But we tried to get some thoughts from him anyway about the days and nights of Too Tough to Die.
Over the summer, Melnick released an expanded “Bonus Edition.” As fun and informative a read as his book is – and considering he was in the middle of the Ramones storm for 22 years – in person, Melnick remains an instantly likeable, soft-spoken guy. As the band’s tour manager and homeboy confidant, Melnick was there for nearly every day of the Ramones existence, and detailed loads of it in his essential 2007 book, On the Road with the Ramones. Monte Melnick was there from day one, too. Though the album’s title winked at a recognized forefather status, on Too Tough to Die – arguably the last great Ramones album – the band simultaneously updated to the times and a gave reminder of what beefy hooks they cooked from day one. In addition to the we-still-got-it songs, the band solidified their effortless ability at catchy power pop (the soaring “Daytime Dilemma,” and the amazing, Dave Stewart-produced “Howling at the Moon”).
Flower not being the right word I suppose, as the ‘60s covers were out, and some fast-ass blasts were in (“Warthog” “Danger Zone,” and the opening statement, “Mama’s Boy”) as were solid harbingers of otherwise unwise later attempts to stalk ‘80s pop metal terrain (“I’m Not Afraid of Life,” “Planet Earth 1988”). Nonetheless, Subterranean Jungle announced a last blast of songwriting prowess that would fully flower on Too Tough to Die. Predominantly teenage-led hardcore punk was taking the Ramones roots and pulling them into a much scarier and violent future than the Ramones’ mostly irreverent stance. Then the troubled Phil Spector-produced End of the Century the solid, but kind of career place-holding Pleasant Dreams the somewhat expected insta-cult film fate of Rock ‘N’ Roll High School and 1983’s Subterranean Jungle already positioned as a kind of “comeback,” given the minor hits “Psycho Therapy” and “Time Has Come Today.” Nevertheless, the idea the band would last another decade-plus was not a good bet, even amongst the underground / college radio / late night MTV crowd that still followed the Ramones’ every move.Īnd those moves – iffy baby boomer covers, appearing on the cheeky Sha Na Na show, and the members entering their mid-thirties – was in stark contrast to where their genre was going. The general perception was that they’d done their best stuff, since that astounding first four albums run. Though in 1984, it was easy to claim otherwise. Nine years into their career, and facing their ninth album, Too Tough to Die is where the Ramones had hit a stride.