Tommy Ramone opens the film with a brief tour of the neighborhood in Queens, New York where the original four members of the band met. Dee Dee Ramone reflected on how "they did not fit in" and Joey recalled "we were outcasts." They started hanging out, sharing a mutual interest in The Stooges, the MC5 and the New York Dolls. These early bands would motivate the Ramones to form their own group. Each Ramone had to find his niche. Tommy was not a drummer at first and Joey started off as a guitarist before moving into the role of lead vocalist. Dressing in a like manner and all using the last name Ramone was a unifying force for the band.

Some described the music scene in New York City as muted in the early 70's. The city was sort of deserted with white flight into the suburbs. The now infamous CBGB's was one of the few clubs that featured live music. In the early days, it was filled with drunks or musicians. Over time, more people would go to CBGB's to see and hear the Ramones and other "punk" bands and door prices increased.

The Ramones signed a record deal with Sire Records and ironically built a bigger following in England, where they conducted a successful tour in 1976. The clips from this period are black and white and somewhat fuzzy but it was clear that the Ramones were fast and furious and were a hit with the frenzied UK audiences.

Up and coming bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash would later repackage the Ramones' sound and achieve more success than the founders. Some punk bands also incorporated more violence into their live shows, which would give punk a "trouble" label that the Ramones would also get saddled with.

Back in the states, the band struggled to book local gigs and their records received little airplay, yet they where able to build a fan base with intense touring in an Econoline van. Since Johnny Ramone had good business sense they made money but Johnny was a taskmaster who established rules such as the band's dress code. At times he could be difficult and in his interviews he comes across as a no nonsense kind of guy. Dee Dee explains "we were dysfunctional and we made Johnny a monster, Johnny made sacrifices for the band."

Studio albums exposed The Ramones to international audiences and they were huge in South America. The film includes clips of their car being mobbed in Rio by young, ecstatically wild fans similar to early Beatle footage. The Ramones were a catalyst worldwide and their singular strong style is evident in modern punk music.

An ongoing theme and comment from many musicians including members of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Metallica was that the Ramones were not virtuosos but they were still immense figures and they inspired people to go out and play. The Ramones managed to look the same over the years maintaining their similar haircuts and black leather clothes.

The Ramones would experience a number of personal changes over the years. They had to deal with their share of drug and alcohol abuse. There were also character conflicts and ego trips within the band. For years, Joey and Johnny barely spoke to each other, as Joey carried a grudge after his girlfriend Linda hooked up and later married Johnny. Linda was the subject of some of Joey's love songs and more angry tunes before and after the breakup. The matter was never discussed and the tension festered but Johnny and Joey remained together, committed to the band and their music.

After Joey died in 2001 at the young age of 49, Johnny said that he did not talk to Joey before he died but "I did care, he was a Ramone and I loved the Ramones, we were in it together."

The founding four members and writers for the Ramones were Tommy Ramone, who played drums and produced; Johnny Ramone, guitarist and business manager; Dee Dee Ramone, on bass; and Joey Ramone, lead singer.

In 1978, Tommy tired of touring was replaced by Marky Ramone. At some point, Marky was kicked out of the band for his drinking problem and replaced by Richie Ramone, who doubled the already rapid pace of the Ramone sound. Marky would later return. In 1989, Dee Dee left the group to become a white rapper and was replaced by CJ Ramone who was considered a breath of fresh air at the time.

A barrage of sound, no pauses, and intense three chord songs with dark lyrics was the Ramones distinctive style that would influence generations to come. Their live shows, as Joe Strummer of The Clash described it, was like "white heat". The Ramones legacy lives on in their music and now in the definitive End of the Century DVD, which is a frank tribute to the pioneers of punk.

Related Links: For more information on The Ramones and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links -- Ramones.com | Buy End of the Century

(Originally Published on April 05, 2005)