109 - The Ramones with Everett True (Forest Hills, New York)

This week we travel to Forest Hills, Queens, New York to trace the origins of the legendary punk band The Ramones.

While Joey Ramone is actually the only Ramone born in Forest Hills, it is this conversation suburb of New York which creates one of the iconic bands in the history of NYC.

The bands influences include 1960s Girl Groups, The Beatles, The Beach Boys & Elvis Presley.

The bands first big takes place in March of 1974 with Joey Ramone on drums. They played original material from the start - with varying explanations as to why.

Johnny Ramones would probably have preferred to bat for the New York Yankees than be in a band but his famous guitar sound is there from the beginning.

Arturo Vega designs the famous Ramones logo however he is not paid royalties on the subsequent mass marketing of the design.

New York City figure Danny Fields comes in as the bands manager & they subsequently sign to Seymour Stein’s Sire Records.

The debut album clocks in at just 28 minutes & features a now iconic photo taken by Roberta Bailey who had only been taking photos for a few weeks at the time the picture was taken.

Their next few albums Leave Home & Rocket To Russia repeat the trick with such classics as Rockaway Beach & Sheena is a Punk Rocker.

Tommy Ramone leaves the band, breaking up the original line up having tired of touring.

The band continue to search for a hit & bring in Phil Spector for the End Of The Century album.

Joey & Johnny Ramond fallout & do not speak to each other for 16 years while touring relentlessly.

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Music by Andy Maxwell

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