The American music industry has provided dozens of genres, many of which have been hugely popular around the world. One of these genres was punk rock, which originated not only in the UK, but also in America. It was here that a group was created that greatly influenced rock music in the 1970s and 1980s. We are talking about one of the most recognizable punk bands in the history of Ramones music.
The Ramones became a star in their home country, reaching the pinnacle of fame almost immediately. Despite the fact that rock music has changed a lot over the next three decades, the Ramones remained afloat until the end of the XNUMXth century, releasing one popular album after another.
The first decade of the Ramones
The group appeared in early 1974. John Cummins and Douglas Colvin decided to form their own rock band. Geoffrey Hyman soon joined the line-up. It was in this composition that the team existed for the first months, performing as a trio.
Once Colvin had the idea to perform under the pseudonym Ramones, which was borrowed from Paul McCartney. Soon the idea was supported by the rest of the group, as a result of which the names of the participants began to look like this: Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone and Johnny Ramone. Hence the name of the group Ramones.
The fourth member of the new team was the drummer Tamas Erdeyi, who took the pseudonym Tommy Ramon. It was this composition of the Ramones that became "gold".
Rise to fame for the Ramones
The first years the group was not taken seriously. The external image was a real shock for the audience. Ripped jeans, leather jackets and long hair turned the Ramones into a bunch of punks. This was not associated with the image of real musicians.
Another distinctive feature of the group was the presence of 17 short songs in the live set list, while other rock bands preferred slow and complex songs for 5-6 minutes. Synonymous with the Ramones' creativity has become an unprecedented simplicity, which allowed the musicians to attract the attention of the local studio.
In 1975, a new alternative "party" of musicians was created, which settled in the underground club CBGB. It was there that they started their journey: Talking Heads, Blondie, Television, Patti Smith and Dead Boys. Also, the independent magazine Punk began to appear here, which gave movement to the musical genre as a whole.
A year later, the band's self-titled album appeared on the shelves, which became a full-fledged debut for the Ramones. The record was released by Sire Records and was recorded for a modest $6400. By that time, the group's work included more than three dozen songs, some of which were included in the debut album. The remaining compositions were the basis for two further releases, released in 1977.
The Ramones turned into a global superstar whose music began to be heard not only at home, but also abroad. In the UK, the new punk rock band gained even more fame than at home. In Britain, songs began to play on the radio, which played a significant role in increasing popularity.
The group's movement remained unchanged until 1978, when Tommy Ramon left the group. Having freed up the place of the drummer, he turned into the manager of the group. The role of the drummer went to Mark Bell, who took the nickname Marky Ramon.
Changes occurred not only in the composition, but also in the music of the group. The new album Road To Ruin (1978) was much slower than previous compilations. The group's music became more calm and melodic. This did not affect the drive of performances "live".
Challenging 1980s
At the turn of two decades, the musicians took part in the comedy film Rock 'n' Roll High School, playing themselves in it. Then fate brought the Ramones together with the legendary music producer Phil Specter. He set to work on the band's fifth studio album.
Despite the great prospects, End of the Century became the most controversial album in the Ramones' work. This is due to the rejection of the punk rock sound and aggression, which was replaced by the nostalgic pop rock of the 1960s.
Although the band's new release was produced by Graham Gouldman, the band continued experimenting with old-school pop-rock. However, Pleasant Dreams' material was much stronger than on the previous release.
The second half of the decade is associated with cardinal changes in the composition. This seriously influenced the work of the Ramones.
Subsequent releases are distinguished by a heavy metal sound, which is especially expressed in one of the band's best albums, Brain Drain. The main hit of the album was the single Pet Sematary, which was included in the soundtrack of the horror film of the same name.
1990s and the band's decline
In the early 1990s, the band abruptly ended their collaboration with Sire Records, moving to Radioactive Records. Under the wing of the new company, the musicians recorded the album Mondo Bizarro.
This is the first album to feature CJ Rown, who replaced Dee Dee Ramone. In it, the group began to focus on the popular pop-punk, at the origins of which the group stood many years ago.
The band released three studio albums over the course of five years. And in 1996, the Ramones officially disbanded.
Conclusion
Despite problems with alcohol and endless line-up changes, the Ramones left a significant contribution. The musicians released 14 albums, while listening to which it is impossible to stand still.
The group's songs have been included in dozens of films and TV series. And they were also covered by a significant number of stars.
