JOHNNY RAMONE MEMORIAL EVENT IN LOS ANGELES ON AUGUST 1, 2008
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Copyright 2008 -> : Text and photos: Gaston and Jorge Sanchez, Bobby
London and Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone.
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BASIC INFOS OF THE EVENT BY JARI-PEKKA LAITIO-RAMONE:
Johnny Ramone's wife Linda Ramone was main person behind of cool outdoor
event in loving memory of Johnny Ramone at the Hollywood Forever
cemetary in Los Angeles, California, USA on August 1, 2008. For example
Tommy Ramone, Marky Ramone and CJ Ramone attended this event. So
Richie Ramone was only surviving Ramones member who couldn't attend this
event
(some people also count Clem Burke...). There was be shown lot rare
Ramones footage, movie screenings, Ramones memorabilia etc.
First movie screening of the event in August 1st was Ramones live at the
Provinssirock festival, Seinajoki in Finland in June, 1988. That show
was then broadcasted on TV and many fans has seen it later. The Red Hot
Chili Peppers does appearance at that show "as naked having only socks
in their...".
Bassist Flea and guitarist John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
appeared in this event in LA on August 1, 2008. Flea told story behind
of this their Provinssirock appearance. After Provinssirock show was
shown legendary Freaks movie which for example inspired Ramones to
write Pinhead song.
Also there was for example Ramones tour manager Monte Melnick, Dee Dee's
wife Barbara and Allan Arkush who was director of the Rock And Roll
High School movie. Admission was 10$ minimum, it was donation to
Johnny's Prostate Cancer Research Charity.
SOME COMMENTS OF THE EVENT BY BOBBY LONDON
This event was in many ways better than Johnny memorial event in last
year (click
here to read of it). More people showed up this year. Sadly Arturo
Vega Arturo couldn't attend this event. He was missed.
It was long line
for autographs as Tommy Ramone and CJ Ramone sat in their own tent near
the T-Shirt concession. I brought one item to be
signed, a paper print of my caricature of the Ramones from the comic
book (Jari-Pekka's comment: Bobby's drawing is included in a Weird
Tales Of The Ramones collection). I introduced myself
to Tommy and the look on his face was priceless as he signed the cartoon.
CJ was a very outgoing guy, CJ knew the cartoon and signed by
the Dee Dee figure with a doodle of a little face, winking one eye &
sticking out its
tongue under his sig. Nice, funny guy. I liked him very much.
Huge crowd over by the Johnny Ramone statue. Turned out to be Marky, on
his feet the whole time, taking pics with fans, sometimes leaning on the
statue to sign stuff. Marky showed great patience as fans handed him
what had to be dozens of CD inserts to sign (that's what he was doing
when he was leaning against the Johnny statue). He was flanked by a
security guard. Some Ramones fan kept asking Marky to sign a Misfits
cap, which Marky refused to do. The poor guy had to apologize to the
crowd: "I came all the way from Canada! I'm sorry!"
Linda was walking around freely among
the fans. John Cafiero was also
there and he was signing Garbage Pail Kids trading cards that had Osaka
Popstar logo in the background.
There was a simulcast from a radio station, interviewing the celebs and
when it got dark, Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers introduced the show
with a funny story about Johnny getting pissed off at the Chili Peppers
for jumping on-stage naked in the middle of the Ramones' set in Finland.
Then they showed it. It was hilarious. Joey Ramone was at this show
actually stifling a laugh. Joey thought it was funny, Johnny stayed mad
at them for some time afterwards. Great concert footage, though too
often interrupted by Finnish TV commentaries as if it were a football
game but they interviewd the Red Hot Chili Peppers who were very young
and very funny and
announced they were going to crash the Ramones' set naked when they
played Cretin Hop ("Shaking our junk", as Flea said) and they did. Funny
stuff.
Also my girlfriend Karen and my friend Maria Montoya-Kaye and her son
Nathaniel attended this event and we had picnic together.
Bobby London
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