MY INTERVIEWS WITH CJ RAMONEMOST LONG INTERVIEWS YOU CAN FIND FROM MY BOOK RAMONES: SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES. BOOK HAS 14 PAGES MY CJ INTERVIEWS.
PART 1: SEPTEMBER
1997
PART 2: JANUARY 1998
MY INTERVIEW WITH CJ RAMONE: PART 2 JANUARY 1998
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 1) Los
Gusanos debut album just came out, what you think about it and can
you say your own favourites of it?
(Jari-Pekka's note afterwards: there was published different versions of
album
with different sleeves. First was published in 1997. USA version was
published in April, 1998).
CJ RAMONE:
LG's first album is really our first songs we've ever written. I think
we did a good job in the studio trying to capture the live energy. I
like the heavier tracks like Dead Man's Curve, Carve Your Name, and Go
Again.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 2) What you thinked about this signing happening in New York on
November 25th, 1997, as it was first time in history 6 Ramones member
did appearance?(See more
details here).
CJ RAMONE:
I liked getting together with the rest of the Ramones for the autograph
signing in NYC. Especially because Dee Dee and Tommy were there. It
was really packed and we got a chance to say goodbye to alot of our NY
fans.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 3) You became to the daddy. How life is changed and what are
your feelings to be father? You are first of the Ramones members to have
kids.
CJ RAMONE:
Things haven't changed much since my son was born. I'm just a lot
busier and I get no sleep! I love it though, and wanted to do it a
long time ago but needed a girl to do it with!
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 4)
We're Outta Here CD and video came finally out. It's over
year of Ramones retirement. Which had your own favourite happenings on
last concert?
CJ RAMONE:
The best part of the final
show was playing next to Lemmy (Motörhead) and hanging with Donita
Sparks from
L7.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 5) Why you didn't played on
last Remains
gig (probably child's
born was reason)?
CJ RAMONE:
I don't play with the Remains any more because LG is so busy. In fact
we will be in Europe and Scandinavia in May and June. We'll post the
dates at our website as soon as we have them. Hope to see you there!
MY INTERVIEW WITH CJ RAMONE: PART 1: SEPTEMBER
1997
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 1) What are your future
plans with Los Gusanos and in general? And where are you living now?
CJ RAMONE:
Since the Ramones retired I
have been living in Long Island, New York where I grew up. My
girlfriend moved in with me from Hawaii and we are expecting a baby in
November. Los Gusanos will be touring the eastcoast of the US in late
October with a great band called the Independents. We also hope to
record a new cd in November- December.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 2) What The Remains is doing and what did you like of it?
CJ RAMONE:
I did a few shows with Dee Dee, his wife Barbara and Marky, under the
name the Remains. Dee Dee was always my favorite Ramone so I couldn't
pass up the chance to play with my idol. It was just for fun and I
don't think we will do it again.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 3) How did you met Los Gusanos
members and how did you become
the member?
CJ RAMONE:
Me and the rest of Los Gusanos played on the same scene on Long Island.
"Dirty" Ed Lynch has been playing bars since he was 13. "Big John"
Chadwick is married to my sister and Bo "Lefty" Matheson has been
playing the scene as long as I have. We've known each other a long
time.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 4) Could you say some words about Ramones members when you
played?
CJ RAMONE:
Playing with the Ramones was a dream come true. It wasn't always great
though. I took a lot of shit from the fans in the begining, but Johnny
always told me not to let it get to me. He really helped me out. I
guess I learned a lot from all 3 of those guys. Some good, some bad.
People ask if I'm still friends with them. I never was. They were my
boss'. I didn't hang out with them. I would go back home after a tour
and see the same friends I had before I was in the Ramones. I hate to
say it but the one thing I learned from them was you can't trust anyone
in the music business.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 5) Could you analyse with your own words Ramones records where
you played?
CJ RAMONE:
The first CD I did with the Ramones was Loco Live (Loco
Live is recorded in Barcelona, Spain in March, 1991). Probably
the worst
Ramones record ever unfortunately. It wasn't our fault though. We
were forced to work with a producer who had no idea of what the Ramones
should sound like. Besides that Marky went into the studio and
overdubbed all of his hi-hat and cymbal tracks and stayed in the studio
during the mixing to make sure his drum tracks wre louder than
everything else.
Mondo Bizarro was next. I think it was a good record.
Acid
Eaters was
next. Should've been an EP. The songs that were good
rocked. The bad ones really sucked.
Adios Amigos was a weak farewell
record. By that time things had gotten bad between the band and no one
cared.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 6) Say some best/good experiences about your Ramones career?
Was hard to come and replace Dee Dee?
CJ RAMONE:
I've got some great memories from my eight years as a Ramone. Playing
on stage with Lemmy, Robbie Krieger of the Doors, getting on stage with
Soungarden on the Lollapalooza tour to do "Ty Cobb" with them, my first
show ever in Leicester, England, meeting Timothy Leary, travelling the
world and seeing so many different cultures. There are too many
too list.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 7) What did you think about Johnny's total retirement? That he
didn't want to play anything or do any musical?
CJ RAMONE:
Don't count Johnny out. I've heard rumors he may do a
record!
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 8) Have you any memory of festival gigs in Nummirock or other
gigs in Finland?
CJ RAMONE:
I remember Nummirock well because I hadn't slept in a few days. I drank
alot of alcohol and met a really pretty girl but she didn't like me. I
asked her to have my baby and she slapped my face.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 9) My good friend Sipe is playing in the most popular Finnish
rock/punk band called Apulanta, he wanted to ask and I thought to ask:
How do you feel that you and the whole Ramones is the most honest and
best model to the young bands and to the legendary Ramones copy bands
like Ne Luumäet.
CJ RAMONE:
It's good to hear many bands in Finland are influenced by the Ramones.
We tried to stay true to our fans and not many bands do.
JARI-PEKKA:
Question 10) What you want to say to my homepage readers?
CJ RAMONE:
I'd like to say thanks to all the Ramones fans in Finland and the rest
of the world. You are definately the most loyal, fun, and craziest
bunch any band could ever hope to have as their audience. GABBA-GABBA
HEY!!!!!
(TAKE IT CJ, because I can't say never enough thanks to you, but endless
THANKS)
BACK TO MAIN
PAGE ON MY RAMONES PAGE
LG's first album is really our first songs we've ever written. I think we did a good job in the studio trying to capture the live energy. I like the heavier tracks like Dead Man's Curve, Carve Your Name, and Go Again.
I liked getting together with the rest of the Ramones for the autograph signing in NYC. Especially because Dee Dee and Tommy were there. It was really packed and we got a chance to say goodbye to alot of our NY fans.
Things haven't changed much since my son was born. I'm just a lot busier and I get no sleep! I love it though, and wanted to do it a long time ago but needed a girl to do it with!
The best part of the final show was playing next to Lemmy (Motörhead) and hanging with Donita Sparks from L7.
I don't play with the Remains any more because LG is so busy. In fact we will be in Europe and Scandinavia in May and June. We'll post the dates at our website as soon as we have them. Hope to see you there!
Since the Ramones retired I have been living in Long Island, New York where I grew up. My girlfriend moved in with me from Hawaii and we are expecting a baby in November. Los Gusanos will be touring the eastcoast of the US in late October with a great band called the Independents. We also hope to record a new cd in November- December.
I did a few shows with Dee Dee, his wife Barbara and Marky, under the name the Remains. Dee Dee was always my favorite Ramone so I couldn't pass up the chance to play with my idol. It was just for fun and I don't think we will do it again.
Me and the rest of Los Gusanos played on the same scene on Long Island. "Dirty" Ed Lynch has been playing bars since he was 13. "Big John" Chadwick is married to my sister and Bo "Lefty" Matheson has been playing the scene as long as I have. We've known each other a long time.
Playing with the Ramones was a dream come true. It wasn't always great though. I took a lot of shit from the fans in the begining, but Johnny always told me not to let it get to me. He really helped me out. I guess I learned a lot from all 3 of those guys. Some good, some bad.
People ask if I'm still friends with them. I never was. They were my boss'. I didn't hang out with them. I would go back home after a tour and see the same friends I had before I was in the Ramones. I hate to say it but the one thing I learned from them was you can't trust anyone in the music business.
The first CD I did with the Ramones was Loco Live (Loco Live is recorded in Barcelona, Spain in March, 1991). Probably the worst Ramones record ever unfortunately. It wasn't our fault though. We were forced to work with a producer who had no idea of what the Ramones should sound like. Besides that Marky went into the studio and overdubbed all of his hi-hat and cymbal tracks and stayed in the studio during the mixing to make sure his drum tracks wre louder than everything else.
Mondo Bizarro was next. I think it was a good record.
Acid Eaters was next. Should've been an EP. The songs that were good rocked. The bad ones really sucked.
Adios Amigos was a weak farewell record. By that time things had gotten bad between the band and no one cared.
I've got some great memories from my eight years as a Ramone. Playing on stage with Lemmy, Robbie Krieger of the Doors, getting on stage with Soungarden on the Lollapalooza tour to do "Ty Cobb" with them, my first show ever in Leicester, England, meeting Timothy Leary, travelling the world and seeing so many different cultures. There are too many too list.
Don't count Johnny out. I've heard rumors he may do a record!
I remember Nummirock well because I hadn't slept in a few days. I drank alot of alcohol and met a really pretty girl but she didn't like me. I asked her to have my baby and she slapped my face.
It's good to hear many bands in Finland are influenced by the Ramones. We tried to stay true to our fans and not many bands do.
I'd like to say thanks to all the Ramones fans in Finland and the rest of the world. You are definately the most loyal, fun, and craziest bunch any band could ever hope to have as their audience. GABBA-GABBA HEY!!!!!