Maps of Music

Too Tough to Die (1984)

Where the lyrics of Too Tough to Die take you, and where it was really made.

The cover silhouette was an accident: the photographer's flashes failed to fire, and the band was shot in shadow by chance.

Key places

Recording at Mediasound Studios (1984)

Recording site Mediasound Studios — The album recording began in summer 1984 at Mediasound Studios in New York City, using methods similar to the 1976 debut. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Cover photo in a Central Park tunnel (1984)

Album cover Central Park — The cover photo was taken by George DuBose in a tunnel in Central Park, New York City, near the Central Park Zoo. The location is given at city-park level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Too Tough to Die: eighth studio album by the American punk rock band Ramones
• Released October 1, 1984
• First Ramones record with drummer Richie Ramone
• Ex-member Tommy Ramone produced, credited as T. Erdelyi
• Recording process similar to the band's 1976 self-titled debut album
• Band returned to their roots in both lyrics and composition
• Cover photo shows the band members as silhouettes, a 'lucky accident'

Background

• Richie Ramone replaced Marky Ramone, who was fired for excessive drinking
• Earlier albums had used celebrity producers, which did not yield the expected results
• Sire Records then contacted Ed Stasium and ex-member Tommy Ramone, producers of 1978's Road to Ruin
• Style leaned toward punk rock and heavy metal rather than the pop of several previous albums
• Dee Dee Ramone wrote or co-wrote nine of the thirteen songs

Recording

• Recording began in summer 1984 at Mediasound Studios in New York City
• Joey Ramone took less part in writing than usual because he was unwell before recording
• Joey wrote 'No Go' and 'Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love)'
• Mixed at Sigma Sound Studios, New York

Cover

• Photo taken by George DuBose in a tunnel in Central Park, near the Central Park Zoo
• Johnny Ramone wanted the artwork to refer to A Clockwork Orange (1971)
• DuBose's flashes failed to fire, and he unintentionally shot the band in silhouette

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• An American punk rock band formed in Forest Hills, Queens, New York City, in 1974.
• Founding members Jeff Hyman, John Cummings, Douglas Colvin and Thomas Erdelyi took the stage names Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy Ramone.
• The name was inspired by Paul McCartney's pseudonym Paul Ramon from his Silver Beetles days.
• The band made its CBGB debut on August 16, 1974, and became regulars at the club.
• Sire Records signed them in late 1975.

Members

• Joey Ramone (lead vocals, 1974–1996; died 2001).
• Johnny Ramone (guitar, 1974–1996; died 2004).
• Dee Dee Ramone (bass, 1974–1989; died 2002).
• Tommy Ramone (drums, 1974–1978; died 2014).
• Marky Ramone, Richie Ramone, Elvis Ramone and C. J. Ramone joined as later drummers and bassists.

Career

• The debut album Ramones was released in April 1976 and helped spearhead punk; its influence on British and American punk is widely cited.
• The band performed 2,263 concerts and released fourteen studio albums.
• Rocket to Russia (1977) was its highest-charting album, reaching number 49 on the Billboard 200.
• The band broke up after a farewell show at the Palace in Hollywood on August 6, 1996, following the Lollapalooza tour.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002 and given a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.

Reception

At release

• Rolling Stone's Kurt Loder concluded that the album is a return to fighting trim by the kings of stripped-down rock and roll
• Critics appreciated the band's return to earlier methods of writing, recording, and production
• Music critic Robert Christgau suggested the sound was a retreat to earlier styles, with the initial sound 'augmented rather than recycled'
• Overall the album was generally well received by critics
• Despite the critical praise, album sales were poor

Reappraisal

• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, in a retrospective review, called it 'the last great record' the Ramones would ever make
• The same review said the album reads like a reaction to hardcore punk while keeping the band's more melodic style
• The review said the use of Tommy Ramone as producer helped the group return to simple, scathing punk rock

Records

• US Billboard 200 debut at number 171, the band's lowest peak at that point in their career
• Sweden (Sverigetopplistan): peak at number 49
• UK Albums Chart: three weeks, peak at number 63
• Only single 'Howling at the Moon (Sha-La-La)' peaked at number 85 on the UK Singles Chart, spending two weeks there
• Guitar World placed the album on its list of 50 iconic albums that defined 1984

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The Wart Hog lyrics were not printed on the first pressing, because the label judged them too offensive for fans.
• 'Durango 95' is the band's only instrumental and runs under a minute; its title refers to a car driven in A Clockwork Orange.
• The French article notes that the album cover refers to the film Clockwork Orange.
• Bassist Dee Dee Ramone sings lead on two tracks, a second album where Joey Ramone did not take lead on every track.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

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