When Joey Ramone was fighting for his life with Lymphoma, he wrote and recorded the song, “I Get Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up),” about his battle with the disease. Last December, School of Seven Bells member and former Secret Machines member Benjamin Curtis also passed away after battling T-cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma. Bandmate Alejandra Deheza has released their final recording together, a cover of Ramone’s “I Get Knocked Down (But I’ll Get Up).” The song was recorded in its entirety by Curtis while in his hospital bed. Continue reading »
There’s no denying that it can be a nice change to hear some fast-paced classic punk rock brought down to an acoustic murmur – it’s essentially what Green Day did to their entire career with “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life).” That one worked out alright for them though; it’s only played at every graduation from anywhere ever.
UK rockers Sharks have done a stellar job slowing down the Ramones‘ “Life’s a Gas,” in honor of the tenth anniversary of Joey Ramone’s death. While the slowdown doesn’t quite match the optimism of the lyrics, it hits a nice pitch of melancholy in remembrance. The life’s a gas chant at the end sounds like a reassurance that doesn’t fit with the words being said; there’s none of the rollicking Ramones attitude on display here. That being said, it’s a nice cover of a great song; just don’t think about it too much. Continue reading »