Copyright 2014 -> Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone.- THIS IS PAGE 1.
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SEVEN PAGES OF PHOTO COLLAGES:
In this page and in next four pages you will find photo collages taken by me and details from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2014 at The Bowery Electric in New York on May 19, 2014. As some of you know, I share same birthday with Joey Ramone (May 19).
In sixth page you will find photos from Sapo Ramone's photo archive of the Bash 2014. Sapo is a fan from Argentina. And in seventh page you can see few photos from my trip in Guatemala. I traveled to Guatemala after Birthday Bash.
Before Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2014, I was in CJ Ramone's two shows in Montreal (Canada) and in Pittsfield (MA, USA) on May 17-18, 2014. See photos and story of those shows here.
JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY BASH 2014:
Joey Ramone Birthday Bash is organized every year in May 19, after our Joey passed away on April 15, 2001. All net proceeds to benefit the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research. The bash was again underneath the Joey Ramone Place street sign at the Bowery Electric in New York, USA, and where lived Arturo Vega who was creative director for the Ramones (man behind Ramones logo etc.), and just down the block from where legendary rock venue CBGBs used to stand.
Joey Ramone Friends band was featuring this year Cheetah Chrome (The Dead Boys), Glen Matlock (ex-Sex Pistols, The Philistines etc.), George Tabb (Furious George), Joey Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh, Walt Stack (The Bullys), Pat Carpenter, David Merrill, Emily H. Brout, Arno Hecht, Sic F*cks/ Tish & Snooky....
Matlock also did an solo set. Other artists and groups performing were: Andy Shernoff (The Dictators), The Gobshites, The Independents, David Peel, The A-Bones, Heap, The Accelerators and The Bullys. The Accelerators was chosen to play after a contest. I had no chance to take photos of most of them because of Diane Gentile. Read more later on this page...
MC's were John Holmstrom (Punk Magazine), Monte A. Melnick (Ramones road manager), Stig Stench and Peter Aschner.
This was first year when any Ramones member did not play at the show. Tommy Ramone, CJ Ramone and Richie Ramone confirmed to me in advance they wont attend show. CJ was touring. Marky Ramone do not want to support Joey Ramone Birthday Bash.
I don't count Clem Burke, aka Elvis Ramone, being real Ramones member. But he was at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2014. Clem Burke played two gigs after the Richie Ramone quit in 1987, at The Living Room in Providence in August 28 and in Trenton in August 29. Clem used then name Elvis Ramone. Clem is great drummer, but his drumming style wasn't right for The Ramones.
I did not met with Clem. You can see photo of him and Sapo on page six. As a surprise Johnny Ramone's wife Linda did attend event with his boyfriend. Also see photo on page six. This time I spoke with Linda only briefly.
Glen Matlock was the original bass player of the Sex Pistols. Matlock was replaced with Sid Vicious, and I met with him for the first time since 2006. We chatted outside The Bowery Electric and we also did small documentary interview. His band The Philistines were at the sixth annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash and then Matlock and I did 1,5 pages long interview to Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives. Now I had chance to give book to him.
In a photo together with Matlock and I is Debra Raffles Trizzini. Debra was again organizing raffle at the Birthday Bash. She is been doing some works in every Birthday Bash expect in 2002, when we attended event organized by Arturo Vega. Some of you might remember her with name Mistress Deborah. And some of you might remember her from Arturo Vega's (RIP) site. Debra was a T-shirt model for Arturo. She was in lot of photos there, dressed to Ramones T-shirts and other things Arturo was designed and selling. I first met with Debra in that event organized by Arturo at the CBGB: titled The Bowery Electric: a memorial festival to Joey Ramone in May 19, 2002. CJ Ramone, Marky Ramone and Daniel Rey and many other were on stage that night. Joey's mother Charlotte and Mickey organized different event that same day. There also was a group of us who had after party at Arturo's loft: Arturo, I, Debra, Daniel Rey, Jed Davis, Dr. Dot, Diane Hatcher (RIP), Randy Wisebrod, Shazz Carrington, David Kelly and Ken Davies.
So one person then there was David Kelly. Now in this trip I met with David (after I had returned from Guatemala to JFK in June and I had 20 hours of waiting before returning to Europe). David and I had lot things to discuss in 8-10 hours we got to meet. David is really special person. Also I got from his house box of copies of my 2nd book Rock In Peace: Dee Dee And Joey Ramone. I had left those copies to David years ago and I had sold all copies from me in early 2014. In addition to these copies I got now, there are copies of it left only in few places, like in Interpunk.
Now at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2014, doors were open 6PM and of the some reason The Independents was one of the first bands and it was told they can only play three songs. Joey was kind of manager to The Independents and supported band heavily. Check out their new album Into the Light.
I had no chance to take photos of The Independents or Andy Shernoff playing... Because of two people I had no chance to concentrate to take photos as professional way as in 2001-2012 events. You can see here results of some earlier years:
* 2012: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2012 are here.
* 2010: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2010 are here.
* 2009: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2009 are here.
* 2008: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2008 are here.
* 2007: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2007 are here.
* 2006: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2006 are here.
* 2005: Photos from Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2005 are here.
I WILL EXPLAIN WHY...:
Why I had no chance to concentrate to take photos? Sorry that explanation is long. I had again given a photographer pass by Joey Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh / his manager Dave Frey (who also managed Joey Ramone). But Diane Gentile who is manager of The Bowery Electric, said my photographer backpack is too big to take in to club even I had a photo pass... She thought my backpack would take space of two people. WTF!!!! I seriously thinked she is joking. She wasn't. Next I did wonder why Anthony who works for Dave Frey did not defend me. He was also standing there. He doesn't get along with some artists performing at the bash.
Downstairs to the club I needed to carry in a plastic bag professional lens and camera what are worth of 4000-4500 US dollars / 3000-3300 euros! I certainly not wanted to go to close to stage to take photos and take a risk someone would step to lens what are in a plastic bag in a floor. If one of them would get broken, what then? But I was happy to spend time with many Ramones' fans closer to bar counter. Photos of those moments are on page 4 and 5. So I had few professional lens with me, like I had this one with me (retail price 1999US$/ 1480 euros) EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM.
I been doing journalist works since 1995 and I was never heard something that stupid to be said to person who has a photo pass. I was arguing with Diane Gentile one hour and like I said, I missed many sets by artists.
So Diane's bells didn't ring even then when I did show and explained me really having with me professional lens and camera what are worth of 4000-4500 US dollars / 3000-3300 euros! "You need to take them with you in a plastic bag. Backpack is too big."
I was totally pissed off. And it is sad she also ruined feelings of some
artists and other people in a night we were there to honor Joey Ramone.
One artist wrote to me after heard what did happen: "If I had known, I
would've taken the stuff backstage for you. That woman was awful! She
made me and my fiance wait 20 minutes before we could go in. She was
meaning to others as well. Terrible.", artist informed me
afterwards.Luckily he got on stage in time. Also Cheetah Chrome wasn't treated well this year and it is reason why he wasn't in best feelings as you can see from photos. No more about that...
If you read from internet what comments have been written of Diane Gentile, I am sorry that Jesse Malin (owner, solo artist, ex-D-Generation etc.) has hired her. So much I would had hoped Jesse would been there. In few seconds things would been OK. Jesse and I has always get along well and you can also find two pages long interview I did with Jesse to Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives.
They even had no cloakroom in The Bowery Electric, where to put my backpack. Earlier I had tried to leave one of my another bag somewhere, but even behind of merchandise desk or bar counter Diane didn't let me put bag(s). In Finland this would had been OK in five seconds. Without any problem.
Big thanks to John Negvesky. He offered help and I got chance to take my things to his car. And after the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash he wanted to drive me to JFK airport. Thanks. I am always happy to speak with John Negvesky. He lived in 70's only 5-6 blocks away from CBGB's. And got chance to see the Ramones a lot at live.
So I would have loved to take better photos and photograph a way I do in other shows and festivals as a journalist. Everyone who was inside, could see there was well space even Joey Ramone Birthday Bash was sold-out. I was sorry to see that fans like Dan Roepke and John Roepke had no chance to attend event as they hadn't bought tickets in time. I was happy to meet them anyway in a bar upstairs.
You can see in right poster of Joey Ramone Birthday Bash 2014. Joey Ramone image to poster etc. was also chosen after contest, work is created by Ramones' fan Marie-Andree Laferriere.
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