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Joey Ramone and Ronnie Spector Web Chat Transcript
Wednesday, March 24th, 1999
Moderator: Hello all, and welcome to
today's chat event with Ronnie Spector and Joey Ramone. Thanks
for joining us. Have fun, no kicking or biting, OK.
LET'S DO IT! Any questions?
Electric
Warrior: I
should say hi
Amalgam: Hi Ronnie, hi Joey ;-) I
saw you (both) at the gig you did at Dingwalls before Christmas
which was *fantastic*. Was it fun? Ronnie - you looked great in
that Santa Suit *gush, gush, lol*
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I really loved being at Dingwalls. It was the
greatest experience because I hadn't been to London in a while.
The audience was going bonkers. I loved every minute! "
Coldfyr: This one's for Ronnie. How
old were you when you started singing?
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " I was about 8 years old and
started with the Ronnettes at 14 with my sister and my cousin. We
stood in line at the Peppermint Lounge in NYC, and we were
mistaken for another girl group, and we were ushered in to the
stage and started singing. "
Bonster1: Where are you all today?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " We're in NY. Ronnie says, "Where we were born
and raised."
Coldfyr: Joey, tell us a bit about
backstage at CBGB's
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " It was a dive. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Years ago in the 70's, we had some fun there. It's
still a great place to see a band. "
Spaceface: Hello to both guests. I'm
always interested in teenage musical influences as they are
usually the ones which last longest. What were your early
grooves?
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " Frankie Lyman and the Teenagers
were my inspiration growing up. They were the first group mixed
in race and I loved that because so am I, and I knew then that I
had a chance. They were from Spanish Harlem, and so was I, and
they were the first group that was not just black and white. I
love Frankie Lyman's voice. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " The first band that inspired me
was the Beatles. I was 13, and it gave me something that inspired
me to want to play drums and make music. "
Coldfyr: Joey, you rocked on the
Iggy Pop Tribute CD... any plans to collaborate with him?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Well, he did call me, but I never got back to him. I
owe him a phone call. I've always been a big fan, and he's been a
big inspiration. Listening to Iggy and the Stooges is like an
exorcism. It releases the beast and it's cleansing. "
ADynomoose: Joey,
did you prefer playing CBGB's or The Ritz?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Well, CBGB's was our earliest beginnings. That's
where we started. I enjoyed playing The Ritz. They were both like
hangouts, but later on in the 80's, The Ritz was the best place
to see a band or a show. It was very eclectic. The club was just
two blocks from my house, so I could go there and hang out every
night. I knew everybody. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " It was just a big party. "
Bonster1: You both come from very
different musical backgrounds and influences. How does that play
for "togetherness" now?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Well, I think Joey started listening to my records
first, and I influenced him with my music and my voice because,
obviously, I'm older than Joey. We started collaborating in the
80's because we both had hits with " Baby I Love You."
He liked my style and I liked his style, and here we are today in
the 90's. "
RaMOANa: Ronnie, would you ever
consider doing the Howard Stern show with Joey?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Of course. I started out doing Howard's show more
than 10 years ago. I was the first female rocker to undo my
blouse. I was the first sexy singer to Howard. Before Howard
Stern started asking others to undress, I was the first to do
that, but it wasn't on TV, so a lot of it was pretending and
acting behind the mic at Howard Stern. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " That was before Howard started wearing dresses.
"
Ronnie and
Joey: "
Sorry folks, technical difficulties. We're back now. "
Gothikka: Have
you both considered collaborating on a full-scale joint
headlining tour?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " We considered smoking a joint. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " But we decided not to. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Well, when Ronnie performs, I usually come on and do
a couple of songs with her. "
Moderator: Ronnie, there is a rumor
knocking about that David Bowie has written a song for you. Is it
true?
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " Yes, it is true. "
sQueakBox: Joey, do you regret making the
song, " Rock 'n' Roll High School? "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " No. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I'm a fan of Bruce McDonald's, and I enjoyed being a
part of the film. Its a great film. "
Moderator: Tell us about The Beatles,
Ronnie.
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I met the Beatles in England when the Ronnettes were
doing their first tour in '63, and the Beatles loved us and asked
us to go on their US tour. The Ronnettes went on tour with a
look-a-like who took my place because I had to be in the studio
with Phil Spector, and the Rolling Stones were my opening act
when we were in London in '63. "
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie continues, " and I'm still friends with
the Stones, especially Keith Richard. "
UrGothGrrl: Joey and Ronnie look very
similar...coincidence or separated at birth??
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " It wasn't planned. I've worn bangs since the 60's.
I've always had long hair. It's always been dark brown. It's only
a coincidence that Joey has similar hair. "
Moderator: Sorry
folks. We are finishing up the Beatles question.
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie continues from before, " After the
other Ronnettes left, there was a big party with a naked girl
dancing on a bed and the Beatles were taking pictures of roadies
having sex with her. I was sitting on John Lennon's lap and felt
something very hard in his pants. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I immediately jumped up, and ran out of the hotel.
"
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
continues, " John Lennon called me the next day. That was
his way of apologizing. (Joey says, " it was his way of
saying hello " ).
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " And John and George Harrison came to Spanish Harlem
and we took them to " Sherman's BBQ Restaurant. " That
was John's way of making up with me. "
Bonster1: What's the most important
thing to you in your career now (both)? Personal satisfaction,
audience, what?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Of course, it's always the audience response. That's
what keeps me going is that every time I do a show and the
audience goes wild, I know I'm not finished yet. "
ADynomoose: Joey, anymore movie
soundtracks in the works? If not who would you like to work with?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " The Ramones have been on numerous soundtracks in the
last year or more. Most recently, " 200 Cigarettes,"
and there's a new KISS movie coming out called " Detroit
Rock City," and KISS picked a Ramones song for the film.
There's a new film called " Idle Hands " that The
Offspring covered " I Want To Be Sedated " for the
Film. There's probably more soundtracks with Ramones songs that I
know about. It's nice. It pays the rent. "
Antea: To ronnie. This CD (
" She Talks To Rainbows " ) is your big comeback to
musical scene...How do you cope with it?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " It's not coping with something. I love what I do.
STTR reminds me a lot of myself. Joey wrote it, and it's a song
that just hit me, and I think it's a great song. "
Bonster1: When are you going to
record the Bowie song?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie,
" Sometime this summer. "
Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Joey, out of the old CBGBs
punk band crowds, who do you stil hang out with today?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I hang out with the Dictators, Andy Shernoff, and
Dick Manitoba. Blondie, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry. We all talk
still and see each other on occasion. A lot of people. I guess
Blondie, Dictators. I run into Cheetah Chrome once in a while.
Lenny Kaye, I see. Then there are a lot of really cool new bands
that I'm friends with like D Generation. There are a lot of
people out there. I see Dee Dee Ramone every so often. "
Gigantor,The Space Age Robot: Joey, how much rare material can we expect
to see on Rhino's Ramones Set?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Well, there's 60 songs, It's going to be really well
done with nice photographs in a booklet. There'll be a few
obscurities there. It's called, "Hey!Ho Let's Go."
Bonster1: Do you like any of the new
artists around?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I like Lauryn Hill. There's not many groups that I
pay attention to these days because they come and go before you
can say Hello. Every year when I watch the MTV Awards, there's
usually no one from the year before. "
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie continues, " except a few like Madonna.
There aren't many that stay around. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " There isn't very much new stuff I like. I think it's
pretty pathetic, to tell the truth. There are a few like D
Generation. I like Rancid, I like Green Day and Offspring. Nice
guys. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I like Hole, Helen Love ( no relation to Courtney
Love ). I like Monster Magnet. "
Moderator: Any questions?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I like groups like No Doubt. They were really hot a
few years back, but I haven't heard a lot about them lately.
That's what I mean about bands that are hot one minute, then they
disappear. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " When Bowie recently did the Brit
Awards, that was fuckin' amazing. Matter of fact, my friend,
Veronica, who writes the Offical Ramones Newsletter...she sent me
a video of Bowie and Placebo doing " 2Oth Century Boy."
I was impressed with how young Bowie looks; like a kid. He's
quite the youngster. "
JanineGenie: Joey, do you still hang
out at Coney Island High?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I go there every so often when somebody good is
playing that I want to see. I'm friends with the staff, but
usually I go if there's someone I want to see. It's a great club.
"
Bonster1: My husband wants to know if
you liked working with Eddie Money and how that duet came about
;)
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I loved working with Eddie. He's crazy as hell, but
I love his voice. He has one of the greatest Rock 'n' Roll voices
of all times. As a matter of fact, I just did an X-mas single
with him, titled " Everybody Loves Christmas. "
JanineGenie: Joey, do you like the
Kowalskis? (Kitty is a pal of mine)
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I like Koala Bears. "
ThefouranswerGuru: What is your opinion the WORST movie
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " That Lost in Space movie was
horrible. I really wanted my money back. I had heard such great
reviews about it, but it sucked. It was terrible. "
RaMOANa: Joey, do you still drink
Yoohoo?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I gotta stay away from dairy products. It's not good
for singers to drink dairy products because you cough up all that
shit and it gets very messy. "
ADynomoose: Joey and Ronnie, is there
any artist left that you haven't worked with, but would like to?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I'd like to work with David. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " No, I've been out since the 60's and I've seen the
best and the worst of Rock 'n' Roll bands, singing groups, all of
it. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " All my favorite artists are dead.
"
Rednik: Ronnie: So, you had a good
time at Iggy Pop's birthday party?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I wasn't there. "
Chroyst: Joey,
what kind of work would you do with David if you had the chance?
Ronnie and Joey: Joey says, " I was talking to Ron, and he
mentioned that David may be doing a T-Rex project or a Marc Bolan
project. I'd certainly be interested in something like that. I
was always a big T-Rex fan. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I'd love for David to help me on my new upcoming
album, as co- producer / writer. I think he has such a head for
producing and recording and writing. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " About the records, we put the word out about Ronnie
doing a full album and we've been getting submissions from great
artists like Glen Matlock from Sex Pistols, and Jimmy Destri, and
Capt'n Sensible sent a song. Andy Shernoff wrote a great song.
We're going to make a great record. "
RaMOANa: Ronnie, do you have a site
so we can see more recent pics of you?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Not currently. Check on BowieNet. "
Spaceface: Is ronnie going to
tour?????
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " I'm going back to Japan for
Christmas. "
JanineGenie: Ronnie, out of all the
great music you have made, what is your favorite record / song of
all time?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Walking in the Rain, " and " Be My Baby.
" I love those two songs. "
Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Do you guys like to have fun on the internet? If
so, where are some of favorite sites?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I'm on my computer a good portion of the day,
especially in the morning. I wake early in the morning, have a
cup of coffee and go online to check my e-mail. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey continues, " Some of my favorite sites are
Sonicnet's " Addicted To Noise. "That's one of my
favorite sites. I'm on AOL, so, whatever that means. And I guess
that's probably my favorite site. "
Spaceface: Any hobbies away from the
music industry?
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " I have young kids, so it's hard
to have a hobby and have kids and be in Rock 'n' Roll and
touring. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I guess for me, outside of music, I'd say being
on-line. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " You know, basically my life revolves around music.
"
RaMOANa: Ronnie, what is the status
of the lawsuit you have going with Phil?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " It's still going on. It's still pending. It's still
aggravating. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
adds, " I'm just waiting for the judge's decision on the
lawsuit. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Sometimes, I like to go to the Ramones newsgroups
and spy on the fans, see what they're saying about me. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " I'm here because it was something with David Bowie,
and being that I'm his friend and it was something to do with
him, I came running. "
Spaceface: Is that how you came to be
here today? Mutual love of the net with DB?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I'm here for Ronnie, basically, but I'm a big David
Bowie fan as well. "
Spaceface: How are you liking it???
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " It's very exciting. LOL. " Ronnie says, "
It's all very new to me. " Joey says, " It's the
future. You know what it is? It's the new frontier. Like Davy
Crockett. "
Bonster1: What do you like about
Bowie?
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " I like Bowie's style. I like the
way he's lasted for the last 25 or 30 years, his different
styles, his different music on stage. He's such a good friend. I
love his wife ( so does Joey ). We stay in touch, and he's just a
great guy. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
adds, " Very down to earth. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " He's a chameleon. I became a fan of his first album.
He's got a great voice, especially when he gets into that lower
register. He's a great songwriter. I like his earlier work, I'm
more of a fan of that, but I am impressed with how he's
maintained. Everything he does is.. he's a perfectionist, and I
admire that. "
Rednik: Ronnie, you're gorgeous!
You were my first ever crush. My mum had an album of yours. I
pinched the cover and stuck it on my bedroom wall. The things I
did to myself at 8 years of age!!
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Thank you! "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " One thing I want to say. I like David producing
" Raw Power." It sounds great. I heard the re-mix,
which sounds good too, but I don't think it was such a travesty
that it had to be re-mixed. I'm a big Iggy fan, Stooges. I'm glad
he's still alive and going strong. "
KelMarSupervixen: Ronnie, is Brian Wilson as
odd as the media makes him out to be?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Yes, he's odd and he's been through a lot, and I'm
so happy that he caught himself before he died like so many other
rockers from the 60's. He had a great way of writing and
producing. I think he can still do it again. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
corrects typist: It's Stooges, not stages.
Bonster1: What special qualities
does it take to endure in rock?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " You have to take your vitamins. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
answers, " You really have to not do drugs and not drink a
lot of alcohol if you want to stay around for like 30 or 40
years. It's such a hard job being in Rock 'n' Roll, doing
1-nighters, so you really have to watch what you eat and of
course, stay off of drugs and alcohol. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " And you have to really love it for the right
reasons, not being in it for the money. From the outside, it
looks very glamorous and romantic and all that crap, but on the
inside it's another story. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " It's really hard going from city to city, whether
you're on an airplane or a bus. Your fans only see you onstage.
They don't know how hectic it is when you're offstage and running
for an airplane or bus. "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey adds, " Then there's the business side of
it as well. "
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " A lot of groups, especially
from the 60's and the 70's, were so busy being stars that they
forgot, including myself, about the business part of show
business because you're so busy. If you love it, wanting to
please the crowd, you rarely look at the business side of it
until it's too late. "
Ronnie and Joey: Ronnie says, " So anybody who really loves Rock
'n' Roll should always remember when they sign on the dotted line
with any record company that you really must read what you sign.
" Joey says, " Because they're all out to screw the
artists. It's always been that way. They love you and they love
your money ever better. A lot of people don't pay attention to
the business of Rock 'n' Roll because we're mostly very young;
teenagers, when we start, so naturally, you don't think about the
business part. You're so excited and eager to put on a great
show. Most of the record companies know that too when you're out
there promoting your album. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
continues, " The business people are looking for ways to
make money from you. You don't think about the money and
royalties when you're on the road and promoting your record.
"
Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Bowie once said that managers are that species of
creature that you find when you turn over a rock... do you
essentially agree?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " Yes. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Well, Jonathan Greenfield is one of the best, most
honest managers out there. Just because Green is in his name
doesn't mean he's only after the money. "
Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Hey, Joey could you tell
some of the people at BowieNet that the English DID NOT invent
punk?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " The Ramones invented Punk Rock in March of '7.,
Well, actually before, because the first show in a club was
March, but we had been together for a few months prior to that.
CBGB's had a 3-day festival of unsigned bands, and we headlined.
The first night, I guess everybody who was anybody was at the
club. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " There was Press; New Muscial Express, Sounds, Melody
Maker, Rolling Stone. We blew people away, literally, and the
kids read about us in the British press, but also, around that
time, Malcom McClaren was trying to save the career of the New
York Dolls at the very end of their caree, and heard The Ramones,
and basically, like the weasel he is, when he went back to
England, he kind of took the style and sounds of The Ramones and
combined it with the hair style; Richard Hell style with the
safety pins. He cut his shirt. He kind of copied a lot of things
from a lot of people and manufactured the Sex Pistols. They were
a great band, but were unoriginal. "
Ronnie and
Joey: "
Yes, Richard Hell. "
Moderator: OK, bout 5 more questions
Spaceface: Television also get a
mention as Godfathers of Punk. Would you agree?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " They had a unique style, especially Tom Verlaine's
guitar style. They were more like artisitic. The Ramones were
extremely primal. "
EoS: So, um, Lou and Cale and
Iggy pretty much had nothing to do with it, eh?
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " No, no, no. I never said that. I mean, The Stooges,
Iggy and the Stooges were an inspiration to us amongst other
influences, and you know, not quite from the same period as The
Ramones. They came before us. They were an exciting band; a sonic
band and were a major influence as far as the Ramones go. The
Velvet Underground too. They were out prior to us and were very
influential to a lot of people. I was a fan as well of both those
artists, still am. I'm talking about Punk Rock when we started.
You know what I mean, because the music prior to us wasn't called
Punk Rock. It was definitely attitude music, but it was Rock 'n'
Roll. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
adds, " Everything is Rock 'n' Roll, so it may be a little
too general as far as terminology goes. One thing about the Sex
Pistols. I guess a lot of the English bands were more of a
political defiance and that wasn't quite our thing, initially.
Ours was more of a social defiance. Just singing about the things
that we dealt with in our lives, you know what I mean. "
Spaceface: What new music do you think
will break through for the Millenium, any predictions?
Ronnie and
Joey: Ronnie
says, " To me, the Millenium is just another year, so I
don't think anything great is going to happen. They're making a
great deal about the end of the century but as far as Rock 'n'
Roll, it's just another year. Rock 'n' Roll is something that
will never die. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I think the next big thing will be spoon players and
people that play the saw. We were in Italy, in an airport or a
boat or something, and there was an amazing old man playing a saw
like Jimmy Page. It was amazing. When I put together a band to
tour, I'm definitely going to get a saw player. For the
Millenium, of course. "
Ronnie
and Joey: Ronnie
says, " I'd like to thank David Bowie for having us come
down, and that you will always be my friend, and I'm looking
forward to working with you. Love, Ronnie Spector. "
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " I'd just like to say, I guess what attracted me
initially to Ronnie was her voice and her passion, you know.
There aren't many singers that really move ya. David Bowie moves
me, the way he...I remember the first time I heard that
song...the cat song from that movie...a ballad, something
about...What's the name of it?? "
Ronnie and Joey: Joey mumbles, " The Alzheimer's kicked in...the
cat putting out a fire with gasoline..."
Ronnie and
Joey: Joey
says, " Yes, that's it...I love that kind of dark, lush,
warmth that he possesses in that lower register. He has an
amazing voice and an amazing range, but that's great stuff. That
thing he did with Bing Crosby was great, and " Heroes.
" That's an all time favorite. He has an amazing voice that
has its way with you and Ronnie has that too. Ronnie's very
street and very authentic, so it's a pleasure to be involved, and
we're going to make a great record and it's very exciting. I hope
David joins the party and I was happy to come here today as well
and join the future. The future is now. "
Moderator: Thanks to everyone for the
chat! That's it folks. Ronnie and Joey have left the building.
Moderator: thanks
Session Close:
Wed Mar 24 22:23:51 1999
