PUNK ROCK BLITZKRIEG- My Life As A Ramone by Marky Ramone

Finished We 8/29/18

This is a hardback that I picked up at the library. I finished a documentary about The Ramones on Amazon Prime and noticed that Marc Bell had written a biography about his years in the group.

Tommy Ramone was the original drummer, but decided to give that up and become the band's full-time producer and 'musical director'. He might be the man most responsible for 'the Ramone's style'.
Bell was a well known and respected drummer before he joined the band. He had a recording career with a heavy metal trio called, 'DUST'. He was only 18 years old when he had his first recording contract. He was also the drummer in RICHARD HELL AND THE VOIDOIDS and he drummed for WAYNE COUNTY'S band.

He was a Ramone from 1978 through the beginning of 1983. Then, he was asked to leave the band due to his alcoholism and was out of the band for four years until 1987. The band hung it up in 1996.

I can't believe that they used to tour in a fifteen seat Econoline van. If at all possible they wanted to sleep at home in their own beds whenever possible. All the Ramones, and their wives and girlfriends would be assigned a seat in the van and they would spent the very long days and nights, feuding, eating at Cracker Barrels, and listening to a Golden Oldie station on the radio.

John Cummings- Johnny Ramone; the authoritarian Right Wing driving force of the band. He took care of the finances and drove them with an unwavering fist. He is not a very pleasant character, and didn't really see himself as a musicain, but more of a 'musical personality' or 'guitar hero'.

Douglas Colvin- Dee Dee Ramone; the poet of the band and human garbage pail for any drug, potion, or liquor that was anytime available. When they visited the home of Stephen King, Dee Dee wrote a song called 'Pet Sematary' that became the title song for the movie. Dee Dee wrote it on the spot and it took less than an hour. Died of a heroin overdose after he had controlled his drug intake to 'pot only' for years. Marc says that, in a way, sobriety killed him because had he not lost his extensive tolerance for the drug, the amount of heroin that killed him would have done little or nothing. It might not have even gotten him off.  During the 80's he attempted to become a rapper, Dee Dee King.

Jeffrey Ross Hyman- Joey Ramone; The Resident Hippie- He was probably the soul of the outfit. He was crippled with Obsessive Compulsive Disorders. Many, many times he had to be brought back to where they had last left so that he could 're-count'. Just getting him to leave his apartment was almost an impossible task.

Joey Ramone had a huge scar on his back. He claimed that it was from a shark attack, but actually he was one of a Siamese twin that was removed at birth.

Thomas Erdelyi- Tommy Ramone; A Hungarian/American and the original drummer. He went on to produce the first few albums and was always an integrel part of the band even when he was not an official member.

Monte was the driver and basically acted as a babysitter for the band.

I love all Rock'n'Roll Memoirs and this was a cut above. Also the last third of the book deals with his addiction to alcohol and his insights are very perceptive.