The Talking Heads vs The Ramones?

Discussion in 'Jay's Lounge and Cockpit' started by Intrepid, Jan 6, 2012.

  1. Intrepid Sir Analogy Terrorist

    Member Since:
    Apr 20, 2010
    Message Count:
    2,300
    Location:
    SoCal Redoubt
    Reputation:
    -301,964
    Ratings Received:
    +427 / 4 / -66
    The Talking Heads Were Way More Innovative Than The Ramones

    Welcome to our new column, Deathmatch. Here, we'll compare two artists who have something in common -- musical or sartorial style, era, fan base -- and then determine, conclusively, who is better.

    The statement "The Talking Heads are a better band than The Ramones" will draw some incredulous looks. The guy in the leather jacket halfway down the bar may tighten his hand around his beer bottle, as if he would like nothing more than to shatter it over your head. "The geeky guy in the too-big suits?" people will ask. "He's better than The fucking Ramones?"

    Yeah, the geeky guy in the ill-fitting suits who dances like he's got a centipede in his pants, otherwise known as musical genius David Byrne. He's music's biggest risk taker since Bowie. Byrne's dynamic personal vision and willingness to experiment with sound are what separates his group from The Ramones, who maintained a straightforward punk-pop ethos throughout their catalogue.

    Parallels between the two groups are extensive and interesting. The Talking Heads' very first show was opening for The Ramones at CBGB and the bands toured together later. They both embodied a different part of a fringe music culture. "My first impression of the Ramones," Byrne said in a 2002 interview with the Village Voice, "and the impression probably never changed, was that this was real art rock. The concept was so strong and so focused that it became invisible. People almost didn't notice that it was tongue-in-cheek." Later that year they would be inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the same night.

    Nobody is arguing that The Ramones of the late '70s and even early '80s were an extremely important and innovative band. My argument is centered around the mid-'80s, when punk and even post-punk had fizzled out -- but new wave was still going strong, still taking risks, still weird, still relevant.

    By then, The Ramones had softened into a network television version of themselves, their sound steadily becoming more pop. As they became less cutting edge, they became less relevant; name a single track off of Animal Boy or Halfway to Sanity. It's okay to have a few bad records in a career, but it isn't okay not to strive toward something. With fifteen studio albums released, they had time to experiment, but they didn't.

    On the other hand, Bryne and his Heads never stopped experimenting, the culmination of which is "(Nothing But) Flowers" off their final record. In that song Byrne screams, "We caught a rattlesnake, now we got something for dinner!" Nowhere in the entire Ramones catalogue will you find that kind of avant-garde lyricism on a track that still makes you dance your ass off.

    The Talking Heads are, unquestionably, lyrically better than The Ramones. But their real advantage was their ability to keep innovating long into a storied and comfortable career. Listening to Naked, you can hear you can a distinct musical and thematic progression from Talking Heads 77. The Heads had the wonderful ability to take music making seriously without making overly serious music.

    And for what it's worth, The Talking Heads don't have a bad record. The Ramones most certainly do. Just try to jam Halfway to Sanity all the way through. See how far you get.

    http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/2012/01/talking_heads_ramones_deathmat.php
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Edmonds Fitzgerald: -356 Points Jul 3, 2012
  2. VisCOP Highlander

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    3,332
    Location:
    Vinland
    Reputation:
    7,906,751
    Ratings Received:
    +2,160 / 26 / -34
    Talking Heads. Ramones idea of 1-2-3 go! grows old. Yeah?
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  3. Intrepid Sir Analogy Terrorist

    Member Since:
    Apr 20, 2010
    Message Count:
    2,300
    Location:
    SoCal Redoubt
    Reputation:
    -301,964
    Ratings Received:
    +427 / 4 / -66
    I always found the Talking Heads boring, however.
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
    Edmonds Fitzgerald: -356 Points Jul 3, 2012
  4. Hawthorne Abendsen Number One Epic Sloth

    Member Since:
    May 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    8,484
    Location:
    Kehlsteinhaus
    Reputation:
    14,652,037
    Ratings Received:
    +3,959 / 36 / -336
    Not a fan of bringing the stale art-funk?
  5. Mr. Prac ϟϟ ✞ 卐

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    2,310
    Reputation:
    2,798,488
    Ratings Received:
    +328 / 5 / -8
    True. The Ramones suck.
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  6. VisCOP Highlander

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    3,332
    Location:
    Vinland
    Reputation:
    7,906,751
    Ratings Received:
    +2,160 / 26 / -34
    Agreed. Talking Head's LP '77 was a decent outing, but artistically better than Ramones. Canada's Hanson Brothers do a good job at mimmicking the Ramones.



    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • List
  7. King Sombrero Maker Babylon Forever

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    199
    Reputation:
    186,303
    Ratings Received:
    +91 / 25 / -24
    Ramones all the way. Talking Heads is for faggot squares.

    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  8. Hawthorne Abendsen Number One Epic Sloth

    Member Since:
    May 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    8,484
    Location:
    Kehlsteinhaus
    Reputation:
    14,652,037
    Ratings Received:
    +3,959 / 36 / -336
  9. Apocales libtard aloofness

    Member Since:
    Apr 20, 2010
    Message Count:
    16,411
    Location:
    Wyoming
    Reputation:
    11,510,147
    Ratings Received:
    +4,440 / 40 / -85
  10. Hawthorne Abendsen Number One Epic Sloth

    Member Since:
    May 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    8,484
    Location:
    Kehlsteinhaus
    Reputation:
    14,652,037
    Ratings Received:
    +3,959 / 36 / -336
  11. Ozzy Bon Halen LOLworthy Threadmonkey & Critic Of Texas Dentistry

    Member Since:
    Sep 29, 2011
    Message Count:
    3,393
    Location:
    In a van down by the river
    Reputation:
    6,288,771
    Ratings Received:
    +2,056 / 12 / -11
    Ramones hands down, but those bands really don't have much in common musically. I'd take The Cramps over either one tho.
  12. Mr. Prac ϟϟ ✞ 卐

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    2,310
    Reputation:
    2,798,488
    Ratings Received:
    +328 / 5 / -8
    You also voted Black Fag. Go figure.
  13. Sluggo TBB's Guiding Light

    Member Since:
    Apr 25, 2010
    Message Count:
    1,911
    Location:
    In The Ether
    Reputation:
    3,483,989
    Ratings Received:
    +868 / 11 / -13
    The Ramones.

    Although The Talking Heads were much more innovative and talented musicians and songwriters, The Ramones prove that you don't need to have formal training to put out great music. Their catalog is far more extensive and they spawned a genre/movement (punk) here in the US and in the UK. The Ramones music harkened back to 1950s rock-n-roll with short 2:00 to 2:30 songs about subjects that appealed to teenagers. So much so, that songs like Do You Wanna Dance, California Sun, and Surfin' Bird blend seamlessly into their albums as though they were written for The Ramones. I loved the Heads too, especially the live album and concert film Stop Making Sense, but their music doesn't make me crank up the stereo.

    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  14. Sluggo TBB's Guiding Light

    Member Since:
    Apr 25, 2010
    Message Count:
    1,911
    Location:
    In The Ether
    Reputation:
    3,483,989
    Ratings Received:
    +868 / 11 / -13
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  15. King Sombrero Maker Babylon Forever

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    199
    Reputation:
    186,303
    Ratings Received:
    +91 / 25 / -24
    I bought 1977 Ramones' live album "It's Alive!" in the late 90s, when I was 16. Still my favorite live recording of all times.



    [video=youtube;DN4cFjOhjnY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=DN4cFjOhjnY[/media]

    Before that I had bought their awesome "Loco Live", recorded in Barcelona in the late 80's. Strong recording as well, one of their fastest and tightest ever. Just listen to their rendition of "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment" at 1:50:

    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  16. O'Zebedee Creator of Family Circus

    Member Since:
    Apr 21, 2010
    Message Count:
    518
    Location:
    There and here
    Reputation:
    1,407,814
    Ratings Received:
    +333 / 3 / -4
    Johnny Ramone once scared a much younger version of me at an outdoor gig, therefore my vote goes to Television.
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • List
  17. Ozzy Bon Halen LOLworthy Threadmonkey & Critic Of Texas Dentistry

    Member Since:
    Sep 29, 2011
    Message Count:
    3,393
    Location:
    In a van down by the river
    Reputation:
    6,288,771
    Ratings Received:
    +2,056 / 12 / -11
    LOL I'll never understand why anyone would ever choose The Misfits over Black Flag. I actually know a guy from New Jersey who played bass for a local psychobilly band that used to know and hang out with the original Misfits when he was a teenager. I actually really liked Danzig's first solo album tho I didn't like anything he recorded after that (or The Misfits either LOL). I also personally know the guy who became became an internet youtube sensation for knocking out Glen Danzig backstage. That guy is such a mellow dude I can't imagine him punching anyone really.
  18. Bluto Drunken lout

    Member Since:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Message Count:
    4,978
    Reputation:
    12,211,931
    Ratings Received:
    +3,197 / 24 / -123
    [IMG]

    PJ Soles & da Ramones in Rock 'n Roll High School

    [IMG]
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  19. MadScienceType Weaponized diversity.

    Member Since:
    Apr 23, 2010
    Message Count:
    2,770
    Reputation:
    8,720,714
    Ratings Received:
    +2,238 / 6 / -18
    That pretty much sums it up.
    Latest Given Reputation Points:
    Hawthorne Abendsen: 380 Points Jun 15, 2012
  20. Apocales libtard aloofness

    Member Since:
    Apr 20, 2010
    Message Count:
    16,411
    Location:
    Wyoming
    Reputation:
    11,510,147
    Ratings Received:
    +4,440 / 40 / -85
    Danzig is a short man, he signed shit for me before at ZIA records.
    • Informative Informative x 1
    • List

Share This Page

Users found this page by searching for:

  1. pj soles

    ,
  2. P.J. Soles

    ,
  3. p j soles

    ,
  4. p. j. soles,
  5. pj soles nude,
  6. p j soles photos,
  7. P. J. Soles nude,
  8. talking heads vs ramones,
  9. P.J. Soles Naked Getting Fucked,
  10. high school soles,
  11. pj soles naked pics,
  12. ramones vs talking heads,
  13. pj soles the ramones