Ramones (music)
The Ramones were a pioneering punk rock band formed in early 1974 in Forest Hills, Queens, New York. Initially comprised of Joey Ramone on drums and vocals, Johnny Ramone, and Dee Dee Ramone, the band quickly shifted Joey to lead vocals and brought in Tommy Erdelyi as their drummer. Known for their distinctive style, characterized by black leather jackets and straight-legged blue jeans, the Ramones drew inspiration from 1950s rockers and girl groups. Their fast-paced music featured simple three-chord structures, with songs typically lasting under two minutes, often introduced by Dee Dee's iconic count-in.
The band released three influential albums between 1976 and 1977—*Ramones*, *Ramones Leave Home*, and *Rocket to Russia*—and were known for their relentless touring. Despite lineup changes and a shift in critical reception over the years, the Ramones are credited with helping to define the punk genre, alongside other artists from the New York City music scene. They disbanded in 1996 after two decades of music, and their legacy was solidified with an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. The Ramones remain a significant cultural touchstone, celebrated for their impact on music and youth culture.
Ramones (music)
Identification American pop-rock band
Date Formed in 1974
Perhaps more than any of their contemporaries, the Ramones harkened back to early 1960’s and pre-Beatles American pop music. In so doing, the band returned to rock music a simplicity that emphasized melody and catchy pop hooks in an era dominated by genres that emphasized either musical virtuosity, such as blues rock and progressive rock, or production values, such as disco.
Key Figures
Joey Ramone (Jeffry Hyman; 1951-2001), singerJohnny Ramone (John Cummings; 1948-2004), guitaristDee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin; 1952-2002), bass guitaristTommy Ramone (Tamás Erdélyi; 1952- ), drummer
In early 1974, the Ramones formed in the Forest Hills section of Queens, New York. At first, the group consisted of Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman) on drums and vocals, Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), and Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin). Soon after they began playing together, it was decided that Joey was a far better vocalist than a drummer, and the band recruited their friend Tommy Erdelyi, who had been their manager, to take his place on drums.
The band’s look of black leather jackets and straight-legged blue jeans was both an homage to 1950’s rockers, such as Eddie Cochrane and a challenge to prevailing fashion trends. Whether their name was a send up to legendary pop producer Phil Ramone or a tongue-in-cheek reference to Paul McCartney’s once used alias, Paul Ramone, it harkened back to Joey’s heroes, the Ronnettes, as well as other girl groups from the early days of the rock era.
The band’s sound suggested an earlier time as well. Solos and other self-indulgent excesses were stripped from their music. Played at what was a breakneck tempo for the mid-1970’s, a typical Ramones’ song rarely exceeded the two-minute mark, but all of them were counted with a “one, two, three, four” by Dee Dee. Indeed, early Ramones’ shows clocked in at only twenty minutes after they had played almost a dozen songs.
The band’s first three albums were recorded between 1976 and 1977: Ramones (1976), Ramones Leave Home (1977), and Rocket to Russia (1977). The Ramones toured constantly. After the seminal Rocket to Russia, however, Tommy amicably left the group in order to concentrate on music production, and his first effort was the band’s subsequent album, Road to Ruin (1978). Although the band would continue to record noteworthy songs and team with cult film director Roger Corman for 1979’s Rock and Roll High School—a cinematic tribute to 1950’s films such as The Girl Can’t Help It (1956)—music critics increasingly saw the band as a shadow of its former self, and several line-up changes highlighted this artistic decline.
Impact
Along with other New York City musical artists, such as Patti Smith and Blondie, the Ramones ushered in the “punk” era of music. For many people in the United States, as well as around the world, the Ramones were the first punk band, and their famously brief three-chord songs set the standard for the genre.
Subsequent Events
In 1996, after twenty-years of making music, the remaining original members, Joey and Johnny, called it quits and disbanded. Six years later, the Ramones’ lasting influence was recognized with their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Bibliography
Bessman, Jim. Ramones: An American Band. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993.
Ramone, Dee Dee, with Veronica Kofman. Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones. 2d ed. New York: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2000.