Back catalogue: Punk/Hardcore

Review: Coming off of the back of 1983's Subterranean Jungle, which saw a return to their punk rock roots, the brothers Ramone opted to stay the course for their 1984 follow up Too Tough To Die. Enlisting drummer Richie Ramone for his first project, the collective creative intention was to further stray from the lukewarm reception bestowed upon their more pop-centric End of the Century (1980) and Pleasant Dreams (1981), and rediscover the harder edges that built their initial success. With this unifying vision in mind, the band opted to record as live and raw as possible in order to capture that punk rock ethos, with this compilation providing a bevvy of demos, B-sides and alternate takes from these sessions, many of which feature Richie on lead vocals. A true gem for devout followers of the real Fab 4 as well as a curious bridging point between the aforementioned Subterranean Jungle and the fully realised product of Too Tough To Die.

Review: Originally released in 1981, the recording of the sixth full-length Ramones' album was anything but Pleasant Dreams (get it?) as their label Sire opted to push producer Graham Gouldman into their sessions in order to garner hype from a big name. With the brothers Ramone unhappy with this decision as well as their own internal strife due to alcohol and drug dependency, as well as Johnny starting a relationship with Joey's girlfriend, conflict poured over into the material with a creative stalemate as to whether to pursue a more pop-punk direction with an increased prioritisation on melody, or to 180 into feral hard rock, and with this being the Ramones, of course no agreement or compromise was reached, with the tracklist veering wildly between these two frenetic approaches constantly. Boasting some of the highest production values of any album in the Ramones canon as well as one of their best singles in 'The KKK Took My Baby Away', while offering up very un-punk yet undeniable anthems such as the aptly titled, 'We Want the Airwaves', and, 'She's A Sensation', Pleasant Dreams may have somewhat flopped upon initial release, but has grown to become an unlikely fan favourite in the decades since.

Review: Are The Ramones now best known for being on t-shirts worn by people who have never heard the band? Maybe. But either way, Too Tough To Die, which was released 40 years ago, is often seen as a return to form. Really, it deserves a more radical categorisation. Released in the mid-1980s, the album felt out of step with the era, not in a negative way, but in how it captured the contradictions of its time. Made without a clear direction, its incongruity became its defining feature. As Joey Ramone noted in a 1988 interview, "Around '84, the world was changing drastically... Things were getting scary. So, our songs started changing." This shift in tone marked a new chapter in their musical evolution.

Review: The first volume of a two-part collection, this impressive compilation chronicles the lesser-known recordings from the black leather jacket-clad kings of punk and (more importantly) New York. The two volumes of Rare Ramones present a selection of B-sides, demos and previously undiscovered rarities, with entry numero uno covering the beginnings of the band, starting with the mythical Slug demo recorded in 1977 and finishing in 1984 with early sessions of material that would eventually appear on the latter-day catalogue staple Too Tough To Die. An absolute treat and essential grab for any Pinhead worth their salt.

Review: Originally released in 1983, Subterranean Jungle would serve as the seventh full-length LP from the brothers Ramone, whilst marking their return to the well of punk rock bangers following the new wave and pop experiments of their two preceding albums End Of The Century (1980) and Pleasant Dreams (1981). Written and recorded during a severely tumultuous time in the band's tenure with both Joey and Marky battling alcohol addiction while Dee Dee was undergoing treatment for his cocaine habit, the resulting tension and resentment to the previously overbearing control of Joey on their previous output, led to a paired down vision with focus solely placed on prioritising grade A punk rock like only the Ramones know how. Their first album to not singularly feature Joey on lead vocals with Dee Dee taking centre stage on 'Timebomb' whilst also handling the bridge on 'Outsider', the more collaborative ethos of the project would, yet again, nearly implode the band with Marky being ousted before recording had even ceased (not playing drums on a Ramones record again until 1989's Brain Drain).

Review: This Ramones album - one of their very, very many - is packed with relentless guitar energy and a proud punk ethos. Originally released in 1987, it captures their raw spirit and is packed with gritty rock licks and infectious melodies. Featuring standout tracks like the opener 'I Wanna Live' and the guttural vocal bite of 'Garden of Serenity' it showcases the band's evolution while staying true to their signature sound, during what was a pivotal moment in the US punks' lengthy career, a decade or so on from their explosive arrival.