The “frightening” album that led Eddie Vedder to punk
Grunge dominated the American rock scene of the 1990s, producing a wealth of groundbreaking groups like Mudhoney, Nirvana, and, of course, Pearl Jam. Anybody who has ever heard these groups will be all too aware that the lineage of grunge can be traced back to the early days of punk rock. Punk tore down the boundaries of mainstream rock and set about creating a musical revolution that would continue to capture the imaginations of artists long after the initial flame of punk had died down.
In contrast to the other groups who populated the grunge movement, however, Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder always seemed to favour the sounds of classic rock over punk. Indeed, if you listen to the discography of Vedder’s outfit, you will find that his music has a lot more in common with the stadium rock of groups like Led Zeppelin or Van Halen than the adolescent angst of bands like Bad Brains or X-Ray Spex. Perhaps this diverse range of influences gives some answer as to why Pearl Jam managed to transcend the grunge scene in a way few other groups could.
Despite his penchant for classic rock, not even Vedder was totally immune from the all-encompassing revolution of punk. Growing up during the 1970s, the songwriter was well positioned to witness the first wave of American punk, which was largely contained to the underground scene of New York City. While he did not devote himself fully to the groups that made up the CBGB scene, one band in particular made their mark on a young Eddie Vedder.
The Ramones are often considered one of the very first overtly punk bands in America. Complete with their dark image, adrenaline-fueled performances, and matching leather jackets, the Queens band were instrumental in establishing the look and sound of the punk rock movement. Their contemporaries often accused the band of being unimaginative for their adoration of 1960s pop but, on the contrary, this appreciation for groups like The Ronettes meant the Ramones’ music was imbued with an infectious quality.
Inevitably, the rebellious sounds of The Ramones soon reached the future Pearl Jam songwriter, who found particular solace in their fourth studio album, Road to Ruin. During a 2003 interview with Spin, Vedder shared, “I was never really that cognisant of punk rock – I didn’t have my first Mohawk until I was 22 – but this one kind of cracked the egg. It was somehow frightening, maybe because of the way they looked like a gang.”
Road to Ruin marked a crucial point in the discography of the Ramones. For the first time, the band started to incorporate influences of heavy metal and hard rock, thanks in part to the recruitment of new drummer Marky Ramone. It is perhaps for this reason that the album was less successful than some of the band’s earlier efforts, but it also provides an answer to why hard rock devotee Eddie Vedder maintains an appreciation for the record.
Seemingly, it was the simplicity of The Ramones that endeared them to the young musician. “When I was 13, I got my first guitar,” Vedder shared, “and I could sort of play Ted Nugent songs, but I couldn’t play the solos. But I could play along with entire Ramones songs.” That story is certainly not a rarity within the alternative rock scene, as countless talented guitarists got their start by emulating the distinctive playing style of Johnny Ramone.
