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Joey Ramone had his Birthday Bash event (even he was born on May 19) at the Coney Island High on July 4, 1997. Club was owned by Kitty Kowalski (Lindsey Anderson) etc. whom memorial text of Joey Ramone you will find from my (Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone) first book Heaven Needed A Lead Singer: Fans Remember Joey Ramone.
Photos in this page are taken at this show on July 4, 1997. I saw these photos 24,5 years later when Joe Taylor, Christopher Scarborough, Don Sellner, Harmony Wheeler and Joshua Reyes were discussing of the show on Facebook in January, 2022.
Comments by Earl Steenburg:
These following lines and line-up details are written by Ramones fans Earl Steenburg who attended this show at the Coney Island High on 1997. I (Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone) had promoted show in advance on this my Ramones page I founded in 1995.
Earl Steenburg: At first Jesse Malin (D-Generation) introduces the band, he didn't sang anything. Joey Ramone had to read the lyrics to I'm Seeing UFO's because it is a new Dee Dee Ramone song and I guess he wanted a cheat sheet in case he fucked up. Dee Dee and Joey seemed to get along fine. I had a great time at the show, wrote Steenburg.
I Am Seeing UFO's was published as a single in 1997. It's also in Zonked / Ain't It Fun album.
Line-up on Joey's and Dee Dee's set at the Coney Island High on July 4, 1997:
Joey Ramone on vocals.
Dee Dee Ramone on bass.
Barbara Ramone (Zambini, Dee Dee's wife) on guitar.
Daniel Rey on guitar.
Michael Wildwood (D-Generation) on drums.
Earl Steenburg sent to me this A4 poster / advertisement (see below in photos) of this show at the Coney Island High show in 1997. Poster says there were then playing also The Dictators, Killer Kowalski, The Independents, Blackfire and Skrap.
Dee Dee signed this A4 poster / advertisement to me in 2000. I attended then his shows in Norway, Denmark and Sweden (read more here).
Story by Brano Cikel:Also Brano and Jodi Cikel did attend this show on July 4, 1997. Following text is part of Brano's text in my first book Heaven Needed A Lead Singer: Fans Remember Joey Ramone.
I was able to see The Ramones five times, the first time in Vienna, Austria on November 21, 1990. I moved from Slovakia to USA in 1995. I was able to see them in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. In Cleveland I met Joey, CJ and Marky in person and got autographed almost everything I had with me. All three of them were very nice in person and I was very happy to see that they cared about their fans.
Now, my most valued post-Ramones experience. July of 1997 we went to N.Y.C. to spend a couple of days, before my friend Andy's flight home to Austria. So, aside from the traditional sightseeing spots, we went to 53rd & 3rd & of course to CBGB's. Of course as 'real tourists' we were taking some pictures in front of the CBGB's when I turn around to see the famous awning again and there..., right behind me stood Dee Dee Ramone and Joey Ramone! I turned around and right away 'jumped' on Dee Dee and started talking to him. I was so happy to see him. I think he was a little bit shocked, maybe because of the fact that I recognized him, maybe because we all wore Ramones shirts and maybe because well, because he is Dee Dee Ramone. But he looked very good and I was very glad to see him. Well as he always said - he was the one with a 'born to win' attitude when everybody else was getting tattooed 'born to lose'. So we talked and he introduced us to his wife Barbara Ramone (Zampini).
We spoke to Joey for a couple of minutes. He looked great and was waiting patiently until we let them continue taking pictures. They were there to shoot some pics for a magazine or something, so we let them do what they came there for. When we were saying our good bye's, Joey asked us if we were coming to the show next day. I almost fell off my feet, what?! I asked, are you playing tomorrow? Where? They were playing at Coney Island High on July 4th, my wife's (Jodi) birthday!
We assured them that we'll be there & entered the cold insides of CBGB's. It was a nice experience, I imagined all the stuff that was happening there in late 70's. It must've been cool. Yeah, an average bar, but it really has the spirit. One sad thing was that my friend Andy was leaving in the afternoon of July 4-th, so he couldn't make it to the show. I wish that he could, but I feel kind of satisfied that he was able to be there with us when we met them in front of CB's.
We came to Coney Island High's just in time, got in and started to listen to the bands. After the Dictators, there they were, Joey, Dee Dee on guitar, Barbara on bass, Daniel Rey on guitar and a drummer Michael Wildwood, right there on my wife's birthday. That was the nicest BD she ever had, she said. Screw the fireworks outside, we are here seeing Joey and Dee Dee doing all the Ramones tunes on July 4th, 1997. It was the greatest show ever.
We met another couple there standing next to us. We started talking & I went like, I know you - towards the guy. Everybody was like, where do you know him from? They were both from NY and I've never met them before. But I said I knew him from I Wanna Live video. They couldn't believe it, he confessed that he used to be their roadie.
Text by: Brano Cikel.
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