BOOK TITLE-Ramones An American Band
AUTHOR Jim Bessman
FORMAT-Over sized paperback
FIRST TIME READING-No
COST-I really have no idea.There is no price on the book anywhere.
Ever since I was 4 the Ramones have either been my favorite band or in my top 5.It was sometime in fall of 1997 and I was killing time in Walden's Books waiting on my girlfriend to show up so we could grab a bite to eat then go see a film.
This Walden's had some great staff.One of them,who was named Tex,is a fellow comic fan. Who know I loved the Ramones and had put the one copy they got of the above pictured book to the side for me. I of course bought it. And all through dinner and the film all I could think about was the book. My girl invited me over to her place for ,well I am sure the people reading this can figure out why. But I turned that down cause I had a book about the best band to ever exist.
Published by St Martin Press Ramones an American Band is the history of the band that most people believe help create the punk rock genre of music. Full of pictures,history of the band and the various members and even a complete listing of every show they had played as of January 19th 1993.And even a listing of every record,single and even the imports.
Sure the books doesn't go into the dirt like Mickey Leigh's book. But even as diehard of a Ramones fan as I was in 93 there was plenty in the book I didn't know.Besides the glossing over of a few things,like the origins of their concert favorite song 53rd and 3rd,my only real complaint is I wish the pictures were in color.
The other day I was out in the yard doing some yardwork. And I was trying to think of some more Top 5 lists. Well I was listening to music and thought "Shit Newt do your Top 5 bands." So as I was stacking bamboo shafts I was trying to hash out my top 5. I realized I love too many bands. So it has morphed into a top 10 list.
10.Death
Just discovered them recently. But they have quickly become one of my favorite bands. Formed in the early 70s in Detroit Michigan. They were 3 brothers. And have this great protopunk sound. All they ever released as a single. But 4 or 5 years ago they got resdiscovered and the master tape of their unreleased album got released. If you are a fan of Alice Cooper,The Stooges,The Who or The MC5 check this band out.
9.The Distillers
Fronted by the gorgous Brodie Dalle, this punk band had a great raw sound. I discovered them pretty late in their career. What caught my attention at first was Brodie's voice. It is that rough ,gravely smoking 4 packs of cigs a day voice. They broke up and Brodie went on the sing lead vocals in the short lived band Spinerette.
8.The Stooges
Another great protopunk band from Detroit. Iggy has an amazing stage presence. It was their raw sound that caught me. Thanks to a friend I discovered the Stooges band when I was 12. Since then I have been a huge fan. I still hate that I missed them when they played Voodoo Fest a few years ago.
7.The Misfits
By the Misfits I mean only the Danzig era. I do enjoy a couple of the songs from when Graves was doing lead vocals. But the Danzig era is the best stuff. This is another group I discovered in my pre-teen years.I just wish Jerry Only and Glenn Danzig would settle their differences and we can get a proper Misfits reunion.
6.The Descendents
All the pop punk bands that hit it big in the late 90s/early 2000s owe so much to the Descendents. Loud,Fast and with amazingly clear and intelligent vocals. I actually first heard them when I was 8. Their song Weinersnitzel was lip synched on some TV talent show. My buddy told me that it was a Descendents song. Then he made me a copy of Milo goes to college. That copy found a permanent home in my walkman for years.
TIE 5. Bad Religion
I was about 14 when Suffer came out. I was in Record Bar looking for a new album to buy. The cashier had gotten to know me and knew what bands I was into. "Look little dude buy this album. If you don't like it bring it back and I will refund your money." I took a chance and HOLY FUCK. Then next week I was back and buying all their previous albums. And as good as their albums are it doesn't even compare to how great they are live. Seen them 2 times now. Rumors are flying that the current tour is their last tour. I would love to see them one more time.
TIE 5.NOFX
This was another band I discovered thanks to the great cashier at Record Bar. He told me to buy "White Trash,two Heebs and a Bean." I was back in the store the next day buy every NOFX album they had. I like how they can blend serious topics with comedy.
4. Guns N Roses
It seems with the generation after me it has become the thing to hate Guns N Roses. Not really sure why. I was in Jr High when Appetite for Destruction hit. For about a year everyone was listening to them. It is an almost perfect album. I got to see them on the ill fated Faith No More/Metallica/Guns N Roses tour. Thanks to various issues the bad is a shell of what it use to be. With only Axl remaining out of the core group. But at least we got 2 great albums and one decent EP.
3.Helmet
I was shopping at Record Bar again. And saw "Helmet-Strap it on" I bought it on a whim. And feel in love with the band. The start/stop of they music. The jazz influences. All made them stand out from all the other early 90s metal bands. Seeing them live was great. But the best part was getting to sit at the bar and buy Paige Hamilton a drink.
TIE 2.Alice in Chains
They are really the only band I ever discovered through MTV. I caught Man in a box airing on Headbangers ball and was hooked. And I do love their album Facelift. But Dirt was the album that stuck with me. The raw pain and emotion Layne Staley brings to each song is haunting. Once I got that album it didn't leave my stereo for years. So happy I saw them 4 times before Layne's OD. I know they are still putting out music and touring. But with out Layne it just isn't Alice in Chains to me.
TIE 2.The Pixies
One of the few good things about one of my ex's is she introduced me to the Pixies.I still don't understand why there were not huge in the States. Almost everywhere else in the world they hit it big. But here they were at the most an underground sensation. They just recently reformed and released a new album. But they don't have Kim Deal and her vocals were a vital part of their sound.
1.The Ramones
No big surprise if you know me. I first heard them on Sha Na Na's weekly tv show. Then a few weeks later heard them on the radio. It started a obsession that has never ended. I own every album and so many bootleg concert recordings. The first time I got to see them they were opening for Pearl Jam. After the Ramones finished their set my ears were ringing so much I could barely hear. I got to see them two more times a few years later. Sadly over the past 13 years 3 of the 4 original members have died. But their music is one of the things that helped me survive the hell that was high school.
End of the Century The Story of the Ramones
2005
Rhino DVD
I have been a huge fan of the Ramones for over 30 years now. And was lucky enough to see them 3 times before they broke up. Well a few years back 2 different documentaries about the band came out. The first one I saw was "Ramones:Raw" which was made up of behind the scenes footage Marky "Monkey boy" Ramone filmed during the years he was touring with the band. I found this one very disappointing and kind of worthless. Then there is End of the Century. Which is almost perfect.
We get a great history of how and why the band was formed. Turns out most of the core members all grew up together and formed the band cause well they really had nothing else to do. There is plenty of interviews with people who knew the guys before they became famous. And we get to know the Ramone's real personalities.
The next section of the DVD deals with them starting to tour and the recording of their first album. And WOW this section had info that I had never heard before. Which is strange cause I have done a pile of research of the Ramones.
Next up we get all kinds of interviews with the surviving members. Sadly before this was done Joey had died. But at least we got interviews with Johnny and Dee Dee. Now I had always heard that Johnny is kind of a right wing asshole,and his interviews proves this. Dee Dee sounds and looks like a drugged out Carol Channing. Which always makes me laugh.
One part I really enjoyed is the interviews with all the people that were part of the band for short periods of time. Like Richie,Elvis and CJ. The interview with Richie confirms the stories I have always heard about why he left the band. It seems he wasn't getting his fair share of the money they made off the t-shirt sales. This really sucks,cause he was IMHO the best drummer they ever had.
The DVD has a plethora of extras. Mostly parts of interviews that got cut from the final film. But the best part is a part where Tommy Ramone sits down and tells us who wrote what on the first 3 albums. End of the Century The Story of the Ramones gets an A.
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