Jon Cougar Concentration Camp
The Ramones’ Too Tough To Die
Liberation
I applaud this relatively new band with an inspired name for covering a great Ramones album. Just like the Vindictives’ straight cover of the Ramones’ Leave Home, John Cougar Concentration Camp play the entire Too Tough To Die straight, putting zero band “spin” on the songs; just straight-ahead Ramones style punk rock. Songs include “Momma’s Boy,” “Wart Hog,” “Howling at the Moon,” and “I’m Not Afraid of Life.” Teardrops form in my eyes when I think that the Ramones are gone from us, which is why I continue listening to their live albums. See, a Ramones show starts out with a bit from “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” played over the speakers while the band takes the stage, then it’s right into the greatest punk rock instrumental ever recorded, “Durango 95” (which happens to be on Too Tough To Die), and I rush the stage, and fight my way to the front and keep myself there for the duration of the show. Flashback! Here’s a tip of the hat to John Cougar Concentration Camp for this beautiful homage to the history of punk rock. Liberation Records, P.O. Box 17746, Anaheim, CA 92817
