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Tuesday, August 24, 2004

END OF THE CENTURY

http://www.endofthecentury.com/

Finally a movie that promises to be educational and entertaining. The Ramones were so much more than a band. Specially to New Yorkers. For us, the Ramones are our Mount Rushmore. I can remember distinctly the first time I heard the Ramones (1979, USMA cadet library with Pat Wilson giggling about the lyrics), the first record of theirs that I bought (Rocket To Russia), the first time I saw them in concert (1984, The Bayou in Washington D.C.), and the last time I saw them in concert (SUNY Albany May Day, 1995). The Ramones are in many ways the soundtrack of my life. They were the first band who's songs I could play on guitar. I've seen them live more times than any other band (5), and for years I was destined to bump into a Ramone (mostly Dee Dee) at random events (Peter Gabriel's 'SO' tour, Capitol Center, Md. 1985). I worked for Dee Dee at The Bank doing lights for a solo gig. I picked up Joey off the floor of Coney Island High once. I'm sure I share that dubious distinction with many. They were our heroes, and they were us. I was never snubbed by a Ramone. Though often incoherant, they were always approachable. Specially if you were holding. Joey and Dee Dee are no longer with us, but they're up there with Stiv and Johnny Thunders trying to cop dope off St. Peter. In heaven every hit is like the first. God bless the Ramones, for they have blessed us.

Comments:
It's so strange that both of our punk cherries were popped at the USMA Cadet library. It was there in the summer of 1978 that my brother and I first listened to "Never Mind The Bollocks". We had heard about it in Creem magazine and the other music rags, but it was unavailable in the PX, which was all we had access to as eighth/nineth graders. I remember my brother being more amped about it than I, but warmed to it quickly. It was so incendiary for it's time. We had to hide it from our parents because of the liberal use of foul language, which was so taboo back then.

I am surely grateful it was available, but what a bazaar place to find such anti establishment type music. I remember looking at the check out card and with the exception of one or two cadets, the only name that showed up as having checked it out was Jim Temple, multiple times. Tell your brothers this story. They will get a kick out of it!
 
I was there when the Ramones destoyed the Bayou in 1984. 1-2-3-4!
 
they also destroyed it!
 
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