MUSIC INTERVIEW – RICHIE RAMONE

Writer: Nathan Dee

There have been many characters in rock n roll that have done disappearing acts. Some (like Syd Barrett) have stayed so, whereas others simply re-appear as if time had frozen them, and remind us (if we had forgotten) how important they were in their heyday.

Lately it seems as though this has become a recurring theme amongst the “lost souls” of rock. We’ve seen elusive characters like Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys return to the stage and studio to much fan fare.
Us, the rock n roll gormandisers, can’t get enough of when a character who has done one of these disappearing acts, suddenly reappears from the ether. And this April and May it’s our chance to do it all over again when Richie Ramone from the Ramones makes his return to our shores for another tour.

Richie, to a lot of us “Ramoniacs” has always been the most mysterious of Da Brudders. In the years since we lost Joey, Dee Dee, Johnny and most recently Tommy, we’ve seen the surviving members who weren’t necessarily the gatekeepers to the Ramones (like the 4 originals were), come to the fore, keeping the legacy of those 4 original members alive.

We’ve seen CJ Ramone continue on since the Ramones’ retirement in 1996 with bands like Los Gusanos, Bad Chopper and now his solo career. And Marky became somewhat of Ramone version of Dave Grohl or Bono – doing everything from comedy sketches, guest appearing on countless records and even bringing out his own pasta sauce. But where was Richie?
Aside from an appearance in the universally acclaimed “End Of The Century” Ramones doco, wearing a suit and coming off as somewhat rightfully bitter, twisted and dejected from the whole Ramones experience, Richie had – as Marky Ramone put it on his spoken word tour of 2004 – “disappeared.”

Then suddenly in late 2007 to many Ramones fans’ surprise, not only did Richie re-appear, but he made his triumphant return to the stage in front of a full orchestra, bashing out his arrangement of “West Side Story” songs!

Although he had proven without a doubt he still “had it”, what next? Retreat back into the shadows or come back and show us all why Joey Ramone once said that he “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.”?
Thankfully he chose the latter. But what made him want to come back into the world of punk rock and “1, 2, 3, 4!”s?

“Well, that’s really interesting, the symphony thing was really cool, y’know? I arranged a piece of “West Side Story” songs – a 20 minute piece. It was really exciting. Then Mickey Leigh, Joey’s brother, invited me to the Joey Ramone bash around that time, which they always have on May 19th and I went that year, I went the next year and the next year. Then, I dunno, the blood started churning and it was just like ‘Wow – maybe I’m missing something in my life’. Then I started writing again and people said ‘you should do an album – its good stuff’ and then it just happened! There was no planning. I dove totally in it. And now I’m touring, having just finished my second record. It’s kinda fun! [laughs]”

But what happened to him for those preceding 20 years?
“I disappeared, man! I moved out to Los Angeles in 1988. Then I played in some bands locally – stuff like that. Then, y’know – I just wasn’t feeling it anymore, so I really did nothing. It took a few years of doing nothing – I didn’t even pick up a drumstick. I just shelved everything. It wasn’t clicking. I think I just needed the time to focus. So I got away from the whole scene.”

From a drumming and performing perspective, Richie’s frenetic playing catapulted the Ramones, who were already known as being one of the fastest bands on the planet, into a band that now played at breakneck proportions. Johnny Ramone commented that Richie’s playing had shortened their perfectly honed and timed sets substantially. So, how did the man who sped up the fastest band in the world manage to get back to that point after such a long break?

“I really worked hard at building up my speed again. Playing on pillows… It didn’t take me long. It was like riding a bicycle. 4 months, maybe. And I was right back on form.”

“It wasn’t that hard. Y’know the first thing I actually did when I came back was the symphony stuff. So I really worked hard at building up my speed again. Playing on pillows and using the unmatched grip. It didn’t take me long. It was like riding a bicycle. 4 months, maybe. And I was right back on form.”

As a few people may already know, Richie was the only drummer of the Ramones to write, arrange and sing his own songs. Songs like “Somebody Put Something In My Drink”, “Can’t Say Anything Nice” and “I’m Not Jesus” are just a few of the gems that Richie produced whilst a member of The Ramones. Richie brought a darkness to the Ramones sound and judging by his recent output, he hasn’t lost an ounce of that ability. Recently he tackled his first cover tune, Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy The Silence”.

“Man, that thing came out great! I just made it my own. And that’s one thing that’s important about doing a cover, it’s making it your own. Just don’t do the same thing again, y’know? It’s all guitars, no synthesizers. In fact, I sang the synthesizer bit at the end which came out cool.”

He managed to turn the already dark sounding synthesizer addled dance pop tune into something even darker. It sounds like it could’ve been an outtake from his last album with the Ramones, “Halfway To Sanity” – probably the darkest and heaviest of the Ramones catalogue.

“Yeah, that’s my thing. I don’t know why it is. It’s very difficult to write a happy song for me. I’ve always tended to be on a little more of a darker side. And then with my voice it makes everything a little more darker. It’s just a different kind of voice. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, though.
I do have a song called “Pretty Poison” on this new album. That’s probably as happy song you’ll ever hear from me. [laughs]”

Richie will be premiering some of his new solo material, as well as playing a (no doubt) blinding set of Ramones material from their vast catalogue. Plus there will be a few little surprises in there too for the Ramones diehards when he gets into Australia this month. But he won’t be coming here to faff about with koalas.

“We just get in and get out, and then get to the next city”.

See, one common thread which weaves all the Ramones together is their uncompromising work ethos. And Richie is no different to the other guys. Whether you’ll be seeing him at The Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay or at the brilliant Cherry Rock Festival in Melbourne, Richie has made sure, in true Ramones style, that from the second he takes the stage with bassist Clare Misstake and guitarist Ben Reagan, they will deliver a show that will leave even the most impenetrable Ramones fan with a smile and a (Ramones) high that Dee Dee would’ve tried to synthesize himself!

SEE RICHIE LIVE…