Last year's deluxe 40th anniversary edition of the self-titled debut album by the Ramones looks to be the first in a series! Rhino Records today announced a rarity packed 3CD/1LP edition of the band's second album, 1977's Leave Home, for release this summer.
Leave Home was a progression for the Forest Hills punk quartet: more diverse songs written independently by the band instead of devised in the studio; a budget nearly doubled from the sessions for Ramones (plus a big shot producer, Tony Bongiovi, assisted by drummer Tommy Ramone); and even the first steps toward a consistent design (with the back cover featuring a take on the United States' Great Seal designed by Arturo Vega, still the go-to logo for the band). Though neither critical nor commercial reception matched its predecessor, the band did score its first minor chart hit with non-LP track "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," later appended to the album after legal issues prevented the use of the track "Carbona Not Glue." ("Sheena" was later re-recorded for the group's third album, Rocket to Russia, in 1978.) The album also featured favorites like "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" and "Pinhead," which featured the infamous nonsense lyric "Gabba gabba hey," a rallying call for fans from that point forward.
With the reissue of Ramones in 2016 featuring a considerable amount of previously released bonus material, including the live performance included on Rhino's expanded edition of Leave Home in 2001, this new box features a wealth of previously unreleased bonus content:
- Leave Home engineer and longtime band collaborator Ed Stasium has newly mixed the album, adding some of the power they felt was missing from the original mix. This mix will sit alongside the original on the box's first disc and will also be pressed on an accompanying LP.
- A dizzying 33-track bonus disc offers a treasure trove of content from the Leave Home sessions, including rough mixes of the entire album from recording location Sundragon Studios, an additional 18 alternate mixes and instrumentals, both sides of the "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" single and the track "Babysitter," which replaced "Carbona Not Glue" on U.K. pressings of Leave Home.
- The set concludes with a previously unreleased set recorded at the legendary CBGB's in April of 1977, three months after the release of Leave Home.
The set, limited to 15,000 copies, will be packed in a 12" x 12" box and feature new liner notes that include commentary from Ed Stasium and band manager Danny Fields (as told to rock writer Michael Azerrad). For those who just want the new remaster, it's also being pressed on a standalone CD. Both packages will be available July 14!
Leave Home: 40th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Sire/Rhino, 2017)
3CD/1LP box set: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K.
1CD remaster: Amazon U.S. / Amazon Canada / Amazon U.K. (TBD)
Disc 1: Original album (1-14, originally released as Sire SA-7528, 1977) and 40th anniversary remix by Ed Stasium (15-28)
- Glad to See You Go
- Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment
- I Remember You
- Oh Oh I Love Her So
- Carbona Not Glue
- Suzy is a Headbanger
- Pinhead
- Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy
- Swallow My Pride
- What's Your Game
- California Sun
- Commando
- You're Gonna Kill That Girl
- You Never Should Have Opened That Door
Disc 2: Bonus Material (previously unreleased except where noted)
- Glad to See You Go (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- I Remember You (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Oh Oh I Love Her So (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Carbona Not Glue (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Suzy is a Headbanger (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Pinhead (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Swallow My Pride (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- What's Your Game (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- California Sun (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Commando (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- You're Gonna Kill That Girl (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- You Never Should Have Opened That Door (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Babysitter (Sundragon Rough Mix)
- Sheena is a Punk Rocker (Single Version) (single A-side - Sire SA 746, 1977. Also from second pressing in place of "Carbona Not Glue" - Sire SR 6031, 1977)
- I Don't Care (single B-side - Sire SA 746, 1977)
- Babysitter (from second U.K. pressing - Sire 9103-254, 1977)
- Glad to See You Go (Bubblegum Mix)
- I Remember You (Instrumental)
- Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (Forest Hills Mix)
- Oh Oh I Love Her So (Soda Machine Mix)
- Carbona Not Glue (Queens Mix)
- Suzy is a Headbanger (Geek Mix)
- Pinhead (Psychedelic Mix)
- Pinhead (Oo-Oo-Gabba-UhUh Mix)
- Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy (Bowery Mix)
- Swallow My Pride (Instrumental)
- What's Your Game (Sane Mix)
- California Sun (Instrumental)
- Commando (TV Track)
- You're Gonna Kill That Girl (Doo Wop Mix)
- You Never Should Have Opened That Door (Mama Mix)
Disc 3: Live at CBGB's, New York City - 4/2/1977 (previously unreleased)
- I Don't Wanna Go Down to the Basement
- Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
- Blitzkrieg Bop
- Swallow My Pride
- Suzy is a Headbanger
- Teenage Lobotomy
- 53rd & 3rd
- Now I Wanna Be a Good Boy
- Sheena is a Punk Rocker
- Let's Dance
- Babysitter
- Havana Affair
- Listen to My Heart
- Oh Oh I Love Her So
- California Sun
- I Don't Wanna Walk Around with You
- Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World
- Judy is a Punk
- Pinhead
LP: 40th anniversary remix by Ed Stasium
Brian Stanley says
If they ever release the live disc separately, the Ramones heirs will get more of my money. But i'll pass on this for the time being.