The Sire Years 1976-1981

The Ramones- The Sire Years 1976-1981 is a bit of an interesting title. The band stayed with Sire for quite awhile afterwards, but I suppose this ties in with the marketing campaign that tosses in the last few albums with Sire if you buy the collection on digital. 

 

In this package you get the following albums:

 

The bands self titled kick off from 1976 that includes Judy Is A Punk, Blitzkrieg Bop, Beat On The Brat, and I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend. The album was produced by Craig Leon and featured background vocals by Joey’s younger brother Mickey as well as Engineer Rob Freeman. The band basically kicked off the punk and rock and roll explosion with this album which featured some interesting themes such as horror movie culture, violence, and drug use. The bands most accomplished aspect is probably their use of various music types from slight 50’s doo wop vocal styles tossed in between punk rock and pop musings. It was most definitely an original concept that would spark copycats to this day. 

 

The bands second release in 1977 was Leave Home, it included such hits as Pinhead, which sparked the bands war cry of Gabba Gabba Hey, as well as Gimmie Gimmie Shock Treatment, and Swallow My Pride. The bands sound is somewhat toned down hanging on to that 50’s rock and roll sound with more melodic vocals. For me, not their best album, but it garnered, as usual, a few of the most memorable hits. 

 

Rocket To Russia, also from 1977, was one of those albums that I was glued to, for many different reasons. Reason 1 was the reworking of The Trashmen’s Surfin Bird which was featured in the film Full Metal Jacket, one of my favorite Kubrick films. At the time I was a little punk upstart that felt like this was my cultures way of re-imagining things from the past. Mind you I was only 1 when this album came out, but later after I had discovered The Ramones, their sound became my own. Other awesome tracks include Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, We’re A Happy Family (which will now always remind me of Tom Green’s Freddy Got Fingered), and Ramona.

 

1978’s Road To Ruin felt like more of an homage album with the bands sound really emulating the feel of 50’s and 60’s music groups. The album did garner their most famous song (though after Pet Cemetery I think that’s up for debate) I Wanna Be Sedated as well as a cover version of Needles and Pins. The band also had a bit of a line up change during this period when original drummer Tommy Ramone stepped down and was replaced by Mark Ramone. Tommy stayed on to produce and would be back later. 

 

End Of The Century (1980) finds the band in the hands of, then, producer extraordinaire Phil Spector. Songs were longer, the overall sound was more polished and the album became one of the more successful chart toppers in the bands careers. Of course strange tales came out of the experience such as Spector holding the band at gun point and making them work 14 hours straight making ridiculous demands. Makes you wonder. 

 

Finally the collection ends with 1981’s pleasant Dreams which featured an interesting mix of sounds from the band. Rumor had it that the band was split down the middle for various reasons, but the overall sound worked for me. Great tracks like We Want The Airwaves and The KKK Took My Baby Away had me reeled in and songs like All’s Quiet On The Eastern Front and It’s Not My Place (The 9 to 5 World) made me think of The Clash and their ability to change up their sound and take serious themes and play around with them. 

 

I think I listened to this entire album collection four times since getting my hands on it. I love it. Is it perfect? I think the band is guilty of a bit of repetition, but overall it’s nothing but hits and a nostalgic sound that sure beats the hell out of today’s music- be it the style, the attitude, or the passion. The Ramones knew how to rock and this collection is proof rock and roll could be great without all the bells and whistles and need for attention. Best trade of music for cash you’ll make this year. Enjoy.