Richie Ramone - 2/19/14

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RICHIE RAMONE
Something In My Drink Tour 2014
with special Guests: One Last Shot and Home Court Advantage
Feb. 19, 2014 @ Lost Horizon - Syracuse, NY

Official Web Site RichieRamone.com	DC Jams Records	Home Court Advantage	One Last Shot	The Lost Horizon	Leave A Comment

	The ONE time I got to see The Ramones as a full band was at the Syracuse University Block Party in 1993, up at Sky Top. They played with Shinehead & Screaming Trees. It was a starange mix of bands, but it worked. While Screaming Trees played Joey & Dee Dee Ramone came out to the barrier to meet people. I was lucky enough to be there and got to meet them and shake their hands. It was pretty AMAZING! The show was everything you imagine a Ramones show to be. It was fast, loud, and HIGH energy! My friends and I had a fantastic day. At the time, the band's drummer was Marky Ramone, who had returned to the band in 1987, and remained there until the band's final show in 1996. Fast forward 20 years to March of 2013, and I was set up to interview The Ramones' only surviving original member, drummer Tommy Ramone, as well as Glen Matlock, the original bass player of The Sex Pistols, on their Acoustic Anarchy Tour. Unfortunately, due to illness, Tommy Ramone was unable to keep our scheduled appointment, had to bow out of the tour, and was replaced by New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain. (Click to See Those interviews.) So, as you can imagine, I was VERY excited when I found out that Richie Ramone was coming to Syracuse in support of his debut solo album: Entitled, on DC Jams Records.

The ONE time I got to see The Ramones as a full band was at the Syracuse University Block Party in 1993, up at Sky Top. They played with Shinehead & Screaming Trees. It was a starange mix of bands, but it worked.
While Screaming Trees played Joey & Dee Dee Ramone came out to the barrier to meet people. I was lucky enough to be there and got to meet them and shake their hands. It was pretty AMAZING! The show was everything you imagine a Ramones show to be. It was fast, loud, and HIGH energy! My friends and I had a fantastic day.
At the time, the band's drummer was Marky Ramone, who had returned to the band in 1987, and remained there until the band's final show in 1996.
Fast forward 20 years to March of 2013, and I was set up to interview The Ramones' only surviving original member, drummer Tommy Ramone, as well as Glen Matlock, the original bass player of The Sex Pistols, on their Acoustic Anarchy Tour. Unfortunately, due to illness, Tommy Ramone was unable to keep our scheduled appointment, had to bow out of the tour, and was replaced by New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain. (Click to See Those interviews.)
So, as you can imagine, I was VERY excited when I found out that Richie Ramone was coming to Syracuse in support of his debut solo album: Entitled, on DC Jams Records.

Chris besaw and I arrived at the Lost Horizon early for our scheduled interview and waited anxiously for Richie and the band to show up. They finally arrived, and after a about a half hour of loading in gear, and setting up, tour manager Jeff jones, introduced us to Richie ramone, and we made our way into the the infamous Back Room of the Lost Horizon. Covered in autographs, graffitti, and stickers of the thousands of bands, both local and national, that passed through that cramped little room, the low set couch and tiled walls seemed the ideal setting to talk to a member of one of THE GREATEST Punk bands of all time.
Richie Ramone's Punk Past
Richie became the drummer of The Ramones in 1982, replacing Marky, when the band was recording the album Subterranean Jungle. He did not actually play on the record, although he did appear in two music videos. Richie was, by far, the fastest drummer that The Ramones ever had. His hands moved faster than the human eye can comprehend. He was also the ONLY Ramones drummer to completely write and sing a song on a Ramones record with Somebody Put Something In My Drink. Richie's vocal abilities were considered a major asset to the band by frontman, Joey Ramone.

Joey also stated that “[Richie] saved the band as far as I’m concerned. He’s the greatest thing to happen to The Ramones. He put the spirit back in the band.” In addition to playing drums, writing material, and singing, Richie also helped in the mixing of the band's music. During the remixing of the album Halfway To Sanity, which Richie was asked to do by Joey Ramone, to "save the album," tempers flared between Richie and guitarist Johnny Ramone over "artistic differences."
In 1987, Richie Ramone left the band after a dispute with Johnny over the split of royalty monies from T-shirt sales. He remained in contact with his other band mates and appeared on Dee Dee Ramone's solo record, as well as being the only surviving member of The Ramones to appear on Joey's second solo record, Ya Know? which was released posthumously in 2012.
In 2007, Richie sued WalMart, Apple, Inc, and others for copyright infringement on the songs he had written. Though the judge later dismissed the case, Richie was awarded full writing & publishing rights to the songs he wrote as a memeber of The Ramones.
Also in 2007, Richie performed with the Pasadena Pops, on a classical piece entitled: "Suite for Drums and Orchestra" which was based on themes from West Side Story. Richie was was both the featured soloist and the concerto's co-composer.
In 2011, The Ramones won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the GRAMMY's. Richie, along with Tommy, Marky, and C.J. were all in attendence to accept the award.
From Punk's Past To Punks's Future
Richie Ramone's debut solo album, called "Entitled," was released on October 8th of 2013, 26 years after leaving The Ramones. When asked why he waited so long to release a solo record, he said he just wanted to take some time off and to do other things. He called it Entitled because he believes everyone is entitled to a chance.
Richie didn't want to fall into the trap of playing in a Ramones "tribute-type" band, playing exclusively Ramones material. Hesaid, "That's just not me. I'd rather just stay home and eat tuna fish." He does own the rights to many Ramones songs that he wrote, and plays them at his shows, but, make no mistake, his new music takes center stage.
When pressed for what he thought of the current state of Punk, he reflected on how the 70's and 80's were like the Wild West, in that performers were blazing paths in a new frontier, and every day was a new experience. "Punk back then was just evolving and evolving, and every day was a new turn. Now, it's... you know... if you weren't there in the beginning, it's just not the same. You write the material, but you don't have the history. You don't have the goods... from the streets... to make it all coincide, ya know?" He thinks the current stateof Punk is just business, nothing more. He also stated that he thinks the Internet has changed everything about how fans and performers interact. Before the web, Rock Stars were far away. They were untouchable. You heard stories that were passed along by friends, that they read in some underground 'zine, that reported stuff that a friend of a friend's cousin's brother heard at a show, and the stories were larger than life.

Thanks to modern technology and social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, we now see a glimpse into the everyday lives of our favorite performers, like what they had for breakfast, what outfit they dressed their dog in today, and other such trivial nonsense. It has completely destroyed the rock star mystique. As Richie put it, "This isn't the 80's. We don't live behind a glass wall. After the show, in five minutes, I am back at the merchendise table, taking all the pictures, signing everyboby's stuff. I spend like an hour out there after every show, because I want this to be a party. I want them to hang with me, and meet me, rather than just running off, away back to the hotel room."
The interview was about 12 minutes long and very interesting. I think it is one of my best interviews ever. We thanked Richie for his time and got out of the way for another interviewer from one of the Ithaca college newspapers, had a few drinks, and waited for the show to start...

Opening the evening's entertainment was the band HOME COURT ADVANTAGE, from Syracuse. They have been together about 8 months I was told, and in that time, won a Battle Of The bands competition, and played a bunch of shows. The band consistes of Chrissy Gerace on Lead Vocals, Aaron Draper on Guitar and Vocals, Justin Fogarty on Guitar, and the rhthym section of Bass player Andrew Marotta, and drummer Tom Shubsda.
Home Court Advantage play a fun, up-beat, energetic combination of Poppy Punk and Hard Rock that is pretty easy to listen to, and they are pretty decent players. They have the talent to grow into a really good band. Their original material was solid and well rehearsed. The band did two covers, one introduced as "a song that everyone knows the words to, so feel free to sing along," which turned out to be Green Day's American Idiot, but ironically, vocalist Chrissy Gerace stumbled over the lyrics, and was assisted by bassist Andrew Marotta. Though it was noticed, the band and the crowd were having so much fun, that nobody really cared, and sang along anyway. The other was a cover of Nena's 99 Red Balloons, in English. I love the song, but prefer it in German... But, that is me...LOL. Home Court Advantage gave a respectable and fun set. I am sure they will be on the bill at many upcoming shows.

Next up was ONE LAST SHOT, a five piece Punk/Post Hardcore band from Syracuse, whose opening guitars brought Social Distortion to mind. But that did not last for long. The band: David Royal (Guitar), Angelo Zinkovitch (Guitar), Adam Vlassis (Bass), and Rikki Kemz (Drums), played a tight energetic set that got many people moving. Their agressive songs "Guilt Like a Guillotine," "Wolves Skin," "Bury a Legend," "Neon Gods," "A Lizard in Brenda," and "Perversions May Vary" induced the crowd to start a pit. The band leaps around the stage, while singer Jeremy Miller delivers his manic messages with the urgency of a madman trying to convince those around him that the world is ending. One Last Shot's combination of intense energy and tight riffs got everyone fired up for the Main Event of Richie Ramone.
The moment finally came, the lights went down and Richie Ramone and his band took the stage.
Backed by bassist Clare Misstake, Alex Kane on lead guitar, and Ben Reagan, who plays rhythm guitar, and drums when Richie switches over to lead vocals, Richie Ramone delivers a fun, energetic show by concentrating on the newer material, and spicing it up with classic Ramones tunes such as "Cretin Hop," "Blitzkrieg Bop", and the un-released classic "Elevator Operator."
The band blazed through their set, with Richie showing off some of his amazing speed on the drums, as well as his singing abilities.

Alex Kane was a blur of movement most of the night as he shredded on his solos. Ben Reagan did a great job of doing double duty on guitar and drums, while the lovely and talented Clare Misstake held down the bottom end with her thundering bass.The band finished their 18 song set, then left the stage for about 2 minutes before coming back, for a three song encore, ending with Cretin Hop. In the video, you see a bunch of the S.P.d.S. boys gang singing on the choruses.

After the show, true to his word, Richie Ramone and his band mates hung out at the merch booth and signed autographs, posed for photos, shook hands, and were just as charming and friendly as you could ever want. After getting the set list signed by all the band members, we thanked Richie, the band, and their tour manager one last time and made our way home. Here is a bonus video of "Somebody Put Someting In My Drink" & down in the photos, you can learn how to win one of three copies of the interview questions autographed by Richie Ramone.

After the show, true to his word, Richie Ramone and his band mates hung out at the merch booth and signed autographs, posed for photos, shook hands, and were just as charming and friendly as you could ever want. After getting the set list signed by all the band members, we thanked Richie, the band, and their tour manager one last time and made our way home.
Here is a bonus video of "Somebody Put Someting In My Drink" & down in the photos, you can learn how to win one of three copies of the interview questions autographed by Richie Ramone.





	Win a copy of the Interview Questions Autographed by Richie Ramone! There are only 5 numbered copies of these questions in existance. Chris & I are each keeping one, and the other 3 are up for grabs. Here's How To Win: 1. Watch the Something In My Drink video 2. Get the Secret Word 3. Email it, along with your mailing address to: contests@tomaroundtheworld.com 4. On March 5, I will select 3 random winners from all entries Thie email is for contest entries only. You will NOT get spam email from me. I hate it more than you do. What are you waiing for? Enter NOW!!!