Little Tony DeFranco
10-25-2004, 04:59 AM
Review: The End of the Century: the Story of The Ramones
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
Jeff Hymen (Joey), John Cummings (Johnny), Doug Colvin (Dee Dee), and Tom Erdely (Tommy) were The Ramones. A rock and roll band from Forest Hills Queens NY, birthed in a club called CBGB'S in the bowels of the Bowery. "End of the Century" is a documentary about these young men (along with replacement bassists and drummers) who started the Punk Rock wave....still alive as ever today. This documentary is very much like the band itself, minimal and fast and a little draining (emotionally speaking). A better look 'behind the scenes' movie because it explains things about them that we heard about but didn't know. Joey was a very bright and sensitive songwriter and singer who had a hard time doing anything, suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Johnny was a ham-fisted guitarist that ran the group like a pissed off father figure. Dee Dee was a junky and a goof-ball. Tommy was a bright producer who opted to drop the drums and do the recording work for them (replaced by 'just right' Marky). A dysfunctional family that toughed it out for 25 yrs to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Loved this movie so much because it is not about excess or superstardom, it's about guys who wanted nothing more than be Ramones. They were not dumb people, or punks. They were a small family that depended on each other, just to show up. Johnny was a prick (and a Bush fan), Joey was a lefty 'Jew', and a funny Dee Dee explains his existence as "I Don't Know" (quit the band to do a 'rap' album...badly). The people who were closest to them tell the funny and tragic moments, the manager and Joey's brother was the roadie. The music is not album perfect, its from archive footage of clubs and video monitors (The Stone Pony!), along with a very raw segment of them fighting on stage over the next song. Brilliant stuff, sad ending, and endearing to fans (ME!). The greatest band who never made the charts, because they were not marketable to radio stations. Now they are heard on every car add, after Johnny-Joey-Dee Dee all died. Never disturbing, and informative fun. Gabba Gabba..Your one of US!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat
http://www.browntownjohnny.com/index.php
Jeff Hymen (Joey), John Cummings (Johnny), Doug Colvin (Dee Dee), and Tom Erdely (Tommy) were The Ramones. A rock and roll band from Forest Hills Queens NY, birthed in a club called CBGB'S in the bowels of the Bowery. "End of the Century" is a documentary about these young men (along with replacement bassists and drummers) who started the Punk Rock wave....still alive as ever today. This documentary is very much like the band itself, minimal and fast and a little draining (emotionally speaking). A better look 'behind the scenes' movie because it explains things about them that we heard about but didn't know. Joey was a very bright and sensitive songwriter and singer who had a hard time doing anything, suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Johnny was a ham-fisted guitarist that ran the group like a pissed off father figure. Dee Dee was a junky and a goof-ball. Tommy was a bright producer who opted to drop the drums and do the recording work for them (replaced by 'just right' Marky). A dysfunctional family that toughed it out for 25 yrs to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!
Loved this movie so much because it is not about excess or superstardom, it's about guys who wanted nothing more than be Ramones. They were not dumb people, or punks. They were a small family that depended on each other, just to show up. Johnny was a prick (and a Bush fan), Joey was a lefty 'Jew', and a funny Dee Dee explains his existence as "I Don't Know" (quit the band to do a 'rap' album...badly). The people who were closest to them tell the funny and tragic moments, the manager and Joey's brother was the roadie. The music is not album perfect, its from archive footage of clubs and video monitors (The Stone Pony!), along with a very raw segment of them fighting on stage over the next song. Brilliant stuff, sad ending, and endearing to fans (ME!). The greatest band who never made the charts, because they were not marketable to radio stations. Now they are heard on every car add, after Johnny-Joey-Dee Dee all died. Never disturbing, and informative fun. Gabba Gabba..Your one of US!
Heartbeat is a Love Beat