The Ramones, ¡Adios Amigos! (Radioactive 1995)
Again I am not going to insult your intelligence and explain how influential and important this bad were as you know this and if you don't basically that the Killers or Kaiser Chiefs albums you have would never have sounded like they do.
I know I could pretty much have chosen any of there early albums and done a blog about that. But that would be too easy and also been done before. Again my blog looks at it a little differently.
Something many people don't know is the Ramones wanted chart success and million selling albums but it never happened. Early albums were just too punk and later ones were not at the same quality. But by 95 the music industry was a revolving door of bands. And time had come to split up.
This album was never set to be that good but it was. A big reason is the speed of the music, they tend to have just went for it on many of there albums but this one was slowed down. And it was a decision made by the band because they went in and re recorded the album slower. Mostly due to Joey Ramones voice becoming more problematic due to years on the road singing.
The buzzsaw guitars noise they are known for was cut down on this one. Even to the point the only real part you would hear is a solo like on single "I Don't Want to Grow Up" Even the songs are simpler to the point "Life's a Gas" has a total of six words in the whole song. But it works.
Dee Dee Ramone is back on this album but only writing for this one as CJ is still the bands Bass player. Many people don't know that Dee Dee was the main songwriter, many of the songs written did have co writers but most of the ideas were his in the past so his inclusion is a real big help.
Most people tend to not like cover songs on an album. I do agree but this one has four of them. Well two songs were written and released by Dee Dee in 1993 and the other two are "I Don't Want to Grow Up" by Tom Waits and Johnny Thunders "I love you". It more signals the band were at the end and to keep the quality high they felt its best to have these songs instead of fillers. Right choice as the album flows nicely with the Ramones sound making each track unique.
The album was backed by a world tour and billed as the last ever. And it was. The last show was recorded and released as a live album thus putting the final nail on the coffin.
It should have sold as it was the last album, they should have played arenas and bowed out with a few top ten singles and money in the pocket. But it was not to be.
Much like Vincent van Gogh upon the death of Johnny, Joey and Dee Dee the band seemed to finally get some respect with induction into the rock hall of fame. But more important was they finally started to sell albums. Most reviews were so positive for the first four or five albums but mark later ones as less important. Not so, here you have a fine rock n roll album that was make as a goodbye to the fans.
Just a year after this was out the Sex Pistols Reform to make some money and guess what? The make it selling tickets, CDs and T shirts. Just like in 1977 the pistols steal the light.
You see Ramones T Shirts being worn all the time and there is nothing wrong with that but ask the next person you see wearing one if they like this album (Or even ever heard of it) I bet they say no.
¡Adios Amigos! is available on Download and should be purchased even if you don't ever listen to it.
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