Tag: punk

The Ramones released its second album of the calendar year (and third overall) on November 4, 1977, capping off one of the biggest years in the history of punk with Rocket To Russia. Among the band’s best-loved albums, it features classics like “Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” and “Rockaway Beach” along with their signature covers of “Do You Wanna Dance?” and “Surfin’ Bird.” It’s also the last album ever recorded by all four founding members, as drummer Tommy Ramone left soon after to focus on writing and producing.

To celebrate the album’s 40-year anniversary, Rhino will release two versions on November 24th. It contains two different mixes of the album: a remastered version of the original and a new 40th Anniversary Tracking Mix by original Rocket To Russia engineer/mixer Ed Stasium. The collection also includes a number of unreleased studio recordings, plus a previously unreleased recording of the band’s 1977 concert in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Deluxe Edition will be produced in a limited and numbered edition and comes packaged in a 12 x 12 hardcover book. Along with the music, the set also features stories about the band by Sire Records founder Seymour Stein, details about making the album by Stasium, and extensive liner notes by renowned music writer and co-founder of Creem Magazine, Jaan Uhelszki.

The first disc of the Deluxe Edition features a remastered version of the original stereo mix for Rocket To Russia, plus the 2017 Anniversary Tracking Mix created by Stasium, which provides a back-to-basics version of the album, and a different tracklisting from the 1977 original. The 2017 Anniversary Tracking Mix is also featured on the LP that accompanies the Deluxe Edition.

Stasium provides some details on the new Tracking Mix in the set’s liner notes: “When putting together this new Tracking Mix, I decided to include the versions of ‘I Don’t Care’ and ‘It’s A Long Way Back to Germany,’ since they were recorded during the Rocket To Russia sessions at Mediasound, and are completely different takes that have never been heard before. ‘Sheena’ has been omitted, as it was recorded in a totally different session a few months prior, in-between the Leave Home and Rocket To Russia albums.”

Two dozen rare and unreleased recordings are found on the second disc, including rough mixes from sessions at Mediasound and The Power Station. There’s also an early version of “Needles And Pins” with Tommy on drums, the B-side single mix of “Babysitter,” an alternate version of “It’s A Long Way Back To Germany” with Dee Dee on vocals, an original radio promo with Joey Ramone, and more.

A highlight of this Deluxe Edition is the complete unreleased concert included on the third disc. This never-before-heard multi-track recording of the band’s December 19, 1977 show at the Apollo Centre in Glasgow, Scotland captures the Ramones just a few days before the group recorded the classic live album It’s Alive, and mixed for this 40th Anniversary edition by Ed Stasium. In Glasgow, they played songs from all three studio albums including “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Judy Is A Punk,” “Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment,” and “California Sun.”

ROCKET TO RUSSIA: 40th ANNIVERSARY DELUXE EDITION

Disc One: Original Album

Remastered Original Mixes

“Cretin Hop”
“Rockaway Beach”
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”
“Locket Love”
“I Don’t Care”
“Sheena Is A Punk Rocker”
“We’re A Happy Family”
“Teenage Lobotomy”
“Do You Wanna Dance?”
“I Wanna Be Well”
“I Can’t Give You Anything”
“Ramona”
“Surfin’ Bird”
“Why Is It Always This Way?”

40th Anniversary Tracking Mix

“Cretin Hop”
“Rockaway Beach”
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”
“Locket Love”
“I Don’t Care” – Version 2
“It’s A Long Way Back To Germany” – Version 1
“We’re A Happy Family”
“Teenage Lobotomy”
“Do You Wanna Dance?”
“I Wanna Be Well”
“I Can’t Give You Anything”
“Ramona”
“Surfin’ Bird”
“Why Is It Always This Way?”

Disc Two: Bonus Material

Mediasound/Power Station Rough Mixes

“Why Is It Always This Way?” – Mediasound Rough, Alternate Lyrics *
“Rockaway Beach” – Power Station Rough *
“I Wanna Be Well” – Power Station Rough *
“Locket Love” – Power Station Rough *
“I Can’t Give You Anything” – Power Station Rough *
“Cretin Hop” – Power Station Rough *
“Happy Family” – Power Station Rough *
“Ramona” – Mediasound Rough, Alternate Lyrics *
“Do You Wanna Dance?” – Mediasound Rough *
“Teenage Lobotomy” – Mediasound Rough *
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” – Mediasound Rough *
“I Don’t Care” – Version 2, Mediasound Rough *

40th Anniversary Extras

“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” – Acoustic Version *
“It’s A Long Way Back To Germany” – Version 1-Dee Dee Vocal *
“Ramona” – Sweet Little Ramona Pop Mix *
“Surfin’ Bird” – Alternate Vocal *
“Teenage Lobotomy” – Backing Track *
“We’re A Happy Family” – At Home With The Family *
“Cretin Hop” – Backing Track *
“Needles And Pins” – Demo Version *
“Babysitter” – B-Side Version
“It’s A Long Way Back To Germany” – B-Side Version
Joey RTR Radio Spot Promo *
“We’re A Happy Family” – Joey & Dee Dee Dialogue *

Disc Three: Live at Apollo Centre, Glasgow, Scotland (December 19, 1977)

“Rockaway Beach” *
“Teenage Lobotomy” *
“Blitzkrieg Bop” *
“I Wanna Be Well” *
“Glad To See You Go” *
“Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment” *
“You’re Gonna Kill That Girl” *
“I Don’t Care” *
“Sheena Is A Punk Rocker” *
“Carbona Not Glue” *
“Commando” *
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow” *
“Surfin’ Bird” *
“Cretin Hop” *
“Listen To My Heart” *
“California Sun” *
“I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You” *
“Pinhead” *
“Do You Wanna Dance?” *
“Chain Saw” *
“Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World” *
“Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy” *
“Judy Is A Punk” *
“Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue” *
“We’re A Happy Family” *

LP: 40th Anniversary Tracking Mix

Side One

“Cretin Hop”
“Rockaway Beach”
“Here Today, Gone Tomorrow”
“Locket Love”
“I Don’t Care” – Version 2
“It’s A Long Way Back To Germany” – Version 1
“We’re A Happy Family”

Side Two

“Teenage Lobotomy”
“Do You Wanna Dance?”
“I Wanna Be Well”
“I Can’t Give You Anything”
“Ramona”
“Surfin’ Bird”
“Why Is It Always This Way?”