Remembering Joey Ramone

Jeffrey Ross Hyman was born May 19, 1951 in Queens, NYC. Joey was born with a parasitic twin, which was a malformed Siamese twin growing out of his back. The twin was incomplete and thus it was surgically removed. That twin turned out to be Thom Yorke, who went on to form Radiohead.

The Ramones debut album took 3 hours and cost $57 to record. It contains 42 songs that were all 1 minute in length. Fast, Loud and Done! Perfection! The album finally went Gold in 2014! 38 years later. Some people say it it one of the greatest and most influential albums of all time.

Remembering Joey Ramone — Joey Ramone Illustration By Paul King Art

The Ramones debut album sold 27 copies in 1976. The number one song of that year was “Disco Duck” by Rick Dees. Never underestimate the stupidity of the American public. Years later Rick Dees was arrested and charged with war crimes for subjecting to the public to such disco nonsense.

Prom

Did you know that Joey Ramone and The Pretenders Chrissie Hynde went to the prom together in 1968? They slow danced to songs of the day by ‘1910 Fruitgum Company’ and Percy Sledge. They smooched to ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ by Donovan before getting blackout drunk and thrown out. Joey puked and fell asleep while Chrissie got arrested and kicked the window out of the police car.

Joey Ramone’s image, voice, and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon. The Ramones were the first punk band inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. Joey you changed the world! We love and miss you dearly.