Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
But at the time, I didn't know much about the Ramones. I didn't know that
the Ramones had kept a really strict routine, like the Army. You had to arrive
right on time and ready to play. I guess I was a little more laid back type. I al-
ways went by the feel of things. If I didn't feel quite lubricated enough by beer, I
wasn't going to go yet.
I was just tickled pink to be playing with somebody famous. I was a little
nervous about it, but I just decided, “I am what I am. I'm not going to try to do
anything special on the guitar or whatever.” I wasn't going to be out to impress
anybody.
When eight o'clock came along, I was still drinking beers to loosen up. I
didn'tlearnuntillaterthatDeeDeewasreallyagainstalcoholatthattime,which
was another mark against me. I even took a quart of beer over to his room!
SoDeeDeecalledmeagainabouttenminuteslater.Hisvoicewasimpatient.
“You coming over?”
“Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry I'm late!”
When I finally got to his place, Dee Dee said, “Well, what do you want to
play?”
“Let's just play what you want to play.”
Dee Dee wanted to play Motorhead's “Ace of Spades.”
“Okay,” I agreed, “but I've never heard it.”
He started playing “Ace of Spades” and somehow I just kicked right in on it.
So despite my nervousness at first, we played a bunch of songs and it was a nice
time.
The following day, Dee Dee came over to my room. “Last night you weren't
smiling or hamming it up or doing any stupid stuff. Would you like to start a
band?”
I couldn't believe my ears. I had next to nothing going on in my life at the
time. All I was doing was selling pot small time and hiding from Stanley Bard,
who was always badgering me for the rent.
I honestly feel that one of the reasons Dee Dee chose to play with me was
because I didn't have any idea how big the Ramones were. I knew nothing about
Johnny Thunders, the New York Dolls, or G.G. Allin or any other guys that Dee
Dee associated with.
But some people weren't thrilled by our playing together. For some reason,
theRamonespeoplefeltthreatenedbyme.Theykeptsaying“Keepitinthefam-
ily, Dee Dee. Don't play with people who aren't in the family.” The same policy
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