At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, when I made my acceptance speech, I said, “God Bless President Bush, and God Bless America.” It was the counter to those speeches at the awards. That sure set them off. I’m glad I said it. It got every response I intended it to. This wasn’t long after September 11th either. I was always so gung-ho American, I felt that was a real attack on me.
4A: FAVORITE ELVIS FILMS
1. Loving You
2. Jailhouse Rock
3. King Creole
4. Viva Las Vegas
5. Follow That Dream
6. Kid Galahad
7. Love Me Tender
8. Kissin’ Cousins
9. Elvis: That’s the Way It Is
10. G.I. Blues
4B: FAVORITE ELVIS BOOKS
1. Last Train to Memphis
2. Careless Love
3. Elvis Up Close
4. Elvis Aaron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia
5. That’s Alright, Elvis
6. Elvis: What Happened?
7. All About Elvis
8. The Elvis Encyclopedia
9. Down at the End of Lonely Street
10. The Elvis Atlas
4C: FAVORITE ELVIS SONGS
1. “Don’t Be Cruel”
2. “Can’t Help Falling in Love”
3. “Baby Let’s Play House”
4. “Viva Las Vegas”
5. “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
6. “Don’t”
7. “Trying to Get to You”
8. “It’s Now or Never”
9. “(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame”
10. “All Shook Up”
5A: FAVORITE HORROR FILMS
1. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
2. The Invisible Man (1933)
3. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
4. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
5. King Kong (1933)
6. Re-Animator (1985)
7. The Evil Dead (1981)
8. The Wolf Man (1941)
9. Freaks (1932)
10. Psycho (1960)
6A: FAVORITE FILMS OF THE NINETIES
1. Buffalo ’66
2. L.A. Confidential
3. Private Parts
4. Ed Wood
5. The Silence of the Lambs
6. Goodfellas
7. Seven
8. Pulp Fiction
9. Wild at Heart
10. Bugsy
7A: BEST ROCK FILMS
1. The T.A.M.I. Show
2. The Girl Can’t Help It
3. High School Confidential!
4. Monterey Pop
5. The Buddy Holly Story
6. Gimme Shelter
7. Help!
8. A Hard Day’s Night
9. Rock ’n’ Roll High School
10. That’ll Be the Day
8A: BEST SCI-FI FILMS
1. The Thing (1951)
2. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
3. Forbidden Planet (1956)
4. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
5. Them! (1954)
6. Planet of the Apes (1968)
7. The War of the Worlds (1953)
8. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
9. Invaders from Mars (1953)
10. Dr. Cyclops (1940)
9A: BEST FILM REFERENCE BOOKS
1. The Psychotronic Encyclopedia of Film
2. The Psychotronic Video Guide
3. The Film Encyclopedia
4. The Motion Picture Guide
5. Hollywood Rock
6. Leonard Maltin’s TV Movies and Video Guide
7. Disney A to Z
8. The Encyclopedia of Horror Movies (P. Hardy)
9. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Movies
10. Blood and Black Lace (guide to Italian horror)
10A: FAVORITE TV SHOWS
1. Chiller Theatre (with Zacherley)
2. The Twilight Zone (1959)
3. The Outer Limits (1963)
4. The Honeymooners
5. Amos ’n Andy
6. Baseball Tonight
7. I Dream of Jeannie
8. The Beverly Hillbillies
9. The Addams Family
10. The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis
Johnny and Linda on their way back from being married at city hall. Courtesy JRA LLC photo archives. All rights reserved.
Thanks to:
Tommy Ramone, Lisa Marie Presley, Kirk Hammett, Suzanne Cafiero, Robert Guinsler, David Cashion, Curt Krasik, Steve Miller, Christian Fuller, Henry Rollins, Heidi May, Alan Nevins, Mason Williams, JD King, Barbara Ramone Zampini, Sandy Linter, Bill Mullen, Richard Adler, Robert Roland, Richard Whitley, Stephanie Chernikowski, Chuck Pulin, Danny Fields, Mick Rock, Bob Gruen, Sarah Field, Jenny Lens, Dave Toussaint, David Burd, Ed Stasium, Monte Melnick, Rick Weinman, Kelli Poff, Nancy Baum, Duggal Photo Lab, Beatriz Pace, Don Terbush, Elaine Woodall, Bob Koszela, Andrew D. Gore, Andrew Durham, Kris Ahrend, Charles Comparato, Eleonora Monacella, Hal Willlner, Zeina Hamzeh, Bobby Robertson, Rhino Entertainment, Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group, Warner/Chappell Music, everyone at Abrams Books, and Ramones fans everywhere.
In February of 2011, The Ramones received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Pictured from left to right: John Cafiero (accepting on behalf of Dee Dee Ramone), and Linda Ramone (accepting on behalf of Johnny Ramone), with Neil Portnoy, President of the Recording Academy, at far right.
AFTERWORD
THE FIRST TIME I MET JOHNNY RAMONE I WAS A SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLD FAN. For most of my life, the Ramones have been a huge part of it. They defined something that truly spoke to me and had a rare ability to maintain that omnipresent voice and powerful presence in my life (and the lives of other like-minded individuals around the world) for decades. It was always something I could relate to, both sonically and visually, transcending from childhood to adulthood, and only growing stronger with the passage of time.
As history—not to mention the blood and sweat (you read it right—no tears) of Johnny’s life, which are thoroughly soaked into the pages of this book—reveals, the one person who emphatically refused to allow that purity to be diluted, more than anyone, was Johnny Ramone.
He was the boss, the institution, the establishment. Johnny was the commander, and he had to be. If not, despite the incredible talents of his fellow cofounding Ramones (Dee Dee, Joey, and Tommy), things would never have progressed or prevailed as they did, and continue to. Someone has to make the rules and ensure people adhere to them. Tough love isn’t always appreciated, but it can be a crucial ingredient in shaping things to come. Some people thought Johnny was mean or unfriendly, but he wasn’t. He was authoritative, and understandably, people don’t like being told what they can—or can’t—do. He’s said it before, and in retrospect, in the role I have since become engrained on his behalf, I understand now more than ever that if Johnny wasn’t the way he was, the Ramones would not have become who and what they are. The look, the sound, and the simplistic perfection are things Johnny fought for constantly, and strived to keep alive.
For years, growing up, even into my young adulthood, I would persistently argue, fight, and champion the Ramones to what I felt was a world of narrow-minded, criticizing skeptics. Sadly, it took the deaths of my heroes to make the world finally stand up and recognize the brilliance that was right in front of them all the time. In literary terms, I think the Ramones are like the Edgar Allen Poe of rock and roll. They were largely unappreciated by the masses during their lifetime, but after the fact will forever be an integral part of the fabric of pop culture. They are forces that will remain timeless and relevant to all, conscious of it or not, for eternity.
The last time I saw Johnny in person, just months before he passed away, he said that he wanted me to become more involved in things. He couldn’t have paid me a bigger compliment. It meant the world to me, and still does. Since then, the faith Linda has put in me in managing Johnny
’s estate, and all of his interests in the Ramones, as well as that same faith that Barbara has put in me on Dee Dee’s behalf, is truly an incredible honor. Just as people who really know me have said, I believe it was fate. Seeing things come to fruition through passion and sheer determination is a genuinely rich and rewarding experience on many levels, and having the privilege and pleasure of being so deeply involved with something that’s meant so much to me for so long is truly surreal. Responsibility and a genuine care for everything surrounding it is no easy task, but nothing worth fighting for is. I understand now more then ever, particularly from the inside, why Johnny was the way he was.
It was a huge honor seeing this project through to completion for Johnny Ramone. I agonized over every detail to ensure it was true to his words, his persona, and character; and like Johnny, I will always remain relentless, and never give up.
—John Cafiero
John Cafiero working on Commando: the Autobiography of Johnny Ramone at the Abrams office in New York City. Photo by Suzanne Cafiero.
Johnny and Linda visit the Jungle Room at Graceland. Used courtesy JRA LLC photo archives. All rights reserved.
MY HUSBAND AND MY BEST FRIEND FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS, Johnny Ramone, would always say to me, “Linda, I am unique, a legend, and always right.” And we would always laugh about it.
Every morning at breakfast we would discuss everyone and everything over waffles and blueberries. If the waffle was not perfect, or a blueberry was off, he would give me that look that only he could give and say, “Why? What have I done wrong?” And again we would just laugh.
To be able to keep his legacy alive, something that was so important to Johnny, and being a president of Ramones Productions and JRA LLC (Johnny Ramone Army), is the most amazing thing for me that I can do for him.
I love and miss my husband and best friend, Johnny, every single day of my life.
The truth is, he was unique, he is a legend, and he will always be right.
Luv,
Linda Ramone
Linda and Johnny in their one-bedroom apartment on 22nd Street in NYC, circa 1990. Photo by Sandy Linter. Used courtesy JRA LLC photo archives. All Rights Reserved.
Photo by Stephanie Chernikowski, under license to JRA LLC. All rights reserved.
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