Customer Reviews

It's Alive

5 star:		(96)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's indeed a shame that this will never happen again. We'll never see these guys take the stage, never hear Dee Dee count in that first tune. We won't get slammed by the sheer volume and power of it all. We won't get to hear Joey's between-song banter and think, "didn't he say exactly the same thing before this song the last time they were here?"

But even with three Ramones gone for good, THE RAMONES live on, larger and more famous than they were in life, their tunes in a million movies and TV ads, their T-shirts now worn by, well, pretty much everybody. Which brings us to this big, reasonably priced 2-DVD set of Ramones live footage from damn near the very beginning of their career to damn near the very end. Over the course of about four hours (!!!), we see the band's evolution from scrappy up and comers at CBGB to consummate pros filling a stadium somewhere in South America. But take heart: whether they were playing to 60,000 people in 1996 or a few dozen in 1974, these guys - save for the early stage screwups - BARELY CHANGED AT ALL. In other words, they got it right early on and knew better than to ruin a good thing.

The sheer volume of material makes this set a solid winner, but it's those little moments and details that diehard fans will love most. The chance to see Johnny play a guitar other than his white or blue Mosrite. Getting to hear/see such seldom-performed-live classics as "Needles & Pins," "Don't Come Close" and "I Want You Around." Watching the evolution of Dee Dee's hair. The cornerstone of the whole thing, though, is the multi-song segment of the band's performance in London on New Year's Eve, 1977 - the concert during which the 2-LP "It's Alive" was recorded. Thirty years after the fact, we get the visuals to go along with one of the greatest live albums ever recorded, and they represent the Ramones at perhaps their very peak. Footage of dozens of other concerts and TV appearances varies in quality, but there's a treasure trove of good stuff to be found.

And as for the lower-quality footage? That shot-on-video, black & white stuff with the crappy sound? Hey, it's still the Ramones! Which, of course, makes it cooler than pretty much anything else out there right now.

Pound for pound, this is one of the best live albums ever released. I bought it on import vinyl back in 1979 and it was one of the first CDs I bought upon upgrading my stereo system. The Ramones smoke through their set list like there's no tomorrow. Recorded on New Year's Eve in 1977 at the Rainbow Theatre in London, this set sounds much better (probably because of Tommy's co-producing) then the recently released "Ramones - NYC 1978" CD which was recorded at The Palladium in New York City just a week later. It also includes "Judy Is A Punk" which is absent from the NYC show. All in all, a must have CD for any Ramones fan. 2 notes to Tod Nelson : it was Dee Dee (not Joey) who shouted out "1,2,3,4!!!" before each song and this CD clocks in at just under 54 minutes not 48 (you may have been cheated). R.I.P. Joey, Dee Dee, and Johnny.

This CD provides an unlikely source to help me bond with my two young children when I drive them places. With the CD player blaring away, my two year old daughter will sing "Go go go" and "Whoa-oh-oh" and other snippets of the lyrics, and my four year old son with autism will crack a smile, which is pretty expressive for him. Simple chord progressions, repetitive lyrics, and energetic singing is pretty typical in childrens music, and this works for my kids. Yes, some people might claim this is about the maturity level of this band. Daddy bouncing up and down in the drivers seat probably helps the kids get into to it.

Why does Daddy like this CD? It's just pure rock and roll energy. There's barely a pause between songs and the band is in top form. They express a real joy with mindless songs like "Surfin' Bird". There's probably nothing that's been said about the Ramones that I could add here, and most people's opinion of the band is firmly made up, but this CD is a great value for anyone in the "like/love/worship the Ramones" camp.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR!!!!

DISC 1:
1) Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, September 15, 1974)
2) I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, September 15, 1974)
3) Judy Is A Punk (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, September 15, 1974)
4) I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Live at Max's Kansas City, NYC, USA, April 18, 1976)
5) 53rd & 3rd (Live at Max's Kansas City, NYC, USA, April 18, 1976)
6) Chain Saw (Live at The Club, Cambridge, MA, USA, 12, 1976)
7) Havana Affair (Live at Max's Kansas City, NYC, USA, October 8, 1976)
8) Listen To My Heart (Live at Max's Kansas City, NYC, USA, October 8, 1976)
9) I Remember You (Live at My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY, USA, May 13, 1977)
10) Carbona Not Glue (Live at My Father's Place, Roslyn, NY, USA, May 13, 1977)
11) Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
12) Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
13) Beat On The Brat (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
14) Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
15) Rockaway Beach (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
16) Cretin Hop (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
17) Oh Oh I Love Her So (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
18) Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World (Live at CBGB, NYC, USA, June 11, 1977)
19) Rockaway Beach (Live at the Second Chance, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, June 26, 1977)
20) Carbona Not Glue (Live at The Second Chance, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, June 26, 1977)
21) Pinhead (Live at Ivanhoe Theater, Chicago, IL, USA, July 6, 1977)
22) Suzy Is A Headbanger (Live at The Ivanhoe Theater, Chicago, IL, USA, July 6, 1977)
23) Commando (Live at The Armadillo, Austin, TX, USA, July 14, 1977 - earlier show of the day)
24) I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend (Live at The Armadillo, Austin, TX, USA, July 14, 1977 - earlier show of the day)
25) Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy (Live at The Armadillo, Austin, TX, USA, July 14, 1977 - later show of the day)
26) 53rd & 3rd (Live at The Armadillo, Austin, TX, USA, July 14, 1977 - later show of the day)
27) Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World (Live at The Armadillo, Austin, TX, USA, July 14, 1977 - later show of the day)
28) Loudmouth (Live at Liberty Hall, Houston, TX, USA, July 15, 1977)
29) I Remember You (Live at Liberty Hall, Houston, TX, USA, July 15, 1977)
30) Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Live at Liberty Hall, Houston, TX, USA, July 15, 1977)
31) Oh Oh I Love Her So (Live at Liberty Hall, Houston, TX, USA, July 16, 1977)
32) Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World (Live at Liberty Hall, Houston, TX, USA, July 16, 1977)
33) Loudmouth (Live at Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, USA, August 9, 1977)
34) Judy Is A Punk (Live at Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, USA, August 9, 1977)
35) Glad To See You Go (Live at Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, USA, August 9, 1977)
36) Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Live at Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, USA, August 9, 1977)
37) Swallow My Pride (Live at Camera Mart Stages, NYC, USA, September 3, 1977)
38) Pinhead (Live at Camera Mart Stages, NYC, USA, September 3, 1977)
39) Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Live at Camera Mart Stages, NYC, USA, September 3, 1977)
40) Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
41) I Wanna Be Well (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
42) Glad To See You Go (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
43) You're Gonna Kill That Girl (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
44) Commando (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
45) Havana Affair (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
46) Cretin Hop (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
47) Listen To My Heart (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
48) I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
49) Pinhead (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
50) Do You Wanna Dance? (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
51) Now I Wanna Be A Good Boy (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
52) Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)
53) We're A Happy Family (Live at The Rainbow, London, England, December 31, 1977)

Bonus features:
- Dee Dee and Joey - The Beginning (Interview)
- Tommy - Forest Hills High School (Interview)
- Danny Fields - Revelations (Interview)
- Joey & Dee Dee - Influences (Interview)
- Joey & Danny - Artistic Growth (Interview)
- Violence? (Interview)
- What is Punk? (Interview)
- Tommy - How I learned to play drums and we got a record deal (Interview)
- Dee Dee - Coffee And Cigarettes (Interview)
- Johnny - Hard To Stop (Interview)
- Argentina - The First Time (Interview)
- Mandagsborgen (Interview)
- Sha Na Na Shenanigans (Interview)
- It's Not My Place (In The 9 To 5 World) (Video)
- Somebody Put Something In My Drink (Rare Video) (Rough Cut)
- Photo Galleries (Also Ramones fans got chance to send photos taken by them to the DVD).



DISC 2:
1) Rockaway Beach (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
2) Teenage Lobotomy (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
3) Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
4) Don't Come Close (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
5) I Don't Care (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
6) She's The One (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
7) Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
8) Cretin Hop (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
9) Listen To My Heart (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
10) I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
11) Pinhead (Live at Musikladen, Bremen, Germany, September 13, 1978)
12) Don't Come Close (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, September 19, 1978)
13) She's The One (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, September 19, 1978)
14) Go Mental (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, September 19, 1978)
15) Don't Come Close (Live at The Top Of The Pops, London, England, September 28, 1978)
16) I'm Against It (Live in Oakland (Jari-Pekka's notice: correct might be Winterland, San Francisco?), CA, USA, December 28, 1978)
17) Needles And Pins (Live in Oakland (Jari-Pekka's notice: correct might be Winterland, San Francisco?), CA, USA, December 28, 1978)
18) I Want You Around (Live at The San Francisco Civic Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 9, 1979)
19) I'm Affected (Live at The San Francisco Civic Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 9, 1979)
20) California Sun (Live at The San Francisco Civic Center, San Francisco, CA, USA, June 9, 1979)
21) Rock'N'Roll High School (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, January 15, 1980)
22) Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio? (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, January 15, 1980)
23) Baby I Love You (Live at The Top Of The Pops, England, January 31, 1980)
24) Rock'N'Roll High School (Live at The Sha Na Na Show, Los Angeles, CA, USA, May 19, 1980)
25) We Want The Airwaves (Live at Mandagsborgsen, Stockholm, Sweden, October 26, 1981)
26) This Business Is Killing Me (Live at TV Musical Express, Madrid, Spain, November 17, 1981)
27) All's Quiet On The Eastern Front (Live at TVE Musical Express, Madrid, Spain, November 17, 1981)
28) Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio? (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
29) Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
30) Rock'N'Roll High School (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
31) I Wanna Be Sedated (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
32) Beat On The Brat (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
33) The KKK Took My Baby Away (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
34) Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
35) Chinese Rocks (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
36) Teenage Lobotomy (Live at The US Festival, San Bernardino, CA, USA, September 3, 1982)
37) Wart Hog (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, February 26, 1985)
38) Chasing The Night (Live at The Old Grey Whistle Test, London, England, February 26, 1985)
39) Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
40) Freak Of Nature (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
41) Crummy Stuff (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
42) Love Kills (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
43) I Don't Care (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
44) Too Tough To Die (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
45) Mama's Boy (Live at Obras Sanitarias, Buenos Aires, Argentina, February 3, 1987)
46) I Don't Want You (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
47) Weasel Face (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
48) Garden Of Serenity (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
49) I Just Want To Have Something To Do (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, 1988)
50) Surfin' Bird (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
51) Cretin Hop (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
52) Somebody Put Something In My Drink (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
53) We're A Happy Family (Live at Provinssirock Festival, Seinajoki, Finland, June 4, 1988)
54) Do You Remember Rock'N'Roll Radio? (Live at The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA, October 8, 1988)
55) Wart Hog (Live at The Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY, USA, October 8, 1988)
56) Psycho Therapy (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
57) I Believe In Miracles (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
58) I Wanna Live (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
59) My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes To Bitburg) (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
60) Pet Sematary (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
61) Animal Boy (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
62) Pinhead (Live at the Rolling Stone Club, Milan, Italy, March 16, 1992)
63) I Don't Wanna Grow Up (Live at The Top Of The Pops, London, England, June 29, 1995)
64) I Wanna Be Sedated (Live at River Plate Stadium Estadio Antonio V. Liverti, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 16, 1996)
65) R.A.M.O.N.E.S. (Live at River Plate Stadium Estadio Antonio V. Liverti, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 16, 1996)
66) Blitzkrieg Bop (Live at River Plate Stadium Estadio Antonio V. Liverti, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 16, 1996)

I was one of those die-hards who bought "It's Alive" as a double lp import, and remember having the Deadheads in my college dorm constantly complaining that I should turn it down. Over 20 years later, I am proud to still love this one LOUD. If you're looking for a clue as to why The Ramones led a revolution, this is the live album to start with.

This is, by far, the best of The Ramones' several live albums. It catches them in London 1977, between the brilliant "Rocket To Russia" and "Road To Ruin" records and launching a sea of imitators in their wake. It also sees them still loud fast and rough, barely pausing for breath between the end of each song and the ONE! TWO! THREE! FOUR! rapid-fire count of the next. It's twenty-eight songs in barely an hour, and you still wish there were more. How many records can you say that about?

The band was still inexperienced enough to be ragged but right, and it shows if you do a couple comparisons between this and other Ramones' live discs. Compare the supersonic version of "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" here to the one on "Loco Live" and you'll realize that there was still a little time left before their early vitality would be sapped by too many years of middling success, grinding tours and rock life excesses. That's not to say that The Ramones were ever less than killers live; they were probably rock's best night out for the entire duration of their career.

If you're only going to buy one live Ramones album this year, this is the one. Experience da bruddas Ramone in all their glory, warts and all, while at the peak of their powers, when Johnny still had the fastest right hand in rock and Joey still had enough wind to sing all of the words. I remember seeing them at The Second Chance in Ann Arbor, MI at about this time and when Johnny struck the first chords in "Blitzkrieg Bop," we all realized that we really had no clue as to how loud it was going to be. It was like being caught in the middle of an energy sandwich, with the beautiful noise coming from on stage pushing us one way and the sway of the crowd pushing us the other. A real Hallmark moment for the socially retarded in all of us.

Just broke the seal on this baby and I can confirm its the real deal. After years of BS home movies and other poor documentation of this ground breaking group we finally have a definitive video collection. Sure some of the footage from some of the gigs is rough..but so were The Ramones and there is plenty of first rate footage like the show from The Rainbow. If you are a fan this is really an incredible deal (Best Buy at $11.99!)...so do not worry about rip offs...this is worthy!

Oh...and there are BONUS features...interviews..videos etc..
truly a first rate package.

if you're a ramones fan don't even wait to read this review, order immediately. this dvd set is that good. it's 4 hours (on 2 dvds) of live ramones mainly from their prime, 1976-81. the sound and video quality ranges from excellent to lousy but don't worry. the whole 4 hours are a raucous, noisy JOY. just as i remember them. take it from someone who was there, THIS IS THE REAL DEAL! tommy (erdelyi) ramone was the musical director on this project and obviously a lot of work went into it. if your ANY kind of rock&roll fan this set is a must. i'll bet if any of my old friends who told me THE RAMONES suck or THE RAMONES should be shot check this out now they'll have to admit that THE RAMONES were pretty damn good. us fans know they were WAY better than that, they were bleepin' GREAT! 10 stars.

This was the Ramones first live album. It was recorded on New Year's Eve 1977 with the group's original lineup. The band tears through 28 songs, from their first three albums. That's two thirds of the songs they had recorded at that point. While the songs aren't as polished as the studio versions, they are played with a lot of heart and energy before an enthusiastic audience. I wish I could have seen the Ramones back then, but I was only ten years old at the time. I did get to see them later, but that wasn't the original quartet. Anyway, this is the Ramones definitive live album and I recommend it to all their fans.

Bottom line---a scorching live set from one of the most influential guitar bands of all time. And one of the best live albums ever. More ripping than the 1st three studio Lps (though once yr hooked you should buy them too). No flaccid wanking solos nor drawn-out audience-suck-ups---just three-chord shred heaven. If you wondered whatever happened to great pop music, this is the document. No sappy hormone poster-kid drivel written by scrim-shadowed middle-aged A&R fat boys, no borrowed mom's Noxema to take Polaroids in the cemetary gothic stuff,no faux-angst rage against the biscuit noise, just real raw music. Simple, yes. I once went to a flea market where there were some admittedly amatureish pottery things offered for sale. There was a sign above them that said, "Yes you could, but did you?" That's The Ramones. I interviewed Joey Ramone in 1985 when they played at my school. I have heard every (to my knowledge) legimate release. I am not a blind-flag-waver. The latter live albums available (licensed and otherwise) are a burnt-out version of the band & are for fans only. If you buy ONE Ramones albums to represent them in your collection, this should be it. You will not be disappointed.