A new Joey Ramone album will be released, and you will probably want to hear it

From Punk Magazine 1978 (via Eat Tarantula)

It's no secret that I'm a massive fan of all things Ramones. Regardless of the amount of material I already own of the group, I'm always game to hear previously unreleased material from the quintessential punk band from Forest Hills, Queens. That's why news that a recently unearthed album's worth of demos recorded by Joey Ramone is pretty exciting. Rolling Stone reports that Joey's posthumous follow up to 2002's Don't Worry About Me, entitled Ya Know? (a reference to how Joey ended practically every sentence with those words) will include 17 songs recorded by the iconic frontman as demos for and after the Ramones, including tracks "Rock & Roll Is The Answer," "New York City," and "Waiting For The Railroad."

Many of these songs were unfinished works that have been in limbo for the past decade following Joey's death in 2001, so long-time Ramones producers Ed Stasium and Jean Beauvoir recruited musicians such as Joan Jett, Steven Van Zandt, Richie Ramone and members of Cheap Trick and The Dictators to complete them. Ya Know? will be released on May 15, preceded by a Record Store Day 7" release of one of the album's singles.

Below, check out performances of "Rock & Roll Is The Answer" and "New York City" from the most recent annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, as well as a live acoustic version of "Waiting For That Railroad" performed by Joey in 1987 at West Bank Cafe...

Photos/Review: Shonen Knife @ The Bell House, 11/18/2011

Shonen Knife sharing a group hug with C.J. Ramone. More on how THAT happened below.

"Awwwwwww!"

That's  a relatively accurate and encompassing reaction to a Shonen Knife show. Having interviewed frontwoman Naoko Yamano earlier this year and (unfortunately) missing their CMJ performance last month, I was itching to finally see the legendary female pop punk act in person. This was guaranteed to be an especially rad performance, as it was the band's last scheduled appearance in NYC as part of their yearlong 30th anniversary celebration. 

And rad it was. We missed Heavy Cream in favor of Peruvian food but arrived just in time to catch Hard Nips, the Brooklyn-via-Japan all-female punk quartet (except with a dude on the drums subbing in for Emi). Having earned a "Band To Watch" distinction by the NY Post earlier this year, they rocked through tracks off of their 8-song EP "I Shit You Not" (hear three tracks from that over here). Having not been acquainted with the band prior, I honestly had a bit of trouble making out the lyrics to most of their songs, Hard Nips rolled through some solid punk and had a great stage presence - especially The Gooch (yup), who furiously but happily stuffed our ears with her thick bass steaks. (If you got that reference without clicking this link, then I owe you a jumping high-five.) But yeah, apparently they were singing about Satan.

They also threw chocolate Nips candy into the crowd and I was literally a finger-length away from grabbing some. I enjoy stage candy.

Watch The Trailer For 1991: The Year Punk Broke

Whoa, posting something that's not a music video (technically)! Way way back, we mentioned that the seminal rock documentary, 1991: The Year Punk Broke, would finally see a DVD release in honor of its 20th anniversary. Now its stars, Sonic Youth, have put out a trailer less than a week in advance of the release on September 13th. Soak up the amazing performances and associated goofiness below, and preorder it over at Sonic Youth's store.

Interview: Naoko Yamano (Shonen Knife, Osaka Ramones)

by Damien

It's been 30 years since Naoko Yamano formed Shonen Knife in Osaka, Japan with her sister Atsuko and friend Michie Nakatani, and in that time the band has left an indelible impression on the world of indie rock with their blend of punk riffs and happy, pop-leaning, and often pastry-focused lyrics. Within ten years of their first gig in their hometown venue Studio One in front of 36 people, their catchy and unique songs had gained Shonen Knife a loyal following worldwide. Some of their most diehard supporters included bands like Sonic Youth, Redd Kross, and Nirvana, whose frontman Kurt Cobain became famously smitten with the band after seeing them in LA in 1991 and invited them on the UK tour in support of the now-classic album Nevermind.   

With these achievements and many more under their belts, Shonen Knife (with its current lineup of Naoko Yamano on guitar / lead vocals,  Ritsuko Taneda on bass / vocals, and Emi Morimoto on drums / vocals) will be celebrating this momentous anniversary by returning to their roots and releasing Osaka Ramones, a 13-track LP consisting entirely of covers of songs originally created by their "all-time idols" The Ramones. The legendary NYC punk band was instrumental in the evolution of Shonen Knife, who have often covered Ramones tracks under the Osaka Ramones moniker throughout their career. Osaka Ramones will come out tomorrow (7/19) here in the States, and the band will be touring North America this fall starting at Toronto's Horseshoe Tavern on October 20. 

In advance of the release of the album, I spoke with Yamano-san via email about her love of both the The Ramones and sweets, Shonen Knife's cult following among audiences and the indie rock community half a world away, and the band's future beyond its 30th anniversary. 

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First of all, congratulations on your 30th anniversary! Our readers are big fans of yours, and we're looking forward to hearing Osaka Ramones and seeing you here in NYC in the fall. How do you feel the worlds of both pop and punk music have changed since you first started out?

Naoko Yamano: Thank you very much!  Pop and punk music haven’t changed.  It always fun.

You mentioned that you wanted to record an album under your Osaka Ramones namesake for this anniversary in honor of The Ramones. What were your first memorable experiences listening to The Ramones and other punk bands like Buzzcocks, and what drew you to them over the more localized J-Pop movement of the time?

NY: American and British rock were popular in Japan in 1970’s 80’s and ’90.  I naturally became to listen to rock music when I was a teenager.  I became a fan of The Beatles first.  At that time, of course the Beatles were broken up, though.  Then I started to read music magazines and listen to radio to get information about rock bands.  I liked KISS, Aerosmith, Queen and Cheap Trick. One day I heard Ramones songs from radio and I rushed to the record shop.  For Buzzcocks, I read a review of their album Love Bites in a magazine and I thought it looked interesting. Then I went to buy their records.  I don’t know why I don’t listen to Japanese bands but my basic is the Beatles and English lyrics was attractive for me.

From "I Wanna Eat Chocobars" on Pretty Little Baka Guy to "Rock 'N Roll Cake" on Free Time, food has clearly been an integral part of your songs. There seems to be a growing, or at least more visible, connection between food and music nowadays, with many famous rockers now sharing recipes or favorite restaurants or even entered the restaurant business  themselves. Have you dabbled in making the kinds of pastries and sweets that are present in your songs, and do you have any favorite pastry shops you've been to in your travels?

NY: I always like sweets.  Japanese pastries shops are great.  You can find many sweets shops at the basement of department stores in Japan.  Every sweet is so delicious.  I like cakes very much.  In U.S., I sometimes buy See’s candies’ Tofee-ettes at the airport in California. I like nuts and chocolate.

As you're about to release Osaka Ramones as a tribute album to The Ramones, you yourselves have been the subject of a tribute album - 1989's Everybody Has A Shonen Knife Who Loves Them. That's an incredible accomplishment considering Shonen Knife had only existed for eight years at the time. How did that album come about, and how did you feel about your reception by the international underground music community at the time?

NY: In 1989, I didn’t know even the word ‘tribute album’.  In 1985, we first released our cassette album from K Records in Olympia, Washington.  And we released some albums in U.S.  Then a man who owns a record label called Gasatanka Records made that project.  I was very honored about it.  Every band plays Shonen Knife songs very well.

Shannon and the Clams are slated to join you for your fall tour around North America - what contemporary / new bands are you fond of, and what have been your favorite shows to attend recently?

NY: I went to see High on Fire and Melvins show.  They are great. I saw Ozzy Osbourne, Motor Head last fall.  They are not new bands but I like hard rock bands.  Since the big earthquake in this March, many shows were cancelled and I didn’t have many chance to see foreign bands show.

With your 2010 album Free Time being released in Europe this week, do you have any other new songs in the works at the moment? What are your plans following the fall tour in support of Osaka Ramones?

NY: I have just a few new songs.  I have to write more songs.  We might play Ramones cover songs and our original songs for the fall tour.  I’d like to make a set list under our fan’s requests.

Thanks again for the opportunity and your time!!   

NY: Arigato!  Thank you.

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Osaka Ramones is out tomorrow (7/19) on Good Charamel Records. Check out the latest fall tour dates after the jump, including a stop at Brooklyn's Public Assembly as part of the 2011 CMJ Showcase, and a video of Shonen Knife rocking through "Ramones Forever" and "I Wanna Be Sedated."

Shonen Knife Celebrating Their 30th Anniversary By Touring North America, Covering The Ramones

Wow, what a great day to be Fucking Nostalgic! Thanks to an email from their publicity team (we don't poke fun at all of them, we swear), we're happy to report that Japanese pop-punk pioneers Shonen Knife will be returning to the States this fall in a very big way. Per said email:

"2011 marks thirty years since Naoko [Yamano] and the band began releasing albums featuring their joyous mixture of pop, punk, food and fantasy for the world to enjoy, and to commemorate this major milestone, the ladies will be launching a fall tour in support of their latest release, Osaka Ramones, a 13-track tribute to NYC’s legendary punk band, The Ramones. Offering support on the trek will be Oakland, CA garage rockers, Shannon and the Clams."

As they were to many, The Ramones were Naoko's "all-time idols," and she is "very happy to release an Osaka Ramones project and to recognize their contribution to the evolution of Shonen Knife." Osaka Ramones is both the name of the upcoming tribute album and of the side project that has worked its way into Shonen Knife's performances throughout their history.

Osaka Ramones will be available on July 19th, and you can check out snippets from the album over here. You can see them rock these songs live when they stop by Brooklyn's Public Assembly as part of NYC's 2011 CMJ Music Marathon on 10/22, and later on 11/18 at the Bell House. In meantime check out their cover of  "I Wanna Be Sedated" as a bonus track from 1983's Burning Farm below.

1991: The Year Punk Broke finally getting DVD release

According to Slicing Up Eyeballs, the incendiary documentary of Sonic Youth's 1991 European tour will finally be getting a DVD release in honor of its 20th anniversary. The film, which also features performances by Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr., the Ramones and Babes in Toyland, will contain commentary by Sonic Youth's own Thurston Moore and director David Markey.

The most intriguing feature of the 20th anniversary release however is the addition of 42 minute bonus film, (The Is Known As) The Blues Scale, which will showcase loads of performances by both Sonic Youth and Nirvana. 1991: The Year Punk Broke will be released on DVD this fall. Check out some videos from the film below.

Joey Ramone, gone 10 years today

The iconic frontman of the Ramones passed away 10 years ago today. When I heard the news, I was a senior in high school, and a somewhat obsessive fan of what I still consider to be one of the greatest bands of all time. A teacher's aid at my school would always talk to me and my friends about music during lunch (we were the weirdo punk kids in the cafeteria), and she also happened to be a close friend of Joey. She informed us months before his passing that he was in the hospital and things were looking grim. I remember telling her to tell Joey we were thinking of him (I don't know if she ever actually did).

When I found out, it also happened to be my birthday, and it was pretty upsetting. It happened on a Sunday, and the following Monday, it was pretty much all we talked about. Of course by that point it wasn't exactly shocking, but it was still the first death of a celebrity I can think of that actually had an effect on me (I was a little too young to have been profoundly moved by Kurt Cobain's passing). Not that I could really listen to the Ramones any more than I already did, but I remember listening to them pretty much non-stop for a few weeks after that.

Here are some of my favorite Joey Ramone songs and moments.