And that's made for some messy albums. We didn't want to Ramones ourselves out of existence. Besides, Partridge said, it makes sense to illustrate a range of emotions, to employ an entire palette of musical colors. We like it messy, like one morning you're laughing your socks off and, before you know it, you're miserable by midafternoon. A Geffen Records publicist recently joked that he almost had to hold a gun to Partridge's head to get him to agree to newspaper interviews to promote the group's new album, Nonsuch .
Partridge avoids spotlights.
He also avoids fashions and fads. OK, so the guitar is supposed to be loud. And you're supposed to flip a finger at the whole world. That fine from about the time you're 13 until you're in your 20s. Growing up is not synonymous, though, with growing soft.