Too Tough to Die

Occupation

  • Joey Ramone - vocals
  • Johnny Ramone - guitar
  • Dee Dee Ramone - bass, vocals
  • Richie Ramone - drums, vocals
  • Walter Lure - guitar
  • Benmont Tench - Keyboards
  • Jerry Harrison - Synthesizer
  • Tony Wright - Graphic Design
  • George DuBose - Photography

Too Tough to Die ( German: " too tough to die ") is the first time in 1984 published eighth studio album by the American punk band the Ramones. With this album, the group took place after several experiments with various studio producers back to the rough unpolished acting sound back, for it was originally made famous in the 1970s.

  • 4.1 first edition 1984
  • 4.2 Extended edition 2002

Genesis

The studio recording of Too Tough to Die began in the summer of 1984 in the New Yorker Media Sound studios. Due to stagnating sales, lack of presence in the U.S. radio and the absence of chart hits, the band had been forced in the previous three studio albums to accept studio producers who had been forced upon them by their record label Sire Records - successful to the band's music a commercially to give sound. After the failure of these experiments, the band was able to prevail against their label and replace the proven on previous albums recording team of Ed Stasium and ex- band member Tommy Erdelyi. With the rough mix of the album and the selection of compositions intended the Ramones, the success now developed " harder " music styles such as hardcore punk participate and so to gain credibility.

Too Tough to Die is the first album the Ramones with the substitute for Marky Ramone Richie Ramone new drummer, who contributed with the pieces Humankind and Smash You also each an original composition for the album and the resulting decoupled Single (EP). Also, guitarist Johnny Ramone was involved after several years of songwriting abstinence at five pieces back to the compositions of the album, four of them in cooperation with bassist Dee Dee Ramone. In addition, singer Joey Ramone had his vocal style developed in several pieces: In addition to a melody accented voice, he first turned on Too Tough to Die for the first time a deeper, guttural vocal style on which was based on Shouting of hardcore punk. Dee Dee Ramone contributed lead vocals to two of the tracks on the album with.

Album cover

The photo on the front of the album cover was taken in an underpass in New York's Central Park. It shows the dark silhouettes of the four band members, in blue back light and dry ice fog next to each other under the arch of the underpass standing. The photo came about by a technical breakdown, as directed from the front of the group flashing lights of photographer George DuBose failed.

In 2002, the album was Too Tough to The reissued by the company Rhino Records and with additional previously unknown recordings - demos, alternate versions, unreleased songs - re-released.

The music tracks on the album (selection)

  • With Durango 95 Too Tough to contain the the only sole composition of guitarist Johnny Ramone in the band's history - and thus also the only instrumental piece published the Ramones. The title of the piece is taken from the name of a sports car from the movie A Clockwork Orange.
  • In the play, Wart Hog ( German: " Warthog " ) by Dee Dee Ramone is first heard as a background singer drummer Richie Ramone. This piece is also the only of the album, whose recording in the little -to-understand text was not printed on the inside cover or on the CD inserts the first edition of the album, because it was perceived as "too negative". In the booklet published in 2002 reissue of the album, the lyrics are included, however.
  • The eponymous track of the album, Too Tough to Die, was inspired by a violent confrontation Johnny Ramones in August 1983, when the guitarist suffered a fatal skull fracture and consequently had to pause for months.
  • The single release Howling at the Moon ( Sha -La- La) was produced by initiative of Ramones manager Gary Kurfirst Eurythmics member David A. Stewart and includes Ramones unusual synthesizer sounds.
  • In the texts of the plays Planet Earth 1988 Humankind and the Ramones attacked for the first time in her career explicitly on current political and socio-critical issues.

Reception, criticism

Like the four previous studio albums, the Ramones also met Too Tough to Die with press and fans with mixed reactions. While to achieve the departure of the band from their years of trying, mainstream radio capability through " soft" production was generally welcomed in reviews, pushed her musical and textual flirtation with hardcore punk, often with disapproval. Critics missed especially the humor in the texts that had been typical of early albums of the Ramones and complained clichés and approaches of Moralaposteltum in politically colored lyrics as Danger Zone and Planet Earth 1988. Contrary to such accusations is true the album other critics, at least in retrospect regarded as " the last great album, have released the Ramones ."

Title list

First edition 1984

Advanced new edition 2002

Single releases

  • Chasing the Night / Howling at the Moon ( Sha -La- La) / Smash You / Street Fighting Man ( UK, 7 " double - single, March 1985. Beggars Banquet BEG 128D )
Genre Punk subculture Singing Electric guitar Bass guitar Subterranean Jungle Animal Boy Record chart Rhino Entertainment A Clockwork Orange (film) Leave Home Rocket to Russia Road to Ruin (Ramones album) End of the Century Pleasant Dreams Mondo Bizarro ¡Adios Amigos!
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