Who We Are: The Ramones from Forest Hills, Queens
We're the Ramones, a punk rock band from Forest Hills, Queens, in New York City. We started in 1974, and from 1976 to 1995 we made 14 studio albums of punk rock.
Where does the name come from?
Dee Dee came up with it. He was the first to take the surname "Ramone", after Paul Ramon, the alias Paul McCartney used in the Silver Beetles days. The rest of us took it too. None of us were related, whatever the name says.
Who was in the band?
The original four: Joey on vocals, Dee Dee on bass, Johnny on guitar and Tommy on drums.
Later members: Marky took over the drums in 1978, Richie played drums from 1983 to 1987, and C. J. replaced Dee Dee on bass in 1989.
The final lineup: Joey, Johnny, Marky and C. J.
How did it start?
Our first public show was on March 30, 1974, at Performance Studios. Our CBGB debut followed on August 16, 1974. Our first album, Ramones, came out on April 23, 1976.
What happened next?
We kept playing. Over 22 years we played 2,263 concerts, almost always on the road. Our last show was on August 6, 1996, at the Palace in Hollywood.
The recognition came later. We were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 18, 2002, in our first year of eligibility, and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
What's in this store?
Our merch: the eagle seal, End of the Century, "Rockaway Beach" and more, on tees, long sleeves, crewnecks and hoodies, with kids' and youth sizes too.
Want the story behind the records? Read about our 14 studio albums.