Ramones: An American Band [Paperback]

Jim Bessman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1993

The authorized story of an American band who shaped the history of music for generations. Today's new music-makers are looking back at the bands that broke the ground, and the Ramones are it: the original high priests of punk, the stars of rock 'n roll high school, the royal avatars of rock, raunch, and rebellion. 60 photographs and illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Music journalist Bessman's closeness to his subject--he is a good friend of the members of the Ramones--has both positive and negative effects on his authorized history of this seminal American band, famous for knowing only three chords and for playing everything as fast as possible. Bessman has great access to details such as the Ramones's mistrust of the Talking Heads--"a bunch of intellectuals"--with whom they toured Europe. But it also means that he sometimes misses the ironies and inconsistencies in their behavior, like the fact that members of a band whose lyrics include the infamous line "Well I'm a Nazi, schatzi, you know, I fight for the fatherland" claimed that their work had no political content. The "four guys from Queens" who formed the original group in 1974 seem to have been truly without pretensions, which makes Bessman's overheated interpretation of their achingly simple lyrics just silly. Bessman's theory is that the Ramones were always poised on the brink of stardom but missed out due to the mistakes of others, i.e., the release of one of their best-known songs, Rockaway Beach , during the winter and the poor distribution of their only film, Rock 'n' Roll High School. Photos.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This journal of the "Grateful Dead of punk rock" is well paced, streamlined, and tautly built. It pulses home its main point with fierce precision: that the durable yet quirky band has earned a place in the annals of rock'n'roll history. The book chronicles the lives of the band members with a cold eye, depicting everything from the tragic flaws (drug addiction, personality disorders) to their dedication to their style of music: three-chord punk rock songs that so viscerally capture the teenage angst of suburban youth. The author argues that the Ramones symbolize the breakout from the stranglehold of disco music and the salvation from the self-congratulatory babbling of progressive rock (e.g., bands like Emerson, Lake, and Palmer and YES). The Ramones recaptured the essence of rock'n'roll, and their rewards included a feature film ( Rock'n'Roll High School , 1979). Inspiring and often hilarious, this book is appropriate for libraries with extensive music or rock history collections. --Mike Tierno, New York
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 202 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; 1st edition (May 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312093691
• ISBN-13: 978-0312093693
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,164,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Good, The Bad, and the Bessman Book..., January 20, 2005

By 

Mikey Ramone (Virginia Beach, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ramones: An American Band (Paperback)

I have to say, Jim Bessman did a pretty good amount of research to get some of the information in this book. But the data does not compare to all the stuff featured in the book "Hey Ho, Let's Go: Story of The Ramones", but it doens't fall flat all together.

I originally got this is in mid 2003, but didn't take up reading it until late 2003. Anyways, it does have a fare amount of info- the only Ramones book to talk about the hidden demo "Succubus". And since it was the first Ramones book I read, I learned that the show Marky missed in 83' do to being drunk, was actually at my hometown- Virginia Beach, VA. Though other books said it, this was the first of my hearing of it.

Bessman goes over all the usual subjects- forming of the band, band members, and etc. He does include a nice array of hard to find, or only found in this book pictures. He includes lyrics from songs and such, but ironically, he lost most of the money he made from this book because he included the lyrics with getting permission! (Nice one Jim) And unlike a few other Ramones books, he goes over the short (2 show) lived band member-Elvis Ramone, AKA- Clem Burke from Blondie. Though, he doesn't cover to much of Richie, or the pre-Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee, Tommy grouping- Richi. But if you read Dee Dee's autobiography, he explains some about Richi, and the "Hey Ho Let's Go" book mentions him to.

After reading all English written Ramones books, I've classified them all as "Band Related"- mainly diving into what went on between everyone as time's went by, "Media Related"- primarily focused on what happened around the band before it came about, while they were together, and what they influenced in this world; also tapping in on record sales, videos made, and such. And finally: "Mixed"- these are the best types of Ramones books, including the inside of the band and the outside.

I classify "Ramones: An American Band" as "Media Related", but close to "Mixed". It tells of the band's upbringings and such, but focuses more on the songs themselve than the creaters.

In relation to this book, I recommend "On the Road With The Ramone"- really great mixed book. Provides more inside info than I've seen any other book about The Ramones have. Plus, a vast collection of photos. Also, "Hey Ho, Let's Go: Story of The Ramones" was very well documented.

Though, to finish this up, I have to say that Bessman released this a bit early- making it seem as though The Ramones would have kept touring at least another 10 or so years. But, they broke up about 4 years after this books publishing.

Thanks for reading and have a nice day,

Mikey.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story and writing with a lot of ups and downs..., December 24, 1998

By 

Stevo([e-mail]) (Seattle, WA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ramones: An American Band (Paperback)

Hearing the story of the Ramones is something I've looked forward to. And this is a fair telling of it. The writing verges at points of irritatiing congratulating tripe. During the first chapter there are so many "To take from there famous song..." and "To quote from..." that I wanted to quit right there. I want the story not a lot of fan boy c**p. Once into it however the story smooths out. A lot of great info and pictures. Overall recommended.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The essential book for all the Ramones fans., March 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Ramones: An American Band (Paperback)

This is the book that any Ramones fan in the world would be anxious to read. A complete view into the most famous punk-rock band life through 20 years. You simply can't be a Ramones fan and do not read this book. It made me happy.