Hey ho lets go!  We gave the world the Sex Pistols while supposedly standing shoulder to shoulder from across the pond The Ramones were America’s contribution to ‘punk-rock’.  Like a pit-bull standing beside one of them little yapping poodle dogs.  Sheena is a punk rocker; is she? Couldn’t give a flying …!  The only song of note is the Spector one and even then he had to lock them in a room and hold a gun to their head till they got it right.   Now that is punk rock!

But you know what I hate the most about them?  The t-shirts.  Not the t-shirts themselves but the people who wear them.  Next time you see one, stop them in their tracks and say ‘excuse me but could you tell me the name of three Ramone songs?’  Get them to try the ‘Ramones t-shirt challenge’.  Odds on they can’t! (Ahem…just ask Soccer AM presenter Tim Lovejoy).  Now I know not everyone wearing a Jack Daniels t-shirt drinks the stuff but this is a freakin band we are talking about.

Ask someone with a Led Zeppelin t-shirt on and they’ll tell you the names of every band member and the track listing of every album of Led Zeppelin I-IV, before rolling up their sleeve to show you one of the four symbols tattooed on their arm.

Can’t say the same about the Ramones.  Their music has disappeared but their name lives on through those white on black t-shirts. So if you are the proud owner of one, at least do your homework…you never know when The Ramones t-shirt challenge could visit you.

Tom Christie

Posted In I Just Don't Get, Aug 25 2008.