Potaria
08-03-2005, 05:18
Yes, a topic about this essential band of misfits has arrived. Not for many years have we had a band that's been so important to music.
The Ramones, at least to some, were Rock 'n' Roll. They didn't care about what other people said --- they did what they wanted to, and went with whatever they thought was good. For the most part, this worked very well. They wrote great, catchy songs, and had some of the best chorus hooks ever (Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, any one?). Yes, their music was stripped down and raw for the most part, but it was (and still is) just plain fun to listen to!
Classic? Of course. Four straight albums that sounded better than the last. 54 songs that stand out as brilliant pieces of pure Rock 'n' Roll, when Disco was still king. Straight-forward, immediate, and crude, the Ramones were superb. But, they weren't always going to be the "joke band". They decided to reinvent themselves during the 80's, sometimes for the best, and sometimes... Not so much. Luckily, along with the 90's came a new bassist, C. Jay Ramone. This kid was energetic, inspired, and just plain good.
With the addition of C. Jay (and the exit of Dee Dee Ramone) came a new album, Mondo Bizarro. This is up there with Ramones, Leave Home, Rocket To Russia, and Road To Ruin. It's got a harder, darker sound to it, but the most noticeable thing about the album is their playing ability. Johnny Ramone hasn't ever sounded this good, Joey's voice is in top form, Marky's drums are precise and accurate, and C. Jay's basslines are spot-on. Another difference is the fact that C. Jay also sings, and he does it damn well, in fact, almost as good as Joey.
It is sad that they stopped making studio albums just five years later, and then quit altogether just two years after that. They were on their way to a whole new era of music. I feel that if they were still around (and had Joey, Dee Dee, and Johnny not died), we'd still have a great band to listen to.
That's where things begin to go bad. Who can honestly say that there's one single band that's still around that means as much as the Ramones? Even AC/DC will admit that they don't. The fact is, there's not *one* band that is as important. The Sex Pistols have toured recently, yes, but that's a whole other story.
Will we ever see another band like the Ramones? Or, will Rock 'n' Roll just continue to plummet into mediocrity? Thoughts, opinions, and general comments are very welcome.
The Ramones, at least to some, were Rock 'n' Roll. They didn't care about what other people said --- they did what they wanted to, and went with whatever they thought was good. For the most part, this worked very well. They wrote great, catchy songs, and had some of the best chorus hooks ever (Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, any one?). Yes, their music was stripped down and raw for the most part, but it was (and still is) just plain fun to listen to!
Classic? Of course. Four straight albums that sounded better than the last. 54 songs that stand out as brilliant pieces of pure Rock 'n' Roll, when Disco was still king. Straight-forward, immediate, and crude, the Ramones were superb. But, they weren't always going to be the "joke band". They decided to reinvent themselves during the 80's, sometimes for the best, and sometimes... Not so much. Luckily, along with the 90's came a new bassist, C. Jay Ramone. This kid was energetic, inspired, and just plain good.
With the addition of C. Jay (and the exit of Dee Dee Ramone) came a new album, Mondo Bizarro. This is up there with Ramones, Leave Home, Rocket To Russia, and Road To Ruin. It's got a harder, darker sound to it, but the most noticeable thing about the album is their playing ability. Johnny Ramone hasn't ever sounded this good, Joey's voice is in top form, Marky's drums are precise and accurate, and C. Jay's basslines are spot-on. Another difference is the fact that C. Jay also sings, and he does it damn well, in fact, almost as good as Joey.
It is sad that they stopped making studio albums just five years later, and then quit altogether just two years after that. They were on their way to a whole new era of music. I feel that if they were still around (and had Joey, Dee Dee, and Johnny not died), we'd still have a great band to listen to.
That's where things begin to go bad. Who can honestly say that there's one single band that's still around that means as much as the Ramones? Even AC/DC will admit that they don't. The fact is, there's not *one* band that is as important. The Sex Pistols have toured recently, yes, but that's a whole other story.
Will we ever see another band like the Ramones? Or, will Rock 'n' Roll just continue to plummet into mediocrity? Thoughts, opinions, and general comments are very welcome.