R.I.P.
DEE DEE RAMONE 1952-2002
Dee Dee was one of my favorite people on the planet and one of my favorite
to hang out with. I learned to play bass (my first instrument) listening to
Dee Dee and watching him (and Johnny) play.
Once backstage, I got to return the favor... The Ramones had stopped playing BASEMENT (my fave) in their live set years earlier, but I still requested it every time I saw them. Dee Dee explained "I can't even remember how to play it, the tuning was weird on the record, so I don't even know if Joey can sing it" and handed me his bass, saying "If you know it, show me". As Dee Dee and Johnny watched, I showed them I knew note for note. Later that night, The Ramones played it and dedicated it to me (first time I EVER saw them do a dedication) , from then on they often added BASEMENT to the set when I was at the show.
Last time I saw Dee Dee play in his new band, I showed up unexpected, but he spotted me in the crowd and dedicated it to me then too.
This photo (circa mid 80's) is one from out of my photo album, and is one of my favorites. Two cretins just hanging out being goofballs, it shows Dee Dee's sense of humor. When I later showed it to him he sproclaimed in that Dee Dee way, "Lookit that! It's horrible! What awful people!" Indeed, it looks like we both just pulled our heads out of a bag of carbona!
The Ramones music was the ONLY music to me for a long time. I lived and died by that music. It pumped me up and gave me hope. All these years later, as I write this I'm listening to them with tears in my eyes feeling helpless. When rock and roll looked like it was gonna die,
The Ramones reinvented it and showed us it was too tough to die. But while the music lives on, people are only fragile things of flesh and blood. Dee Dee was not only the Obi Wan to my Luke, but he was a dear and valued friend.
Maybe we can hang out
and joke and jam again on the other side.
I miss you Dee Dee.
4-5-6-7 all good cretins go to heaven.