This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Ramones self-titled record, recently named the “Greatest Punk Album Of All Time” (Rolling Stone), and certainly one of the most important and influential albums of all time. The album - all 29 minutes of it - helped launch and shape the punk rock scenes in both America and the UK, and inspire countless artists for generations to come.
September (yes, the release date has changed) will see the release of a fine tribute to the band's landmark debut and a fitting celebration of Ramones’ lasting impact - an elaborate and beautifully presented Ramones: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. Get ready for this, collectors and Ramones fans - this baby is impressive...
Packaged in a 12x12 hardcover book, the 3CD/1 Vinyl LP set is a limited edition of 19,760 (get it? 1976!) individually numbered copies and includes a remastered stereo version and a meticulously recreated mono mix of the original album, plus rarities, unheard demos, and an unreleased live show. The set also features production notes about the recording of the original album, an essay looking back on the Ramones’ early days, along with additional pictures taken by photographer Roberta Bayley whose iconic photo of the band graces the album’s cover. Ramones: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition is available to pre-order now.
One of the unheard demos from the new set, is this early recording by Tommy (Ramone - who was a driving force behind the initial band) of "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"...
It was recorded in Dick Charles Recording studio on 729 7th Ave, New York City, which sadly appears to have gone. Fun fact: Dick (Richard Charles Waldspurger), who worked as an audio/sound engineer under the name “Dick Charles”in NYC's recording industry for 30 years, took over Dick Charles Recording Inc. (aka Dick Charles CD Mastering) from previous owner Richard Charles Krieg. Dick Charles W was the owner of the company until his death in NYC in 2002. There were a lot of Dick Charles around in NYC it seems... but we're getting off track here...
The album version of "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You" (on which Tommy sings backing vocals) is track 13 on the record, and is one of the band's earliest compositions, written in 1974/75. The lyrics are extremely simple, there's only 3 chords (who really needs more than three?!), but the song sounds like Ramones at their non-stop, rough n' raw, energetic best. A good break-up song perhaps? (ouch!)
I won't go out with you
I don't wanna walk around with you
I won't walk around by you
So why you wanna walk around me?
Take a look at the Ramones: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition:
