Road to Ruin
Encyclopedia
Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the American punk rock
band The Ramones
. It was released on September 22, 1978 through Sire Records
. It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone
, replacing founding member Tommy Ramone
.
(1980). The influence of 1960s girl group
s is evident, as well as the influence of The Byrds
on tracks including "Don't Come Close" and the cover of "Needles and Pins
," originally by Jackie DeShannon
and later a hit for The Searchers
.
The album also contains the track "I Wanna Be Sedated
", one of the band's most famous songs.
Road to Ruin was the Ramones' first album with Marky Ramone
on drums, after original drummer Tommy Ramone
left due to fatigue from touring. However, Tommy (credited as his birth name, Tommy Erdelyi) stayed to produce Road to Ruin, as well as a brief comeback for 1984's Too Tough to Die
.
The album was remastered and released by Rhino Records on June 19, 2001. It also featured bonus tracks, which included alternate versions and demos. Two of the bonus tracks, "Rock 'n' Roll High School (Ed Stasium version)" and "Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She’s the One (Live)," are from the soundtrack for Rock 'n' Roll High School.
American hardcore punk
band Bad Brains
took their name from the album song "Bad Brain".
"I'm Against It" was covered by American heavy metal
band Overkill
on their album Coverkill
.
The original US version of the album was pressed on traditional black vinyl, while the original UK version was pressed on transparent yellow vinyl.
The album was repressed on coloured vinyl in 2008.
The album cover design was done by Punk Magazine artist, John Holmstrom
.
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band The Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
. It was released on September 22, 1978 through Sire Records
Sire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
. It was the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
, replacing founding member Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
.
Album information
Road to Ruin shows a more "classic" pop sound as well as a shift to a more serious personality to the music, a theme that would remain in later albums, most notably the band's fifth album End of the CenturyEnd of the Century
T. Donald Guarisco of Allmusic notes that the "entire album is pretty controversial in the world of Ramones fandom".Dee Dee recalled hearing a song from the album on the radio, perhaps "I'm Affected": "I couldn't believe how awful it sounded. It was horrible. I hated "Baby, I Love You"...
(1980). The influence of 1960s girl group
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
s is evident, as well as the influence of The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
on tracks including "Don't Come Close" and the cover of "Needles and Pins
Needles and Pins (1963 song)
"Needles and Pins" is a song written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono. In his autobiography, Bono states that he sang along with Nitzsche's guitar-playing, thus creating both the tune and the lyrics, being guided by the chord progressions....
," originally by Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon is an American singer-songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer-songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.- Life and early career :...
and later a hit for The Searchers
The Searchers (band)
The Searchers are an English beat group, who emerged as part of the 1960s Merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Fourmost, The Merseybeats, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry & The Pacemakers....
.
The album also contains the track "I Wanna Be Sedated
I Wanna Be Sedated
"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It is one of the band's best known songs. It was originally released on their fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978 and was the b-side of the UK single "She's the One" released on January 10, 1979. The song was later...
", one of the band's most famous songs.
Road to Ruin was the Ramones' first album with Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
on drums, after original drummer Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone
Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi , is a Hungarian American record producer and musician...
left due to fatigue from touring. However, Tommy (credited as his birth name, Tommy Erdelyi) stayed to produce Road to Ruin, as well as a brief comeback for 1984's Too Tough to Die
Too Tough to Die
Too Tough to Die is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band The Ramones. It was released on October 1,1984. It is the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Richie Ramone...
.
The album was remastered and released by Rhino Records on June 19, 2001. It also featured bonus tracks, which included alternate versions and demos. Two of the bonus tracks, "Rock 'n' Roll High School (Ed Stasium version)" and "Blitzkrieg Bop/Teenage Lobotomy/California Sun/Pinhead/She’s the One (Live)," are from the soundtrack for Rock 'n' Roll High School.
American hardcore punk
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
band Bad Brains
Bad Brains
Bad Brains is an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C., in 1977. They are widely regarded as among the pioneers of hardcore punk, though the band's members objected to this term to describe their music. They are also an adept reggae band, while later recordings featured elements of...
took their name from the album song "Bad Brain".
"I'm Against It" was covered by American heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Overkill
Overkill (band)
Overkill is an American thrash metal band, formed in 1980 in New Jersey. They have gone through many line-up changes, with singer Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth and bassist D.D. Verni remaining from the original lineup. Along with Anthrax , the band is one of the most successful East Coast thrash metal...
on their album Coverkill
Coverkill
Coverkill is a cover album released by thrash metal band Overkill in 1999. The album consists of cover songs by artists that influenced the band, including Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Ramones, and Manowar.-Track listing:...
.
The original US version of the album was pressed on traditional black vinyl, while the original UK version was pressed on transparent yellow vinyl.
The album was repressed on coloured vinyl in 2008.
The album cover design was done by Punk Magazine artist, John Holmstrom
John Holmstrom
John Holmstrom is an American underground cartoonist and writer. He is best known for illustrating the covers of the Ramones albums Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin, as well as his characters Bosko and Joe .As the founding editor of Punk Magazine at the age of 21 in late 1975, Holmstrom's work...
.
Track listing
All songs written by the Ramones except where noted.- "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" – 2:42
- "I Wanted Everything" – 3:18
- "Don't Come Close" – 2:44
- "I Don't Want You" – 2:26
- "Needles & Pins" (Sonny BonoSonny BonoSalvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono was an American recording artist, record producer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades.-Early life:...
, Jack NitzscheJack NitzscheBernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche was an arranger, producer, songwriter, and film score composer. He first came to prominence in the late 1950s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spector, and went on to work with the Rolling Stones, Neil Young and others...
) – 2:21 - "I'm Against It" – 2:07
- "I Wanna Be SedatedI Wanna Be Sedated"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a song by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It is one of the band's best known songs. It was originally released on their fourth album, Road to Ruin, in September 1978 and was the b-side of the UK single "She's the One" released on January 10, 1979. The song was later...
" – 2:29 - "Go Mental" – 2:42
- "Questioningly" – 3:22
- "She's the One" – 2:13
- "Bad Brain" – 2:25
- "It's a Long Way Back" – 2:20
2001 Expanded Edition CD (Warner Archives/Rhino) bonus tracks
- "I Want You Around" (Ed Stasium version) – 3:02
- "Rock 'n' Roll High School" (Ed Stasium version) – 2:20
- Tracks 13-14 first issued on Hey Ho! Let's Go: The AnthologyHey Ho! Let's Go: The AnthologyHey! Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology is a two–disc compilation that attempts to summarize the Ramones' career in its entirety. It features two previously unissued song versions; "Rock 'n' Roll High School" and "I Want You Around" are the Ed Stasium mixes from the Rock 'n' Roll High School original...
, Rhino #75817 (7/20/99)
- Tracks 13-14 first issued on Hey Ho! Let's Go: The Anthology
- "Blitzkrieg BopBlitzkrieg Bop"Blitzkrieg Bop" is a song by the American punk rock band Ramones. It was released as the band's debut single in April of 1976 in the United States...
/Teenage Lobotomy/California SunCalifornia Sun"California Sun", is a song credited to Henry Glover and Morris Levy. Originally recorded by 35-year-old New Orleans-born singer-songwriter Joe Jones, and released by EMI in the winter of 1961, it peaked at #89 on the charts.-Cover versions:...
/PinheadPinheadA pinhead is the head of a pin.Pinhead may also refer to:* A telemark skier* A juvenile cricket* Pinhead; A very dull or stupid person according to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary...
/She's The One" (Live) – 11:00- From the original soundtrack album Rock 'n' Roll High SchoolRock 'n' Roll High SchoolRock 'n' Roll High School is a 1979 musical comedy film produced by Roger Corman, directed by Allan Arkush, and featuring the Ramones.The film starred P. J. Soles, Vince Van Patten, and Clint Howard...
, Sire #6070 (4/79). Produced & Engineered by Ed StasiumEd StasiumEd Stasium is an American record producer and engineer who has worked on albums by The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smithereens and Living Colour.- History :Stasium first surfaced in 1970 fronting the band Brandywine, appearing on their sole LP Aged....
. Remix Engineer: Joel Soifer
- From the original soundtrack album Rock 'n' Roll High School
- "Come Back, She Cried A.K.A. I Walk Out" (Demo) – 2:21
- Previously unreleased. Outtake from Road To Ruin sessions.
- "Yea, Yea" (Demo) – 2:08
- First issued on All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2All the Stuff Volume 2 is a compilation album by the Ramones. It includes their third and fourth albums, Rocket to Russia and Road to Ruin, excluding the song "Go Mental", plus bonus tracks...
, Sire #26618 (7/91). Produced by Tommy Erdelyi, written by Joey Ramone. Recorded during demo sessions for Pleasant Dreams.
- First issued on All the Stuff (And More!) Volume 2
Personnel
- Joey RamoneJoey RamoneJoey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
- lead vocals - Johnny RamoneJohnny RamoneJohn William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
- guitar - Dee Dee RamoneDee Dee RamoneDee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
- bass, backing vocals - Marky RamoneMarky RamoneMarky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
- drums