RAMONES: JOHNNY RAMONE/ RAMONES MEMORIAL EVENT IN LOS ANGELES, USA ON JULY 25, 2010.

JOHNNY RAMONE/ RAMONES MEMORIAL EVENT IN LOS ANGELES, USA ON JULY 25, 2010.

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Copyright 2010 -> : Tommy Ramone, Joe and Debbie Lunardon, Tom Green, Karen Angelica, Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone.

Sorry, there are no photos of Tommy Ramone, Kirk Hammett etc. This year I did not travel from Finland to Los Angeles.

CONTENT:
1) Basic information.
2) Comments by Tommy Ramone.
3) Kirk Hammett/ Metallica.
4) Comments by Ramones fans.

BASIC INFORMATION

The sixth annual Johnny Ramone and Ramones outdoor event presented by Linda Ramone in association with the JRA (Johnny Ramone Army), was on July 25, 2010, at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery (6000 Santa Monica Blvd.) in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
So, event had taken place in a area where is Johnny Ramone's memorial statue and Dee Dee Ramone's grave.

Guests included Tommy Ramone, Metallica's guitarist Kirk Hammett, cartoonist Bobby London, actresses Rose McGowan, PJ Soles (aka Riff Randell), Dey Young (aka Kate Rambeau) and Mary Woronow (Ms. Togar), actor Loren Lester (aka Fritz Hansel), Kelly Osbourne.
Tommy Ramone, Mary Woronow, Loren Lester and cinematographer Dean Cundey (Rock And Roll Highshool, Halloween I, II and III, Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Escape From New York etc., ) had autograph signing at the Johnny Ramone event.
PJ, Mary, Dey and Loren were actresses/ actors in "Ramones movie" Rock And Roll Highschool. Also there was chance to meet Richard Whitley and Russ Dvonch who are screenwriters of Rock And Roll Highschool.

In this event was shown Rock And Roll Highschool and one of Johnny's top ten 10# horror movie: James Whale's The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935).

COMMENTS BY TOMMY RAMONE. TOMMY WROTE THESE COMMENTS TO ME ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2010.

I had a great time at the Johnny memorial this year. I enjoyed mingling with the actors from the Rock And Roll Highschool film. They were very nice and friendly and it was fun to see some new faces there. There was also some new people there waiting in line for the autograph signing, and that was cool too as I got to meet some new fans.
It was a beautiful day and everyone seemed to be having a great time watching the films being shown, which were Rock And Roll Highschool and The Bride Of Frankenstein. The later being one of our favorite classic horror movies. In fact we got the idea of calling the Ramones' live album It's Alive from a line of dialogue in that movie. The Ramones were big fans of films about horror and the unusual, especially Johnny, who would latter have a large collection of horror videos and memorabilia. One of the rooms in his house was converted into a private movie theater and he would love to show his collection of movies there.

KIRK HAMMETT'S COMMENTS AND SOME INFORMATION PIECES HOW THE METALLICA IS CONNECTED TO THE RAMONES

So, Kirk Hammett (Metallica) was one of the guests at the sixth annual Johnny Ramone and Ramones outdoor event. Kirk introduced James Whale's The Bride Of Frankenstein. He told it being also one of his favorite movies.
Kirk Hammett had 2,5 minutes long speech. Kirk told to the audience, how he had heard the Ramones for the first time in 1977. After looking pictures, Kirk had thought those guys are something really special.

When Johnny and Kirk met for the first time in 1990's, Johnny was browsing comics... Both are/were comic freaks. Kirk noticed Johnny.
Kirk explained of that meeting: "There was in a front of me that guy from the Ramones, that black leather jacket... I told Johnny, I play guitar too, I play guitar in a band named Metallica"
Johnny: "Metallica, uh, you guys play faster than us. You know who I am?"
Kirk: "I said of course, you are Johnny Ramone." "Johnny looked very surprised."

They discussed of Famous Monsters Of Filmland magazines what they both collected etc. First Famous Monsters Of Filmland was published in 1958. Read more here.

There are many fans who don't know how much there are connections between the Ramones and the Metallica. I thought to explain now some of those connections.

1) The Ramones and Metallica both were part of the Lollapalooza tour in the USA in 1996. Kirk Hammett has many times described the importance of Johnny's guitar playing style to his own musical development.

2) Johnny Ramone helped Rob Zombie to do and collect Ramones tribute album We're A Happy Family - A Tribute To The Ramones. It got released on February, 11, 2003. Metallica had trained 8 Ramones song before they did choose 53rd And 3rd for tribute album.
Later in 2003, Metallica released St. Anger singles, maxiCD and 7' vinyl. They contains outtakes from the sessions they did for the We're A Happy Family - A Tribute To The Ramones. Those are pretty rough and playful versions, with a fun feeling.
1) CD1 of 2CD set: St. Anger (album version) and Ramones songs: Commando and Today Your Love Tomorrow The World.
2) CD2 of 2CD set: St. Anger (album version), St. Anger video and Ramones songs: Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue and Cretin Hop.
3) 2track CDsingle: St. Anger (album version) and Ramones song Cretin Hop.
4) 7' single: St. Anger and Ramones song: We're A Happy Family.
5) CD maxi: St. Anger (album version), St. Anger video and Ramones songs: Commando, Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World and Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue.

3) There is a story on my book Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives, how shortly after the Ramones disbanded, CJ Ramone turned down a chance to audition for Metallica. Joey Ramone had called him up and urged him to try out for Metallica.

4) 2001, Cleopatra Records released two tribute CD's which Dee Dee Ramone recorded on. Dee Dee covered the song Negative Creep for Smells Like Bleach: A Punk Tribute To Nirvana and for A Punk Tribute To Metallica, Dee Dee covered the song Jump In The Fire.

COMMENTS BY THE RAMONES FANS JOE AND DEBBIE LUNARDON

This years Johnny Ramone event seemed to be scaled back a little. The crowd, although sizable was smaller than last years. Dee Dee Ramone's gravesite was decorated with flowers, lights and some great pictures. The headstone was even cleaned up, everything looked really nice. A larger than life-size cut out of the Rocket To Russia album cover was a popular photo spot for everyone.
At the autograph booth, I asked Tommy Ramone if he was going to bring his and Claudia Tienan's duo Uncle Monk to Southern California anytime soon, he laughed and said: "Hopefully next year."

Before the movies started, Kirk Hammett (Metallica) told the story of how he and Johnny first met, it was at a comic book show and Johnny couldn't believe that Kirk Hammett knew who he was.
Actress Rose McGowan spoke next about getting Johnny a part in the movie Stranded starring Vincent Gallo. Time for the movies, and first up was Johnny's clip from Stranded, he did a good job acting, but it looked funny to have his hair pulled back to make it look short. Rock And Roll Highschool was next, and the crowd really got into it, every time the Ramones were on screen. Overall it was a fun event, but we missed you Jari-Pekka not being there this year.
Text by Joe and Debbie Lunardon. Thanks.

COMMENTS BY TOM GREEN

This year I had a chance to attend the 6th annual Ramones tribute festival to Johnny Ramone. This was indeed my first Ramones event that I attended, it was one of the most memorable experiences that I ever hope to know. When I went there was a huge crowd in line to attend this event.
It was pretty warm weather during the day but by night it was chilly and very cold for Los Angeles weather, while I was there I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Tommy Ramone, and the people of the movie Rock And Roll Highschool. Every one there was very, very nice especially PJ soles. Tommy Ramone was the most memorable one that I had the chance to shake hands with and briefly talk to. Although he didn't say much back I still will remember meeting him for the rest of my life.
Watching Rock And Roll Highschool on the mausoleum wall was a great experience and the high surround sound they had was amazing. I was singing along to the songs whenever the Ramones played. I didn't stay much after Rock And Roll Highschool ended and left soon after. Great experience, if I had to I'd go again!!!!! And for anyone who is reading this go out to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and check out the statue of Johnny Ramone and grave of Dee Dee Ramone.
Text by Tom Green. Thanks.