Remembering the Ramones
Bands like the Ramones just don’t get enough credit today. Why is that? It is because not a lot of the younger people know that they are, in fact, responsible for creating the whole Punk-Rock genre.
Without them, this said genre wouldn’t have existed.
On the downside, though, the sad fact is that three of the four founding members of this legendary band have already passed away in the last decade and a half. They are, namely, lead vocalist Joey Ramone, guitarist Johnny Ramone and bassist Dee Dee Ramone.
All we have left essentially of the quartet is drummer Marky Ramone who replaced original drummer Tommy Ramone who had left the band after a few short years with them.
Marky still performs occasionally in music festivals around the world as he collaborates with numerous musicians performing the hits of the band he had been a part of.
Despite the Ramones being no longer around, you can still hear some bands cover their songs; and it isn’t rare that you would once in a while hear someone talk about them in different music groups.
And why is this? It is because the music of the Ramones continues to fascinate them.
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Influence
There is a long laundry list of bands who were influenced by the Ramones. And it is no accident that they just happen to be some of the biggest names we know of today.
Below are some of the members of these famous bands who have been very vocal over the years in expressing their appreciation and respect for this legendary band from New York.
Everyone from Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Joe Armstrong of Green day, Bono of U2, Gene Simmons of KISS, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, and many more have cited the music of the Ramones to who have been their inspiration. And for some of them, listening to the Ramones motivated them to form their own bands.
And what do all of these musicians have in common?
They are all major players in the music industry. To have these celebrated artists acknowledge the Ramones speaks of the undeniable importance of this legendary band.
With everything said, indeed, the Ramones are already part of Rock N’ Roll folklore.
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Flashback
My first exposure to the unmistakable music of The Ramones came from one of the most unlikely of places. It was from watching a movie called “Pet Sematary” that was frequently shown on HBO many years ago.
In that movie, the Ramones had contributed a song called “Pet Sematary” which remarkably enough had the same exact name as the title of the movie.
The Horror-flick which was based on the popular Stephen King novel was my introduction to the Ramones.
Their music continues to inspire me as it does countless others around the world and a part of me wishes I could have been the person I am now when they were still active. In that order, I could have better appreciated their music back then with the knowledge I have now gained over the years.
While there were those who were fortunate enough to hear the Ramones’ earliest hits like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Teenage Lobotomy”, and “I Wanna be Sedated” when these singles were first released in the 70’s, I also do wonder what was their initial impression of the Ramones in the 70’s?
In my case, I gravitated more towards the Ramones’ singles which were released in the late 80’s to the early 90’s—”Pet Sematary”, “Poison Heart”, “I Believe In Miracles”—that I enjoyed the most.
Looking back at those times, I had no idea that some of my favorite songs back then was coming from a band that had been around since the early 70’s.
Even at my then young age, I felt that there was something “special” about this band that at the time that I couldn’t as yet explain in the proper words. I had no awareness then in those years that I was already listening to a band that held so much importance already in the annals of Rock N’ Roll history.
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Legacy
There is always something to learn when you study the greats. And the Ramones is one of those bands whose legacy will not only remain intact but more importantly not be forgotten over time.
Sometimes, when I think of it, I do wonder what our standards are now as to what makes a band sound good? Most of the time, it seems that it is our stubborn and myopic preferences in music that would discourage us from discovering–and in this case re-discovering–a great band such as the Ramones.
As we move forward, I just can’t shake it off from my head that we must also acknowledge and give proper respect to the past.
Just because the Ramones are no longer with us, it doesn’t mean they have to remain dead each time we listen to their music.
I find it remarkable that here were four “hungry” young musicians who hailed from the suburbs of New York who just wanted to play their music and once they got to perform, the rest, as they say, is history.
The Ramones popularized a musical style that was uniquely their own: from the fast-tempo of their songs, to the chord progressions, and to even how the lead singer of their band would deliver his vocals while singing.
They also started the fashion look of what the attire of Punk-Rockers would wear in their heyday–the leather jackets, torn-up jeans, and sneakers. And, of course, who can forget their hairstyle?
Beyond the fashion statements, more importantly, the Ramones altered how we perceive rock music and how it should be performed. In the truest sense of the word, they were the “rebels” who played by their own rules and lived by them to the very end of their lives.
To quote the famous line from their hit “Blitzkrieg Bop”: ‘Hey ho, Let’s go!’
