TOO TOUGH TO DIE

Johnny Ramone died exactly six years ago today.

The Ramones completely changed my existence and my outlook on the world. This happened on exactly August 5, 1990. I was a casual fan and went with a friend of mine from LA who was really excited a band that didn't sound like Night Ranger was coming to Vegas. They were on the Escape From NY tour with Debbie Harry and Tom Tom Club. They were second on the bill but it was obvious from all the T-shirts in the crowd who the main draw really was.

In those days, most bands I liked were starting to ride the "glam train" into the new decade and their image (in my mind) was suffering for it. I didn't like KISS and Dio wearing bigger brighter colors and grinding themselves into cliched corners with bigger stage shows and longer solos. Needless to say, The Ramones entered my life at just the right time.

The first chord was literally like a lightning bolt into my brain. I had never seen a band with such military precision and intense energy feeding back and forth between the audience and the band. They didn't say hi to the crowd, they didn't switch guitars, they didn't waste time. I got 30 songs in exactly 60 minutes. Even better, every song sounded instantly familiar to me, like a Beatles song cross-pollinated with Motorhead's rhythm section. For the first time at a concert,I was a different person than when I entered the venue.

My intense infatuation with them only grew with every passing year after they retired in 1996. I knew they were gone for good with no sign of a reunion tour ever. One thing about The Ramones, they never bullshitted the fans.

That was Axl Rose's job.


Still is.


Joey died in 2001. Then Dee Dee in 2002. In between those passings, I somehow bumped into Johnny Ramone at Burbank airport. He got off the plane from Vegas I was boarding. I literally stole a pen from a gift shop just to grab his autograph. He could not have been nicer. He actually stopped his day for two minutes just to chat and talk about his legacy and Marilyn Manson with me (he had just been MM's guest in Vegas). We shook hands and parted ways. I've never been starstruck on that level since. I honestly stared at my hand the whole flight home thinking "I just shook hands with the inventor of Punk Rock Guitar!!"

When he died in 2004, I was at a bar when I heard the news. I got really really shitfaced and proceeded to try and get into a fight with anyone I could. I had no luck. I was just another surly drunk in a city that breeds them. As far as I was concerned, Punk Rock was officially dead that night. It kills me to admit that I was right. Name me one great Punk band in the last six years. I'll wait.....

Johnny Ramone helped me realize that it was okay to be weird in a world of squares. It was okay to be tough and stick to your convictions and not kiss anyone's ass to make them like me or my group of friends.

If you have time, rent this movie. You will be amazed at how many other brilliant people share my feelings about him.....