CJ RAMONE'S ALBUM LAST CHANCE TO DANCE (2014)
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Copyright: Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone, CJ Ramone, Jiro Okabe and John
Evicci.
THIS SITE INCLUDE:
1) Background details of Last Chance To Dance album. Click here.
2) Tracklisting and details of musicians and producers. Click here.
3) Producers + small interview with executive producer Jiro Okabe.
Click here.
4) Details of Understand Me? 7' single + small interview with John
Evicci. Click here.
1) CJ RAMONE'S ALBUM LAST CHANCE TO DANCE
(2014)
Ramones' bassist (1989-1996) CJ Ramone got finished with working new
album and in mid-August, 2014. And we got great news, famous and
much-respected Fat Wreck Chords signed CJ Ramone.
Last Dance To Dance
album is follower to Reconquista
album (2012/2013).
Release dates of Last Chance To Dance album.
- USA: November 24, 2014.
- Europe: December 8, 2014.
Buy Last
Chance To Dance from Amazon.com or from
Amazon.co.uk
CJ Ramone told me (Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone) he was 15 days in a studio
in March, 2014. CJ said in October, 2013, how he is hoping to go to
studio with Ed Stasium who produced some Ramones records and also worked
with Joey Ramone's 2nd posthumous solo album ...Ya
Know?.
But that didn't happen. Executive producer of Last Chance To Dance is
Jiro
Okabe and other producers are Jim Monroe, Steve Soto and CJ Ramone.
CJ wrote to me in March 13, 2014, how he hope to release new album in
June or July, 2014. But as you read before, album got published by
famous Fat Wreck Chords in November-December, 2014. Single Understand
Me? got released in September 30, 2014. Read more of single here.
Here are some information what Fat Wreck Records Chords sent when
deal
was
confirmed and before single was out:
"The rumors are true. CJ Ramone is joining the Fat fold and we are
thrilled! September, 2014, marks the 25th anniversary of CJ Ramone's
initiation into punk rock's royal "family," and to celebrate, on
September 30th, we'll release the single Understand Me?, a head-bopping
melodic garage-punk screed addressed to an unnamed listener who really
doesn't seem to understand him."
2) TRACKLISTING OF LAST CHANCE TO
DANCE
1) Understand Me? (written by CJ Ramone)
2) Won't Stop Swinging (CJ Ramone/ Steve Soto)
3) One More Chance (CJ Ramone)
4) Carry Me Away (CJ Ramone
5) 'Til The End (CJ Ramone)
6) Long Way To Go (Michael Bruce)
7) Mr. Kalashnikov (CJ Ramone)
8) Pit Stop (CJ Ramone)
9) Grunt (CJ Ramone)
10) You Own Me (CJ Ramone)
11) Last Chance To Dance (CJ Ramone)
12) Clusterfuck (CJ Ramone/ Dan Root)
THE BAND:
- CJ Ramone: Singer-bassist.
- Steve Soto (The Adolescents, Agent Orange, 22 Jacks etc.): Guitar and
back vocals.
- Dan Root (The Adolescents): Guitar and back vocals.
- David Hidalgo Jr. (Social Distortion): Drums.
- Tony Cadena (The Adolescents, White Flag etc.): vocals on Long Way To
Go.
Pete Sosa (Street Dogs) does play some percussion and Martin Beal does
play baritone guitar on Won't Stop Swinging.
Video of Won't Stop Swinging got published on November 14, 2014. See video
here. Video is composed by Johnny Tomasello of HiFiDeSigN. Line-up on live parts
on video is: CJ Ramone (singer-bassist), Steve Soto (guitar and back
vocals), Dan Root (guitar and back vocals) and Michael Wildwood
(drums).
3) PRODUCERS + SMALL INTERVIEW WITH EXECUTIVE
PRODUCER JIRO OKABE:
PRODUCERS:
- Executive producer: Jiro Okabe.
- Producer: Jim Monroe, Steve Soto and CJ Ramone.
I wanted to ask few questions of this album Last Chance To Dance and its
background from executive producer Jiro Okabe. He was executive producer
also on CJ's Reconquista
album (2012/2013).
Jiro is also working for Mosrite Guitars and he published solo album
Return Of The Kamikazi in July, 2014, and CJ Ramone, Clem Burke etc.
plays on it.
1) Jari-Pekka: What were main lines when you
discussed with CJ of viewpoints of new album?
Jiro Okabe: We didn't discuss much other than
when CJ
contacted that he would like to record a new album. He came to Los
Angeles to put his guitar and back-up vocals down on my solo album,
Return
Of The Kamikazi, in January 2014. This is when he had presented me
his demo for his new album.
Before I had listened to his demo, CJ had stated that all the
Ramones fans would love this one. Once I had heard it, I smiled and
looked over to see CJ smiling right back at me. There were no words
needed. We both know this album will be great!!!
2) Can you tell some opinions of CJ as a strong
songwriter?
Jiro Okabe: CJ is absolutely a great songwriter
that
has his own style with great lyrics and a very catchy melody that
everybody cannot resist to sing along to. My favorite song on the new
album is Carry Me Away.
I'm proud to be the executive producer for 2 of CJ's albums
(Reconquista and Last Chance To Dance) and to be a part of it. I would
also like to thank all the Ramones fans from all over the world for
their support for CJ Ramone. Special thanks to
Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone, Yuki Kuroyanagi and Gaston
Sanchez.
4) 7' SINGLE RELEASE: UNDERSTAND ME? + SMALL
INTERVIEW WITH JOHN EVICCI:
Understand Me? was published as a single from CJ Ramone's
Last
Chance to Dance.
A-side: Understand Me?
B-side: Rise Above
Release date of Understand Me? was September 30, 2014. Here are some
information what Fat Wreck Chords sent when deal was
confirmed and before
single was out:
"The rumors are true. CJ Ramone is joining the Fat fold and we are
thrilled! September, 2014, marks the 25th anniversary of CJ Ramone's
initiation into punk rock's royal "family," and to celebrate, on
September 30th, we'll release the single Understand Me?, a head-bopping
melodic garage-punk screed addressed to an unnamed listener who really
doesn't seem to understand him."
Backing CJ on the single's A-side and full-length (Last
Chance To Dance) are: Dan Root and Steve Soto from The Adolescents and
David Hidalgo Jr. of Social Distortion.
The single's non-album b-side is a cover of Black Flag's Rise
Above, featuring guitar and back vocals by Dez Cadena of Black
Flag and the Misfits. Drummer in Rise Above is John Evicci, whom you can
remember from Bad Chopper etc. and as a Acme Records owner. Acme
Records has published for example debut album of Bad Chopper (2007) and
7' single of Warm Jets (more details here).
First
pressing of CJ Ramone: Understand Me? single was 415 copies on dark
green color vinyl. Catalog
number is FAT285.
1) Jari-Pekka: What was the session You and CJ
recorded Rise Above featuring Dez Cadena?
John Evicci: CJ contacted me about playing drums
on what was supposed to be his first
solo album in late 2010. Naturally, I was very happy to do so and boned
up on the demo recordings he sent me. In January 2011 we convened at
Daniel Rey's recording studio in New Jersey and layed down the 12 original
tracks in fairly short order, including three songs that didn't end up getting
re-recorded for the actual album (Reconquista).
Jari-Pekka: So CJ recorded
Reconquista
album twice with his friends. These songs were not re-recorded: title song
(Reconquista), Shoot 'Em Up
and The Walking Dead.
2) Jari-Pekka: I would love to hear how you got
Dez Cadena to play with you?
John Evicci:
I don't remember when or how the idea to do a version of Rise
Above with Dez
Cadena came about, but I just remember CJ Ramone learning to play it the
night before off of my MP3 player. Therefore, I'm inclined to think it
was some kind of spontaneous, last-minute idea/ arrangement. I know at
least I hadn't been given much advance notice.
Dez (along with his wife Perla (RIP)) came down literally just as we
were doing the last couple takes of the last of the originals (songs to
original version of Reconquista album).
Dez
plugged in where Daniel was and we played like a quick verse/chorus of
the song just to feel out the settings, then did a take of the full
song. Fucking NAILED IT on the very first run through! Absolutely
perfect from start to finish. It was unreal. We were all taken aback! We
did a second take just for the hell of it, but it wasn't quite as good
as the first so we didn't use it.
3) Jari-Pekka: I know you are huge fan of the Black
Flag and respect Dez
Cadena a lot.
John Evicci: I hung out in the room with Dez
while he
was doing his
overdubs and vocals and I must say it was one of the greatest moments in
my life. He laid down an entire vocal track even though only the
choruses were used in the final mix. It was fucking amazing to hear him
singing that song right in front of me like that. The unmistakable Dez
singing one of my favorite songs that I grew up listening to, combined
with the fact that it was a song that I knew he was instrumental in
creating back then, but which I never heard his treatment of.
I can't
really describe the magnitude of the moment. Again, one of the greatest
moments of my life.
The fact that it all fell into place so effortlessly just made it all
the more sweet. No struggling to get the right tempo or fills or
arrangements or anything like that. Just bam, right off the bat perfect.
Unbelievable.
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