Hugely influential act and cited by many as being THE first Punk band. Imbued not only with Punk spirit as exemplified by their trademark two minute staccato bursts of unbridled energy but also an uncanny sense of melody the RAMONES offered up a less than reverent slice of Rock n' Roll. The band's impact upon the burgeoning UK Punk scene would be keenly felt following the band's 1976 London Roundhouse Theatre gig. Over a 22 year career the RAMONES performed a total of 2,263 concerts. Their live swansong came with the 1996 Lollapalooza festival run in the USA.

The initial line-up comprised Joey Ramone (real name Jeffrey Hyman), Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), bassist Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin) and drummer Tommy Ramone (Tommy Erdelyei). This unit came together in Forest Hills, Queens, New York during 1974 although Dee Dee was originally the band's vocalist with Joey on drums. THE RAMONES signed to Sire Records in 1976 by which time the line up had settled into the familiar format.

The band's second album 'The Ramones Leave Home' was actually issued twice. The original version featured a song extolling the virtues of sniffing carpet glue 'Carbona Not Glue' and although numerous copies were sold the album was withdrawn. It was re-issued substituting the offending song with 'Babysitter'.

In 1978 Tommy Ramone left to become a producer. Joining the band on drums for 1978's 'Road To Ruin' was Mark Bell. The latter had recorded two now sought after Hard Rock albums in the early 70's with the band DUST on the Kama Sutra album.

In 1980 THE RAMONES hit a creative peak by working with the legendary 60's producer Phil Spector for 'Turn Of The Century'. Spector's distinctive wall of sound was more than evident on the hit single 'Baby I Love You'. The following year THE RAMONES took another left field approach to production for their 'Pleasant Dreams' album by employing ex 10CC man Graham Gouldman.

Joey Ramone cut a single with HOLLY & THE ITALIANS vocalist Holly Vincent, a version of SONNY & CHER's 'I Got You Babe'.

1983's 'Subterranean Jungle', the band's opted for pastures new with British label Beggars Banquet. 1985's 'Too Tough To Die'saw the debut of new drummer Richard Beau.

'Halfway To Sanity'witnessed the departure of Richie Ramone and the recruitment of BLONDIE's Clem Burke before Mark Ramone rejoined.

Dee Dee left to go solo, releasing the 'Standing In The Spotlight' album under his real name of DEE DEE KING. His replacement for 1989's 'Brain Drain' was C.J. Ramone.

Even the legendary arch noisemongers MOT?RHEAD doffed their cap to the influence of New York's finest recording the homage 'Ramones' on their '1916' album released in 1991. The RAMONES themselves would issue the gargantuan 'Loco Live' album followed up by a new studio effort 'Mondo Bizarro' in 1992. Toward the close of 1993 the RAMONES dipped deeper into the world of cover versions with the 'Acid Eaters' album hosting characteristic remakes of THE TROGGS 'I Can't Control Myself', THE WHO's 'Substitute', ROLLING STONES 'Out Of Time' and even JAN & DEAN's 'Surf City' amonst many others. However, the band would announce the news that their July 1995 record, the Daniel Rey produced 'Adios Amigos!', was to be their final studio effort. Thankfully for fans the RAMONES re-discovered some of their earlier angst for this album and went out in fine style.

On the live front the band's farewell would be protracted, with an ever lengthening series of 'farewell' concerts which eventually threw up another parting shot in the live 'We're Outta Here' album. Included amongst the live set would be their take on MOT?RHEAD's homage 'Ramones'. A notable crop of Rock luminaries turned out as guests for these recordings including the RANCID duo of Tim Armstrong and Lars Frederikson, PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder, Lemmy from MOT?RHEAD and the SOUNDGARDEN pairing Chris Cornell and Ben Shepard.

In 1999 a novel twist on the well worn tribute album emerged with the RAMONETURES album. Actually PHANTOM SURFER man Mel Bergman and guitarist Davie Allan mixing RAMONES songs with those of the VENTURES. The same year JON COUGAR CONCENTRATION CAMP also paid homage re-recording the entire 'Too Tough To Die' album!

Joey Ramone would die tragically young. Working on a projected solo album the 49 year old singer was diagnosed in March of 2001 with lymphatic cancer. He would pass away on April 15th. To celebrate Joey's life concert billed 'Life's A Gas' at the New York Hammerstein Ballroom on May 19th 2001, what would have been the singers 50th birthday. Bands paying homage included CHEAP TRICK, BLONDIE, THE CRAMPS and THE MISFITS.

The New York CBGB's club, scene of so many RAMONES gigs, held a special remembrance festival on May 19th 2002 to honour the late Joey Ramone. A single, 'The Bowery Electric', was set for June 2002 release. It featured Tommy Ramone on percussion, Marky Ramone on drums, CJ Ramone on bass and the RAMONES producer Daniel Rey on guitar.

A RAMONES tribute, 'We're A Happy Family', assembled by Johnny Ramone and Rob Zombie, would include some of the very biggest names in the Rock world paying homage. U2 offered 'Beat On The Brat', ROB ZOMBIE 'Blitzkrieg Bop', PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder 'I Believe In Miracles', RED HOT CHILLI PEPPERS 'Havana Affair', MARILYN MANSON 'KKK Took My Baby Away', THE PRETENDERS 'Something To Believe In', GARBAGE 'I Just Want To Have Something To Do', MOT?RHEAD 'Rockaway Beach', STATIC X 'Gimme, Gimme Shock Treatment', and TOM WAITS with 'Jacky And Judy'. Suitably the new breed of Punk was also in evidence with RANCID delivering 'Sheena Is A Punk Rocker', GREEN DAY 'Outsider' and the OFFSPRING with 'I Wanna Be Sedated'. Both METALLICA and KISS would also be confirmed for the project, METALLICA testing out no less than four RAMONES covers at a secret San Francisco club show in June.

The Scandinavian Rock & Metal community would pitch in with a tribute too entitled 'The Song Ramones The Same' through the White Jazz label and including artists such as WOLF, BACKYARD BABIES, D.A.D., SAHARA HOTNIGHTS and the DICTATORS.

Further sad news would hit RAMONES fans when Dee Dee Ramone died form a suspected drug overdose on June 5th at his Hollywood home. The bassist was 50 years old. It was also learned that Johnny Ramone had been battling prostrate cancer for a number of years.

Marky Ramone would join Jerry Only's legendary Punk Horror outfit the MISFITS for European Summer dates in 2004. The group's 30th anniversary would be celebrated on 12th September at the Avalon Theatre in Hollywood, California. Featuring alongside RAMONES' Marky and Johnny Ramone and producer Daniel Rey would be PEARL JAM's Eddie Vedder, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS members Flea and JOHN FRUSCIANTE, HENRY ROLLINS and RANCID's Tim Armstrong. Proceeds from the gig would be donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation and the Cedars-Sinai Prostate Cancer Research Center. Sadly, Johnny Ramone passed away at his Los Angeles home on September 15th.