10 Moments That Changed Rock Music History
8. Ramones Release Ramones
Joe Strummer from the Clash regards the 1976 debut album Ramones as the single most important thing to facilitate the rise of British punk. It was the transitioning moment between the death of the London pub rock scene and the advent of punk.
Despite the initial poor sales of Ramones it seemed to reach the right people. Music became fast and hard after this record. None of the songs reached the 3 minute mark, but they didn't need to. They had everything they required to back a punch, proving great music didn't need to be swirling lyrical word play and intricate narrative story telling. It was all about how the music made you feel not about what it was saying necessarily. The punk beast was born and overnight bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash knew exactly what direction it was running in.
Despite the simple but catchy chord progressions and driving drum sections, the album was marked by a minimalist lyricism, often referencing the down and outs of New York City, adolescent rebellion and young lust.
No punk fan alive can call themselves such without owning a copy of this record.