Various Artists
Ramones Forever: An International Tribute
Radical Records

by William Michael Smith

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 know 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.

* The album is available at www.radicalrecords.com

Contact William Michael Smith at: wms-at-rockzilla.net

 
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