CJ Ramone - Last Chance To Dance (2014) RESTORED

After the Ramones disbanded in 1996, CJ Ramone continued making music, honing his singing and songwriting skills in Los Gusanos and Bad Chopper before releasing "Reconquista" in 2012, his first official album as CJ Ramone. Invigorated by the reception of the album and live shows around the world from the Ramones faithful, CJ is back in 2014 with "Last Chance to Dance", a new album of even stronger material and a stellar backing band of Steve Soto (Adolescents), Dan Root (Adolescents), and David Hidalgo, Jr. (Social Distortion). With a sound and style true to the Ramones, CJ Ramone has again added to the legendary Ramones canon with a positively infectious punk rock record.

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CJ Ramone - Last Chance To Dance (2014) RESTORED

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The sad truth is, not all Ramones are created equal. Everyone loved Joey the sweet, goofy misfit and Dee Dee the endearing screw-up, and they respected Johnny, the taskmaster who kept them in line and made the band into a well-oiled machine. But what about those who served in the later lineups of the band? C.J. Ramone played bass with the Ramones after Dee Dee left in 1989, and was with them until they played their last show in 1996, but even though he did his share to keep the band rolling in their final years, his name doesn't pop up often when folks celebrate the key members of the legendary punk trailblazers. But C.J. Ramone clearly learned a lot in his seven years with the Ramones, and his second solo album, 2014's Last Chance to Dance, demonstrates that he can write and play songs full of the Ramones' trademark virtues – simple but ear-tickling hooks, speedy yet navigable tempos, straightforward storytelling, and a ready supply of energy that gives the songs force as well as a sense of fun. C.J. knows how to put together a Ramones tune, but even though Last Chance to Dance honors the sound and style of his old band, C.J. gives this music a bit of his own personality, and there's a greater pop lilt in numbers like "Understand Me" and the title cut than one might expect, while "Clusterfuck" is a dose of proto-hardcore that's harder and faster than what the Ramones delivered. And while it's true that Dee Dee and Johnny had a fondness for military themes, "Grunt," "Won't Stop Swinging," and "Mr. Kalashnikov" are the work of a guy who actually served in the Marines, and the songs have a personal tone and a dash of dark wit that's effective. And while galloping drums and heavy guitar downstrokes dominate these songs, C.J. is willing to fancy things up a bit with occasional guitar solos and some acoustic guitar overdubs for texture, and his band – with Dan Root and Steve Soto of the Adolescents on guitars and David Hidalgo, Jr. from Social Distortion on drums – is tight, energetic, and unfailingly rocking. Last Chance to Dance is a good, satisfying blast of meaty, straightforward punk rock, and C.J. Ramone does right by his surname on this album. He may not be your favorite Ramone, but he's made a better solo album than most of his former bandmates have delivered.

~ Mark Deming, all media guide

Tracklist:

01. Understand Me?
02. Won't Stop Swinging
03. One More Chance
04. Carry Me Away
05. 'Til The End
06. Long Way To Go
07. Mr. Kalashnikov
08. Pitstop
09. Grunt
10. You Own Me
11. Last Chance To Dance
12. Clusterfuck

all songs written by CJ Ramone except "6" by Michael Bruce


Produced by Jim Monroe, Steve Soto & CJ Ramone
Recorded and Mixed by Jim Monroe at the Racket Room, Santa Ana, CA.
Mastered by Paul Miner.

• CJ Ramone - vocals, bass
• Steve Soto - guitars, vocals
• Dan Root - guitars, vocals
• David Hidalgo Jr. - drums

additional players:
- Tody Cadena - vocals on "Long Way To Go"
- Pete Sosa - percussion
- Martin Beal - baritone guitar on "2"

Release Date: November 25, 2014
Label: Fat Wreck Chords
Catalog No.: FAT 933-2