(Photo courtesy of Rhino)Teenage rage founded hot and cold mood swings, overusing the phrase “I’m so misunderstood” and anti-establishment attitudes. But history has proven that it is consistently good for one thing: Revolutionary music. The pop-punk era established youth rebellion, political divergence and purposeful angst all on the foundation of skinny jeans and eccentric hairstyles.
The Ramones were punk before being punk was popular. They were modern-day hipsters minus the beards and sweater vests. This band of “brothers” from Forest Hills, New York entered the rock game in 1974. The original members were Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee and Tommy Ramone, all of whom were not actual brothers but adopted the last name Ramone.
In the beginning of the band's prime, they played at CBGB, the legendary New York venue, where they became known for their signature "1-2-3-4" count off, snappy sets and under-two-minute songs. The group had member changes often. Therefore, its style saw some changes as well, most notably for “I Wanna Be Sedated” and "Blitzkrieg Bop."
The Ramones progressively combined elements of upbeat rock with catchy sing-alongs. Compared to the edgier classic or hardcore rock that people were used to, the band's music took a fresh take on the rock genre. It wasn't the first in the music scene to begin combing elements of other genres, but The Ramones were the first to master the art of combining pop and punk. It was the group's sound that made history.
Everyone should take a moment right now to thank The Ramones because they paved the way for the iconic '90s pop punk band, Blink-182. If you are a true '90s kid, you have used any object resembling a drumstick (pencils, carrots, your dog’s tail, etc.) on a surface of your choosing (counters, toilets, your brothers head, etc.) to rock out to “What’s My Age Again?” at some point in your years of existence. If you haven’t come home from a bad, stub-your-toe kind of day and blasted “All The Small Things,” then you are missing out on a full proof stress reliever.
Blink-182 has artistic fury that embodied the struggles of everyday '90s kids. The band members are relatable, outrageous performers who had an apparent love for sharing their music with the world. Blink stole the hearts of '90s children everywhere and shaped their studded black souls.
(Photo courtesy of Geffen Records)As for lyrical content, both bands sang about teenage toils of deviousness. The Ramones were darker, while Blink-182 is more jaded. Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge's voices gave Blink’s music a more defined pop style, although the band's most recent turmoil has caused the two singers to part ways.
Artists like The Ramones deserve a deeper appreciation for contributions to the music world. The commercial success of The Ramones is on a significantly smaller scale than many other pop-punk bands, but they were innovators.
Revolutionary artists see what people wants before they even know they desire it. Without them, music progression would cease to exist. Appreciating history is essential to understanding the present and future.
Tell the reporter your favorite punk-rock band at randrew3@asu.edu
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