Ramones | Artist

Ramones was an American punk rock band formed 1974 in Queens, New York City by Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), Tommy Ramone (Thomas Erdelyi), Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin) and Joey (Jeffrey Hyman). They are sometimes cited as the first true punk rock group. The four came from the same neighbourhood in Queens and had played in various garage bands including The Tangerine Puppets. The band got serious in '74 and Dee Dee convinced the others to change their names to "Ramone", an idea inspired by Paul McCartney, who at one stage played under the pseudonym "Paul Ramon". They made their CBGB debut in August '74 and were so well received they scored a regular gig. The band released their classic debut album Ramones in Feb '76 on the Sire label and it received rave reviews from rock critics for its uncomplicated rock'n'roll intensity. Over the next two years they would release three more punk rock masterpieces: Leave Home, Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin, after which the appeal of their releases started to drop-off. Another outstanding release is '79's live album It's Alive.

Artist Website: ramones.com

Featured Albums: Ramones

Related Artists: The Secluded, Joey Ramone