A Tribute to Johnny Ramone

I am sad today because we’ve lost another Ramone to cancer. That’s three now lost to the world (two from cancer) and it is a tragedy that only those who saw the Ramones can possibly realise.

Every time they played in London I was there – I saw them many times during their career and I can honestly say their fast-paced, riotous songs were simply amazing. They captured the moment so well. I have such happy memories of gigs at the Lyceum, with the Blow Monkeys supporting and another occasion with Circus, Circus, Circus supporting. What a joy those gigs were. What made them so perfect? Well, the Ramones were the ultimate rock and roll rebels – more so than most other bands I’d say. Attitude, wit and a really healthy distaste for the silliness of ‘fashion’ made them just about the coolest band around. Their drainpipes and leather jackets inspired me and countless others.

The best bit was that it all happened so fast that their live shows were shambolic in the extreme. The number of times during a set that they would go ‘one two three four’ then all start thrashing away at different numbers, only to fall into silence after a few moments then a re-start – if it was another band you’d never accept it but because of the energy and drive of the band you happily allowed them their little foibles.

Me? I loved the fact that their songs rarely even lasted for my personal limit of three minutes. They would play for an hour and a half and play sixty numbers during that time…..I don’t need to tell you the maths on that one is less than a minute a song. Even for me with my short attention span that’s going some.

I heard the news this morning and decided to make a tribute photo but in the time I have available to me today, this is the best I can muster – on a day with more time, I’d have got out the crimpers, dyed my hair black again and done a Ramone-style leather jacket shot of myself – or even got DM to pose with his guitar strapped on so it rested at around knee-height, his Converse All-Stars on and his fringe flopping.

So, it’s ‘I wanna be sedated’ but that’s OK because it actually matches how I feel – this is posted in a short break from a 24 hour Board Meeting confirming our budgets for 2005 and setting our three year plan. I have rebelled (once again) and snuck home from the five star hotel where the rest of the board are now playing golf or swimming. I mean really, I can’t imagine putting my cozzie on in front of one of my fellow board members……I’d rather walk barefoot through a nest of vipers than have a colleague see me in the pool. So, I have a taxi coming to get me to take me back in a few minutes and I will be doing my best to avail myself of the soporific qualities of a few large glasses of vino. Just to remember some of my great heroes, The Ramones of course.

My final words……..

One, two, three, four……………..(now you have to imagine me, jumping around with my air guitar, playing ‘Sheena is a Punk Rocker’ and grinning like a fool!) Night Night Johnny.


Oh and BTW - it's a few Nurofen and some vitamin E capsules - don't worry Mum!