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What added value does drummer Marky Ramone's book have for fans who already know all the other books? I can't really assess that. He himself claims that, unlike other books, his tells the true story. I would probably say the same in his place. Fair enough. Anyone who reads all the versions of the well-known stories can make their own conclusions.
But the book is more than just a RAMONES book – it tells the story of a musician who found his way to music in the sixties through the usual suspects (BEATLES, THE WHO). He shared the stage with ALICE COOPER with his rock band DUST. He was there when punk was just reinventing itself in early seventies New York. He played for the transgender rocker Wayne County and toured with Richard Hell & THE VOIDOIDS in completely punk-crazy England as the opening act for THE CLASH. He was involved in so much, yet remained in the background, met his idols, and ultimately set the pace for the band that would prove to be the musical blueprint for the genre. He outlived all the founding members of the band that has shaped his life to this day.
The book reads well, is well translated, and offers many interesting details. Particularly nice are episodes that are anchored in historical contexts – the moon landing, terrorism in Italy, the assassination of John Lennon – providing an idea of what moved people back then. However, I often miss a red thread; one anecdote is glued to the next, and just when the band is experiencing crazy things on tour, Marky is already a paragraph ahead dealing with some events in New York. Just studying the release years of RAMONES albums can sometimes provide a hint of when something happens. Overall, the book feels like it could have been much more extensive and then radically condensed, making some transitions seem abrupt.
The other major focal point besides the RAMONES is Marky's struggle against alcoholism, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the band before he could rejoin, sober. Interestingly, the book becomes more personal and structured from this point on. You learn more about Marky's emotional confrontation with the things happening in his life, with people, with music. Temporal distance and alcohol-clouded memories from youth may play a role, but more likely is the significance of this struggle for the person Marc Bell.
In summary, it remains a worthwhile insight into the seedbed of punk on all levels: the author, his environment, the most important band. It never gets boring. Between the lines, it seems clear how Marky himself remains the biggest fan of many great rock bands and enjoys meeting great artists. In the middle of the book is a photo gallery entirely without other RAMONES, but featuring the author with Charlie Watts, KISS, Phil Spector...
Some may accuse Marky Ramone of exploiting his time in a legendary band posthumously. This book shifts the focus again, as it shows that he doesn't need that as a musician. At the same time, it credibly conveys why Marc Bell stands firmly on the ground with both feet and simply does what he loves and has identified as the core of punk rock. OneTwoThreeFawr!
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