RAMONES | rocket to russia | BOXSET (1LP+3CD)/40th Anniversary Deluxe

Despite carrying on the celebratory tone of The Ramones’ debut and Leave Home in the likes of Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, Cretin Hop a tribute to dirty Rockaway Beach and covers of The Trashmen and Do You Wanna Dance? Their third LP from 1977 displays a dark humour that’s less jokey than the previous releases’ goofs on bad mental health and dysfunctional relationships. the group’s best-produced of its first three releases, rocket achieves an almost smooth texture thanks to a clean mix and increased use of Beach Boys-inspired vocal harmonies.

The Ramones ignited the punk-rock movement with their eponymous 1976 debut album, revitalizing rock and roll at one of its lowest ebbs with attitude, energy and a loud, fast new sound. By cutting music down to its bare essentials – four chords; a simple, catchy melody; a sped up tempo and irresistibly inane lyrics, the Ramones blazed the trail for thousands of bands that followed, influencing everyone from The Clash and The Sex Pistols to Green Day and The Offspring. Although The Ramones never achieved mainstream financial success, they released 21 live and studio albums, had a devoted fan base and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Contains two different mixes of the album: a remastered version of the original and a new 40th Anniversary Tracking Mix by originalRocket To Russia engineer/mixer Ed Stasium. The collection also includes a number of unreleased studio recordings, plus a previously unissued recording of the band’s 1977 concert in Glasgow, Scotland. The Deluxe Edition will be produced in a limited and numbered edition of 15,000 copies worldwide 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 40th Anniversary Tracking Mix created by Stasium, which provides a back-to-basics version of the album, and a different track listing from the 1977 original. The 2017 40th 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.”

Tracklist:
Remastered Original Mixes
1-1 Cretin Hop 1:55
1-2 Rockaway Beach 2:06
1-3 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 2:49
1-4 Locket Love 2:11
1-5 I Don’t Care 1:39
1-6 Sheena Is A Punk Rocker 2:49
1-7 We’re A Happy Family 2:40
1-8 Teenage Lobotomy 2:01
1-9 Do You Wanna Dance? 1:55
1-10 I Wanna Be Well 2:28
1-11 I Can’t Give You Anything 2:01
1-12 Ramona 2:37
1-13 Surfin’ Bird 2:37
1-14 Why Is It Always This Way? 2:19

40th Anniversary Tracking Mix
1-15 Cretin Hop 1:57
1-16 Rockaway Beach 2:07
1-17 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 2:46
1-18 Locket Love 2:16
1-19 I Don’t Care (Version 2) 1:51
1-20 It’s A Long Way Back To Germany (Version 1) 2:23
1-21 We’re A Happy Family 2:38
1-22 Teenage Lobotomy 2:04
1-23 Do You Wanna Dance? 1:54
1-24 I Wanna Be Well 2:30
1-25 I Can’t Give You Anything 2:13
1-26 Ramona 3:06
1-27 Surfin’ Bird 2:53
1-28 Why Is It Always This Way? 2:44

Mediasound/Power Station Rough Mixes
2-1 Why Is It Always This Way? (Mediasound Rough, Alternate Lyrics) 1:58
2-2 Rockaway Beach (Power Station Rough) 2:06
2-3 I Wanna Be Well (Power Station Rough) 2:28
2-4 Locket Love (Power Station Rough) 2:15
2-5 I Can’t Give You Anything (Power Station Rough) 2:02
2-6 Cretin Hop (Power Station Rough) 1:55
2-7 We’re A Happy Family (Power Station Rough) 2:14
2-8 Ramona (Mediasound Rough, Alternate Lyrics) 3:06
2-9 Do You Wanna Dance? (Mediasound Rough) 1:52
2-10 Teenage Lobotomy (Mediasound Rough) 2:02
2-11 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Mediasound Rough) 2:47
2-12 I Don’t Care (Version 2, Mediasound Rough) 1:46

40th Anniversary Extras
2-13 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Acoustic Version) 2:48
2-14 It’s A Long Way Back To Germany (Version 1, Dee Dee Vocal) 2:24
2-15 Ramona (Sweet Little Ramona Pop Mix) 3:07
2-16 Surfin’ Bird (Alternate Vocal)
2:40
2-17 Teenage Lobotomy (Backing Track) 2:06
2-18 We’re A Happy Family (At Home With The Family) 1:02
2-19 Cretin Hop (Backing Track) 1:58
2-20 Needles And Pins (Demo Version) 2:44
2-21 Babysitter (B-Side Version, Remastered) 2:45
2-22 It’s A Long Way Back To Germany (B-Side Version, Remastered) 2:21
2-23 Joey RTR Radio Spot Promo 0:52
2-24 We’re A Happy Family (Joey & Dee Dee Dialogue) 1:12

Live At Apollo Centre, Glasgow, Scotland (12/19/77)
3-1 Rockaway Beach 3:00
3-2 Teenage Lobotomy 2:08
3-3 Blitzkrieg Bop 2:03
3-4 I Wanna Be Well 2:21
3-5 Glad To See You Go 1:51
3-6 Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment 1:37
3-7 You’re Gonna Kill That Girl 2:27
3-8 I Don’t Care 1:40
3-9 Sheena Is A Punk Rocker 2:26
3-10 Carbona Not Glue 1:34
3-11 Commando 1:58
3-12 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 3:14
3-13 Surfin’ Bird 2:23
3-14 Cretin Hop 1:45
3-15 Listen To My Heart 1:38
3-16 California Sun 1:48
3-17 I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You 1:24
3-18 Pinhead 3:47
3-19 Do You Wanna Dance? 1:41
3-20 Chain Saw 1:31
3-21 Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World 3:25
3-22 Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy 2:03
3-23 Judy Is A Punk 1:15
3-24 Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue 1:22
3-25 We’re A Happy Family 2:26

LP – 40th Anniversary Tracking Mix
A1 Cretin Hop 1:57
A2 Rockaway Beach 2:07
A3 Here Today, Gone Tomorrow 2:46
A4 Locket Love 2:16
A5 I Don’t Care (Version 2) 1:51
A6 It’s A Long Way Back To Germany (Version 1) 2:23
A7 We’re A Happy Family 2:38
B1 Teenage Lobotomy 2:04
B2 Do You Wanna Dance? 1:54
B3 I Wanna Be Well 2:30
B4 I Can’t Give You Anything 2:13
B5 Ramona 3:06
B6 Surfin’ Bird 2:53
B7 Why Is It Always This Way? 2:44

(Rhino Records– R2 563470, Rhino Records – 081227932718, Sire – R2 563470, Sire – 081227932718, Ramones Productions Inc. – R2 563470, Ramones Productions Inc. – 081227932718)