Johnny Ramone: Rebel in a rebel's World (A man of the Right)

The Washington Time ^ | 3.12.2004 | Steve Miller

[jocon307]

For 100 nights a year over three decades, punk-rock guiterrorist Johnny Ramone stood with his head down, face in an intense scowl of concentration, legs shoulder-width apart, hammering at his blue Mosrite with a blurry right hand. The cacophony was pure bliss, a white noise ringing that punched holes in all that was peaceful, shards of the power chords busting into little aural stars, like the lights you see when you smack your head, only in your ears.

[jocon307]

Just another reason to love the Ramones!

[NewRomeTacitus]

Cool thing: their first album had all the instuments recorded on separate tracks. That made it a user-friendly learning tool for thousands of musicians who came after them, gratis. Gabba gabba hey!

[Waco]

I sometimes think that throughout our history, 45-48% of the citizens would give out nation to any nutcase/tryant that said they wanted it, just because they said they wanted it. We are a very lucky nation to have survived.

[Stoat]

Did you click on the "view larger image" of the picture in the article to see his T-shirt? WONDERFUL!

[E Rocc]

Johnny dropped his job as a construction worker in 1974 and held down stage right for 22 years as the guitarist for the most influential rock band of the last 30 years. The Ramones fertilized the punk-rock scene first in their hometown of New York City, then in England. Eventually -- who knew? -- that sound would form the chassis for what the corporate rock industry later dubbed "alternative" and, eventually, infiltrated top 40.

The only quibble I have about this article is the idea that "alternative" takes after the Ramones. Actually, the late 80's metal that preceded it was closer. Ramones songs were always tight and there was little if any whining. The same can't be said for a great deal of "alternative".

One of the greatest bands ever.

-Eric

[jocon307]

LOL! No I didn't, thanks for pointing that out.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Johnny Ramone still kickin' and standing up for his beliefs despite liberal castigation.
Pinging the interested.

[weegee]

Laura Ingrahm interviewed Vincent Gallo this week on her radio show and kept him on much longer than she planned.

I had seen his films and read some quotes about his conservatism. I read these horrible things playing him up as being a racist xenophobe. He got the full Mel Gibson treatment from the press (although he is accepted by some leftist artists).

I've even seen a photo of him hanging around with one of President Bush's daughters.

I liked his films and while I didn't question his conservativism, I did want to see some of the "other side" of his personality. media bias is a b!tch.

[weegee]

Joey Ramone voted for Ronald Reagan (twice?). Everyone points to Bonzo goes to Bitburg as a sign of the Ramones' leftist streak but does a song angry about President Reagan visiting an SS graveyard really mean that they rejected everything Ronald Reagan did?

Plenty of conservatives oppose President Bush on the immigration amnesty program and some other issues.

It doesn't mean that to hoot and howl makes you not "conservative".

Even though CJ Ramone is left of Johnny, he still put his time in cleaning up the WTC ground zero site. Work. Real work. Something other people would not want to do.

I don't count CJ with the leftists who protest President Bush and the war on terror. Eddie Vedder does more to incite rage than ANY Ramone.

[weegee]

Anyone who can email contact Johnny Ramone (the band's LEADER) needs to get him to re-evaluate the concept of having the Ramones support the Abortion movement. I've seen this on a website and would like to get the band leader to pull his weight.

[weegee]

My understanding is that you were a Ramone Roadie...

[NewRomeTacitus]

Okay, Gallo's a perv. Does this reflect on the Ramones?

[weegee]

FYI:

Punk Rock web site launched for Conservatives

... this site boasts conservatives from well-known artist Michale Graves of Gotham Road and former lead singer of the Misfits, to conservative talk show host and former rock jock Andrew Wilkow, to the average person on the street. This site has been created to counteract the multiple liberal punk sites on the web, which are run by only a small number of punk artists who are choosing to make up the minds of thousands of voters.

[weegee]

Why is Gallo a perv? Because he had a former girl friend have sex with him on camera for an adult movie (not a porn film but a film for adults with plot)?

Is the act of oral sex a perv act?

Is premarital sex "perverted"?

I don't condone premarital sex (although Bill O'Reilly DOES, he also doesn't see a big problem with same sex marriage, just the way they are approaching it).

[BudgieRamone]

Thanks for posting this! I always enjoy reading about my favorite musicians.

[NewRomeTacitus]

No. I lost the link that was implying that. I have no problem with other peoples non-violent activities in general. I'm not the G'dm Morality Squad, just a great admirer of the Ramones' work.

If you haven't noticed, there is a great divide between the "old guard" conservatives who are extremely uptight and the "new generation" who regard liberal indulgences as their right. The old guard (where most of us end up) see tthe youth on the path to damnation in hell for their lax morality. The youth, in turn, very correctly chastise the oldsters for lack of faith and trust, as most of them end up being very solid citizens.

As I straddle the extremes I believe Gallo was disrespecting the young woman by allowing distribution of the tapes and cemented his status in light of the public by doing so. She is still a human being not employed by the porno industry nor screwed up like that Hilton chick. I may be wrong so don't hesitate to correct me.

[Chad Fairbanks]

LOL... No, I don't think I was... I think I'd remember that. Maybe. ;0)

Although I did spend two summers in a beat up old van going up and down the east coast playing the crappiest little dives we could find all in the name of punk rock...

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

God bless Johnny and all the Ramones...along with Ronald Reagan, the two biggest influences on my life. RR made me a conservative, the Ramones made me spend the last 25+ years making noise on guitar. Gabba Gabba Hey!

[Lurker]

I used to have that T-shirt, or one very similar.

I wore it till it was a rag. My friends hated it.

L

[RepoGirl]

Gabba Gabba Hey PING!