The Ramones

• Genre: Punk Pioneers
• Hometown: Queens
• The Ramones Website

About

"Hey ho, let's go!" And so the Ramones introduced themselves to the world. The song was "Blitzkrieg Bop" and the album was entitled simply Ramones. For many people, those fourteen staggeringly short songs marked a joyous return to real rock 'n' roll -- to a time before the music was muddled by overblown arrangements and self-aggrandizing pomposity. They have been amazingly influential, showing budding musicians everywhere that you don't need technique to create exuberant, catchy and joyous music. Countless imitators followed -- everyone from the Sex Pistols to Blink 182 owe a huge debt to these four Brooklyn-based ne'er-do-wells. Onstage, the frighteningly tall Joey lurched and staggered, dangerously close to falling and impaling himself on the mic stand, while bassist (and primary creative force) Dee Dee shouted "1-2-3-4!" to introduce every song. The Ramones command attention with the sheer energy of their fast and loud sonic onslaught. They love pure pop -- the kind produced by girl groups of the early 1960s and songwriters such as Brian Wilson. "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker," "I Wanna Be Sedated," and even "Pet Sematary" are absolutely infectious songs. By melding such hook-laden tunes with an aggressive stance, high volume, and no-frills songwriting, the Ramones became one of the most important rock bands of all time.

- Will Lerner