ESSENTIAL ALBUMS: (#18) : Ramones - "Ramones" (1976)

"Eliminate the unnecessary, and focus on the substance.”

Drummer Tommy Ramone’s succinctly sums up no fuss attitude of the Ramones’ self-titled debut, which was recorded in a single week for only $6,400. The record runs for a meager 29 minutes and each of the tracks clock in at just over two and a half minutes each.

The four-piece band are largely considered to have established the entire genre of punk rock, despite their less than stellar sales upon their album’s release. The record only peaked at #111 in the US charts and the two singles subsequently released from the album ("Blitzkreig Bop" and "I wanna be your boyfriend") failed to chart at all. In fact the album only sold a total of 6,000 copies in the entirety its first year, eventually being certified gold with half a million sales but only 38 years later. 

Having made a name for themselves regularly playing shows for two years before their debut, the Ramones had over 30 songs ready to record when they entered Plaza Sound Studios with producer Craig Leon. The band felt it was essential capture the excitement and energy of their live shows, to which end they recorded the tracks in the order they’d play them live. With its insanely catchy refrain and frantic pace, ‘Blitzkrieg Bop is one the best album-openers of all time and alone reason enough to give Ramones a spin.

Initially the album’s cover was to be in the style of 1964’s Meet The Beatles!, a striking, high contrast photograph of John, Paul, George and Ringo. $2,000 was spent by Sire on a photoshoot, but ultimately the idea was scrapped after the band and record label were dissatisfied with the results. Instead a black-and-white photograph of Roberta Bayley’s taken for Punk magazine was used for Ramones’ cover, featuring (from left to right) Johnny, Tommy, Joey and Dee Dee against a brick wall. The iconic photograph has since been widely imitated - Lou Reed’s New York and Ultravox’s eponymous debut to name a few.

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