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September 17, 2004
RIP Johnny Ramone
In the summer of 1980, I had just graduated from college the previous summer, and during that last semester at Sewanee, I had begun to embrace the whole punk movement, and had begun to move away from liking the coliseum-rock that I had followed through most of the '70s. But I still did not like the Ramones.....
But in late summer that year, the Ramones played at the old Pier in the Cameron Village Subway, with Raleigh's Cigaretz opening. I had fallen in serious love with the Cigaretz. They were brash, obnoxious, loud, and they totally rocked. So, I was there, the Cigaretz back in Raleigh after leaving to become rock stars in NYC, and the Ramones.
And suddenly, I saw the light. The raw energy of the crowd, the wall that was the Ramones SOUND...I was totally blown away. Yes, the songs were simple, yes, the lyrics were stupid. But there was something else there that transcended all of that, and made them something so much more than just another stupid punk band. I eventually saw Rock n Roll High School, and thought it was the coolest movie ever. I still do.....
And now three of them are dead. Man, there are certain things that make you feel really old, and Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee all being dead really makes my bones ache.
RIP Johnny. You were something special
Posted by Paul Cooper at September 17, 2004 12:17 AM
