My trip in NYC and Toronto in May, 2005

Copyright 2005 -> Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone

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This report is written in 2005.

Photos: Photos was taken Josie Montserrat.
Upper photos: Tommy Ramone sang again I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend + Tommy Ramone, Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone and Joey's mother Charlotte Lesher after Joey Ramone Birtday Bash in 2005.
Lower photos: Ivan Julian, Ronnie Spector and Marky Ramone in happy feelings.

Soon was the highlight of the night. Marky Ramone, Al Maddy and Andy Shernoff formed again a band who got guests, like Sonny Vincent + Theo of Lunachicks and Sean Pierce were performing together (they're a couple). Sheena Is A Punk Rocker and Blitzkrieg Bop were sang by the Sic F*cks.
Also Tish and Snooky of the Sic F*cks sang backup for Ronnie Spector with style. Ronnie Spector was probably it who got the most tender looks from the audience. Sadly I didn't got chance to met her. Johnny's wife Linda also was watching her intensively. Linda and I changed them some friendly smiles in that VIP section in balcony. Ronnie's voice is so incredible and she was in so happy mood when she started her part of the night with She Talks To Rainbows, so many tears were then falling in a audience, Joey was so missed... I was a bit surprised to hear now totally heartbreaking version of Johnny Thunders cover You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory. But we had our memories... Of course songs wouldn't have sounded so special without Marky, Andy and Al.

Hightlight was also it when Ivan Julian, a founding member of Richard Hell And The Voidoids, did with Marky (Marky also played in Voidoids) etc. Love Comes In Spurts and Blank Generation. Marky said to me that it was one of the best moments for him of the night as well. Tommy Ramone was again a special guest of whom wasn't told in advance. He did great job, but it wasn't first time when he sang I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend. Anyway great that Tommy was there. He wasn't moving a lot, but when song was going to end, he was waving his hand to the audience etc.

Naturally Mickey Leigh got on stage as well, you should hear an acoustic version he does of Something To Believe In. People in South-America has heard it in some shows, and I also through CD. Then Mickey put guitar away and he sang What A Wonderful World... And then was still time to listen Happy Birthday by Sean Sullivan's punk pipers, like is happen before. After the show I met first time with Tommy during this trip. We were planned to meet earlier, but Tommy wrote just before I started my trip that he had to go to Germany and he was sorry about that. Tommy is real gentleman. I'm doing also with him new interview. Josie Montserrat took some great photos of me, Tommy and Charlotte Lesher together.

Next day I did also interview with Andy Shernoff. He invited me to visit his house together with David Kelly. Andy and we were talking around 2,5 hours, Andy was thinking a lot after some questions what he wanna say. We got lot good opinions and memories, and of course also of Joey's solo album Don't Worry About Me. Andy has also studio in his house, he played for me and David 2 Joey's unreleased songs!!! Can you imagine what is a feeling to listen them. First of them was more especial and dallying, it had some spirits of the child's song. Andy also confirmed (like other people are confirmed for me before) that there's enough material for Joey's second solo album. After visiting Andy I was going to meet also Keith Green, but sadly he was got sick that day... I visited third time Arturo Vega and it was cool again. Arturo is a great guy. Also he took during the trip 13 copies of my first book and 20 copies of second. I had no more with copies available of first with me then, I was sold other ones during the trip. So you can again order copies also from Arturo.

I headed back to David's house around 2AM and we were talking 3 hours. David was also this year friend with huge F-R-I-E-N-D letters, I really appreciate his personality, it's honour to know him, like Randy Wisebrod and Shazz Carrington who were main reason that I did travelled to Toronto. I slept only 2 hours before a flight...

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