Directors Jim Fields and Michael Gramaglia bring to the big screen
the story of the Ramones from go, to all their woe. This gritty
documentary put together with what must have been hundreds of hours of
footage of interviews and live performances, is the story of the band,
the music and each of its members. Told in a most crafty fashion – the
interviews from over the years are edited together seamlessly – the
tale follows the career of the Ramones from their mid-seventies
inception, until their demise in the nineties.

One
of the questions raised in the documentary, is why did such an
influential band never have the huge commercial success that everyone
believed they should? The Ramones set the tone for punk in the 70’s
during the many shows they played at CBGB’s in NYC, and then, when they
first visited England, in the words of Joey Ramone himself “turned
everyone on” as to how punk-rock should be executed.

The
film highlights how the band inspired outcasts everywhere to get out
there and do their thing, by proving you didn’t have to be good looking
or even musically talented to get yourself heard or more importantly
express your despondent feelings. A bunch of guys from Queens managed
to change the face of music with 2 minute songs and simple, personal
lyrics, which not only gave confidence to those listening to them, but
also in loner singer Joey who, as his brother described, became a
different person when he was on stage.

The individual tales of the band members, are sometimes
shocking, sometimes endearing and are told in their own words, with
added anecdotes from ex-managers, roadies and musical peers. Like Dee
Dee Ramone says, “…it’s not easy being in a rock and roll band.”

As
the Ramones’ musical career progressed, the struggle for power within
in the band created disharmony among its members, and over the years
the line-up changed several times, with three different drummers and
two bass players. Founding members Johnny and Joey stayed with the band
until they called it quits, but continued to lock horns over its
musical direction. Musically and politically opposed, and hampered by a
never-ending sense of betrayal, it is amazing that Johnny and Joey
remained in the same band for as long as they did.

The
rare live footage featured in the documentary is worth the ticket price
on its own, but the story of the Ramones, is told in an honest, frank
and thoughtful way, which means at times it is a very dark film. Fans
of the band maybe disappointed or shocked to see this film, learning
things about members that may taint their romantic view of them as
punk-rock legends. Those unfamiliar with the band or their music but
proud to wear the Generation X tag, should see where their modern
musical heroes such as Green Day, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Nirvana
found some of their inspiration. It is an intriguing journey of a
documentary and definitely worth tracking down in the few cinemas in
London currently screening the film.