Joey Ramone memory fund which is a
very nice thing as well. The bands on this CD are from all over the world &
you truly have to hear this to believe it ... I've never imagined a muzak version
of "I Wanna Be Sedated", but there's one on here !
ALTERNATIVE NATION - 28/05/2002
Das ist schon interessant, was sich Radical
Records da ausgedacht hat. Man hat 22 weitgehend unbekannte Bands aus so Ländern
wie Belgien, Deutschland, Frankreich und Ungarn die bekanntesten Stücke der
Ramones zersägen lassen und das ganze auf diese durchaus liebenswerte CD
gepresst. Dass dabei nicht nur gutes herauskommt ist zwar eine Weisheit, die
jedes Tribut bestätigt, doch hat es durchaus seinen eigenen Charme, mal eine
Drum´n´Bass Version von I wanna be sedated (von den Belgiern Neven) oder eine
Rap Fassung von I man wanna sniff some glue (Mika featuring Jah Paul II) zu
hören.
Die Tracks sind dabei oftmals völlig unterproduziert, was dann auch den Originaltitel der CD 1, 2, 3, 4...A Lo-Fi Ramones Tribute, unter dem sie vorher in Belgien erschien erklärt. Schön unter anderem, wie The Dirty Scums mit ihrem Ramones Medley beweisen, dass in Belgien nicht nur Pop gemacht wird. Ungleich nerviger ist da schon die Techno Version von I wanna be your boyfriend von Davo Vermeersch. Dasselbe Lied hat sich auch La Fille d´Ernest vorgenommen, leider auch nicht viel gelungener, aber immerhin in französischer Sprache. Auch die Peruaner Da Lama´s liefern mit Ik sloeg haar half dood eine übersetzte Version vom Gassenhauer Beat on the Brat ab.
Diese Kompilation richtet sich definitiv nicht an die breite Masse der Ramones Fans, sondern eher an diejenigen, die nichts gegen eine breite Stilvielfalt haben, denn auch waschechter dicke Hose Punkrock findet sich mit We want the airwaves von 5c deposit wieder, was zu einem etwas konfusen, aber auch abwechslungsreichen Hörvergnügen führt.
Anspieltipps: 01. Daan - Somebody Put Something In My Drink 02. 5c Deposit - We Want The Airwaves 03. The Dirty Scums - Ramones Medley 04. Golden Green - I Wanna Live
Sascha Daniel
ROCKZILLAWORLD -
July 2002
Listening to Ramones Forever, one
would never suspect that the American punk rock pioneers were known for
full-speed-ahead, in-your-face, three-chord, thrash-n-bash rock. A compilation
by 23 mostly Belgian bands that will be entirely unknown to American readers,
Ramones Forever demonstrates that there are certainly more than three ways to
reinterpret and reinvent The Ramones' three basic chords. The project also
demonstrates what a worldwide phenomenon the scruffy New York band became as
their fame spread through movies and their constantly growing album catalog. By
the time The Ramones gave it up they had, along with Britain's Sex Pistols,
become the most recognizable poster-children act of the punk rock movement.
While the album begins fittingly enough with The Ramones screaming "1-2-3-4," the tracks that follow range from punk to disco to techno to electronica to reggae to folk-rock to just plain strange in Euro-club way. Even the Belgian bands come up with entirely different takes on the Ramones basics. Where Golden Green sounds very Ramone-ish in their cover of "I Wanna Live," Never has created a full-on electronica punk version of "I Wanna Be Sedated." Meanwhile France's No Bluff Sound's "Psychotherapy" and Belgian Sherman's "Blitzkreig Bahn" have touches of punk, metal, and techno in interesting Devo-ish avant garde mixes.
Some of the most unusual or unlikely remakes are the Greek band Mika's techno-reggae-Euro dance version of "I Wanna Sniff Some Glue," La Fille d'Ernest's Blondie-ish pop-rock French language version of "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," Skunk's (Germany) Elvis Costello-ish reggae-meets-punk version of "Pet Semetary." Belgium's KPW delivers an electronica-masked rock version of "I Wanna Be Well" that sounds almost fit for MTV. Belgium's De Bossen handle "Little Ramona" in a jangly folk-rock mode that really works well. Peru's Da Lamas have created an interesting combination of punk and techno-dance on "Beat on the Brat." Belgium's Fezz cooks up a scintillating ska arrangement of "I Believe In Miracles" that is very '80s. Dutch ensemble Club Diana has created the strangest cover here with their bizarre electronic version of "Here Today Gone Tomorrow." The Belgian group JMXW also reaches far into the weird electronic effects zone for its funkified clubby Euro-dance version of "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You." Cortina, also from Belgium, presents a quiet rocking version of "Danny Says" that gives us a glimpse of what Buddy Holly might have done had he lived into the punk era. Belgium's Daan gives "Somebody Put Something in My Drink" a Bryan Ferry-Roxy Music sexy voiced treatment that is very classy. I'm tempted to look up one of their albums based on this track.
But there remain bands who are rigidly loyal to The Ramones vision of punk. Belgium's The Dirty Scums blast through a speedfreak medley of the more well known Ramones tunes at breakneck speed and with a sound that slavishly immulates the originals. 5 Cent Deposits' (USA) "We Want the Airwaves" sounds very Supersuckerish with its speedmetal guitar track. The Belgian band Bad Preachers also keep the faith with their cover of the Ramone cover of "California Sun." The Marky Ramone Group (USA) plays a bullseye version of Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up." This band may sound more like The Ramones than the Ramones do. The American band Huntington's also keep close to the original with their rendition of "Life's a Gas," although their guitar work is a bit more modern-sounding than the disjointed, frantic original Ramones playing.
The disc ends with one of the oddest recordings of all, "53rd & 3rd" by Hungarian Ramon da Silva. His faux Frankenstein vocal and dated synthesizer dance track is coupled on the instrumental break with some full-force modern guitar rock. This is exactly the kind of club hit that Europeans embrace so easily but that would be looked upon as a campy novelty by US audiences (imagine "I'm Too Sexy for My Shirt").
With the recent passing of Dee Dee Ramone, it is only fitting in a historical sense that this eclectic disc is available now. It makes a great companion to the original music because it presents it in so many unexpected but lovingly created forms and interpretations. Old time punks will certainly enjoy this disc that is just as irreverent and fun as The Ramones taught us punk could and should be.
William Michael Smith
STARVOX - August 2002
They came from all over - Belgium, Greece, France, Hungary, Peru, The Netherlands, Germany and the USA - to pay tribute to the mighty Ramones.
Tribute albums are strange beasts, and they seem to be increasingly popular these days. A nice idea in theory, they're uneven at best in practice, often depending upon the band being paid tribute to. Some forms of music lend themselves better to creative reinterpretation than others.
Straight up rock n' roll can be swung any number of different ways, and if done correctly, so can punk. The liner notes reference a mish-mash of styles ranging from "Lo-Fi Electro-pop..to Lounge to all out wierdness". The most successful reinterpretations on this album are the ones that respect the basic three chord structure of the songs. Anything else is like trying to put a frilly pink dress on over a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt.
The Dirty Scums have the right idea, and they smash their way through a Ramones Medley with endearing exuberance. 5 Cent Deposit also get it right with "We want the airwaves", as do Golden Green with "I Wanna Live". Skunk's swinging ska version of "Pet Semetary" is eccentric enough to be entertaining, and De Bossen's gentle surf approach, with 50's style backing vocals, to "Little Ramona" is strangely touching.Bad Preachers take a slightly more hardcore approach to "California Sun", and Cortina gives "Danny Says" a low-key grunge spin. Incredibly, a Peruvian version of "Beat on the Brat" (Ik Stoeg Haar Half Dood) works perfectly with the original guitar chords, and is really bouncy and fun to boot.
A sweet-voiced female French version of "Ta Petite Amie (I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend)" is unrecognizable as a Ramones cover, and so completely misses the point. "Blitzkrieg Bahn", by Sherman featuring KPW, somehow mixes a Reznorized Blitzkrieg Bop in with Autobahn, and the result is downright irritating. No Bluff Energy's Devo-esque rendition of Psychotherapy strips away all the mad energy of the original.
Of the 23 tracks on the CD, at least two-thirds are well crafted, entertaining listens. Just program out the others, and you'll have a genuinely inspiring tribute album on your hands.
Steph
SKAPUNKANDOTHERJUNK -
2002
Seems
like there is an ongoing flow of Ramones and Joey Ramone Tribute albums coming
out since Joey's passing. This album is mostly from European bands and
some USA bands. Portions of the proceeds from this record will benefit the Joey
Ramone Fund: In Memory Of Jeff Hyman" c/o New York Presbyterian Hospital
Cornell Medical Center. Now onto the CD itself. The third track is a little
weird. It's a muzak track playing "I Wanna Be Sedated." Actually a lot
of these tracks sound like stupid Euro-trash music they play at dance clubs and
raves. There are a few bands that actually cover the songs well but the rest of
the CD is garbage. If I hear little electronic shit before the song starts, I
skip it. I don't know, I'm sure fans of the Ramones wouldn't care for this
album. Well except Europeans who listen to this type of shit.
Worth Buying? I certainly wouldn't buy this.
Notable Tracks: The Dirty Scums' "Ramones Medley," 5¢ Deposit's
"We Want The Airwaves" Marky Ramone Group's "I Don't Wanna Grow
Up," Huntingtons' "Life's A Gas"
Bryan
FYE
- 2002
This is a collection for only the most devoted Ramones
fan. Of the 23 tracks compiled here, only a few have any connection to the
pop-punk sound the
Ramones founded. Almost all of the groups here come from
either Belgium or Germany, with Peru, the Netherlands, France, and Greece also
represented, and the bands from these countries feel no need to be true to the
Ramones. You will find a dancehall version of "Now I
Wanna Sniff Some Glue" (retitled "I Man Wanna Sniff Some Glue")
by Mika
featuring Jah Paul II, a Euro-disco take on "I Wanna Be Your
Boyfriend" by Davo Vereersch, an electro-lounge version of "I Wanna Be
Sedated" by Neven, and many more non-punk takes on the
Ramones. None of them work particularly well except as
novelties because the artists don't really have the skill and uniqueness to make
anything interesting happen. The only groups who sound good are the two indie
pop groups from Belgium: Cortina, who does a sweet version of "Danny
Says," and De Bossen, who turns "Little Ramona" into a lullaby.
For the punk purists, there are three bands from the good, old U.S.A. who stay
extremely true to the spirit of the
Ramones: the
Huntingtons do a carbon copy of "Life's a Gas," 5c
Deposit does much the same with "We Want the Airwaves," and the Marky
Ramone Group, unsurprisingly, does a dead-on take of "I Don't Wanna Grow
Up." Whether anyone needs to hear such exact copies is another question.
Perhaps the smartest thing to do is just listen to the fabulous Ramones
reissues and forget this disc altogether.
Tim Sendra, All Music Guide