OFF: Dee Dee Ramone found dead

[Nick English]

>> > > > After a few albums the songs all start to
>sound the same. I started
>> > playing
>> > > > guitar to their songs. Same with AC/DC.
>After road to ruin they lost my
>> > > > interest.


I was never a huge punk fan, but always a Ramones fan.  I think I started listening to them because of the mutual admiration society that sprang up between them and Motorhead.  (--I remember one of the Ramones, might have been Johnny, saying something like, "There's only two good bands out there today, us and Motorhead.")

Probably not a popular opinion among Ramones fans, but some of my favorite stuff is from "Too Tough to Die" onward.  Some really neat songs that I think actually benefitted from the infusion of just a touch of commercialism and accessibility to the general public.

I think that when a band is as hardcore and UNcommercial as the Ramones or Motorhead, they can soften their sound a little without really selling out.  Both bands did that in recent years to great effect.  (Motorhead continues to do so, while the Ramones, for obvious reasons, do not.)

Several times, I've seen Dee Dee's novel, "Chelsea Horror Hotel", on bookshelves and almost bought it.  Has anyone read it?  Is it any good?

--Nick