RAMONES: INTERVIEW WITH HIRSH GARDNER IN 1999

INTERVIEW WITH HIRSH GARDNER IN 1999 (PRODUCER OF THE RAMAINZ ALBUM LIVE IN N.Y.C)

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Copyright 1999 -> for everything in this page by Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone and Hirsh Gardner

I did an interview with Hirsh Gardner produced Ramainz: Live In N.Y.C album.

Jari-Pekka: 1) How did you started co-operation with Ramainz?
Hirsh Gardner: Gary Borress, CEO of GB Music is very good friends with the guys in the band. I know he hangs out with Johnny a lot in L.A. and has stayed in touch with Marky and Dee Dee in New York. So the idea of a live Ramainz CD was born when Gary and Marky put there heads together and decided that GB Music was the right label for the release. GB Music is a small label, but great attention to detail is given to every release. I mean, just look at the cover and the packaging for the CD it's amazing. Whenever I listen to the CD I sit and stare at the cover. It is amazing work.

Once GB decided to do the Ramainz CD, Gary flew up to my home just outside of Boston, we listened to the raw tapes from many Ramainz shows, and it was then that I decided that I HAD to produce the CD.
Jari-Pekka: 2) How it was to do work at the same time with old legends (Dee Dee, Marky) and fresh new rocker (Barbara)?
Hirsh Gardner: I was honored to work on this CD. I would have done it for free (but don't tell them that)!!! There I was in my studio, producing songs like "Sedated", Sheena, and Rockaway Beach. Every once in a while it would hit me "Holy shit, these are rock and roll CLASSICS". Also, I love Barbara's voice.
Jari-Pekka: 3) You've played also at least with New England?
Hirsh Gardner: Yes, New England was my band. I play drums and sing. We toured for many years before breaking up, had an amazing time. In fact our last gig was with the Ramones in 1982.
Jari-Pekka: 4) You've produced really many albums, but what is the most important memory for you of the producing Ramainz album?
Hirsh Gardner: Like I mentioned earlier every once in a while I would realize that I was working on a song that was (is) a rock classic. Millions of people have heard this song. I would be driving in my car and a Ramones song would come on the radio that I was producing and I would have to laugh (with pride) that I was producing that song.
Jari-Pekka: 5) How easy was work with Ramainz stuff, was it hard 'cause all these classic Ramones -songs? Your main points when you planned producing?
Hirsh Gardner: It was not an easy project by any means. The first thing I did was listen to every live Ramones CD ever put out. I said to myself, "OK Hirsh, what don't you like about the sound of this CD, and how can you make yours better." Some of the other live CD's were thin sounding, not enough bottom end to show you the true power of the band live. Others did not have a great balance between the vocals and the band don't get me wrong, generally the other live Ramones CD's were great but this one had to be the BEST!!!

So once I had a plan as to how I wanted the album to sound, I re-recorded it all into my computer and started to go to work. First we re-sequenced some of the songs. Well when you do this on a live show, you have to cut the audience applause tracks so now you have "cuts" in the final performance. So I resampled the audience tracks, and dubbed them in where the cuts were. Once I had a smooth flowing show from beginning to end, I started to master the actual sound of the band. Keep in mind now, the only dubs on this were the audience track, just to cover the cuts where we moved a few of the songs.

The next step was the sound of the band. Here I used digital EQ, frequency dependent compression, normalization of the digital signal, reverb, stereo enhancement, etc. to give the performance the depth, character and punch that you would get if you were sitting in the front row of the hot and sweaty Continental in New York City. When I listened to the final mix through headphones, I closed my eyes, and low and behold, there I was, in the club, with The Ramainz right before my eyes.

Jari-Pekka: 6) Your own Ramones favourites?
Hirsh Gardner: All of them. There was never a Ramones song that I didn't like. What they do, they do the best!!!
Jari-Pekka: 7) You're also a drummer, what do you think about Ramones drummers: Marky, Tommy and Richie?
Hirsh Gardner: I truly like all the drumming. Tommy was solid and had some nice ideas and I could say the same for Richie, but from a musicianship standpoint, Marky is really the best drummer. He is rock solid and had tempo that few drummers in the world have.

(Many thanks for you Hirsh)