General Information Artist: Ramones Title: Road to Ruin Label: Sire Records Catalog number: SRK 6063 Format: Vinyl, LP, Album Year: 1978 Country: US Edition: First Pressing Genre: Punk Rock Description Road to Ruin is the fourth studio album by the legendary American punk rock band Ramones, released on September 21, 1978, through Sire Records. This album marks a significant milestone in the band's history as it was the first to feature drummer Marky Ramone, who replaced founding member Tommy Ramone (though Tommy stayed on to co-produce the album under his birth name, T. Erdelyi). Seeking a more mainstream, classic-rock sound, the band introduced acoustic guitars, occasional guitar solos, and a slightly slower tempo on several tracks, bridging their signature high-speed punk intensity with traditional pop sensibilities. The album contains some of their most enduring classic anthems, most notably "I Wanna Be Sedated", along with standout tracks like "I Just Want to Have Something to Do" and a high-energy cover of the Searchers' classic "Needles and Pins". The iconic, stylized cartoon cover artwork was illustrated by Punk magazine co-founder John Holmstrom. Condition Vinyl: Presumed MINT (unplayed) Cover: Factory-sealed, never opened Note on condition: The album remains completely sealed in its original vintage factory shrink-wrap, featuring authentic period-correct breathing holes. The jacket shows minor shelf wear, light corner creasing, and tiny breaks in the shrink wrap at the corners due to decades of storage, as clearly documented in the close-up photos. Notes for collectors This copy is a highly sought-after, authentic 1978 original US first pressing. You can verify its first-press status via several key archival indicators: No Barcode: The back cover completely lacks a UPC barcode, which became standard on subsequent reissues in the early 1980s. Sire Address: The bottom text features the original Sire Records corporate address: "165 West 74th Street, New York, N.Y. 10023". Jacket Markings: Features the original "SRK 6063" catalog code on the front cover, spine, and back jacket. Finding seminal 1970s first-press punk records still intact in their original factory shrink-wrap is an extraordinary rarity. This is a true museum-grade collector's piece for any serious Ramones or punk rock archivist. Matrix/Labels Spine Text: RAMONES · ROAD TO RUIN Front Cover Identifiers: "SRK 6063" printed in yellow on the bottom right corner; "1978 SIRE RECORDS, INC." and "PRINTED IN U.S.A." printed along the bottom left edge. Back Cover Details: Features the classic yellow Sire logo alongside the Warner Communications "W" logo at the bottom left corner.