Well I'm against it
I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like politics
I don't like communists
I don't like games and fun
I don't like anyone
And I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like Jesus freaks
I don't like circus geeks
I don't like summer and spring
I don't like anything
I don't like sex and drugs
I don't like waterbugs
I don't care about poverty
All I care about is me
And I'm against it
I'm against it
I don't like playing ping pong
I don't like the Viet Cong
I don't like Burger King
I don't like anything
And I'm against it
Well I'm against it
I'm against it

Beh sono contro
sono contro
Non mi piace la politica
Non mi piacciono i comunisti
Non mi piacciono giochi e divertimenti
Non mi piace nessuno
E sono contro
Sono contro
Non mi piacciono i fanatici di Gesù
Non mi piacciono i pagliacci da circo
Non mi piacciono estate e primavera
Non mi piacciono i mingherlini
Non mi importa della povertà
Mi importa solo di me stesso
Non mi piace niente
E sono contro
Sono contro
Non mi piace giocare a ping pong
Non mi piacciono i Viet Cong
Non mi piace Burger King
Non mi piace niente
E sono contro
Sono contro
Beh sono contro

Michelle found this a while ago in an interior design magazine and it got buried alive on my desk. It almost sounds too absurd to be true - the famous punk venue CBGB's gets turned into an uber-expensive boutique that sells $1,600 leather jackets - until you think about how shitty the place got under their own control. Either way, Old Hilly's still rolling in his grave.

While living in New York I only went to CBGB's twice. Once to see my old college roommate's band play in the basement (he was a high school football playing nu metal fan before he met me, now he's into stuff remotely hardcore). We got drunk in their van, and I haven't seen or talked to him since.

The other time was to see Conflict. We paid $30 because it was a "benefit" show to pay their legal fees fighting eviction (they should have just used the CBGB's T-shirt fund). I was going to post a few of those pictures (they're some of my all-time favorite), but I'll leave them for the next zine.

And now I read in the New York Times that it's finished. Because the owner couldn't pay the $50,0000 a month! rent the store is closed and all the books have been auctioned off. After the Wall Street meltdown this week and now seeing another New York institution destroyed over money really makes me wonder about the destructive force of unbridled capitalism. Is it always about the bottom line? When a Barnes and Noble replaces the Gotham Book Mart are we really gaining something better? I think the corporate managers would have Edward Gorey arrested if he were to walk into a Barnes & Noble headquarters today.

How long before all of New York City is turned into a corporate mall?
The list goes on and on...in memoriam:

1. Alps Pharmacy from my old neighborhood in midtown. My guy Joe would buy my Christmas gifts there--beautiful perfumes and toiletries from all over the world. The building was demolished. I'm sure the owners got a pretty price and they are sailing in the Greek isles or something. They deserve it. They are very nice people.
2. kaufman's riding store: a tack shop that sold amazing riding clothing and traditional Levis jeans. It was in the east 60's as I recall. It's gone.
3. Restaurant Florent I once waited tables there. It was a great place to go late, late, late at night because it was always open. The food was good and the people were always friendly, plus my cool cousin Denise managed the place for years. It was used as a location on Sex and the City--that must have been the kiss of death because it's now gone. Bon Voyage Florent. You are a nice man.
4. The Variety Theatre The last remaining vaudeville theater houses in New York. A treasure on the lower east side. I guess it wasn't important enough to save.
5. And now the Gotham Book Mart. It once was a place where wise men fished. I still have my signed Edward Gorey books that I bought there. I 'll take them out, read them, and think about how things don't always change for the better.
6. So, what's next to go--- Yankee Stadium? Oh, yes I forgot that's being demolished too. My guy Joe went to one of the last games held there this weekend. He had tears in his eyes when he thought about Babe Ruth, Joe Dimaggio and Lou Gehrig's famous speech there. One reason they're building the new stadium is because the old one couldn't hold the "luxury boxes" the new one will have.

7. UPDATE! How could I forget CBGB's!I went there for the first time when I was seventeen. My older sister had a boyfriend who lived on the Lower East Side. He had a sprawling apartment. We went to a punk show. Richard Hell was there. An obese Lesbian tried to have her way with me and I ran away, terrified. As we were leaving some punk guy with an orange mohawk smashed a bottle on the sidewalk right in front of us. My sister's boyfriend had abandoned us and we scurried away, absolutely freaked out and giggling with excitement. Over the years Joe and I went there quite a lot. We took Charlie there (Richard in Gemini Rising) when he was about twelve and he was the coolest kid in his class after that. Patti was there when it all ended. She said we have to move on, find new cool places. That's true. Could it be Bristol, PA?

I'll give Andre Gregory the last word--prophetically from 1981--enjoy!

P.S. Findhorn actually exists--oh how I do luvz the internets!

The Virgins ply that New York City staple of dirty bass led blues rock that has reverberated around the hallowed walls of CBGBs a thousand times. It takes elements of The Stones, The Stooges and  The Boss and fires it out with a gossamer coat hewn from the sinews of youthful exuberance. Tonight is no different. They easily fill the stage space available, their line up expanded to five, creating a persona bigger than the sum of it’s parts. They begin slowly, a series of false starts and rambling jam like noodles perforate the air before things really kick off, but when they finally get around to launching into the rolling ‘She’s Expensive’ it’s almost a stealth attack dropping you into the middle of the song before you really realise what’s going on. For a band that was brought together by a Ryan McGinley photo shoot and has thus far only a handful of singles and a debut album to it’s name, coupled with a wave of hyperbole built around songs being featured on hit new US TV sensation Gossip Girl, it’s a blessed relief to feel the meat on the bones of songs like ‘One Week Of Danger’ and ‘Teen Lovers‘. There’s a good deal of substance here behind the style, which is a good thing as it would be easy to dismiss the rib exposing muscular rock as a Strokes/Razorlight lite concoction.  Formed in 2005 there is a long, long lineage to the music that The Virgins make, but that should not be an excuse to dismiss it out of hand. Though singer Donald spouts the same self assured lyrics that make you want to wreak furious vengence on Johnny Borrels vac formed visage he manages to do so with an innocent aloofness that directly channels ‘Aftermath’ era Jagger and manages to even sound genuinely evocative when slowed down for a solo slow song.

There is an abundance of well heeled young ladies in the audience tonight, no doubt drawn out by the Gossip Girl associations and the highly suggestive video to album fulcrum ’Rich Girls’, it’s ironic then that tonight their set is actually cut short and they do not get to air their biggest song to date. No matter though by the end of their  set they have won over the assembled throng and have the crowd baying for more. There are moments tonight when  the set dips a little, despite their debut album dropping The Virgins remain a few songs short of a killer set, there are still a few rambling edges, and whilst that haphazard appearance currently remains cute whilst they face shoe box venues and where the crowd can hear every off mic word, The Virgins are clearly aiming for greater heights, they will need a few more songs to make the leap, but for now they have the feet of north London and Steve Lemacq tapping.

Hilly Kristal was an American club owner and musician who was the owner of the iconic New York City club, CBGB, which opened in 1973 and closed in 2006 over a rent dispute.  The club featured many famous musicians over the years and remained very popular until its closing. For a short while after the closing, Kristal considered moving the club to Las Vegas.   Kristal was born in New York, New York in 1931, but his family moved to Hightstown, New Jersey when he was an infant.  He studied music from a young age and eventually attended the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia. Kristal also spent a period of time in the Marines.  He moved back to New York City, where he worked as a singer, appearing on stage in the men's choral group at Radio City Music Hall. He later became the manager of the Village Vanguard, a jazz club in Greenwich Village, where he booked Miles Davis and other musicians.  He married in 1951 and had two children: Lisa Kristal Burgman and Mark Dana Kristal.   In 1968 he co-founded the Schaefer Music Festival with concert promoter Ron Delsener; the festival took place every year until 1976 in NYC's Central Park and featured superstars from all music genres like The Who, Miles Davis, Chuck Berry, Bob Marley, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Frank Zappa, Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle, Ike & Tina Turner, Fleetwood Mac, The Allman Brothers, Kris Kristofferson, Curtis Mayfield, Bruce Springsteen, Aerosmith and The Doors, amongst many other bands.  In 1970 Kristal opened a bar in the Bowery section of New York called "Hilly's on the Bowery", which closed within a couple of years. Then, in December 1973, he created "CBGB and OMFUG", an abbreviation of the kinds of music he intended to feature there: "Country, BlueGrass, Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers".  The club became known as the starting point for the careers of such punk rock and New Wave acts as The Ramones, Talking Heads, Patti Smith, Television, and Blondie.  Kristal died on August 28, 2007 from complications of lung cancer, aged 75. - From wikipedia

Hammerhead performing "Tuffskins" from "Ethereal Killer" album. Live at CBGBs - circa 1993.

(Read more About the Ramones) (Read the Ramones Birthday Bash Part 2) - Another sold-out crowd celebrated what would have been Joey Ramone’s 57th birthday, as the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash continued for its eighth year at New York’s Irving Plaza. Ramones fans from all over the world, as well as those from Joey’s native Queens, packed the venue and sang along with video of classic performances like “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Rockaway Beach”. It was just a warm-up for an evening that still promised Mary Weiss - Joey’s idol and original member of the Shangri-La’s - a Dictators reunion, and an touching set from Joey’s brother, Mickey Leigh.

New York punks Charm School gave the night a kick start with their short, blistering set. Their cover of “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do” had the entire crowd chanting along, throwing their fists up to the “Wait! Now!” chorus in unity. L.E.S Stitches, another favorite on the scene, brought no frills - their straightforward 1970s-style punk recalls the Ramones during their “Rocket to Russia” period. Local H launched into yet another Ramones cover as singer Scott Lucas comically introduced “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do”: “Charm School beat us to it but we’re gonna do it our way!”

Glam rockers Semi-Precious Weapons got a huge response, with lead singer Justin Tranter channeling Ziggy Stardust with his platform boots and a chubby fur coat. Tranter prowled the stage, both cheetah and Iggy-like, snarling and spitting at the crowd while striking pose after gorgeous pose. SPW’s single, “Magnetic Baby”, was a blast, and with a chorus of “it’s not my fault that I look better in her party dress!”, the guys definitely played the part. Another set of Ramones covers came from Joey’s close friends, The Independents. Joey managed the band in New York, and was constantly promoting them through his “Joey Ramone Presents” concerts in the city.

As part of Television, guitarist Richard Lloyd was responsible for ushering in a cerebral blend of art and punk rock. Television were one of the first bands to play CBGBs, and pre-dated most recognized punk bands by a couple of years. Having shared bills with Patti Smith, and coming up at the time of Suicide, Television influenced the Talking Heads, Blondie, and Dee Dee Ramone, who recalled seeing Tom Verlaine sing “Venus de Milo” to a sparse crowd when CBGBs first opened. The crowd was much, much larger but the sense of intimacy translated with Lloyd’s new band, Smufty Dogs.

Fans were also treated to footage of Joey giving interviews and rare live performances. Lines formed in the halls for merchandise and raffles, and to sign a huge poster of Joey, courtesy of Hurley, which is debuting its Joey Ramone surf collection this summer. A rotating cutout of Joey, in board shorts holding a surfboard, circled close by.

After much anticipation, former MTV VJ and the evening’s MC, Matt Pinfield introduced Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom, whose set concluded with a rapturous version of “Search and Destroy”. This was the reunion everyone had waited for: JP Thunderbolt, Ross The Boss, Andy Shernoff (quite possibly the tallest punk rocker next to Joey himself), and original loudmouth front man Handsome Dick Manitoba. This lineup brought the Dictators together with the trashy class of their 1975 debut, “Dictators Go Girl Crazy”. With its fast cars, cold beer, and hot girls glory, and a specific photo of the guys in black leather jackets at a White Castle, that album sparked the fires in John Holmstrom and Legs McNeil, who started PUNK magazine shortly thereafter.

(Read the Ramones Birthday Bash Part 2)

(Read more About the Ramones)

==============
If You're After The Ramones Band Merchandise

The largest range of The Ramones band merch
available. Everything from metal band merch,
Band Patches to Bands T-Shirts.

Visit: http://www.planet13.com.au/
==============

(Read more About the Ramones) -- Ramones T-shirts have outsold Ramones albums 10 to 1

CBGB, the birthplace of American punk, arguably reached its peak in terms of awareness after selling T-shirts bearing its logo. What are we to make of this?

If you ask someone, "Do you care about symbols of things?," it sounds very frivolous. But clearly the Ramones label has become instant shorthand for a tribal membership or a worldview of indie rebellion. Planet 13 is a good example. They sell Official Ramones Band Merchandise, T-shirts and other official band merch for famous bands. The Ramones have developed this cachet, the symbol alone, that you could align yourself with without listening to the music. I don't know that you see a lot of people wearing a Ramones or CBGB T-shirt who have no idea what it is. They have some idea what it is. Whether their idea is connected to reality, like in the case of CBGB, is probably debatable. But they understand the message that it's sending, whether it be to other people or themselves. Your audience for a lot of this stuff is yourself.

The Ramones Farewell Concert

On March 16, 1996, the Ramones played a farewell concert to 45,000 fans in Buenos Aires in what had been initially planned as the final show of their storied 20-year career. The River Plate Stadium Monumental, home to one of South America’s most famous soccer clubs, had filled to the brim, while none other than Iggy Pop played as the opening act before the Ramones took the stage. The band returned to the States on the Lollapolooza bill, playing their last show in Los Angeles on August 6, 1996. Nonetheless, they had built such a fiercely dedicated fan base down south to become, as branded by a major Buenos Aires daily paper, The Argentine Punk Band, “La Banda Punk Argentina”.

How, and why, did this foursome from Queens forge such a lasting relationship with a city a continent away from the New York City streets and the famously decayed bathrooms of their beloved CBGB’s? An unusual sort of chemistry and mutual appreciation developed over the course of 8 visits to Argentina in 9 years that accumulated 27 of the Ramones’ 2263 lifetime concerts. In 1987, prior to the first trip down, Joey Ramone responded to a local journalist that he had no idea what to expect from his upcoming visit to Argentina. Years later, he would hardly be able to leave the hotel in downtown Buenos Aires for the mobs of fans clambering outside. Argentina had become “Ramonesland”, and their fans, “Los Ramoneros,” could be frequently spotted roaming the streets of Buenos Aires.

The Ramones brought their downtown-New York punk to Buenos Aires for the first time on February 3, 1987, filling the Obras Sanitarias Stadium to its 4,000 capacity. The concert was successful enough to lead to a three-night stand in the same venue in 1991, expanded further to 5 nights in 1992 and 1993. The venue size continued to grow along with the band’s following. In 1994 alone, the Ramones headlined the larger Velez Sarsfield stadium, played a pair of more shows at Obras, and made separate visit a few months later to tour through the interior provinces of Argentina. In October of 1995, the Ramones bumped up the number to 6 sold-out nights in Obras, before returning in ’96 for their last international show.

The farewell show itself would not signify be the end of the Ramones’ South American connection. Dee Dee Ramone met his wife, Barbara Zampini, in Argentina in 1997. More recently, Rockaway Records, an Argentine label, released the first worldwide tribute album to the Ramones, with artists from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, USA, Spain, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Japan, Belgium and Germany contributing.

This continued romance with the Argentine public doesn’t seem to stem from an immediately apparent source. Those with the largest following in Argentina have typically been mainstream mega-groups from the UK such as U2, the Rolling Stones, Queen, and, curiously, Oasis. Surely, Buenos Aires is the Latin American city that most considers itself European and cosmopolitan, traced to its infancy as a contraband port that would later experience an explosion of European (primarily Italian) immigration. Consistently in and out of economic crises in the last 30 years, Argentine music fans seeking release from their daily reality could perhaps identify with the stripped down rock played by four average guys sporting uniform leather jackets and jeans. Regardless, what is certain is that La Banda Punk Argentina (from New York) carved out a niche in Buenos Aires, creating a new urban subculture and reaching a benchmark as the American band that has most visited Argentina.

Thirsty features the 2008 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash

Another sold-out crowd celebrated what would have been Joey Ramone’s 57th birthday, as the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash continued for its eighth year at New York’s Irving Plaza. Ramones fans from all over the world, as well as those from Joey’s native Queens, packed the venue and sang along with video of classic performances like “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Rockaway Beach”. It was just a warm-up for an evening that still promised Mary Weiss - Joey’s idol and original member of the Shangri-La’s - a Dictators reunion, and an touching set from Joey’s brother, Mickey Leigh.

New York punks Charm School gave the night a kick start with their short, blistering set. Their cover of “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do” had the entire crowd chanting along, throwing their fists up to the “Wait! Now!” chorus in unity. L.E.S Stitches, another favorite on the scene, brought no frills - their straightforward 1970s-style punk recalls the Ramones during their “Rocket to Russia” period. Local H launched into yet another Ramones cover as singer Scott Lucas comically introduced “I Just Wanna Have Something to Do”: “Charm School beat us to it but we’re gonna do it our way!”

Glam rockers Semi-Precious Weapons got a huge response, with lead singer Justin Tranter channeling Ziggy Stardust with his platform boots and a chubby fur coat. Tranter prowled the stage, both cheetah and Iggy-like, snarling and spitting at the crowd while striking pose after gorgeous pose. SPW’s single, “Magnetic Baby”, was a blast, and with a chorus of “it’s not my fault that I look better in her party dress!”, the guys definitely played the part. Another set of Ramones covers came from Joey’s close friends, The Independents. Joey managed the band in New York, and was constantly promoting them through his “Joey Ramone Presents” concerts in the city.

As part of Television, guitarist Richard Lloyd was responsible for ushering in a cerebral blend of art and punk rock. Television were one of the first bands to play CBGBs, and pre-dated most recognized punk bands by a couple of years. Having shared bills with Patti Smith, and coming up at the time of Suicide, Television influenced the Talking Heads, Blondie, and Dee Dee Ramone, who recalled seeing Tom Verlaine sing “Venus de Milo” to a sparse crowd when CBGBs first opened. The crowd was much, much larger but the sense of intimacy translated with Lloyd’s new band, Smufty Dogs.

Fans were also treated to footage of Joey giving interviews and rare live performances. Lines formed in the halls for merchandise and raffles, and to sign a huge poster of Joey, courtesy of Hurley, which is debuting its Joey Ramone surf collection this summer. A rotating cutout of Joey, in board shorts holding a surfboard, circled close by.

After much anticipation, former MTV VJ and the evening’s MC, Matt Pinfield introduced Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom, whose set concluded with a rapturous version of “Search and Destroy”. This was the reunion everyone had waited for: JP Thunderbolt, Ross The Boss, Andy Shernoff (quite possibly the tallest punk rocker next to Joey himself), and original loudmouth front man Handsome Dick Manitoba. This lineup brought the Dictators together with the trashy class of their 1975 debut, “Dictators Go Girl Crazy”. With its fast cars, cold beer, and hot girls glory, and a specific photo of the guys in black leather jackets at a White Castle, that album sparked the fires in John Holmstrom and Legs McNeil, who started PUNK magazine shortly thereafter.

Finally, in one of the most elegant, poised moments of the night, Mary Weiss performed the classic “Out in the Streets”. Weiss’s voice echoed off the walls and filled the venue, the crowd singing along. Trash and Vaudeville’s Jimmy Webb danced in the balcony, and a soft glow rose from the cell phones thrust in the air. Few songs have had more of an impact - “Down in the Streets” is the punk rock “My Way”, having been covered by everyone from Debbie Harry to the New York Dolls. Without the Shangri-La’s, the Ramones might never have existed, and Joey wouldn’t have written his own version of “Leader of the Pack” with “7-11” (“Oncoming car ran out of control, it crushed my baby and it crushed my soul.”) Not until Mickey took the stage was Joey’s presence more felt.

Leigh continued this Birthday bash tradition shortly after his brother passed away from lymphoma in April 2001. Joey’s family had a huge celebration planned for his 49th birthday, and decided to go ahead with the plan on May 19. It’s gone on every year since then, moving from clubs like Coney Island High and The Continental to the grandiose Fillmore at Irving Plaza. It’s a fitting destination given Joey’s love for the legendary San Francisco venue. When directing the Ramones in “Rock n’ Roll High School”, Alan Arkush even shows up in a scene wearing a Fillmore East t-shirt.

Taking the stage with close friends of the Ramones family, Mickey performed a heartfelt version of “I Want You Around” with even more affection than the original. This is how we loved seeing Joey - soft spoken, sensitive, and gentle. Mickey’s version was just the same, and a perfect tribute to his brother. A dedication was also made to Joey and Mickey’s mother, Charlotte Lescher. Charlotte encouraged both of her boys in their careers and never stopped championing their achievements. Along with Mickey, she helped organize each Birthday Bash after Joey’s passing. Charlotte passed away in January 2007 at the age of 80.

Every classic was there: “Something to Believe In” (performed with Ramones producer and former Plasmatic Jean Beauvoir), “Cretin Hop”, and “Rock n’ Roll High School”. But it was “What a Wonderful World” that has undoubtedly become the Birthday Bash theme song. Mickey reached into the crowd, grabbing hands in the audience and kneeling to sing to them while saluting his brother: “And I say to myself, thank you, Joey!”

On what would otherwise be a somber day, the Birthday Bash brought everyone together for one reason. Having taken such a loss and transforming it into a night of celebration is just what Joey’s family wanted. It’s been seven years without him, but it’s been seven years of friends and family celebrating a truly extraordinary life. There was a spirit in the house that night, as there will be next year and every year after. Happy birthday, Joey.

(Read more About the Ramones)

==============
If You're After The Ramones Band Merchandise

The largest range of The Ramones band merch
available. Everything from metal band merch,
Band Patches to Bands T-Shirts.

Visit: http://www.planet13.com.au/
==============

Born Douglas Colvin, Dee Dee Ramone will always be remembered for his "1-2-3-4" count-ins on so many great songs by the Ramones, the punk rock band he co-founded.

CNN reported on June 7, 2002: Dee Dee Ramone, bassist and one of the founding members of the seminal punk band the Ramones, was found dead in his Hollywood home, the Los Angeles coroner's office said Thursday. He was 49. Ramone's death apparently was the result of an accidental drug overdose, said Katie Elliot, spokeswoman for Ramone's manager. Drug paraphernalia, including a syringe, reportedly were found in the kitchen of the home. Elliot said it is not known what kind of drug was involved. The Associated Press reported the bassist was found dead Wednesday night by his wife, Barbara. The coroner's office did not say what drug was suspected of causing Ramone's death,  AP reported. An autopsy was performed Thursday, but conclusions about the cause of death were deferred pending toxicological tests, spokesman David Campbell told the AP. Those results could take several weeks. The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year. Dee Dee Ramone was one of three surviving original members of the pioneering punk band; lead singer Joey Ramone, born Jeffrey Hyman, died in April 2001 of lymphoma. The other original members are Tommy Erdelyi, who took the name Tommy Ramone and was also the group's manager; and John Cummings, who took the name Johnny Ramone. Tommy Ramone was eventually replaced by Mark Bee (Marky Ramone), who was in turn replaced by Richard Beau (Richie Ramone). Dee Dee Ramone left the band in 1989 and was replaced by Christopher John Ward, aka C.J. Ramone. Founded in Queens in 1974, the Ramones soon took up residency at New York club CBGB, playing dozens of shows before they were signed. The group is credited with bringing a wider audience to the New York downtown music scene of the late 1970s, which, inspired by bands such as the New York Dolls and the Stooges, grew to include bands including Blondie, the Patti Smith Group, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Television and Talking Heads. The band's music was described as "pure rock and roll" from its first, self-titled release in 1976. The Ramones' songs, which were often played at breakneck speeds and seldom lasted longer than three minutes, included "Sheena is a Punk Rocker," "I Wanna Be Sedated," "Blitzkrieg Bop," and "Rock 'n Roll High School." The group was extremely influential. A 1976 tour of Great Britain helped bring about the punk/New Wave explosion in that country in the late '70s. Several notable producers, including Phil Spector, Todd Rundgren, and Graham Gouldman, tried their hands at recording the group, with mixed results. After leaving the band, Dee Dee Ramone briefly became a rapper, then was involved with an ill-fated punk supergroup including the Dolls' Johnny Thunders and the Dead Boys' Stiv Bators. In recent years, he formed a Ramones cover band and became a painter. He also wrote an autobiography, "Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones." The Ramones played its last show in 1996, after which members parted ways.

Willy DeVille came out of the infamous CBGB's, the Bowery club that also produced Blondie, the Talking Heads and the Ramones in the 1970s.  DeVille's band, Mink DeVille, was signed to Capitol Records in 1976 and the next year they produced their debut, which was a mix of soul, R&B and punk highlighted by the singles "Cadillac Walk" and "Spanish Stroll."

When it came time to record the third Mink DeVille album in 1980, Willy wanted to become an old-style soul singer.  He took advantage of a new friendship he had just struck, with "Doc" Pomus, the Brill Building songwriting giant.  Pomus (who wrote "Save The Last Dance For Me" for the Drifters, among others) was convinced that Willy was one of the most soulful performers he'd ever seen.

So the two co-wrote a handful of songs, and Willy packed his bags to record his new album in Paris.  He dismissed all of the original members of his band except for guitarist Louis X. Erlanger, and recruited Jerry Scheff (bass) and Ron Tutt from Elvis Presley's old road band.  Steve Douglas, a sax player who worked with Phil Spector, also produced the album.

When Le Chat Bleu was turned in Capitol wasn't happy with the results.  The songs had lavish string arrangements and accordions, nothing sounded even close to punk rock.  So the album was released only in Europe, and critics hailed it as a near-masterpiece.  It sold well enough overseas to convince the label to release it a year later in the United States, but not after replacing "Mazurka," a zydeco tune written by Queen Ida, with a more conventional rocker.

Willy DeVille still plays concert dates up and down the Northeast coast, and on a good night, he'll play at least four or five tunes from Le Chat Bleu, including the sweet and soulful "Just To Walk That Little Girl Home," one of the songs he wrote with the late "Doc" Pomus.

MP3: "This Must Be The Night"

MP3: "Just To Walk That Little Girl Home"

MP3: "Mazurka"

Willy DeVille official website

If you’re in the NYC, you definitely should go to this event. Celebrating the life of the late great, Joey Ramone and what would have been his 57th birthday. Going off Monday, May 19th at The Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, reliving the days when punk was at its rawest form. Fans will be treated to a special reunion appearance from Manitoba’s Wild Kingdom featuring Handsome Dick Manitoba, Andy Shernoff, Ross the Boss & JP Thunderbolt. This year’s headliners are Mary Weiss (the Shangri-La's) and Richard Lloyd (Television) and the SmuftyDogs. An event not to miss, with a slew of special guests and appearances, you’d think your were chillin back in 75 at the infamous CBGB’s. But, realizing that the bathroom at the Fillmore ain’t as nasty, you’d come back to reality. For more info on the event click here.

If you can imagine an attractive (and therefore fictional) White Stripes in thrall to the late 70's CBGB's scene rather than the Stones or the blues then you're close. Each song flies by with a heart-shaking thump. White's trebly guitar lends each song an insistent quality, and each song is about knocking a metronomic chorus into the listeners brain. And it works. It's a joyous riot of shape and form which you can dance to. 'Traffic Lights' is the sole slow number, a gentle little nursery rhyme which quiets the talkative crowd into reverential silence. 'Fruit Machine' sounds like the Bangles 'Walk Like An Egyptian' performed by a nutter. They close with a euphoric 'That's Not My Name' (guaranteed to be rocking a festival near you soon) before encoring with the title track of their forthcoming album 'We Started Nothing'. Well, they are wrong there. They appear to have started a very fine rock n'roll band and an interesting one at that.

2. To go with the end of the greatest American shrine for punk, here's one of the best and most accurate articles into the Suedehead movement that I've seen. It arose from the best aspects of the mods, skins, and rude boys of the time. I personally always liked the suedeheads as opposed to the mods, skins, and rude boys alone, just because they took the best parts of the three and made one image and mentality. If you've got the cash and time to search for the out of print book, Suedehead, make sure you pick it up along with Richard Allen's other works on Skinheads. <Film Noir>

3. Today's Album

The Last Resort - Best Of - One of the finest English Oi bands

http://www.mediafire.com/?9ec0cdx9enq

If you are a punk-rocker these days, you have a tough life. And expensive. No clubs to go to, no cheap stores with ripped-up clothes; heck, you can't even drink cheap wine on the stoop, cause the cops will give you a ticket before you can say "Cheers".

But that's nothing compared to what we've seen today. Our beloved CBGBs closed in October of 2006 (yes, it was a dump, and no, beer wasn't cheap there, but at least you could have listened to some really bad/really good bands), Hilly Kristal lost another battle, to cancer, in August last year, and now this. The place that used to be a punk-rock mecca, is now an oasis for the rich. Designer John Varvatos opened his store on Bowery this weekend, taking over CBGBs space. The famous bathroom is gone, the floor already forgot the abuse by moshing army boots and beer spillage, but walls look very similar, with ripped-up posters and ads from the 70's and 80's and old records, some of them for sale. Clothes look similar, too. Only - they are contemporary. And cost a fortune.

Let's play a game. We know it sounds crazy, but say you were an avid Ramones fan today and wanted to dress up like they did, in the 1970-ies. If you went to shop in the new Varvatos store, here's how much you'd have to spend on one outfit:

1. Vintage Ramones T-shirt - $750 (plus tax)

2. Leather jacket - circa $1,600 (plus tax)

3. Converse sneakers - circa $110 (plus tax)

Plus: you'd need some underwear, socks and skinny jeans (that'd probably set you back another Grand or so). See? It would not be cheap to be apunk-rocker in 2008 in Manhattan. No wonder Punk is dead, right?

But in all seriousness: we find it ironic that stores like these make it sound as if they want to preserve the neighborhood and its past, and we give them points for trying to look cool and gritty, but at the same time they are the reason why people move out of Manhattan. It's thanks to places like the new Varvatos store that East Village/Lower East Side residents find it hard to live here. Unless they can afford a $750 T-shirt.

Voor de fans van The Ramones, de trip eindigt in het legendarische CBGB's.

jp

2. This is kind of on the trend of old news as well, but I figured I'd throw it up here anyway. I remember seeing this a couple of months ago and thinking it was pretty cool. It's a cafe that basically folds up into a shipping container. <FormFiftyFive>

3. So with CBGB's closing, and being taken over by John Varvatos brings scrutiny. It's sort of a catch 22, because at least it's not something completely horrible. Apparently he's to make the store a one of a kind that go with the same esthetic that the old club offered. However, I have a feeling in the same regard that any way you do it...it won't live up to it. Here's a few shots of the demolition. <Racked>

4. To end today's happenings, the new upstart brand Garbstore is bringing more and more out that impresses me. It reminds me of the older seasons from Italian, Scandinavian, and British sportswear designers such as Napapijiri, Fjall Raven, and of course, the late Massimo Osti's genious design in C.P. Company, Stone Island, Boneville, Navy Arctic, and many more. <Selectism>

5. Today's Album

She, Sir - Who Can't Say Yes - Incredible new shoegaze record from a U.S. band. Can' stop listening to this album.

http://www.zshare.net/download/443960124c48ba/

Thanks to Shoegazer Alive

Sometimes I just feel like hiding.

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Hilly Crystal, 1932-2007, Rest in Peace. Sigh.