Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Ramone

Gone But Not Forgotten – Johnny Ramone

John William Cummings (October 8, 1948 – September 15, 2004), Professionally known as The Legend – Johnny Ramone. Right-wing Regan supporting Legend, Not something I find myself saying every day.  He always or most of the time on TV he came across as a bit of a miserable git to be fair always moaning always complaining but fuck me he was Johnny Ramones and that was the currency for all the above and some in my book.  Not the most gifted guitar player by a long chalk but none of that mattered because it was his downstroke genius that fueled the band as much as Joey’s voice or Dee Dees 1-2-3-4. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout their entire career I’m sure he would have threatened to walk on more than one occasion but he didn’t and from the first chord til the last, he was the man.

He was born in Queens on October 8, 1948, the only child of a construction worker and first met future bandmate Douglas Colvin, (Dee Dee Ramone), while working a job delivering dry cleaning. They would do lunch together and discuss their love of the Stooges and MC5. Together the two went to Manny’s Music in New York City in January 1974, where Johnny famously bought a used blue Mosrite Ventures II guitar for just over $54 his weapon of choice throughout the bands career Mosrite Guitars were cheap and nasty but it seemed like the perfect weapon of choice for the budding musician he remained loyal to the Mosrite throughout his playing days.  His arsenal of effects was made up of a tuner and the overdrive of a Marshall head and that’s it, you could say he traveled light but that would be an understatement.

Throughout the bands tenure, there were plenty of disagreements and fallings out which is hardly surprising considering the time spent in each others company whilst on the road but Johnny was responsible for initiating one of the major sources of animosity within the band when he began seeing Linda Daniele (who he later married), she dated Joey before swapping him for the guitarist. Allegedly, this prompted Joey to write songs like “The KKK Took My Baby Away” and “She Belongs To Me”, Though the band remained together for years after this, relations between Johnny and Joey remained strained often hostile and they spent days touring and not even speaking. Years later, when Joey was in the hospital dying of cancer, Johnny refused to telephone him. He later candidly discussed this incident in the film ‘End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones’, saying an attempt at such a reunion would have been futile. He did add that he was depressed for a week after Joey’s death. When pressed, he acknowledged that this was because of the bond forged by the band. In their road manager Monte Melnick’s book about his time with the Ramones, Johnny is quoted saying, “I’m not doing anything without him. I felt that was it. He was my partner. Me and him. I miss that.” a rare moment of tenderness and brotherhood from Johnny.

Johnny was known within the punk rock community as one of its few conservatives and was a staunch supporter of the Republican Party. He made his political affiliation known to the world in 2002 when the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After thanking all who made the honor possible—clad in his trademark T-shirt, ripped blue jeans and leather jacket—he said: “God bless President Bush, and God bless America”,  “I think Ronald Reagan was the best President of my lifetime.” there must have been plenty of discussions within the band around the time they released  “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg” in ’85; With Johnny insisting on a name change, finding the title insulting to Reagan, the others in the band compromised and changed it to “My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down (Bonzo Goes to Bitburg)” for the American market. Such band politics seem hilarious now looking back because everybody knew it as the UK release title.

His limitations in the six-string department was a closely guarded secret (not) with the likes of Daniel Rey and Walter Lure claiming to have laid plenty of guitar parts down over the years as well as bandmate Tommy.  I might be wrong in saying but the only guitar solo he played was on ‘I Can’t Make It on Time’. Johnnys style has been copied by many over the years and was a huge influence on many players who tried to copy his downstroke style.

Before he died Johnny lived in Los Angeles where he spent his dying days and he’s laid to rest in Hollywood Forever Cemetry with an incredible statue to mark his grave.  Johnny was diagnosed with prostate cancer and passed at the young age of 55. johnny loved baseball and Elvis

His legacy is being immortalised in The Simpsons. Having a flunko pop character made of you, dozens of books about you and your music, being part of one of musics coolest most iconic images, having one of the best back catalogues by any band ever and even if you think they haven’t The Ramones have had an impact on your life if you ever liked a loud fast rock and roll song chances are there is a tiny piece of the Ramones in it somewhere down the line I guarantee it. Forever being associated with the look the logo the sound and the City of New York.

Rest in peace Johnny Ramone we love you!

My Top Ten – The Ramones

My Top Ten – The Ramones

I’m gonna start this by stating right here right now that the Ramones released seventeen official albums they had three drummers, two bass players just the one guitarist and one frontman. Of the seventeen they had three live albums, a few compilations with the best being ‘Ramones Mania’ vol One and two. The classic ‘It’s Alive’ absolutely peerless as a double album never bettered by anyone anywhere in any genre.  The other two were alright, ‘Loco Live’ which was alright and the last hurrah! of ‘We’re Outta Here!’  for the purposes of this article I’m excluding these three because it would seem unfair somewhat as ‘Its Alive’ might well finish top of the pops on the sheer quality of the tracklist and the quality of the performances. Sure I love ‘Get Your Ya Ya’s Out’ and I love ‘All Those Wasted Years’ and to be fair ‘No Sleep Til Hammersmith’ is a bit of a banger and whilst I’m here ‘Live Bootleg’ is pretty good as well and maybe ‘Iggy Live At The channel’ is also faultless but to be fair we’re here to chew the fat over a Ramones top ten maybe live albums, in general, is for another day so… without further ado here’s my Top Ten Ramones Studio Albums…1-2-3-4 Hey Ho Lets Go!

Number Ten – ‘Acid Eaters’ The last spot goes to the band’s covers album.  I don’t remember many or any other bands making a record of covers they loved and making them their own. I’m amazed how they even reached a consensus as to what went on the record never mind Brexit Imagine the debate in camp Ramones as to what went on this album.  I guess there might be question marks about who plays what on it and even if they had the appetite to compile the record but as a finished body of work I remember being quite excited at hearing The Ramones and how they’d tackle some of these great tunes would they pull it off?  Would they have people laughing openly at their attempts at real grown-up cover songs? Well, all that went out the window when the band rattled through the intro of ‘Journey To The Centre Of The Mind’.

Some of the covers were predictable to be fair but the delivery was pretty decent as well. ‘Substitute’ is stright forward and ‘Out Of Time’ is hammed up whilst The CJ sung take of Slades ‘The Shape Of Things To Come’ is a real curveball.  No surprise to see the band playing a Jefferson Airplane and Animals songs respectively again fairly standard takes to be fair.

Now ‘7 And 7 Is’ was far livelier and a great version.  Joey gives it some in his performance and a really good cover. the Ramones doing Bob Dylan wasn’t something anyone ever envisaged I’d wager but CJ does a good job on bashing this one out.  The version of the Seeds ‘Can’t Seem To Make You Mine’ was one I always liked but to compare it to Johnny Thunders is like night and day.  Thunders wins by a TKO. Is there an American band who hasn’t covered a song by John Fogerty? A fact for you pop pickers this track has been covered or recorded by 401 bands/artists.  A good song done fairly well but lacks imagination. The Troggs ‘Can’t Control Myself’ is one of the best songs on the album and there had to be a surf song on the album they’d already owned the best surf song recorded but this sappy take is a bit of a wheeze.  But all in all the potential car crash album didn’t materialize and The Ramones came out on top. It just squeaks into the top ten because of its kitsch appeal and they certainly recorded worse records than this no question about it.  Favourite track – ‘Out Of Time’.

Number Nine – ‘Mondo Bizarro‘ There are a few reasons ‘Mondo’ gets in so I’ll outline my case in the defense of this fine record.  Point one, Its still the Ramones, point two CJ makes his debut, It had several of the bands best post Dee Dee songs on it.  The Ramones were still fun live and they were still better than a lot of bands in the early ’90s. ‘Censorshit’ was one in the eye for the PMRC and whilst a bit behind the curve of tipper bashing and a song that no doubt got under Johnny’s skin but it was a blast across the bow that the Ramones weren’t dead yet.

Dee Dee was still writing songs for the band even though he was long gone and there is no denying that ‘Poison Heart’ is right up there with the best the band has ever had their name credited on and not far behind it is CJ’s ‘Strength To Endure’.  Whilst it might get a little stretched in the middle it does come back around and ending with ‘Touring’ is a right toe-tapper and if you’re any sort of fan you’ve sung your socks off to this one.  I remember reading a review at the time before I’d heard the record and it claimed the Ramones were finished and it was a lazy record that had no merit but I don’t find it lazy or lacking merit having three excellent songs is enough for that not to be the case and I like ‘I Won’t Let It Happen’. ‘Cabbies On Crack’ is a nice riff and Joeys voice is at its elastic best as he manages to get the lyrics out without taking a breath. I will concede I can do without ‘Heidi Is A Headcase’ to be fair.  Favourite track – ‘Poison Heart’

 

Number Eight- ‘Brain Drain’ I always loved the cover art and I even went to the cinema to see the movie pet cemetery to hear the Ramones play out at the end.  I first had this on CD and even now I’m bugged how quiet the mastering is.  Way quieter than any other CD in my collection bar none. As for the music the it was the first album recorded with Marky back on the drum stool after six years away. It was also the last album the band did on Sire Records and was maybe the last consistent record they did before the inevitable slide to the end. the constant friction was taking its toll but when ‘I Believe In Miracles’ chimes in it’s like they’ve wound the clock back more than a few years as its a return to the policy of front-loading their record with the best tune.

‘Don’t Bust My Chops’ and the Dee Dee sang ‘Punishment Fit The Crime’ is a great tune and this being three of the opening four songs why wouldn’t you think the boys were back in the saddle? and ‘Palisades Park’ is a banger and could have sat nicely on almost every Ramones album ever. ‘Pet Cemetery’ is a great song and ‘Learn To Listen’ is New York hardcore and Joey growls like a bear and the riff on ‘Ignorance Is Bliss’ is quality.  I’ll always defend ‘Brain Drain’ there are more than a couple of decent songs on it and Joey was right on form. To close the album that came out in the May of ’89 the Ramones sling ‘Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)’ inspired move and a song that should be on every Now That’s What I Call Christmas’ album but strangely it’s never included, oh well, their loss. Favourite Track – ‘I Beleive In Miracles’

Number Seven- ‘Pleasant Dreams’ The band seemed obsessed about their pursuit to be loved and to have big hit singles and to be part of the mainstream. Forget songs like ‘Outsider’ they always craved to be insiders and part of the establishment and get the kudos other bands were having but always seemed to allude the Ramones. Album number six was time for another stab at the mainstream success they went for 10CC’s Graham Gouldman to bring that pop sheen they felt might propel them up the charts and into peoples hearts.

It’s evident from the opening track ‘We Want The Airwaves’ that the sound was less in your face and with the addition of keyboards it was certainly more polished.  Regardless of that the opener is a good tune even if I’m not sure how much of a part Johnny plays on this one. Even the songs that were “Ramones Like” they were certainly toned down and softer like ‘Alls Quiet On The Eastern Front’.  It does, however, house the classic ‘KKK Took My Baby Away’.  I always loved the Ramones power-pop leanings and even with the outsider’s influence on the sound and (possibly) the songwriting songs like ‘Don’t Go’ might not have been up there as memorable Ramones classics but they were trying to evolve and the harmonies were different yet still it was The Ramones.

Songs like ‘You Sound Like Your Sick’ are just the powers that be letting the kids run feral out the back to keep them on track but alas the straying from what the band did best ultimately flopped and they didn’t have hit after hit after hit but ‘Pleasant Dreams’ did signal a shift in the band as they were trying different things how could you not like ‘Its Not My Place’ and ‘7-11’ they were no brainers for Joey who was always susceptible to leaning towards the 50s style on the melodies. ‘Come On Now’ could easily have been a Blondie song from the keyboard sound to the melody. ‘This Business Is Killing Me’ must have been more closer to home than any of us cared for but the band had a real beef as to why they didn’t have mass acceptance. To end with a slice of great power pop ‘Sitting In My Room’ this experiment ultimately failed and the world didn’t catch up.  Favourite Track – ‘KKK Took My Baby Away’.

 

Number Six- ‘Animal Boy’.  Kicking off album number nine with a song written by the drummer might seem brave but on listening to ‘Somebody Put Something In My Drink’ it’s a no brainer as Ritchie showed he could pen a decent tune no doubt about that. It common knowledge that around this time Joey and Johnny weren’t getting on and Dee Dee sided with Joey and Johnny went on record to suggest Joey should go do his solo album and he wouldn’t tour the UK and maybe that tension was reflected in the album but to be fair to Dee Dee he pulled a cat out of the bag on ‘Animal Boy’ as it contained some really strong songs and also featured the six-string work of Walter Lure of the Heartbreakers. The title track is a heads-down Ramones banger. You also have the Dee Dee vocals on the great ‘Love Kills’ his song about Sid & Nancy. I always thought it was one of the bands toughest sounding records with uncompromising tunes like ‘Apeman Hop’ but they did then show their softer side and a cheesy stab at chart success with ‘She Belongs To Me’. There are a few cringy moments that hold the record back like ‘Crummy Stuff’ which might be my least favourite Ramones song ever but let’s not detract from what else is on ‘Animal Boy’.

‘Bonzo goes To Bitburg’ was a minor hit and a real highlight but it was the fact joey only wrote three songs the same as producer Jean Beauvoir.  The album was dominated by Dee Dee who closed the record off with the chiming ‘Something To Believe In’. Favourite track – ‘Bonzo Goes To Bitburg’ closely followed by ‘Love Kills’.

Number five- ‘Too Tough to Die’ Marky was gone and Ritchie was now on the drum stool for the first time and what an album to make your debut. Back to writing songs that were harder and dare I say it tougher, certainly less pop smart with the band admitting as much with Joey quoted as saying “We were focused in the same direction, and it made a difference. We knew we needed to get back to the kind of harder material we’d become known for. The pop stuff hadn’t really worked, and we knew we were much better off doing what we did best”. It was now the mid-eighties and the band had almost been at it fo ra decade they were already on the third drummer they failed to make too big a dent in the pop charts so now it was time to knuckle down and write an album for themselves and for the people who just got it and loved them unequivocally.

The title track was the template along with the opener ‘Mama’s Boy’ the band were making an ugly record of tough songs and by the time the wonderful ‘Durango 95’ had finished (I always loved the intro but always wondered why it was in the middle of a record and not at the start) it did however preface the wonderful ‘Wart Hog’ an utter Dee Dee classic the sound of a rabid dog straining at the leash I always loved ‘Wart Hog’ still do. ‘Howling At The Moon’ being the stick out like a sore thumb track in the middle of the record with the keyboards and synth pumping out the rhythm. ‘Human Kind’ and ‘No Go’ were always the dark horses on this record and song I always loved ‘No Go’.  It was the Ramones not compromising and doing what they wanted and the big question did Johnny play that solo? Maybe Maybe not its a great record regardless of the constant squabbling within the camp, at last, they seemed to have all been on the same page even if it’s hard to believe that Joey never wanted to include ‘Wart Hog’. Also, anyone who’s ever been to New York and gone to central park must have had a photo taken in the tunnel haven’t they?  Or is it just me?  Favourite Track – ‘Wart Hog’.

 Number Four– The Sophmore album ‘Leave Home‘. More than the debut even now ‘Leve Home’ sounds like a band who found their feet and weren’t mucking about its a bit more business-like and not the sound of four guys chancing it and not sure if they have a bunch of songs that might be decent on ‘Leave Home’ they are a step up in professionalism (cough cough) and whilst they might have felt hell were still getting away with this but we might actually be good at it.

Again the opening salvo of the first four songs on side one are incredible and to us brits it was exotic.  what the fuck was burger King? Carbona, not Glue? From ‘Glad To See You Go’ to ‘Oh Oh I Love Her So’ it’s faultless and they’ve even expanded the sound with ‘I Remember You’ and throwing it in so early is brave. Also worth mentioning the band never wrote a song over three minutes until their fourth album -no prog on the Ramones, no sir.  Its also the first album that had a song I wasn’t sold on and to be honest playing it back now I’m still not fussed on ‘Suzy Is A Headbanger’.  Maybe its the fact its sandwiched between two outstanding songs in ‘Carbona Not Glue’ and the unbelievable ‘Pinhead’.

the thing with @Leave Home’ is that a lot of the songs always sounded so much better live when the tempo was faster. ‘Swallow My Pride’, ‘California Sun’ and ‘Commando’. My favourite songs on the album are ‘Pinhead’ and ‘You’re Gonna Kill That Girl’ and one of their best ever ‘Glad To See You Go’.

Number Three – ‘Rocket To Russia‘.  three albums in under eighteen months is an incredible feat and same old same old with the power of hindsight an incredible album with some of the bands most iconic tunes. Its no secret that there are plenty of bands who frontload an album with the strongest songs and this isn’t by chance its something bands (sometimes) take forever and a day deciding on the track running order and quite often it’s important but The Ramones man I’d like to think spent about two minutes deciding or someone did it for them because quite frankly it doesn;t matter because who can possibly decide if an album like ‘Rocket’ should open with the unbelievable ‘Rockaway Beach’ or ‘Sheena Is a Punk Rocker’ or what they settled on the full force wall of sound ‘Cretin Hop’. Again no song over three minutes and before you could even get comfortable ‘Rockaway Beach’ has already been and gone.  How the fuck did these kids from Queens write and play a song as good as that? forget the tempo, forget the chorus, forget the drum beat forget those time changes just home in on the melody and the deliveryon the harmonies its one of the best songs ever no doubt about it. Then to come down theres the morning-after hangover of ‘Here Today, Gone tomorrow’. the Stooges could have written ‘I Don’t Care’ (probably did but Dee Dee nicked it) the audacity of a bunch of scruffy herberts just out of high school writing a song of the caliber of ‘Sheena’ should be upsetting but its upsetting that this wasn’t number one for months across the globe.  Its a near-perfect slab of rock and Roll with the melody of The Beach Boys mixed with the musicianship of some delinquents is something that needs to be explained.  Maybe people have always had cloth ears when it came to what sold and what didn’t.

The lyrics of ‘We’re A Happy Family’ always intrigued me where did the inspiration come from? the album flip-flopped from the melodic bubblegum power pop the band did so well like ‘Ramona’ to the straight-ahead bish bash bosh of the opener. On another day this might be my favourite Ramones record it potentially is the most consistent but it wasn’t the first but on the other hand maybe because it wasn’t the first (or second) it’s remarkable but it has to sit somewhere and that somewhere is number three. Oh, and Tommy said goodbye after this album and took a backseat.  Favourite track – ‘Rockaway Beach’

Number Two – Self Titled Debut. ‘The Ramones’ One another day this would be number one and I guess as far as debut albums go there have been plenty that was regarded as a bands best partly down to the fact they had years to write the songs then to follow it up a band generally has less time and so on. But listening back this is pretty faultless for any album the songs are just glorious.  Take the handclaps on the Mono Version (audio nerd alert) it sounds like Tommy is there next to you it’s that good.  What a powerful thing. The funny thing is listening back to give it a critical ear I find myself just smiling at the sheer quality of the songs and not just the big hitters like the opening three tracks which would go down as one of the strongest opening trio anywhere ever. ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’, ‘Beat On The Brat’ and ‘Judy’ are amazing.  Being of a certain age maybe I can’t appreciate what an impact this record would have had on a young man  when hearing it first but I got into the Ramones on my number one and maybe thats been a big reason as to why thats the case and why I can’t separate that from being objective all these years later and the many thousands of plays these records have had over the years.

I can feel the danger of ’53rd & 3rd’ and what it must have felt like hearing ‘Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue’ sure there are no weak tracks on this record and maybe its the little things that stand out for me now like the gang vocals on ‘Chainsaw’ and hearing Johnny trying to be louder than Joey I’m sure he is, listen to it. Favourite track is probably ‘Judy Is A Punk’ Why? those handclaps and tambourine whilst the Bass and Guitars are raging like fuck it’s such a beautiful thing and probably could never ever be written today by anyone. Favourite Track – ‘Judy Is A Punk’

Number One – ‘End Of The Century’ Might not be everyone’s choice )I’m Aware of that) and one that has made people laugh but it was the album I came in on and therefore my exposure was the four geeks on the cover and I can still remember dropping the needle on dads Marantz turntable and playing it for what seemed like days on end preferring it to food and football and as soon as it finished I’d play it again until I’d fall asleep.  No I didn’t really have a clue who Phil Spector was and it wasn’t until years later reading about the wall of sound and the firearms used to get the band to record parts of this amazing album.

‘Do You Remember Rock and Roll’ is my ringtone has been since I had a smartphone and even now I might not pick up because I have to hear a bit more of the song (sorry bout that if I haven’t picked up) then into the Bass drilling down before the acoustic guitar! WTF The Ramones and acoustic guitars? It might have been akin to Dylan ditching the acoustic and horrified fans ditching him when fans heard this but remember I hadn’t been there from the start. ‘Danny Says’ is soppy Joey at his best. They really pulled the band out of their comfort zone and I’ve got this far and not mentioned Johnny’s hair on the cover and their four for three on t-shirts in Walmart to bring then band into the 20th Century with such a bright bold cover. Again featuring the four musicians something I’m sure they insisted on. Its a maligned album with some claims its disjointed -piffle! ‘Chinese Rocks’ is a classic full stop, Don’t care that it’s about copping dope and I don’t care they borrowed Steve Jones tone for ‘The Return Of Jackie And Judy’ the roll on the floor tom is enough for me. Spector might well have been a few sandwiches short of a picnic and his experiment did yield the magnificent opening track and they’d not sounded so brutal as they did on ‘Lets Go’ so much for getting softer and they borrowed the Dead Boys drum roll on this one as well and the Dead Boys were/are awesome so that’s a tick in my book.

Christ, you could play ‘Baby I Love You’ to your girlfriend or your mother and still have street cred with your mates.  Joey pulls a blinder on this one by singing from his cotton socks to the tip of his plentiful barnet one of his best vocal performances bar none.  It might not have the best Ramones songs on it but as a complete piece of work, I fuckin’ love it! From the fuzzy radio tuning to the fade-out of ‘High-Risk Insurance’ it’s brilliant. It’s full of Ramones hallmarks and noticeable markers but they took a chance with Spector and in my eyes, it paid off.  they could have rested on their considerable laurels by now and churned out another Ramones record but they didn’t they expanded the envelope and took a chance All hail my favourite Ramones record.  ‘End Of The Fucking Century’ Ave it! Favourite song-  ‘Do You Remember Rock And Roll’

So there you have it might not be a perfect summary and I doubt it’ll be your favourite Ten Ramones albums. Maybe if you ask me in a weeks time it might be different.  Of the albums that didn’t make it into this particular list I can’t really think of one album that I don’t like.  There are songs I’m not too fussed on but overall for a band who spanned many decades and changes in consumer buying habits as well as internal band changes and losing their main song writer survived and every time I had the pleasure of seeing them play they were on form.  They looked like the coolest gang and championed being outsiders I loved The Ramones the first time I heard them and love them now.  So go play your favourite Ramones song and spread the word – We accept you one of us!

Buy the Ramones Here

Gone But Not Forgotten – Dee Dee Ramone & Nick Marsh

Gone But Not Forgotten – Dee Dee Ramone & Nick Marsh

Douglas Glenn Colvin is better known as Dee Dee Ramone (September 18, 1952 – June 5, 2002)  Arguably the main songwriter who brought punk rock to the masses, Dee Dee was and is a legend.  Wielding his white Fender P well below the recommended belt buckle guideline and known as the guy who counted in every Ramones song ever 1-2-3-4 – Dee Dee had it all.

Initially the band’s lead vocalist, though his (then) inability to sing and play bass at the same time resulted in original drummer Joey Ramone taking over the lead vocalist duties (however, he still sang lead vocals in the band on occasion most notable ‘Wart Hog’). Dee Dee was the band’s bassist and songwriter from 1974 until 1989 when he left to pursue a short-lived career in hip hop music under the name Dee Dee King. He soon returned to his punk roots and released three solo albums featuring brand-new songs, many of which were later recorded by the Ramones. He toured the world playing his new songs, Ramones songs and some old favorites in small clubs, and continued to write songs for the Ramones until 1996 when the band officially called time on the whole circus.

Dee Dee struggled with drug addiction for much of his life, particularly heroin. He began using drugs as a teenager and continued to use for the majority of his adult life. He appeared clean in the early 1990s but began using heroin again sometime later. He died from a heroin overdose on June 5, 2002.

Born in Virgina Dee Dee was the son of a German mother and a father who served in the Military. Which was why Dee Dee found himself in Berlin until 15 then after his parents separated Dee Dee settled in Forest Hills where he first met Johnny And Tommy.

After playing in prog metal bands and getting married in 78 Dee Dee lasted until 1990 married to Vera then he married Barbara who looks over his estate until this day but had to wait until 95 when his divorce was finalised.  She blamed drugs and mental illness for the strain on their relationship.  During this time Dee Dee found fame (no fortune) after he named the band siting Paul McCarney as the inspiration for Ramone.

Dee Dee wrote about what he knew and where he lived.  The Ramones songs are gritty and to the point and whilst one of their most famous songs was first recorded by Johnny Thunders due to Johnny not wanting to play songs about drugs but he later relented.  even when he left the band he still wrote songs for them and always remained closely involved even joining in when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame the first year they qualified to be inducted and shortly after Joey had passed away.  the tragic decline of the band continued when Dee Dee himself passed away shortly after his appearance where he congratulated himself on his achievements as a Ramone.

He wasn’t only a punk rocker Dee Dee also tried his hand at Rap and became Dee Dee King if you can check out his rap work Tupac or Chuck D he wasn’t.  His later years as a recording artist were scattered and chaotic with live records and eps coming out poor quality recordings and little else Dee Dee descended into skin and bones He also wrote a book Memoirs of a Rock and Roll star and tried his hand at acting. Dee Dee had it all yet he had nothing.  He was laid to rest in Hollywood not far from his fellow Ramone Johnny however Dee Dee has a more modest stone with the Ramones seal and the words “O.K…I gotta go now.” engraved on the bottom.  Dee Dee probably doesn’t get the kudos for his significant part he played in music, ok acting and rapping I’ll concede but as a songwriter, he was one of the best and that’s a fact the amount of songs he wrote is phenomenal  although the band credited them evenly it was well known that Dee Dee was the main man and for that alone RPM salutes Douglas Glenn Colvin. May he rest in peace.

 

 

Nick Marsh 1962-2015.  Most famous for being the voice and guitar player in Flesh For Lulu and later an integral part of Urban Voodoo Machine. After his diagnosis, Marsh documented the early months of his battle with the disease through Facebook. “I didn’t know how else to approach it really,” he told Classic Rock. “I just thought, ‘Here I am.’ Facebook is like an open diary if you want it to be. I just felt like I wanted to do that. I don’t know why now.”

Marsh came to the public attention in 83 when his band Flesh For Lulu crawled out of the legendary Batcave Goth Club. the following year they released their debut album they certainly got noticed and became an underground hit.  IT was several years later when they got a big break when ‘I Go Crazy’ was featured in a hit John Hughes movie ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’ which helped propel the band into the American underground where they did rather well especially with their singles as opposed to their albums. the band broke up in the early ’90s. Marsh went on to form Gigantic in the mid ’90s but that didn’t quite see out the decade which meant Flesh For Lulu was reformed just as the noughties were dawning.

It wasn’t until Marsh found a home as an integral member of Urban Voodoo Machine that he re-emerged no our radar. 2003 was the year and Marsh alongside his commitment to swinging the six string with the Blues punk Bop n Stroll merchants he also found time to record a solo album, ‘A Universe Between Us’, in 2006, revealing a much gentler side of his music, a more introspective sound that created huge soundscapes as big as the sky and quite beautiful songs they were too.

Before his passing, Marsh had been working with his wife, Katharine Blake (formerly of Miranda Sex Garden and The Mediaeval Baebes), under the moniker From the Deep who released the album to much critical acclaim.  but finally before his passing, he revived Flesh for Lulu with a new lineup and plans for the future, but those plans were sidelined when he was diagnosed with throat and mouth cancer. After going through radiotherapy and chemotherapy, Marsh – feeling upbeat about his chances for recovery – launched an IndieGoGo campaign to finance the recordings and plans to tour alas that was in 2013 and then in 2015 at the age of 53 Marsh was taken from his loved ones after cancer returned. He leaves behind an impressive, versatile and above all quality legacy that his partner and two daughters can be proud of as future fans will no doubt discover his talents – Nick Marsh Rest In Peace.

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Four)

California Dreamin’ – A Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip – October 2017 (Part Four)

Day 7 October 4th – GTA flashbacks, rock ‘n’ roll haunts and unexpected discoveries

Up early, we head for Santa Monica Pier. That iconic Ferris wheel is clearly visible in the early morning sun as we stroll across the deserted beach. Exploring the pier brings back GTA flashbacks again, they got it so right in San Andreas. The number of times I have walked down this pier in the game shot a bunch of innocent bystanders found a car and drove off into the hills being frantically chased by police cars and helicopters.

Back to reality, we grab a coffee and sit to do some people watching. Homeless people and drunks lay asleep, slumped over tables in the sun as Mexicans sell art and a Chinese guy plays hypnotic music on some exotic looking instrument. An Asian woman, older than her body suggests, dances continuously to the music blaring from the cafe speakers, she wears a tiny black bikini and with a constant smile on her face, seems oblivious to the world around her. This seems to be the general theme in LA. Everyone is in their own little bubble; interaction seems unlikely unless there is a transaction to be made. Take the restaurants, the beautiful people greet you with a smile and call you “sir”. They will do whatever they think you want for that extra dollar tip, the lower classes bring your food and I wonder who takes the tips.

 

We hire bikes and take the cycle path, a long stretch to Venice Beach. It’s still early morning for most LA residents and Jamaicans with t-shirt stalls and hippies with guitars are still setting up whatever it is they do for the day to make money. As we ride onwards, the fragrant smell of marijuana fills the air, now it’s legal over here, you see (or smell) it everywhere. We cycle past all sorts of strange looking characters from all walks of life.

We stop at a skate park and watch teenagers do their thing for a while, we dodge Jamaican street sellers, trying their hardest to sell you a CD of their latest ‘music’.

After lunch, we take the car out for a bit of sightseeing.  Driving in LA takes time and in hindsight, maybe taking a taxi or an Uber is the best way. One of the places on my list was the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, one of many cemeteries in LA where the rich and famous are laid to rest.

In this idyllic, reclusive escape from the craziness of LA, you can find the likes of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Rooney amongst the graves laid out across the beautiful gardens, but the reason for my visit is Johnny Ramone and Chris Cornell, who are funnily enough laid right next to each other. My brother was a massive Cornell fan, I remember Dan playing ‘Seasons’ to me when he worked it out, that moment always stays with me and it was essential for me to just take a moment with my thoughts here.

 

Back when I originally booked this holiday, I presumed nearer to the time that we would have a whole host of bands to go check out at the various clubs on the strip. Turns out, sod’s law, that its slim pickings for a rock ‘n’ roll junkie the nights we have chosen to be in town. But we do find that Shooter Jennings is playing at The Whiskey A Go Go, so that will do nicely.

In a bizarre twist of fate, we cross paths with my gig-going buddy and ace photographer Marc McGarraghy, who is over here doing a similar road trip with his wife.

The venue is forever iconic in my mind from my teenage years. All my heroes played here, Van Halen, Motley Crue and Guns n’ Roses, it’s the stuff of legends. It is smaller than I imagined but very cool. With a 500 capacity it’s just the size venue I love, and after grabbing a beer, we turn to the stage and imagine what has gone down there over the years.

But that’s all history now and tonight we have four bands to watch. Openers Shelby Texas are a boy/girl duo with just a guitar, who play instantly infectious countrified tunes, Their voices are great together and their Cash/Carter influences even more evident with the inclusion of a cover of Cash’s ‘Jackson’.

I don’t know who Keith Jacob is and I have no desire to find out after tonight’s performance. The guy plays the cheesy sort of country-pop I hate, like Billy Ray Cyrus. Songs that go nowhere and lyrically mean nothing. His voice isn’t great and his stage presence at the same level. The guitar tech is a dwarf, no joke! And things get even more bizarre as the set goes on. He keeps bringing out stunning looking dancing girls who perform perfectly synchronised dance routines that do nothing to improve the fact that his songs suck! Why? Maybe one is his daughter or the guitar player’s girlfriend, or maybe they are just strippers. The mind boggles, but they are by far the best thing about his set.

The climax involves the girls onstage with flying v guitars, doing an ‘Addicted To Love’ style dance routine as two male dwarfs, complete with miniature flying v guitars jump about too! The most tripped out and bizarre performance I have ever seen and probably the worst. I’m still not convinced it actually happened.

 

Hellbound Glory is like a breath of fresh air after that performance. Fronted by the instantly likable Leroy Virgil, who looks like a Bee Gee in a bomber jacket, yet sings like a rock ‘n’ roll star in his prime. His band is tight, the rhythm section especially a well-oiled machine. Turns out they are actually Shooter Jennings’ band and this is the album release show for Virgil’s comeback album ‘Pinball’. An album produced by Jennings himself and featuring his own band, backing the Reno-based singer/songwriter. It seems Jennings has taken Virgil under his wing and got him back into the business of doing music.

The upbeat title track and the likes of ‘Another Bender Might Break Me’ are whiskey and cocaine-fuelled tales that showcase a quality songwriter on the edge of a few benders himself.

As his set ends he takes the front of the stage and pours his drink over his head, in a sort of ‘don’t give a fuck’ act of defiance. Take me as I am, he seems to be saying and we certainly will.

Hellbound Glory impressed and are an unexpected highlight of the evening that will have us talking long after this trip has ended. ‘Pinball’ is a must-have album for us right now.

 

Porn legend Ron Jeremy is in the room tonight, should I go up and tell him I’ve seen all his greatest movies?…probably not!  He takes the stage to introduce Shooter Jennings. What a band! The same players who backed Leroy Virgil, all the same apart from fiddle player Aubrey Richmond, who has changed from all black leather to a hippified, blue one piece for the headline set.

Shooter, dressed in a purple suit, shades ever present, stands behind a keyboard stage front for most of the set. Sometimes on keys, sometimes a guitar, it’s the bassist and fiddle player that the eyes are drawn to watch as the set unfolds.

The sound of Shooter Jennings is more in line with what the two of us have been listening to in recent times. A sort of Alabama 3 meets Nick Cave vibe with a touch of Johnny Cash. The band is tight, the songs flow and the packed room love it. The likes of ‘Electric Rodeo’ are soaked in Black Crowes vibes, catchy standout track ‘Outlaw You’, definite country but with added fiddle giving a folk edge to it.

We came to this show last minute, on a whim. Not familiar with the music of Shooter Jennings, we leave after a great night needing to check out the back catalogue, but it’s the support band Hellbound Glory who really leave a lasting impression long after the trip has ended.

 

Day 8 – Universal Studios, bucket list bars and future stars

 

Day 2 in Los Angeles is spent mostly at Universal Studios. The tour is essential, the themed rides vary in awesomeness, Sedd has been before and recommends we upgrade to fast-track entry to save time queuing good move. We get there as it opens and leave by 3 pm having done pretty much every ride. Most are 3D interactive rides, with 3D glasses, Harry Potter and Transformers offering the most thrills, a larger than life replica of Springfield is very trippy and a detailed replica of Hogwarts is not to be missed.

We then take a trip over to Laurel Canyon to find the house where Jim Morrison lived, check out the hippy country store next door and just take in the atmosphere. Cruise through the likes of Rodeo Drive, the chaotic traffic, the palm trees and the characters that you would only see in LA.

The evening brings a trip down Hollywood Boulevard to check out the bucket list rock ‘n’ roll bars. We find The Viper Room, intending to grab a quick beer and move on. We follow the black-walled corridors to the main room, a small room that is packed, everyone seemingly waiting for a band to take the stage. There’s a cool vibe in here, we soak it in, like The Whiskey last night and imagine the bands that have taken to that stage in the past.

Tonight is the album release show for a band called Disciples Of Babylon. Premiering tracks from the newly released ‘The Rise And Fall Of Babylon’. The guys have an epic, almost proggy sound. Rousing gang vocals on the likes of ‘Liberty’ and ‘Karma’ bring to mind 30 Seconds To Mars at their best. Frontman Eric Knight incites crowd participation time and again and does what’s needed to keep the packed in crowd ignited as guitarist Ramon Blanco pulls off stadium-sized licks to his side. They even throw in a choice Zep cover in the form of ‘Immigrant Song’.

Lyrically, a socially aware band who are in touch with the state their country is in, musically and sonically tight and professional, they seem to have the songs that matter. Worth checking out methinks.

We then head onto the Rainbow Bar & Grill. Again, it’s tiny and very cool. I don’t really know what I was expecting, glitz and glamour, maybe a rock star sighting or two? Truth is, these clubs are exactly the same as the clubs I frequent in the UK, small, great drinking bars that have the same atmosphere as Fibbers, as The Brudenell, as whatever club I go to watch bands in, the only difference is the location and then maybe the less famous clientele.

I would have liked more time in LA, but it’s just so freakin’ big! A lot bigger than I expected.  There is still so much we did not see, so the Hollywood sign, the Walk of Fame and the rest will have to wait until next time, as Vegas is calling.

 

 

Author : Ben Hughes