MY TRIP TO NEW YORK TO THE JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY BASH IN MAY 2006: PAGE 4

BACK

Copyright. 2006 -> Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone

HEY HO, LET'S GO TO: PAGE 5.
OR GO BACK TO PAGE 3.


Outside of Irving Plaza were already many Ramones fans waiting even it was still many hours before doors were open. I met there my friends from Norway, Åzzy and Rosa. Åzzy's band is Null$katte$nylterne. They were so happy to meet Richie and also Richie friendly stayed there and discussed with them and also with few other fans before we had to go inside. We were wandering a bit at Irving Plaza and then I had time to discuss longer with Tracy Thornton who is man behind of Pan For Punks...: A Steelpan Tribute To The Ramones release. It has 14 Ramones songs played with steelpan. Then started one kind of press conference where Charlotte Lesher and Mickey Leigh (so they're Joey's mother and brother) talked and they introduced to the media different artists and bands. Tommy Ramone, Richie Ramone, Cheetah Chrome, Jean Beauvoir (producer, ex-Plasmatics etc.), Tracy Thornton and Mike Peters (The Alarm) were for example speaking. They were telling their feelings and memories of the Joey and also of the Dee Dee, Johnny and Ramones in general etc. The Lucky Devil Circus Sideshow people were also there and they did show to media some of their wild tricks. Like with boring machine they bored their nose and tongue... Of course it was some kind of trick. But it looked cool and also Mickey and Charlotte were having great time and they were telling nice things of the people when they came to speak.

I wanted to go to introduce myself to Jean Beauvoir. So like I already said, Animal Boy is among of my four Ramones favourite albums. Beauvoir has produced Animal Boy and also for example Pet Sematary song. As well he was writing three songs to the Animal Boy, Something To Believe In and lovely She Belongs To Me together with Dee Dee and Bonzo Goes To Bitburg together with Dee Dee and Joey Ramone. I did show to Beauvoir my books and he was interested to do interview. Of course I also got then answers to questions that I've wanted to know for so long. That interview comes to my third book.

Next I saw beautiful smile by Maggie St. Thomas. I don't need to say how huge hugs and kisses we changed as friends. We went upstairs and also saw Glen Matlock & The Philistines doing soundcheck. Half an hour later I was talking with Glen Matlock. Glen said he was impressed of my Ramones books and he said really great way affirmative reply to my question of doing interview. So Glen is original bassist of the Sex Pistols and he also rejoined the surviving Sex Pistols members for reunion tours in 1996, 2002 and 2003. Some remember him also from The Rich Kids etc. Glen was easy man to talk with like also Beauvoir. I took some nice shots of Glen and Maggie St. Thomas together. So also that interview comes to my third book. I forgot to ask confirmation if Glen's a vegan and is opposed to animal testing, like I've heard. I hope that's true.

Then was time to hang out and meet other fans, like with Stunod/ Russell from Joeyramone.com message board, before Tracy Thornton performed. He played to the audience Blitzkrieg Bop. Probably pretty many people heard then first time music played with steelpan at live. I think The Slashtones were next. They did play at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash also in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Also Mickey Leigh was in that band 1999-2001. They were OK and played for example The Addams Family theme song.

The Lucky Devil Circus Sideshow did for example whipping on stage in a rhythm of I Wanna Be Sedated. Then The Alarm show impressed many people. The Alarm was formed in Wales in 1977 and was originally called The Toilets, and then Seventeen etc. The Alarm disbanded in early 90's and they did comeback some years ago with the In The Poppy Fields album. I didn't recognized too many songs of their set (6-7 tracks), one good choice was Sixty Eight Guns. Then I found out that they mostly played songs from their new album which came out few weeks after the Bash. One good tune was called My Town. In December 2005, singer Mike Peters revealed he has been diagnosed with a form of cancer called chronic lymphocytic leukemia, but it was diagnosed in it's early stages and his prognosis is favourable. Mike looked great and he also said touching speech of the Joey.

Glen Matlock & The Philistines played powerful set, also 6-7 songs. Last one was Pretty Vacant. The Strokes released Heart In A Cage single in March, 2006 and it has Ramones cover Life's A Gas. So it wasn.t surprising that they played Life's A Gas. But then their second choice surprised. I can't remember the Ramones never playing It's Not My Place (In The 9 To 5 World) from Pleasant Dreams at live. It's written by Joey. The Strokes played only those two songs... I was watching the set together with Johnny's wife Linda and Allan Arkush (director of "Ramones movie" Rock'N'Roll High School). Then they came to talk to the Arkush and I also got chance to discuss with them a while. The Strokes manager told me that they have to leave somewhere 6AM in next morning. I confirmed with Linda that we were still going to meet at Arturo Vega's house and do interview.


HEY HO, LET'S GO TO: PAGE 5.
OR GO BACK TO PAGE 3.