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I think we can safely
say i that the Ramones were a huge influence on the emerging UK punk
scene. Punk in the US at the time was limited to around a hundred people
hanging out at CBGB's and straddling everything from Talking Heads to the
Ramones. About the only thing that linked them together was Punk magazine
and that only loosely. They were only really known in New York. The first
Ramones album stiffed at around no 100 in the billboard chart. The
brudders pumped out single after classic catchy single and again watched
each one stiff.
The thing is we
are raw energy. We always are. We always will be. We Like energy. Tommy
Ramone |
The Ramones at Erics
1977 |
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Like so many other bands
the Ramones were being ignored in America. Not so in the UK. Positive
critical feedback to their debut album and performances led them to come
over to the UK for the July 4th 1976 Roundhouse gig and Dingwalls. A
full tour in early 1977 as UK Punk rock was gaining momentum had more of an
effect. Overnight bands changed speed, stripped down songs and increased the
velocity. When their
album
came out all the English groups tripled speed overnight. Two minute songs
very fast. The Pistols were almost the only group who stuck to the kind of
who speed.
Tony James
- Punk: The Illustrated History Of A Music Revolution. |
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All the rest of the
kids are like normal kids, really , they might have shortish hair or
something, , whatever the fad is, but safety pins, are pretty much almost
out. They're very clothes conscious, so when you're clothes conscious
things get a little confused...you don't know what's the latest thing and
you wanna be IN all the time.
Tommy Ramone - Search
& Destroy Feb 1977It was an exciting
trip (1977 tour), it was our early days. The Ramones had instigated
something new in England on our first trip July 4th 1976, and rock'n'roll
would never be the same again.
Joey -
1998 Flash Bang Wallop
While The Sex Pistols may have been the catalyst and help
provide the visual and incendiary direction along with the Clash but it was
the Ramones who
provided the template for a new stripped down sound.
We came first. We
did what came naturally to us. A lot of band have just copied us and they
are not being themselves.
Johnny
- Sounds 31.12.77 |
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The UK loved The Ramones. Joey kept saying,
Legs, you wouldn't believe it! You wouldn't believe it! They love it.
(Please Kill Me)
They were viewed as part of the emerging punk scene. The UK put
Sheena Is A Punk
Rocker into the
top 30. Its
Alive - the
greatest ever live album was recorded at The Roundhouse New Years Eve
1977. Meanwhile in bedrooms and rehearsal hall across the land kids were
learning to play bass, guitar and drums along to songs like
Blitzkrieg Bop.
I practise to
Ramones records mostly because they're easy. I figure if I ever retire I
could get a job being their lead guitarist.
Patti Smith Sounds 21.1.78
Mean while at home
the Ramones were still trying to break through, ignored by radio and press
but the best know secret among journalists. Curiously what did for the Ramones
was Punk Rock and The Pistols.
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Yes punk rock had ensured them hits and success in the UK. Now punk rock UK style with the Pistols
and their trail of mayhem in the USA meant commercial death for the Ramones.
No radio station would touch them.
On the Pistols in
the USA...The
whole thing got out of control and whatever chance the Ramones had to get
on the radio based on the merit of the music was then wiped out by the Sex
Pistols because it was too hot too handle.
I was following the
Sex Pistols in the press, thinking, this is trouble. They interfered with
our Ramones agenda all over the place, not rightly or wrongly. They were
just diverting attention and energy from what we were doing.
Danny Fields - Please Kill Me
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"Even before I
joined the Pistols I idolized the Ramones. Even if they do hate us. I
don't care."
Sid Vicious - Cream April 1978 |
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As the punk culture
grew now driven the reinterpreted English view of it The Ramones found they would
never be acceptable and never have hit records and that's how it stayed.
That said it was punk rock ironically that wrote their place in history.
It was a real
privilege to be involved with a movement so innovative and exciting as the
punk scene of the 70's and I think we helped change the landscape of music
for the better.
Tommy 1998 -
Flash Bang Wallop
25 years on
in 2002 the US finally recognised our punk heroes by inducting them into
the rock'n'roll hall of fame.
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