The Ramones were important for two reasons: First, they were the antithesis of where rock was headed in 1974—out of clubs and small theaters and into indoor arenas. And second, the Ramones' garage-minimalist sound and outcast outrage wound up influencing a generation of punk and new wave groups that followed. Inspired by Paul McCartney's use of the pseudonym Paul Ramon, band members all took the last name—Ramone. [Picured above: Jeffry Ross Hyman, a.k.a. Joey Ramone]
Perhaps the finest documentary on the band is End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones. Here's the documentary in its entirety. Thanks to Tom Fine for sending along the link:
