The Ramones formed in Queens, New York in 1974. Punk music was still in its infancy. The early punk scene was very eclectic, drawing influence from a range of bands like the Stooges, the Doors, and Mott the Hoople. The Ramones were definitely a band that soaked in a wide range of influences. They were influenced by bands like The Beach Boys and The Beatles (which can be heard easily in their catchy “bubble-gum punk” sound), but also drew from hard rock acts like MC5 and the New York Dolls. Their range of influences impacted their sound and made it distinctive and, later, iconic. This sound went on to influence damn near every punk band to come after them, particularly those in the UK’s growing scene. It’s safe to say that without the Ramones there wouldn’t have been The Clash, Black Flag, Dead Kennedys, the Descendents, Bad Religion, the Undertones, Social Distortion… and countless other punk bands. Even outside the world of punk rock they had a profound influence; many key figures of the grunge scene site the Ramones as an influence and they even reached a few metal icons like Kirk Hammett. I personally feel that rock music wasn’t the same with the release of the Ramones first album.
The legacy the Ramones left behind spans twenty-two years, fourteen studio albums, and several iconic singles. Blitzkrieg Bop, Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, Teenage Lobotomy, Rock ‘N Roll High School, I Wanna Be Sedated, The KKK Took My Baby Away, Pet Sematary, My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down, Beat On The Brat, Judy Is A Punk… I could list so many more of their songs, singles or not. The bulk of Ramones songs have become more or less classics. I think finding someone who hasn’t heard Blitzkrieg Bop at one time or another would be fairly difficult. Even if they don’t know much about the band behind the tune, it’s a legend of its own.
Their songs are simple, showcasing Johnny’s abilities as a rhythm guitarist rather than a flashy lead/solo player. Joey’s vocals are typically the focus; his unconventional, yet incredible, voice is one of the things that made the Ramones stand out as much as they did. Dee Dee’s (typically slightly out of time) shout of “1 – 2 – 3 – 4!” prior to their songs has become a notable element of the band’s music. His bass playing also proved to be incredibly influential; from Sid Vicious to Jeff Ament, a fair share of big name bass players have cited him as an influence. Tommy wasn’t in the band for the longest amount of time but he left a profound mark. He, according to Dee Dee, acted as the backbone. Apparently, he was the most put together of the quartet and took on a managerial position in addition to being the drummer. Together they were solid as hell.
Now to go in a personal direction, the Ramones have been one of my favorite bands for quite some time. I remember watching the video for ‘Pet Semetary’ and thinking that they were one of the best things in the world. That was the first song of theirs I sought out on my own. I say that instead of “heard” because I’m pretty sure my first brush with the Ramones was with (you guessed it) Blitzkrieg Bop from the Jimmy Neutron soundtrack (yep, I owned that). I remember really loving that song… but I think I was six or seven so my affections were excusive to The Beach Boys during that time. But a few years later, my rediscovery of the Ramones came in light of my infatuation with punk rock, which was spawned by Green Day (call them what you will, they’re a damn good band). I can’t remember my exact age… but I think I was twelve or so. And from that day, when I first watched that music video… I was hooked. I got a little preteen crush on Joey Ramone because, to quote Riff Randell, he looks like a poem. I loved the fact that they had to put the Joey Ramone Place sign on a twenty foot pole in New York because it was being stolen so constantly. Learning about the fanzines they spawned… how they influenced the UK bands… their early history. In fact, they’re one of the bands that made me develop my interest in music history. I remember watching Rock ‘n’ Roll High School and quoting it for days on end (“Tom Roberts is so boring his brother is an only child”) and deciding that Riff would be the most excellent role model. The first thing I bought from a record store I now frequent was a Ramones album. I have nothing but good memories associated with the Ramones.
The age I started getting into them was right around that time when you kind of start feeling like the world is out to get you. And then high school comes along and things change. I had my fair share of struggles during those years. But… I always had the Ramones. I could rely on their music to bring a smile to my face. I developed more of an interest in playing guitar because I found that I could teach myself (and totally nail) a song of theirs in a few hours. And that made me feel incredibly capable of my musicianship. People talk about feeling happy and encouraged because of a band and… the Ramones are truly that band for me.
While I’m deeply saddened by the passing of the last original member, I’m happy to have their music still. I’m happy that their legacy lives on. Thank you Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, and Tommy (And Marky, CJ, Richie, and Elvis!!). I love you and miss you guys.
In Memory of Tommy Erdelyi "Ramone"
1952-2014
No comments:
Post a Comment