Richie Ramone
Encyclopedia
Richie Ramone is an American drummer
best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones
and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.
in late 1982 and appears in two music videos from that album, although he did not play on the record itself. He played on the Ramones' albums, Too Tough to Die
, Animal Boy
and Halfway To Sanity
and appears on Ramones compilation albums, Greatest Hits, Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits
, Weird Tales of the Ramones
, and the Ramones live DVD It's Alive 1974-1996
. He penned the Ramones' hit song "Somebody Put Something in My Drink
" which is included on the album Ramones Mania
, the only Ramones album to go gold, as well as "Smash You", "Humankind", "I'm Not Jesus
", "I Know Better Now" and "(You) Can't Say Anything Nice". Richie's songs "I'm Not Jesus" and "Somebody Put Something on my Drink" have been covered by new generations of bands worldwide, particularly metal bands like Children of Bodom
and Behemoth
.
Richie was the first and only drummer to sing lead vocals on Ramones songs, including "Can’t Say Anything Nice" and the unreleased "Elevator Operator", as well a multitude of Ramones demos. Richie's singing ability was greatly appreciated by the Ramones quintessential frontman and punk rock icon Joey Ramone
: "Richie's very talented and he's very diverse . . . He really strengthened the band a hundred percent because he sings backing tracks, he sings lead, and he sings with Dee Dee's stuff. In the past, it was always just me singing for the most part." Richie performed over 500 shows with the Ramones all over the world, including South America, where rabid Richie fans held up signs proclaiming "Richie" and "Drink" in homage to their idol Richie Ramone.
The relationship of the Ramones members was often rocky, as documented in 22-year tour manager Monte Melnick’s book, On the Road with the Ramones, and Mickey Leigh’s book, I Slept with Joey Ramone. In the documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
, Richie reveals that he had artistic differences with Johnny Ramone that escalated in the recording studio while Richie was remixing Halfway to Sanity at the late night request of Joey Ramone to fix the album. However, Richie was fortunate to enjoy close bonds with the genius songwriter and bassist Dee Dee Ramone
and Joey Ramone
who stated, “[Richie] saved the band as far as I’m concerned. He’s the greatest thing to happen to the Ramones. He put the spirit back in the band.”
Richie left the band abruptly in August 1987, allegedly because of a dispute over money. According to interviews in the film End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones, he quit after Johnny Ramone refused to evenly share the money from t-shirt
sales with him. Subsequently, Richie worked on some of Dee Dee's solo recordings. He was briefly replaced by Elvis Ramone (aka Clem Burke
of Blondie
and Romantics
fame). After Elvis played just two gigs, Richie's predecessor Marky Ramone
rejoined the band and stayed until the band broke up in 1996.
In September 2007, Richie filed a federal lawsuit entitled Reinhardt v. Wal-mart Stores, Inc. et al. in the Southern District of New York. He alleged that the copyright on the six tunes he wrote for the Ramones had been infringed when the band's management licensed the band's recordings for sale as digital download
s. The defendants were Wal-mart Stores
, Inc., Apple, Inc., RealNetworks
, Inc., Taco Tunes, Inc., Ramones Productions, Inc., Estate of John Cummings
, Herzog & Strauss, and Ira Herzog (i.e., he was suing the band, its managers, its publishing company, and three leading sellers of digital downloads.) Judge Shira A. Scheindlin dismissed the case in May 2008, on the grounds that no copyright infringement had occurred, even though she acknowledged that there might be other unsettled issues between Richie Ramone and his former band. Indeed there were, and the resolution resulted in Richie Ramone obtaining full writing and publishing rights to the songs he wrote while in the Ramones.
Richie is still very actively involved with music, as a composer and instrumentalist. In August 2007, he debuted a classical composition entitled "Suite for Drums and Orchestra" (based on themes from West Side Story) with the Pasadena Pops. Richie Ramone was both the featured soloist and the concerto's co-composer, something no other punk rock drummer has done. The work was commissioned by Pops music director Rachael Worby
and was met with acclaim by critics who noted that Richie "brought the audience to its feet after his faster-than-the- human-eye-can-follow drumming". Richie continues to play at the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bashes and is in preparation to go on tour with his new band. In 2011, the Ramones were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. During Richie Ramone's speech at the awards ceremony, Richie noted that it was the first time in history that all three drummers were under the same roof, and mused that he couldn't "...help thinking that [Joey Ramone] is watching us right now with a little smile on his face behind his rose-colored glasses."
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
best known for being the drummer for the iconic punk band the Ramones
Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
and the only Ramones drummer to be the sole composer and writer of Ramones songs.
Biography
Richie Ramone joined the band around the time of the release of Subterranean JungleSubterranean Jungle
Subterranean Jungle is the seventh studio album by the American punk rock band the Ramones. It was released in February 1983 and peaked at position eighty-three on the Billboard album music chart. It was re-released on August 20th, 2002 on CD by Rhino Records."Time Bomb" featured Dee Dee's first...
in late 1982 and appears in two music videos from that album, although he did not play on the record itself. He played on the Ramones' albums, Too Tough to Die
Too Tough to Die
Too Tough to Die is the eighth studio album by the American punk rock band The Ramones. It was released on October 1,1984. It is the first Ramones album to feature new drummer Richie Ramone...
, Animal Boy
Animal Boy
Animal Boy is the ninth studio album by the American punk band the Ramones. It featured the songs "My Brain Is Hanging Upside Down ", written as a protest of President Ronald Reagan's visit to the Bitburg cemetery in West Germany; "Somebody Put Something in My Drink", written by Richie Ramone, the...
and Halfway To Sanity
Halfway to Sanity
Halfway to Sanity is the tenth studio album by American punk band the Ramones. It was released on September 15, 1987, and the last album to feature Richie Ramone...
and appears on Ramones compilation albums, Greatest Hits, Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits
Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits
Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits is a compilation of Ramones songs compiled by Johnny Ramone. The initial 50,000 copies include the 8-song bonus disc Ramones Smash You: Live ’85. The bonus disc features previously unreleased live recordings made at the Lyceum Theatre in London, on February...
, Weird Tales of the Ramones
Weird Tales of the Ramones
Weird Tales of the Ramones is a compilation album by American punk band The Ramones. It was released on August 16, 2005. 85 songs are contained on 3 CDs, plus a DVD containing the feature "Lifestyles of the Ramones", a documentary featuring several of their music videos up to 1990 interspaced by...
, and the Ramones live DVD It's Alive 1974-1996
It's Alive 1974-1996
It's Alive 1974-1996 is a live DVD by the Ramones. It was released on October 2, 2007 by Rhino Records. It's a two-disc set and includes 118 tracks from 33 performances in eight countries, which span the groups career, from 1974 and 1996. Most of the performances were at concerts, but some were...
. He penned the Ramones' hit song "Somebody Put Something in My Drink
Somebody Put Something In My Drink
"Somebody Put Something in My Drink" is a song by the Ramones from their 1986 album Animal Boy. The song also appears on the Ramones compilation album Ramones Mania, the only Ramones album to go gold...
" which is included on the album Ramones Mania
Ramones Mania
-Personnel:* Joey Ramone – lead vocals* Johnny Ramone – guitar* Dee Dee Ramone – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Wart Hog"* Marky Ramone - drums* Tommy Ramone - drums* Richie Ramone - drums, backing vocals on "Wart Hog"-Charts:Album Billboard...
, the only Ramones album to go gold, as well as "Smash You", "Humankind", "I'm Not Jesus
I'm Not Jesus
"I'm Not Jesus" is a song by the Finnish cello metal band Apocalyptica, featuring Corey Taylor from Slipknot and Stone Sour. The single was released on September 17, 2007 and again on March 4, 2008, off the album Worlds Collide....
", "I Know Better Now" and "(You) Can't Say Anything Nice". Richie's songs "I'm Not Jesus" and "Somebody Put Something on my Drink" have been covered by new generations of bands worldwide, particularly metal bands like Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom is a Finnish heavy metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993, the group currently consists of Alexi Laiho , Roope Latvala , Janne Wirman , Henkka Seppälä , and Jaska Raatikainen...
and Behemoth
Behemoth (band)
Behemoth is a Polish blackened death metal band from Gdańsk, formed in 1991. They are considered to have played an important role in establishing the Polish extreme metal underground, alongside bands such as Vader, Decapitated, Vesania and Hate....
.
Richie was the first and only drummer to sing lead vocals on Ramones songs, including "Can’t Say Anything Nice" and the unreleased "Elevator Operator", as well a multitude of Ramones demos. Richie's singing ability was greatly appreciated by the Ramones quintessential frontman and punk rock icon Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
: "Richie's very talented and he's very diverse . . . He really strengthened the band a hundred percent because he sings backing tracks, he sings lead, and he sings with Dee Dee's stuff. In the past, it was always just me singing for the most part." Richie performed over 500 shows with the Ramones all over the world, including South America, where rabid Richie fans held up signs proclaiming "Richie" and "Drink" in homage to their idol Richie Ramone.
The relationship of the Ramones members was often rocky, as documented in 22-year tour manager Monte Melnick’s book, On the Road with the Ramones, and Mickey Leigh’s book, I Slept with Joey Ramone. In the documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones is a 2003 documentary film about highly influential New York punk rock band the Ramones. The film, produced and directed by Jim Fields and Michael Gramaglia, documents the band's history from their formation in the early 1970s and 22 subsequent years of...
, Richie reveals that he had artistic differences with Johnny Ramone that escalated in the recording studio while Richie was remixing Halfway to Sanity at the late night request of Joey Ramone to fix the album. However, Richie was fortunate to enjoy close bonds with the genius songwriter and bassist Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone
Dee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
and Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone
Joey Ramone was an American vocalist and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist in the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.-Early life:Joey Ramone was born Jeffry Hyman to parents Noel and Charlotte Hyman...
who stated, “[Richie] saved the band as far as I’m concerned. He’s the greatest thing to happen to the Ramones. He put the spirit back in the band.”
Richie left the band abruptly in August 1987, allegedly because of a dispute over money. According to interviews in the film End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones, he quit after Johnny Ramone refused to evenly share the money from t-shirt
T-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
sales with him. Subsequently, Richie worked on some of Dee Dee's solo recordings. He was briefly replaced by Elvis Ramone (aka Clem Burke
Clem Burke
Clem Burke is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band through its first stage and later returned for its late 1990s reunion and then its extensive 2009 tour.Following...
of Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
and Romantics
The Romantics
The Romantics is an American New Wave band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1977. The band adopted the name "The Romantics" because they formed on Valentine's Day, 1977. The Romantics achieved popularity in the United Kingdom, The U.S...
fame). After Elvis played just two gigs, Richie's predecessor Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone
Marky Ramone is an American musician. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust, Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, and the Misfits.Although he is not the original drummer , Marky is the only living...
rejoined the band and stayed until the band broke up in 1996.
In September 2007, Richie filed a federal lawsuit entitled Reinhardt v. Wal-mart Stores, Inc. et al. in the Southern District of New York. He alleged that the copyright on the six tunes he wrote for the Ramones had been infringed when the band's management licensed the band's recordings for sale as digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
s. The defendants were Wal-mart Stores
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, Inc., Apple, Inc., RealNetworks
RealNetworks
RealNetworks, Inc. is a provider of Internet media delivery software and services based in Downtown Seattle, Washington, United States. The company is the creator of RealAudio, a compressed audio format; RealVideo, a compressed video format; RealPlayer, a media player; RealDownloader, a download...
, Inc., Taco Tunes, Inc., Ramones Productions, Inc., Estate of John Cummings
Johnny Ramone
John William Cummings , better known by his stage name Johnny Ramone, was an American guitarist and songwriter, best known for being the guitarist for the punk rock band the Ramones. He was a founding member of the band, and remained a member throughout the band's entire career...
, Herzog & Strauss, and Ira Herzog (i.e., he was suing the band, its managers, its publishing company, and three leading sellers of digital downloads.) Judge Shira A. Scheindlin dismissed the case in May 2008, on the grounds that no copyright infringement had occurred, even though she acknowledged that there might be other unsettled issues between Richie Ramone and his former band. Indeed there were, and the resolution resulted in Richie Ramone obtaining full writing and publishing rights to the songs he wrote while in the Ramones.
Richie is still very actively involved with music, as a composer and instrumentalist. In August 2007, he debuted a classical composition entitled "Suite for Drums and Orchestra" (based on themes from West Side Story) with the Pasadena Pops. Richie Ramone was both the featured soloist and the concerto's co-composer, something no other punk rock drummer has done. The work was commissioned by Pops music director Rachael Worby
Rachael Worby
Rachael Worby is an American conductor who was the First Lady of West Virginia, she rose to fame during her long tenure as Music Director and Conductor of the Symphony Orchestra in Wheeling, West Virginia...
and was met with acclaim by critics who noted that Richie "brought the audience to its feet after his faster-than-the- human-eye-can-follow drumming". Richie continues to play at the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bashes and is in preparation to go on tour with his new band. In 2011, the Ramones were awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. During Richie Ramone's speech at the awards ceremony, Richie noted that it was the first time in history that all three drummers were under the same roof, and mused that he couldn't "...help thinking that [Joey Ramone] is watching us right now with a little smile on his face behind his rose-colored glasses."