On this date in 1976, RAMONES released their debut single, BLITZKRIEG BOP, (UK issue: July 16th, 1976).
NOTE: In the video 'Blitzkrieg Bop' is followed by another classic Ramones number, HAVANA AFFAIR.
Laid down on the eighth floor of Plaza Sound Studios, New York's Radio City Music Hall, BLITZKRIEG BOP may no longer shock but it certainly still rocks. With unabating momentum, the 45 still has the power to render you breathless.
With heavy bass-beat and furious cymbal smashes, a fuzzed distortion drives every note.
Then, 22 seconds in, the classic Joey Ramone command, "Ey-oh, let's go!" the slab of sound behind him pares to Dee Dee’s bass tone and Tommy's drum tattoo.
“They're forming in straight line
They're going through a tight wind
The kids are losing their minds
The blitzkrieg bop.”
All succinctly described by Tommy as "The Beatles on speed".
Many a brain was frazzled by the Ramones' formula for one of the most exciting sounds in rock, that is... maximum power and energy plus classic pop melodies, minus excess frills (aka long guitar solos).
Just the tonic for a tired rock scene, Ramones were a breath of fresh air — not of the insipid summer breeze variety, rather the blast of a roaring wind tunnel. Their debut album was great. Live they were better, picking up the audience and carrying them away in an ever mounting wave of lethal energy.
In their leather jackets, jeans and shades, they looked like a punk caricature. But they certainly didn't sound like one. Johnny Ramone hacked out a never ending barrage of power chord thunder, with Dee Dee his rumbling counterpart, Tommy Ramone's drums were the rock solid anchor and in the middle stood Joey, tall, languid and mysterious.
Ik noem een Tony van Heemschut,een Loeki Knol,een Brammetje Biesterveld en natuurlijk een Japie Stobbe !