Black Pearl Set – Ramones Forever – free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com
Ramones Forever
by: J Square Humboldt
Immortality is so much better when you can stay around long enough to realize it …
In that respect, the Ramones endured to at least have a hint it was being bestowed upon them.
Once again, you’ve got a chance to see why. If you were among the many who missed them in their heyday, you can now relish their legend — in sound and sight — with a cleverly-packaged collection entitled ‘Weird Tales of the Ramones.’ If you have any favorable inclinations toward rock music or pop culture, this is an essential item for your edification and enjoyment. Not only does the set contain 85 Ramones songs and 18 videos, it features an impressive array of works from top pop comic artists, such as ‘Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening and ‘Mad’ magazine’s Sergio Aragones (there’s even a 3D comic, glasses included).
The band probably had an inkling of their icon status in the late 1970s when Rolling Stone magazine named them as one of the seven most important groups in Rock-&-Roll history. However, even then, the relative squalor of their daily existence was threatening to put them in the ironic company of Mozart and van Gogh, two titans of their art whose earthly rewards fell far short of their legacies.
Actually, all the Ramones ever wanted was a hit. They were New York misfits who grew up humming to the Top-40 charts, so perhaps that yearning was understandable. It was yet another irony of their careers, as their ultimate impact on rock music was that of being iconoclasts. They ultimately didn’t need the Top-40 to make their presence felt.
A recent movie scene hit this nail right on the head. When Jack Black’s faux-teacher character in the wonderful ‘School of Rock’ diagrammed the influences of virtually every esteemed band of this era on a blackboard for his elementary-school students, the name at the center of that chalked universe was, rightfully, etched in all capital letters: RAMONES. Another indicator of their impact is the lineup of artists who covered their tunes on a ‘tribute’ album compiled by the late Johnny Ramone and Rob Zombie (if your musical tastes are merely mainstream, he contributed ‘Dragula’ to the ‘Matrix’ soundtrack). The album was produced to generate proceeds for lymphoma research, which claimed the life of Joey Ramone. Those who paid homage with their performances were a veritable Who’s Who of today’s rock industry:
- Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder (who was a close friend of Johnny Ramone),
- U2
- Metallica
- Marilyn Manson
- Tom Waits
- The Pretenders
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Offspring
- Garbage
Even glam-rockers Kiss made an appearance, perhaps as a subtle acknowledgement that their own style-over-substance circus act has been well and truly outlasted by the stripped-down sound of the Ramones. Kiss’ contribution to the cause, though, may have been to first establish that a group didn’t really need a Top-40 hit — their only noodling of note that made the hit list was a ballad, ‘Beth’ — to become financially independent. Merchandising was their meal ticket and years later, that was the route that finally served the Ramones so well. Their first roadie, Arturo Veja, designed a distinct logo and hawked it on clothing and posters at their concerts. The logo imitates the seal of the USA’s Defense Department, which in a sense, embodied the essence of the group:
- They were proudly American,
- Their sound was aggressive, and
- Their compact compositions seemed to defend the roots of Rock-&-Roll.
To this day, items adorned with the Ramones logo can be found everywhere in the world. A further show of the band’s ever-growing effect on current consciousness is seen in sports, as hockey arenas all over North America have turned the seminal ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ (’Hey, ho, let’s go!’) into an anthem that raised the song’s mainsteam familiarity to such an extent that it now provides the ‘zeitgeist’ attitude portrayed in Pepsi-Cola commercials and elsewhere.
In a way, the Ramones finally have their hit. With the third passing of the original four band members — bassist DeeDee Ramone — only drummer-cum-producer Tommy Ramone has survived to completely bask in the belated glory.
Besides the release of the boxed anthology, the other reason to wax poetic about the Ramones right now is the announcement that the Sex Pistols have finally been accepted into the Rock-&-Roll Hall of Fame. To many, they were the clarions of punk rock, but both the Pistols and The Clash owe their origins to the Ramones, who were inducted in 2002, when all but lead-singer Joey were still alive.
The Pistols and Clash were in attendance for the first Ramones concert to rock the UK. Both met the group, who encouraged them to forsake perfection and embrace energy and get their sounds recorded as they were. Even the term ‘punk rock’ was created in New York by underground diarist Legs McNeil to describe the Ramones (and Iggy Pop’s Stooges) as well as the genre that was emerging from the dark shadows of disco, appealing to the disaffected and disenchanted who clung to the late-60s ideal that music still mattered.
One pleasant surprise on the boxed set is the inclusion of a song the Ramones only released in the UK, ‘I Don’t Want to Live This Life Anymore.’ It’s DeeDee’s melodic projection of the last moments in the drug-engulfed murder-suicide of Sex Pistol bassist Sid Vicious and girlfriend Nancy Spungen. This concise, haunting opus, composed late in the group’s career, served to further illuminate the torch being passed, from the influence the Beatles’ early songs had on the Ramones — the band took their name from an alias Paul McCartney commonly used when registering at hotels — to their own influence on the British scene that grew from their presence.
The Pistols substituted anger for the Ramones’ wit, but they still had the artistic ‘edge’ that all great rock acts possess. They, and so many groups after them — including Nirvana and Green Day — took their cue from the Ramones that the music was more than just a catchy tune. Much more. The Ramones returned the music to its adulators by making it accessible again. They hit the raw sensations that powered Rock-&-Roll in the first place.
And that may have been the Ramones’ greatest ‘hit’ of all.
About The Author
J Square Humboldt is the featured columnist at the Longer Life website, which is dedicated to providing information, strategies, analysis and commentary designed to improve the quality of living. His page can be found at http://longerlifegroup.com/cyberiter.html and his observations are published three times per week.
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Since recorded history, man has coveted the luminous white gems we call pearls. Revered the world over for their rare beauty, otherworldly sheen and understated elegance, pearls are as popular in modern society as they were with European royals and Egyptian princesses centuries ago. Today, pearl jewelry connoisseurs have a new love: black pearls. Exotic, luxurious and rare, a rich black pearl necklace presents a striking picture—the gems definitely lack the demure, chaste image of their classic white counterparts. For the woman who has everything, a black pearl necklace, whether showcased alone in a pendant or in a perfectly matched strand, makes a wonderful addition to her jewelry collection. Think of how lovely a black pearl necklace will look on any skin tone!
Where do jewelers get the pearls they use in a matched black pearl necklace?
“Black” pearls are also known as “Tahitian cultured pearls,” but both names are misleading. Not only are Tahitian cultured pearls not exclusively black, they’re also not grown in Tahiti. Called “black” because of their exotic dark colors, Tahitian cultured pearls can be gray, blue, green and brown. And they’re grown in the lagoons of small islands that are part of a group known as French Polynesia. Tahiti, the largest island, serves as the group’s center of commerce, and not as a pearl growing mecca. Interestingly, fine Tahitian cultured pearls have only been on the market since the 1970s. Yet they have become quite popular in that short time.
Growing Tahitian pearls
Tahitian pearls are cultivated for around two years in Pinctada margaritifera cumingi, a large saltwater mollusk that is native to French Polynesia. One of the ways this unique oyster differs from other species is that its interior shell color is dark. This so-called “black lipped” oyster also has black mantle edges—the “lips” that give the animal its descriptive name. Due to overfishing, adult wild oyster populations aren’t as plentiful as they used to be. In an effort to reverse this trend, the government protects the animals; pearl farmers in French Polynesia who wish to culture the black lipped oyster must raise the oysters from spat (baby oysters). If the farmer is successful in nurturing the spat to adulthood, at around two and a half to three years old, the oysters are implanted with mantle tissue and a mother-of-pearl bead to start the pearl growing process. This delicate operation is performed by specially trained workers called nucleators; even so, according to the Gemological Institute of America, more than 50 percent of the oysters die or reject the nucleus.
Literature from GIA says, “Add those oysters to the ones that don’t meet the implantation criteria: The farmer’s potential pearl-producing stock is less than half the number that lived long enough to be considered for nucleation. When the pearl growth period begins, after three years of work, the farmer has only 20 percent of the oysters he collected as spat.” No wonder a fine quality Tahitian cultured pearl is so rare!
Tahitian pearl growth generally takes place in a closed lagoon that is ringed by coral reefs. Such a setup offers protection and a stable environment for the implanted oysters to complete the pearl-growing process. After the oysters have been submerged for 22 to 26 months, they’re hauled to the surface, where any pearls they managed to grow are harvested. The farmers then clean and lightly buff the gems prior to offering them for sale. Farmers also sort the pearls by color, shape, etc. and grouped with like pearls.
In the end, only one to two percent of the Tahitian cultured pearl crop consists of fine quality round cultured pearls.
Color
Today, the most sought-after Tahitian cultured pearls are dark green-gray to blue gray with rosé or purple overtones. But how do pearls get their color? No one is completely sure, but we do know that pearl colors are determined by several factors, including variations in the host oyster, color variation of the implanted donor mussel tissue, the number and thickness of nacre layers, and variations in growing environment such as temperature and water quality. Tahitian pearls are most often variations of gray, black, green and blue, but other colors exist. Search on the Internet for Tahitian cultured pearl images, and you will see they are not all black!
Buying a black pearl necklace
At an average size of 8mm-14mm, Tahitian cultured pearls—especially those specimens that are gem-quality and round—are very expensive. (GIA estimates that one first-quality, unusually large Tahitian cultured pearl will set you back thousands of dollars!) If only one to two percent of the harvest produces a fine quality round Tahitian cultured pearl, imagine how long it takes to make a matched strand! No wonder a black pearl necklace is so costly. Choose carefully, keeping in mind that pearls with a desirable overtone (secondary color) and pearls that are larger than typical will be more expensive. Look for pearls that are well-matched, not pitted or marked in any obvious way (minor surface characteristics are acceptable). Be sure to check return policies up front, too, in case you have a problem. Ask your retail jeweler for his or her store policy or, if buying online, check the site’s guarantee prior to making a purchase. Once you receive your pearls, be sure to examine them closely. After wearing, store your pearl necklace away from other gems; while fairly durable, pearls are prone to scratching and their nacre will erode over time, especially if exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach, perfume and chlorine.
Black pearl necklaces in modern fashion
Although slow to catch on at first, thanks in part to publicity from stars such as actress Elizabeth Taylor, a renowned jewelry collector who wore a striking black pearl necklace in publicity photos for her Black Pearls perfume launch, Tahitian cultured pearls are wildly popular today. It’s not hard to find examples of fine black pearl jewelry in modern society. Look around and you’ll see black pearl necklaces on everyone from businesswomen to moms to Hollywood A-list actresses, models and celebrities. Take Kiera Knightly, for example, who wore a stunning black baroque Tahitian cultured pearl choker at the premier of her movie, The Black Pearl. Stars like Christy Turlington, Naomi Watts, Heidi Klum, Michael Michelle, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Shalom Harlow are also pearl fans.
Perhaps black pearls’ popularity is why designers like David Yurman, Elsa Peretti and Paloma Picasso (for Tiffany & Co.) are incorporating stunning black pearls, and even black baroque and black keshi pearls, into modern designs like long chain necklaces, brooches, chokers and charm bracelets. Black pearl drop earrings and pendants are also favorites, as they require little matching—or none at all. Whimsical designs on cufflinks and in popular frog, dragonfly and other animal pins incorporate black pearls as well.
Black pearl necklace alternatives
When most people think of black pearl jewelry, they naturally think of Tahitian cultured pearls. But prices are high for these rare gems, in part due to their large size, unusual colors, and the high cost of producing them. If you want to wear real Tahitian cultured pearls, one way to do so without breaking the bank is to choose a pendant-style necklace with a single pearl; black pearl stud earrings; a single black pearl ring, or black baroque (non-symmetrical) pearls. These designs are every bit as exotic yet much more affordable than a matched black pearl strand.
For customers for whom Tahitian pearl jewelry is beyond reach, there are some inexpensive yet beautiful alternatives to the classic black pearl necklace. Today, freshwater pearls—round, drop, button and baroque—are color-treated to produce a look that closely resembles the hue of Tahitian cultured pearls. The natural-looking result is beautiful and looks great in such pieces as a baroque black pearl bracelet, black pearl drop earrings or black pearl necklace. Every bit as real as their Tahitian cousins, black freshwater cultured pearls’ color is man-made, but keep in mind that nearly all pearls are treated somehow (bleaching is the most common enhancement).
If you’re after not only the color but the size of fine Tahitian pearls, consider a black “pearl” necklace made from black mother-of-pearl beads. Their generous size, lustrous sheen and affordable price make them a popular alternative to a fine Tahitian pearl necklace.
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