Music Guru Ben Kopel Shares Little-Known Facts About One of Music's First Punk Bands

AUSTIN, TEXAS, UNITED STATES , November 17, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Whether I Wanna Be Sedated brings back memories of you and your friends in high school or you're more familiar with The Ramones' epic catalog and can't get enough of the 1976 hit 53rd and 3rd, it's likely that you know and loves the first punk rock band. Here, music guru and journalist Ben Kopel shares five little-known facts about The Ramones.

Fact #1 – Over their 22 years on the road, The Ramones played 2,263 concerts, according to Ben Kopel. At more than 100 shows per year, Ben Kopel says it would have been tough for anyone to keep up with such a grueling pace. Over their two decades of performing, it was rare for there to be a time when The Ramones weren't playing or traveling to their next stop. Ben Kopel says that this breakneck pace is rare for any band to keep up for long – much less for two decades.

Fact #2 – None of the members of The Ramones actually had the last name Ramone – they took their name from Paul Ramon, the pseudonym that Paul McCartney used to check into hotels. Dee Dee was a huge Paul McCartney fan, and when the rest of the crew linked up with him, they decided on the moniker together, according to Ben Kopel.

Fact #3 – Their self-titled debut album was ranked in the #1 spot on Spin's 50 Most Essential Punk Records list. They were also ranked as #2 on Spin's Greatest Rock Bands of All Time list, second only to the Beatles, according to Ben Kopel.

Fact #4 – The Ramones were the first-ever punk band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in March 2002. It's rare for a band without huge commercial success to be inducted. While The Ramones have gained more mainstream success in the past twenty years, many music fans didn't know them well at the time of their induction.

Fact #5 – Johnny and Joey Ramone couldn't stand each other. While their feud was often attributed to differing political stances, the fact that Johnny married Joey's ex-girlfriend was much more likely the actual cause of their long-standing feud. According to Ben Kopel, while they often managed to put their differences aside to play, there were countless fights backstage between the two bandmates.

For more on the Ramones from Ben Kopel, be sure to check out his close look at their song “Danny Says” on Soundtrack to a Mind.

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