TS: Ramones vs. AC/DC vs Motorhead

Good god I'm an asshole. For the last 10 years, I could've been drinking my ass off to this shit. Instead I was listening to... I don't know, some weird shit probably.

From 1977 to 1983 they released more great albums filled with more great songs than the Ramones and Motorhead ever did. It's just an easy number game here.

Plus, I think Alex's point above is wrong: AC/DC actually changed the most musically of the three bands. Sure, they always played straight-forward rock n' roll, but listen to how different something like Dirty Deeds sounds from Flick of the Switch. And they had more tempo/mood changes. Just look at the 4 biggest hits from Back In Black alone: "Hells Bells" is slow and dark; "Shoot To Thrill" is fast and charged; "Back In Black" is mid-tempo and funky; and "You Shook Me All Night Look" is also mid-tempo but has a much lighter, pop vibe than the other three. I don't think you could pick out the differences between 4 Ramones or Motorhead songs like that.

All three bands rock, but AC/DC rocks and thensome.

I could! Heck, anyone could!

i guess it's not that tough to pick ac/dc over just about anyone though. they are fab. even if i do love motorhead to death. i never listen to the ramones.

Personal anecdotes that only probably interest me:

The Ramones were my first ever concert (The Bayou, Washington, DC, 1986) and I once got to interview Joey in his NY apartment. Lemmy thanked me on two Motorhead discs (once as a writer, once because I worked for his label at the time) and I have NEVER EVEN ONCE caught AC/DC live! Every time the band came through since I started attdning shows, it just didn't happen. I must correct that or the other two factoids are pretty fucking hollow...

To which my friend replied:
Yeah, the same song. At three different speeds.

and whoever said the ramones got the nod for starting something. Silly goose, Motorhead is responsible for speed metal. Not that's a badge of honor, but certainly a matter of fact.

Reason number two: Lemmy pushing Mark McCrap of Sugar Ray into a swimming pool at a Headbangers Ball party.

Tell me there's footage of this up on youtube somewhere.

I've been scrolling through Headbangers Ball vids on youtube all day

I guess it's heartless to hold it against 'em but AC/DC and Motorhead soldier on, while The Ramones were wrong about that whole Too Tough To Die thing. Exact opposites of Spinal Tap when it comes to drummer longevity.

And while all 3 hit plateaus, the Ramones' not-great years is the most obvious decline - but maybe because they started out the best.

Great as they are, Motorhead and AC/DC never really said much about real life - hanging out, getting bored, losing your mind, falling in love, getting your heart broke... so fuck it, Ramones win.

I totally disagree with that last sentence, especially as it applies to Bon-era AC/DC.

Ramones forever. and they aren't nearly as monochromatic as they're being made out to be either.

Their non great years were fucking great, IMO.

this is better than any post-Back n Black AC/DC (I'm undecided about where the Motorhead cutoff is)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBCCuvFiwdM

Ramones are a very distant third in this contest, IMO. i like the first album but after that, blecchh.

Fair enough, Bill - I was way off on early AC/DC... And it sells the early Motörhead short too.

ac/dc own

ramones win this one obv