RAMONES: MY TRIP TO JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY BASH IN NEW YORK ON MAY 19, 2009. I ALSO VISITED IN SAN DIEGO, LOS ANGELES AND COSTA RICA.

MY TRIP TO JOEY RAMONE BIRTHDAY BASH IN NEW YORK ON MAY 19, 2009. I ALSO VISITED IN SAN DIEGO, LOS ANGELES AND COSTA RICA.

Photos in left:
Tommy Ramone reading my new book Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives.
Richie Ramone and Joey Lanz of The Bullys are standing.
Noah "Noki" Citrin and Tommy are discussing at Joey Ramone Birthday Bash.

Copyright 2009 -> : Jari-Pekka Laitio-Ramone.

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Also this year there was a charity lottery at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash. Tommy Ramone picked up the winner who won guitar signed by artists who played that night. After lottery was time of Friends Of Joey Ramone set. Richie Ramone played drums for all songs expect one which Mickey Leigh performed mainly alone. Richie spoke briefly before the set.
Guitarists Al Maddy and Walt Stack (The Bullys) were on stage all the time. David Merrill, from The Rattlers, and Andy Hillfiger were playing bass that night. Back-up singers were Tish & Snooky of Manic Panic, and saxofonist Arno Hecht.
I wasn't surprised how effectively Friends Of Joey Ramone set started with Somebody Put Something In My Drink. I was so happy when Richie had decided to do main vocals on it while he sang, even he was more shouting than singing from time to time. Anyway Richie did his both jobs well. Somebody Put Something In My Drink is the opening track on Animal Boy (1986). As well he has written some other Ramones songs. Next we heard of those tunes I'm Not Jesus and I Know Better Now, both Richie wrote for Halfway To Sanity album (1987). So we fans understood quickly how special set we experienced at live. Tish & Snooky were wearing nun's robe when we heard I'm Not Jesus and its dark athmosphere, and it certainly isn't easy to play or sing. Joey Lanz of The Bullys sang I'm Not Jesus. Spirit of I Know Better Now has more traditional Ramones elements. It is straight going and strong tune, one of those hidden gems which aren't familiar to most of the fans. Live version was faithful for studio version. Richie took care of main vocals on it. Again Richie also shout on it more than sang. It gave rough feeling positively.

Audience greeted George Tabb who sang Wart Hog. Dee Dee's spirit was there. Even I could see George Tabb is still sick, he is winner of the life. He became sick on September 11, 2001, he was living by the World Trade Center when 9/11 terror attack happened. George has told: "I have been through too many surgeries and hospital visits, and truthfully, I can't pay for them. I can't even afford to go see doctors now - and need too. This whole mess has left me weak and sick - and depressed." Help George Tabb! Vol. 1 album was released on September 11, 2007, and I also promoted it on my site. I will write a bit more of him now. George Tabb had a band called Furious George. Joey Ramone sang vocals on Gilligan song on Furious George album Gets A Record, and Dee Dee Ramone sang backup on song Betty Crocker Punk Rocker on Furious George EP Goes Ape! George was while also Ramones roadie etc. I was happy to speak more with George after show was over.

Photos in right from above to below:
1) Back-up singer Tish or Snooky of Manic Panic and Richie Ramone.
2) Richie Ramone.
3) Jean Beauvoir and Handsome Dick Manitoba.
4) Al Maddy and Mickey Leigh.
5) Mickey Leigh and Ivan Julian.

Saxophonist Arno Hecht arrived on stage, and then also Jean Beauvoir of the Plasmatics etc. Jean sang and played on Bonzo Goes To Bitburg (My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down) which he, Dee Dee and Joey wrote together for Animal Boy. Jean produced Animal Boy. He produced together with Daniel Rey some Brain Drain tracks, Pet Sematary and Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight). And now he is one producer who works with Joey's second solo album. Jean Beauvoir's long interview can be found from Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives.
Jean Beauvoir stayed on stage when The Dictators' etc. vocalist Handsome Dick Manitoba run to stage and sang Rockaway Beach. Ivan Julian (Richard Hell & The Voidoids and Osaka Popstar) replaced Jean Beauvoir, and Manitoba sang his second song California Sun. They jammed a lot on it and it even had elements of hip hop etc... It really didn't worked out. After California Sun Richie walked to the front of stage and handed some drum sticks for audience.

Mickey Leigh has shaped great version of Something To Believe In. Mickey delivered to the audience touching feelings with it again. Mickey performed first parts of it mainly alone. Then intimate feeling growed to more powerful when other players joined Mickey. Richie returned on stage. Before song started, Mickey put microphone next to my face and asked what is next song. Of course it was What A Wonderful World. What A Wonderful World was the last song and then the bag pipes men came to play the traditional Happy Birthday song for our Joey.

Tommy Ramone and Noah "Noki" Citrin knew each other. Noki lived on the floor below Tommy in the same building in 60's. Noah tells lot of those days and of Joey in Ramones: Soundtrack Of Our Lives. Noah thinks Tommy was the best musician on the block. Tommy played then an guitar. Tommy has told me that the first time he met Joey was with Noki. I had spoke and E-mailed 4-5 times of Noki with Tommy. Tommy hadn't seen Noki since Tommy was 16 and both were waiting a lot to meet each other finally again. Tommy had asked earlier that night that Noki is there. Both were really happy to meet each other. It was late and Tommy was a bit tired and he had to leave soon. Before that Tommy autographed copies of my third book which I sold later. I was happy to speak more with some other Ramones fans. Many came to ask my new book as it was for them easier to buy after party was over (they didn't need to carry it whole event). Then Noki and I forwarded to Connecticut where Noki lives. I hadn't been in that area before.

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