This is the Joey Ramone obituary
April 21, 2001 10:38 AM Subscribe
This is the Joey Ramone obituary that moved me the most. Even National Review must recognize his passing! Rest in peace, great man.
It's amazing how many unlikely sources have eulogized him. I caught Mike & Mike (Greenberg & Golic) giving him props on the ESPN Radio morning show this week.
posted by gimli at 11:47 AM on April 21, 2001
posted by gimli at 11:47 AM on April 21, 2001
I too, think it's a fitting & respectful obituary.
I've worked in the music industry, as a musician and an engineer since '76, and today, a couple of my 20'ish staffers said the Ramones sucked, and asked what I thought. I agreed. I think that was half the point. They didn't want to be good; They wanted to be heard.
I think of someone from another culture trying to speak English. If I disallow myself from being distracted by their linguistic clumsiness, I ALWAYS realize an emotional & intellectual depth which is at LEAST as relevant as my own.
The Ramones didn't really "speak music" very well, but what they managed to SAY often hit their mark.
They sucked, and I loved them.
posted by DanJr at 12:09 PM on April 21, 2001
I've worked in the music industry, as a musician and an engineer since '76, and today, a couple of my 20'ish staffers said the Ramones sucked, and asked what I thought. I agreed. I think that was half the point. They didn't want to be good; They wanted to be heard.
I think of someone from another culture trying to speak English. If I disallow myself from being distracted by their linguistic clumsiness, I ALWAYS realize an emotional & intellectual depth which is at LEAST as relevant as my own.
The Ramones didn't really "speak music" very well, but what they managed to SAY often hit their mark.
They sucked, and I loved them.
posted by DanJr at 12:09 PM on April 21, 2001
thankfully i missed that genre of music. but if i did have to listen to punk....it would be london calling.
posted by billybob at 6:43 PM on April 21, 2001
posted by billybob at 6:43 PM on April 21, 2001
I too have witnessed tributes to Joey Romane in unlikely places, including on the CNBC dow jones video page complete with a windows media link of him singing "Maria Baritromo", (I'd link it here but it's password protected) and at a U2 concert the other night, where Bono mentioned the song "In A Little While" was the last thing he heard before he ascending into rock n roll heaven.
posted by culberjo at 9:25 PM on April 21, 2001
posted by culberjo at 9:25 PM on April 21, 2001
They sucked, and I loved them.
A good sentiment, but it still bothers me when people talk about "how great they sucked." I fell that any band that could make so many fantastic songs from the same basic formula are anything but talentless. Perhaps "postmodern geniuses" would be more fitting.
posted by Eamon at 1:57 AM on April 22, 2001
A good sentiment, but it still bothers me when people talk about "how great they sucked." I fell that any band that could make so many fantastic songs from the same basic formula are anything but talentless. Perhaps "postmodern geniuses" would be more fitting.
posted by Eamon at 1:57 AM on April 22, 2001
I fell that any band that could make so many fantastic songs from the same basic formula are anything but talentless.
Beatifully put, Eamon. In many forms of music & art, the limitations of the medium (or the artist) get turned into an asset rather than a liability. The Ramones were among the all-time champs at doing the most with the least.
posted by gimli at 1:35 PM on April 22, 2001
Beatifully put, Eamon. In many forms of music & art, the limitations of the medium (or the artist) get turned into an asset rather than a liability. The Ramones were among the all-time champs at doing the most with the least.
posted by gimli at 1:35 PM on April 22, 2001
« Older Adobe and SVG: | Harpers April Index Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
How would you like to have to write about music for the NR? Sounds like it'd be a thankless job.
(Not because NR readers don't like music, y'understand, but just that that's not where I'd imagine the NR's bread is buttered, subscription-wise. It'd be like, oh, getting your stock tips from your local anarcho-lefty urban weekly.)
posted by chicobangs at 11:18 AM on April 21, 2001