CJ is a Punk Rocker: An interview with CJ Ramone
CJ Ramone has just released his fourth studio album The Holy Spell on Fat Wreck Chords, an album we called “one of the best punk rock records of the year”. We have a chat.
It is hard to find a music group as synonymous and as important to their genre than the Ramones were to punk rock. The legacy of the name 'Ramone' is one that continues vibrantly today in music and in culture. Having joined the Ramones in 1989, CJ Ramone was a vital part of the band’s revitalization through the 1990s, re-energizing the band up until its final run. His post-Ramones career has seen work in bands Los Gusanos, Bad Chopper, and as a solo artist. CJ Ramone however, has been more than just continuing a sound made famous all those years ago. He has created a legacy of his own; creating music that connects to new generations of punk rockers who have found his music as life-affecting as the Ramones music was to him.
CJ Ramone has just released his fourth studio album The Holy Spell on Fat Wreck Chords, an album we called “one of the best punk rock records of the year”. He took some time out to chat to us about the new record, his friend Steve Soto, his love for touring, and perhaps, a surprising music history for someone synonymous with punk rock. But most importantly, we learned that above all else, CJ Ramone still loves this music thing he does.
Congrats on the release of The Holy Spell. How are you feeling with the record now out?
Proud as heck! Definitely my most mature record, but as fun and positive as I hoped it would be.
It’s a great record- and the reception has been really positive. After all these years, how do you respond to people saying positive things about your music?
With most sincere thanks! I’ve got some great DMs from people telling me why certain songs really affected them. For me, that’s the highest of praise I can get.
How was the writing and recording for The Holy Spell- did you write most of the songs solo or were Dan (Root), Nate (Sander), and Pete (Sosa) involved from the get-go?
I write the songs, but Dan, Pete, and Nate write their own parts. I wrote several of the songs in the studio so we ended up with 20 all told.
Working with producer Paul Miner once again, what are some of the things he brings to the sessions that help create the sound you’re after?
Paul does everything you hope a producer will do for you. Arrangements, riffs, sounds, and an unfailing ability to write and sing harmonies. But the thing that makes working with Paul unmatched for me is the speed at which he makes it all happen. The creative flow never gets broken. We spent 21 days locked down with only two days off. I slept in the control room and we worked from 10am to 10pm almost every day. That is how much we enjoyed doing it. We knew we were making something special.
You’ve stated that The Holy Spell is about your undiminished love of music. And that the two songs you cover on the record (“Crawling from the Wreckage” and “There Stands the Glass”) are songs from your childhood. Were your parents musical- did they get you involved with music at a young age?
My Dad and Mom were both music lovers of all styles but did not play. They encouraged me to sing as a kid, so I sang in the school choir. I was small and sang soprano. The highlight of which was singing Elton John’s “Philadelphia Freedom” at my school's concert. I also played soccer, but an unusually large growth spurt between 8th and 9th grade left me wearing knee braces for 2 years. That’s when I picked up the bass.
What are some of the records that you hold close, as those that help keep your love for music strong?
Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line, Hank Williams Sings, The Everly Brothers’ Best, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Willy and the Poor Boys, Black Sabbath - Paranoid, Leave Home, and Iron Maiden’s Killers.
I hope you don’t mind me asking, but for a lot of us who didn’t know Steve (Soto) as well as you did- what was he like as a fellow musician, songwriter, and friend?
I owe Steve a lot. He believed in me and gave me confidence in my songwriting. He was the most giving person I ever met in a business full of takers. He did a lot for a lot of people and his contribution to the music scene is immeasurable. He was a solid bass and guitar player who sang with more feeling and soul than most of us could hope to muster. Get his solo record Songs About Earthquakes and Girls. One in million kind of friend.
The song “Rock On” is a terrific song. Its a wonderful tribute but also (from a listener’s perspective) being as uplifting as possible instead of being incredibly sad. Is that something Steve would have wanted- for all of us to rock on in life?
Absolutely.
You’ve been releasing music with Fat since your 2014 release last chance to dance- what are some of the things you like about working with Mike and the team at Fat?
They care about the scene. They care about their bands. Can’t ask for more from a label.
The road beckons again soon for a tour of the record. From your time with the Ramones, Los Gusanos, Bad Chopper, and now as a solo artist, are their places you just love going back to both as a musician and a visitor?
I love the road. In general. I’m out for the better part of 30 years now and I still look forward to it. Giving people an hour or so to let go of the everyday grind, dance, smile, and have fun, is something I relish. The connection you make with a crowd when you’re on stage brings a kind of happiness you don’t get from anything else. It is the one thing in my life that’s never lost its magic.
CJ Ramone's new album The Holy Spell is available now via Fat Wreck. Photo by Joel Ricard / Radio Metal.