RAMONES

The song, “I DON’T WANT TO GROW UP” on the RAMONES latest album,”ADIOS AMIGOS,is a wonderful power pop anthem concerning the reluctance of an individual to succumb to the effects of growing older. Penned by Tom Waits and Kathleen Breenan,”I DON’T WANT TO GROW UP”,is a beautiful pop ode to the virtues of prolonged adolescence. “It was pretty much a last minute decision while we were doing the record,”guitarist Johnny Ramone said during a recent interview.

“Our producer Daniel Rey, said to us,”There’s this Tom Waits song,you guys should check out.” We were already finished with the twelve tracks we wanted to have on the album. We were just going to record it to keep it for ourselves. So we by the time we figured it out,recorded it and listened to it,took about an hour. We didn’t want the record company to hear it,but they asked us for one more song. So we played it for them and they wanted it for the album.” “I DON’T WANT TO GROW UP”, protrays a side of the RAMONES music which has influenced them throughout their 22 year career. “It’s a very appropriate song,”Johnny said. “It’s pretty much about the rock & roll lifestyle. It is healthy in some degree to not want to grow up. Playing in a band and all,helps to keep you young. Even in my personal life, the collecting I do, my hobbies are youth oriented,I’m heavy into horror films and baseball collecting and going to baseball games. I feel it helps to keep me young.” Maybe that’s why the RAMONES are still touring a year after their farewell tour started out.

Many RAMONES fans are puzzled as to why the group continues long after they supposedly were going to retire.

“People might have presumed that because we were doing a tour with our new album,”ADIOS AMIGOS” out,that it was the final time for us to tour,”Johnny said. “The final show was supposed to be March 18th,in Buenos Aires. Around March 1st,prior to leaving for that tour we were offered LOLLAPALLOZA. We had not done a final American tour,so we thought about it for a week and we realized that probably would be a better way to go out. So we signed up for Lollapalooza and in-between those dates and now,we have to continue to do something. That’s why we’re touring now.”

The four RAMONES “brothers”,Joey (vocals), Marky (drums), CJ (bass) and Johnny, are calling it quits after this summer.

for Johnny and Joey,it’s been 22 years of constant recording,global touring,hiatus and then more recording and touring. The cycle has left Johnny road weary and he looking forward to ,”doing nothing”. “I have really no plans for doing anything right now after we?re through,”he said. “I’m pretty much planning on retiring and doing nothing. If something comes up in a few years that sounds like it might be interesting, I might consider it.” There has been a lot of excellent pop material throughout the RAMONES catalog of material. By truly never really selling out their sound or trying to radically alter their public image,the RAMONES have stayed true to themselves in the genre of entertainment known more these days for constant changing with each and every fad and trend them anything else. “We’ve always been able to mix an occasional ballad with some punk music,”Johnny said. “There are some punk songs in there also with some hard core songs. That’s what separated the RAMONES from a lot of punk bands.

There’s always been a certain variety in the music and that’s our style.

We’ve never tried to do something we’re not. We’re not a pop band. but at the same time,there’s pop element to it.” Within that diversity, Johnny feels the RAMONES true strength and career longevity lies. “Hopefully it’s made our albums a little more listenable,”he said,”for a long period of time.” Were did the Ramones come up with their handle? Johnny reveals that it wasn’t a random decision by the band. “Years ago Dee Dee had noticed that Paul McCartney was using it,”he said. “I’m not sure if he was using it to check into hotels or that was his stage name at the time. It was in the Beatles very early days. It was funny,so I said lets use that.”