The Ramones

Sire Records

On this day 45 years ago the Ramones self-titled debut hit the shelves. It can be looked upon as counter-culture at its finest and most, dare I say it, fuuucking cool.

What you'll find on this record is not necessarily the best songwriting, performance or musicianship. The quality of the music resides in its simplicity. There's something to be said about being able to garner an audience/following without being great at ones 'job'. In most cases its a scoff and move on type situation. The Ramones are a rare breed of well worked emotion through bare bones skill. It transcends ability and seems to spark the get up and go attitude in any young creative.

While its not the birth of a new ethos, as it has been instilled in the brains of all youths at one stage or another since the dawn of time, it can be seen as the birth of a movement in which already short 3 minute pop songs were condensed down to 2 minute, sometimes less than, attacks. Progressive Rock also seemed to be perilled by the uprising of dejected and restless renegades. I mean, why beat around the bush when things can be done in a direct and to the point manner? Trim the fat and you're left with punk. The refining of the necessary. The antithesis to drawn out cliched musical mannersims and such.

I had the pleasure of seeing Parquet Courts in Dublin a couple years ago and they managed to weave a cover of 'Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World' into the setlist. It's nice when covers are done in a whole hearted, wholesome way. 40+ years on and bands are still cropping up in debt to the Forest Hills foursome.

April 23rd, 1976.