Joey Ramone

Rock 'N' Roll High School (On The Road With The Ramones)

I was walking around in my pink clothes, with my hair all done looking good, and I was in the 6th grade. I was at a flea market with my family. My Dad found a movie called Rock 'N' Roll High School. I thought it sounded dumb and I tried to talk him out of buying it because I just KNEW I'd end up watching it. My Dad bought that movie anyway and just like I thought, I ended up watching it. Turns out as soon as I saw Joey Ramone I was surprised. Not really with him, but his attitude, his carefree self, the music, all of it together. I was a Ramones fan right then and right there. Now I'm in the 9th grade, I have more Ramones shirts then most people have regular clothes, and a sense of uniqueness about myself. I started my journey with the Ramones many years ago and I have a feeling that journey will never ever end.

Now, to get to Joey. He was born Jeffry Ross Hyman on May 19, 1951. He was the older brother out of the two boys (Mitch better known as Mickey Leigh is his brother). His Mother, Charlotte, and his Dad, Noel, divorced when Joey was I believe 9 maybe it was 7 I'm going by memory so it's either one. He found a refuge in music. Joey loves the Doors and The Who plus a TON of other bands. Everyone from Nirvana to Aerosmith, which of course both bands came later on in time! He loved the Who a lot like I was saying and Keith Moon inspired him to take up the drums. So at the age of 13 his Grandmother bought him a drum set. Joey wasn't meant for the drums though and in a few years he'd find that out. He was born to be on center stage holding a microphone that was duct taped together.

Before Joey was in the Ramones he went to a mental institution. In school they said Joey was slow. Big deal, right? Well, he was more than "slow." Joey had OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), but it wasn't until later in his life that the medical industry knew what this OCD was. Well, in that institution Joey met a member of Sniper, a band that he was in before the Ramones. He went by Jeff Starship in it and he was the lead singer, but he wasn't "pretty" enough. I bet those guys wish they would have kept Joey now. Oh well, their loss I guess. So a few years down the line the Ramones got together. After a while they got the line up that we know well today. They played the CBGB club and grew popular there. They'd later find out that New York would be one of the few places they'd be popular at in the states. Outside of America they were HUGE, but the 4 "punk rockers," as they were now called, weren't commercial enough for the media. Even without the media they grew in popularity.

They didn't have a fancy tour bus and they didn't stay in really fancy hotels. What was the need? Really a smart move if I don't say so myself. That's mainly because of Johnny though. Joey didn't care where he slept. He was happy if the hotel had a swimming pool because he just loved to swim. He also loved to paint and write songs. Who do you think wrote Sheena Is A Punk Rocker, I Wanna Be Sedated, and She's A Sensation? Joey of course! Even though Dee Dee was their main song writer. Joey loved children, but he never got the chance to start his own family except for his fan family, but of course that's not the same. He was a godfather (not the mob type mind you), but Joey wanted a kid of his own. He did have a fiancé, but Johnny ended up marrying her instead of Joey and that made trouble for the group. They didn't talk, but the group still went on of course from 1974/6 (first concert '74 and first album in '76) to 1996. So they got along just enough to keep the group going.

Joey in the studio (Mojo Magazine)

I haven't really said why Joey is my hero so I will now. He wanted to do something to carry on the rock 'n' roll tradition that he loved. Joey was told that the Ramones were horrible and was abused by the media day after day, but he didn't care. He kept on going for himself for his love of what he was doing. Joey cared and that's a lot more than most musicians. He made me realize that I didn't have to be what the world wanted me to be. I could do whatever I wanted and not care what they think of me, which will get you a lot farther in life than just going with the crowd. If you only get one thing from me, let it be what Joey Ramone has taught me. Don't be afraid because you're different. Be proud that you're you!