Born John Cummings in Long Beach, California, Johnny Ramone grew up in Queens, New York, and cofounded the Ramones in 1974 alongside Joey, Dee Dee, and Tommy Ramone. As lead guitarist, he stripped rock and roll to its rawest form, hammering out relentless downstroked barre chords on the same white Mosrite Ventures II guitar for most of his career, a buzzsaw attack that became the blueprint for punk guitar worldwide. The band's self-titled 1976 debut, Ramones, ran through fourteen songs in under thirty minutes and reshaped what a rock band could sound like, influencing everyone from the Sex Pistols to Nirvana. Fiercely disciplined and all business onstage, Johnny kept the band's grueling touring schedule intact for over two decades. The Ramones entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, two years before Johnny died of prostate cancer in 2004.

Born Christopher Joseph Ward, C.J. Ramone joined the Ramones as bassist and backing vocalist in 1989, stepping in after Dee Dee Ramone's departure and a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps. His height, energy, and rough Queens style fit the band's stripped down aesthetic, and he took over occasional lead vocals onstage on songs like "Commando" and "53rd & 3rd," keeping the band's original attitude alive through its final years. He played on the albums Brain Drain, Mondo Bizarro, Acid Eaters, and ¡Adios Amigos! before the band's farewell tour wrapped in 1996. After the Ramones disbanded, he kept the sound going with his own band Los Gusanos and later a solo career, and he has remained one of the most visible former members carrying the Ramones' legacy forward at conventions and tribute shows.

Born in Tampa, Florida, Terry Balsamo made his name as guitarist for the nu metal band Cold before joining Evanescence in 2003, replacing founding guitarist Ben Moody shortly after the release of the band's breakout album Fallen. He toured extensively behind that record before shifting into songwriting for the follow-up, cowriting much of 2006's The Open Door, including the churning main riff of "Call Me When You're Sober," the album's lead single. Midway through recording, in December 2005, Balsamo suffered a stroke that left him with partial paralysis on one side of his body, yet he kept writing and recording guitar parts through his recovery, a comeback that became part of the album's own story. He stayed with Evanescence until 2011, touring behind The Open Door and the band's self-titled 2011 record before stepping away.