The Ramones - Ramones

The Ramones' April 1976 debut, recorded for little more than $6,000, long ago passed into legend. Its exalted status as the inspiration for thousands of punk bands worldwide, though, hasn't overshadowed its monolithic roar, the knowing hilarity of its lyrics ("Judy Is a Punk" crams the SLA, the Ice Capades, and a salute to Herman's Hermits into a 90-second frame), and the impulse to blast it for everyone within earshot: Hey, listen to this. Embracing and rewriting rock & roll history at once, Ramones speeded up heavy music, adding a pop patina to songs inspired by horror movies and glue sniffing, and claiming a great Chris Montez tune ("Let's Dance") from the supposedly fallow period that had fallen between Elvis and the Beatles. Absurdist, yeah (how could anything with Joey's super-affected Liverpool-via-Queens accent be otherwise?) and also smart: "Havana Affair" is the greatest song about the cold war this side of Dylan. This remastered edition complements the original LP with a slew of demos, including a Spectoresque "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend," and the single version of "Blitzkrieg Bop," that, equally prophetically, puts Joey's vocal through a mixing trick that makes him sound like he's on the mic at a football game. --Rickey Wright Amazon.com

ROCK AND ROLL ANGELS!!!

This first RAMONES album had an enormous impact on the music industry. The raw power and simplicity of these high energy songs brought back the rock and roll of the 50's. I do not consider this punk music at all. To me it is just simple rock and roll. Another reason why it is so unique is that it inspired many people to pick up a guitar and play! They reasurred people that you could create something unique just by strumming chords. You didn't need to be a Jimi Hendrix. Every song might sound the same, but that is they brilliance of it. Sometimes I think this album was sent from heaven to save rock and roll.

Other albums that I own that sound like this are: Sloopjohnd , Kerplunk and The Clash (U.S. Version) November 26, 2008

Great noise..

One problem with remixing and re mastering is that it takes out all the crappy technical flaws that made albums like this so damn good. "Ramones" wasn't Abbey Road or Dark side of the Moon. No way. It was.....Ramones. Bad and nasty. Loud and awful but fun as it gets.. 3 minute cuts that tore like a bat out of hell through your speakers leaving you sweating, picking your nose, chugging bad liqueur and throwing up. Just the way they wanted it. This is one of those "can't go wrong" albums all these years later. You'll never play it just once for nostalgia sake. It will go into your regular stack to play and play again. There was never another Ramones. Listen to this album and a couple of their later ones and you'll remember why..Not just noise. Great noise. The original tough boys. November 16, 2008

Bubblegum Pop Music

I first heard this back in 1985, and everyone kept telling me how great this album is. So when I listened to it, I thought: "This is it?"

This is nothing special. This is pop music hidden in the name of punk. In fact, if it wasn't for the Ramones, pop punk bands like Green Day would not exist. Not to mention the stupid songs. Nothing like the catchy hooks of "Blitzkreig Bop", "Beat on the Brat", and "Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue".

Punk rock is supposed to be angst ridden, violent, and rebellious. It is not a bunch of harmonious songs that you sing along to, and that's what this album is (along with the entire Ramones catalog). Thanks a lot guys. I hold you responsible for Good Charlotte, the Misfits, and the other bands like them. See you at the Billy Joel concert! NOT! June 12, 2008

great punk cd

great punk album. realesed in 1976 its only 30 minutes long and 14 tracks. thats what punks all about. cool tracks on here are, blitizreg bop, beat on the brat, etc. great album buy today June 10, 2008

I can be real prude sometimes...

Historically significant? Yeah, I guess. It did usher in the New Testament era of rock `n' roll (that metaphor goes a surprisingly long way), opening the floodgates for a thousand billion hungry freaks to chew away at the foundation of crusty old geezer rock and express themselves however they damn well pleased. It did make way for the Clash and the Sex Pistols and Black Flag and, aesthetically speaking, R.E.M. and the Replacements and just about every other musical underground (and, often, above ground) movement there is, while simultaneously fulfilling the prophecies of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground and the Monks and the Green Fuz. Yeah, the Ramones' first album is one of rock's greatest touchstones. Elvis and Chuck and Mick, recharged.

But history is for books. I don't mean that disparagingly- it's really fun to read about- I'm just saying that when you're shopping for music, you want something that's fun to, you know, listen to. Something that sounds good, that you can dance to, or relax to, or play air guitar to, or drive to, or make out to, or write to, or whatever other sick things you do when you think that nobody's watching. Ultimately, by that standard, I think that the Ramones' first album deserves only four stars.

Why? Well, here's the thing: It's a lot of fun, but it gets old. Even over the course of its compact running length, the sound gets monotonous. The best songs- "Blitzkrieg Bop," "Chainsaw," "Loudmouth," "Listen To My Heart," and "I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement," by my measure- are blistering classics that I'll be more than willing to blast every day `til I kick the bucket. But after a listen or two, it all starts sounding the freaking same! Same guitar chords, vocal inflection, same feel, same everything. Hating Peter Frampton is cool, but that doesn't net you five stars. Influence or not, future classics like Leave Home and Rocket To Russia were more fun, and therefore they pick up the five star ratings. Still, this is an incredibly fun record to listen to, and a great historical artifact for nerds such as myself. Rock out, friends. May 30, 2008

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