Search - Ramones :: Hey Ho Let's Go: Anthology

The end of 'pinhead' reviews...

Greekfreak | Pusan Korea (South) | 11/28/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Okay, a lot of the die-hard Ramones geeks have cast their ballot in favour of trashing this superb compilation, simply because it's not full of b-sides that were relegated to b-side status for a very good reason! This is a review on the album as a 'greatest hits' collection, not a mindless gripe on what songs should have been put on according to the pettiness of a few kids.Having said all of that, the only reason this collection doesn't get 5 stars from me is because there are too many Ramones compilations on the market already. And by the time the boys decided to (finally, thankfully) call it a day, they had released so much tripe in the later years that they forgot to put together a 'definitive' collection that includes the last ten years or so.This is the one to get. It's chock-full of their best material (including the import-only "Carbona Not Glue"), and their most representative material as well. Most of the video-based tunes are here, and the selection is chronological, unlike the mind-warping 'Best of Smiths' albums. The liner notes are decent, and they've put on JUST EN0UGH to satiate even the die-hardest die-hard for his/her desert island collection.Anybody who complains about why there isn't a box set is missing the point; until there IS a box set, this is the one to buy. Especially recommended for the uninitiated."

Never Mind The Sex Pistols, Here Come The Ramones!

Will Culp | Greenville, South Carolina | 07/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Hey Ho Let's Go! Ramones Anthology(1999). The Ramones' Second Compilation.Back in the Mid. to Late 70's, Underground Punk was taking the world by storm, with bands such as The Clash, The Sex Pistols, and The Pixies dominating the Punk Scene. But one lone American band, taking influences from The New York Dolls and The Stooges, called The Ramones, were just as popular. Adding more traditional Rock N Roll to Punk, The Ramones were one of Punk's most influential bands, and were one of Kurt Cobain's biggest influences for his band Nirvana. Although nobody would say they were incredibly talented, The Ramones were able to mold a catchy, hooky, Punk tune, emphasizing vocals and inane lyrics to appeal to listeners, while always having the chugging guitar right behind it. So it's no surprise, at the Turn of the Century, The Ramones released a massive 2-Disc career retrospective, containing almost 60 songs, and a booklet containing The Ramones ENTIRE career. So how does Hey Ho Let's Go-Ramones Anthology stack up? Read on to find out?PROS--ALMOST SIXTY SONGS ON TWO DISCS!- The Ramones Anthology has 58 songs on TWO(!) discs, so you can expect bank for your buck!
-HAS ALL OF THE RAMONES' BIGGEST HITS!-The Ramones Anthology has instantly recognizeable hits such as "Blitzkrieg Bop", "California Sun", and "I Wanna Be Sedated", which won't fail to please Casual fans!
-SO MANY UNDERRATED MASTERPIECES!-The Ramones Anthology is basically made up of underrated masterpieces, including "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker", "Do You Remember Rock N Roll Radio?", "Judy Is A Punk", and so many more!
-COVERS ALL OF THE RAMONES ALBUMS- From 'The Ramones' to 'Adios Amigos', The Ramones Anthology has songs from every album, making this a superb retrospective!
-EACH DISC FULLS UP THE 80 MINUTE LIMIT!-Unlike most compilations, The Ramones Anthology takes up almost 80 Minutes on each Disc, showing you get what you paid for!
-THE BOOKLET IS A VIRTUAL HISTORY ON THE RAMONES!-The Booklet for The Ramones Anthology is 80 pages(!), making it the longest, most detailed, and interesting booklet I've ever read through! Great!CONS--EXPENSIVE!-The Ramones Anthology will set you back 30 Dollars, while 'The Ramones Mania' and 'Loud, Fast Ramones:Their Toughest Hits' will only set you back Fifteen Dollars, making it less accessible to casual fans.
-NO NEW TRACKS!-The Ramones Anthology has no new tracks, so it's basically worthless to Diehard fans, and it's too expensive for casual fans, making it very inaccessible.Overall, Hey Ho Let's Go- The Ramones Anthology is a very good and detailed compilation, but casual fans and diehard fans may be turned off because of its lack of new material and price. But, if you were only going to buy one thing by The Ramones, I would suggest picking this up. If your a casual fan, I recommend the 'Ramones Mania' compilation, because it's also very good and a lot cheaper.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, IF YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO BUY ONE THING BY THE
RAMONES, YOU SHOULD BUY THIS! IF YOU'RE WILLING TO SHELL OUT 30
DOLLARS, IN THE END THIS COMPILATION IS WORTH IT!Also Recommended-The Essential-Clash
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here Come The Sex Pistols!-Sex Pistols
The Very Best Of-The PixiesThanks For Reading!"

Blitzkrieg Bop

Patrick Stott | Rolleston, Canterbury, New Zealand | 07/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Where better to end a story than at the beginning. The title of this anthology comes from the lyrics of The Ramones' first "hit" song, "Blitzkrieg Bop", from their first album released in 1976. It all ended 20 years and more than 3,000 live shows later in 1996. The Ramones found their formula early, and stuck to it. Dress the same, take on the same name, and eliminate the unnecessary. So what was unnecessary? Guitar solos, guitar effects, playing to each other, drum fills, ten minute songs, and a big stage show - pretty much all the excesses of prog rock. And what was left? A steady, speedy backbeat, buzzing guitars, simple catchy melodies, and lots of fun sounding songs.The Ramones were accused of being stupid on a regular basis. From the outside, they probably did seem a bit stupid. They all looked and dressed the same unfashionable (for the time) way, their albums were shorter than many songs of the 1970s rock dinosaurs, and their song titles and lyrics were almost childlike. Songs like "Beat On The Brat", "Judy Is A Punk", "Cretin Hop" and "I Wanna Be Sedated" were hardly intellectual in their content. The band were simply a "1-2-3-4" from Dee Dee Ramone, and they were away. Two minutes, three chords, and several "Gabba Gabba Hey"s later, it was time to start all over again.Most people missed where The Ramones were actually coming from. While the songs were simple, employing catchy melodies with a minimum of complications, inspiration for the songs came from real life stories of the band, much darker than expected. "53rd & 3rd" was inspired by bass player Dee Dee Ramone's time as a male prostitute on a New York street corner to pay for his drug habit. "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue", "Somebody Put Something In My Drink", "Chinese Rock" and "Carbona Not Glue" all dealt with substance abuse. Depression, mental illness, boredom, and messed up lives were all dealt with.This anthology tracks the band from the carefree, simple days of the 70s, the almost disastrous time they spent with Phil Spector in the early 1980s (Spector's vision: The Ramones as the Ultimate Pop band), the line up changes of the later 1980s, and the resurgence of the band's popularity in the 1990s. Through all these changes, the songs remained the same, the albums remained short, and The Ramones stayed out of the mainstream. To this day, The Ramones remain firm favourites of punks all over the world, and a good number of metal fans too, because of that consistency and not bowing to commercial pressures. It is incredible to think a band of such standing among music fans around the world hardly managed to break the top 100 in the charts with most of their albums, with the 1980 album "End Of The Century" the pinnacle of their success at number 44.With the deaths of Joey and Dee Dee, a reunion of The Ramones is impossible. The music will have to remain as a testament to this incredibly influential band. Somehow, it seems only fitting."