Friday, September 17, 2004
Gabba Gabba Hey / Hey Ho, Let's Go: RIP
Hey everyone. As I take a short break from studying for my anatomy test, I wanted to make a quick post regarding some sad news. The middle of this week marked the end of another Ramone. Johnny Ramone died from prostate cancer. This has effected me in an unexpectedly deep way. In the last few years we have lost 2 other Ramones as well... Joey to leukemia and Dee Dee to, well, ignorance (drug overdose).
Now only one of the Ramones remains (Marky), and it seems that an era is really closed. I just wanted to say a few words in remembrance of the Ramones as a unit (no disrespect to Marky). I will miss the Ramones greatly. They weren't a "voice of the masses" type of band, and their messages weren't as poetic and beautiful as, say, Lennon or Dylan. But what the Ramones did do was provide an outlet for the angry, small, unattractive, and untalented teen in all of us.
The Ramones, in a pseudo-William Hung way, saw themselves as the biggest rock band on the planet. They sold the image well, and when you listen to them play, you believe it. 3 chords and all. By wearing t-shirts, black leather jackets, and tight blue jeans, they us in; they were one of us. No pyrotechnics, no gimmicks. Just 4 ugly men pounding out loud rock and roll.
Did they help the world climate? No. They rarely sang about anything beyond love and the streets of New York City. That was their charm. They said nothing a kid in Iowa could relate to. They played nothing a kid in Iowa couldn't. Yet they hit you like a bulldozer with their unique attitude and sound. And the killer thing is this: they were the nicest, hardest working musicians in the world.
the Ramones did stand for something; fell-good, fun rock and roll. They believed in the sort of music that powered the 50's and 60's. They were a 1970's analog to Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker, and Question Mark & the Mysterions. This was never more apparent than in their covers of "California Sun," "Surfin' Bird," and "Needles and Pins." They believed in the power of a melodic hook and a great backbeat. And because they channeled the spirit of pure rock and roll, they were able to write classic songs with meaningless lyrics. Because they predated MTV, they were allowed to look as they did; which added to the mystery and street-level accesability of the Ramones.
The Ramones are often credited in the birth of "punk rock." But they weren'tt punk because of their sound. They were without a doubt a rock band. Their music wasn't intentionally written to fit within the punk genre. In fact, before the term "sell-out" became so important in music, the Ramones tried everything they could to "sell out." They wanted on every radio. They wanted every kid with a skateboard and worn-out tennis shoes to sing along to all of their records. They wanted to play in every country. They craved recognition and worked hard to grab the small corner of the market they did. It would have thrilled Joey to no end to see his band inducted into Cleveland's hall of fame. It was a horrible tragedy that he did not live to see it.
This quest for fame is very un-punk by today's standards. But they were still the embodiment of the punk attitude: because that is what they were. Punks. Poorly groomed, fun loving, seemingly unintelligent, long-haired, and loud. They played with an urgency and intensity unmatched by 99% of bands of any genre. They were DIY to the core. Punks. They had equipment that look like pawn shop leftovers. They looked as if they desperately needed a meal, a bath, and a place to call home. They hung out with burn-outs and bums. Punks.
In retrospect, they have garnered some mainstream appreciation 30 years after their birth. Ramones songs are on commercials (which would have tickled Joey to no end). Ramones t-shirts are in every mall in the USA. Even the most casual music fan knows the stories about how Phil Spector pulled a gun in the Ramones, and the more astute Rolling Stone readers smile when they remember that Bruce Springstein wrote "Hungry Heart" for them (only to record it himself at the request of his producer). The Ramones have been on the Simpsons (resulting in Mr. Burns ordering the death of the Rolling Stones). U2 covers Ramones songs live, even doing a touching tribute to Joey. Rhino Records has even released several greatest hits and retrospective box sets commemorating the Ramones career.
I will miss the era of the Ramones. It was hard to lose Joey, but now to see Johnny pass on is worse. I feel as if I have lost not only an idol, but a dear friend. To me, the Ramones were like uncles. Always there to have fun with, never there to preach at me. All I had to do was drop the needle on Road to Ruin and all sadness would pass away for 30 minutes. I am having trouble with the idea of this door closing. The Ramones were a phenomena that we are just now beginning to appreciate. It is shame, and it further highlights the deficiencies of the music scene today.
Their music wasn't always good, and it wasn't always meaningful, but it was pure. And purity is truly rare in a world of consumerism and conformity. In the end, the Ramones were positively original. Inspiring in their idiocy, and legends in their dedication to rock and roll as an art.
So rest in peace Johnny. You will be missed as an individual, and as your key part in the whole Ramones unit. Your passing will leave a hole in the world of music that will never be filled again. Somewhere in the great beyond, you are reunited with Joey, and somehow, in some small way, that brings a smile to my face.
Gabba Gabba Hey.
Now only one of the Ramones remains (Marky), and it seems that an era is really closed. I just wanted to say a few words in remembrance of the Ramones as a unit (no disrespect to Marky). I will miss the Ramones greatly. They weren't a "voice of the masses" type of band, and their messages weren't as poetic and beautiful as, say, Lennon or Dylan. But what the Ramones did do was provide an outlet for the angry, small, unattractive, and untalented teen in all of us.
The Ramones, in a pseudo-William Hung way, saw themselves as the biggest rock band on the planet. They sold the image well, and when you listen to them play, you believe it. 3 chords and all. By wearing t-shirts, black leather jackets, and tight blue jeans, they us in; they were one of us. No pyrotechnics, no gimmicks. Just 4 ugly men pounding out loud rock and roll.
Did they help the world climate? No. They rarely sang about anything beyond love and the streets of New York City. That was their charm. They said nothing a kid in Iowa could relate to. They played nothing a kid in Iowa couldn't. Yet they hit you like a bulldozer with their unique attitude and sound. And the killer thing is this: they were the nicest, hardest working musicians in the world.
the Ramones did stand for something; fell-good, fun rock and roll. They believed in the sort of music that powered the 50's and 60's. They were a 1970's analog to Buddy Holly, Chubby Checker, and Question Mark & the Mysterions. This was never more apparent than in their covers of "California Sun," "Surfin' Bird," and "Needles and Pins." They believed in the power of a melodic hook and a great backbeat. And because they channeled the spirit of pure rock and roll, they were able to write classic songs with meaningless lyrics. Because they predated MTV, they were allowed to look as they did; which added to the mystery and street-level accesability of the Ramones.
The Ramones are often credited in the birth of "punk rock." But they weren'tt punk because of their sound. They were without a doubt a rock band. Their music wasn't intentionally written to fit within the punk genre. In fact, before the term "sell-out" became so important in music, the Ramones tried everything they could to "sell out." They wanted on every radio. They wanted every kid with a skateboard and worn-out tennis shoes to sing along to all of their records. They wanted to play in every country. They craved recognition and worked hard to grab the small corner of the market they did. It would have thrilled Joey to no end to see his band inducted into Cleveland's hall of fame. It was a horrible tragedy that he did not live to see it.
This quest for fame is very un-punk by today's standards. But they were still the embodiment of the punk attitude: because that is what they were. Punks. Poorly groomed, fun loving, seemingly unintelligent, long-haired, and loud. They played with an urgency and intensity unmatched by 99% of bands of any genre. They were DIY to the core. Punks. They had equipment that look like pawn shop leftovers. They looked as if they desperately needed a meal, a bath, and a place to call home. They hung out with burn-outs and bums. Punks.
In retrospect, they have garnered some mainstream appreciation 30 years after their birth. Ramones songs are on commercials (which would have tickled Joey to no end). Ramones t-shirts are in every mall in the USA. Even the most casual music fan knows the stories about how Phil Spector pulled a gun in the Ramones, and the more astute Rolling Stone readers smile when they remember that Bruce Springstein wrote "Hungry Heart" for them (only to record it himself at the request of his producer). The Ramones have been on the Simpsons (resulting in Mr. Burns ordering the death of the Rolling Stones). U2 covers Ramones songs live, even doing a touching tribute to Joey. Rhino Records has even released several greatest hits and retrospective box sets commemorating the Ramones career.
I will miss the era of the Ramones. It was hard to lose Joey, but now to see Johnny pass on is worse. I feel as if I have lost not only an idol, but a dear friend. To me, the Ramones were like uncles. Always there to have fun with, never there to preach at me. All I had to do was drop the needle on Road to Ruin and all sadness would pass away for 30 minutes. I am having trouble with the idea of this door closing. The Ramones were a phenomena that we are just now beginning to appreciate. It is shame, and it further highlights the deficiencies of the music scene today.
Their music wasn't always good, and it wasn't always meaningful, but it was pure. And purity is truly rare in a world of consumerism and conformity. In the end, the Ramones were positively original. Inspiring in their idiocy, and legends in their dedication to rock and roll as an art.
So rest in peace Johnny. You will be missed as an individual, and as your key part in the whole Ramones unit. Your passing will leave a hole in the world of music that will never be filled again. Somewhere in the great beyond, you are reunited with Joey, and somehow, in some small way, that brings a smile to my face.
Gabba Gabba Hey.
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