Commando - The Autobiography of Johnny Ramone

As the guitarist for the Ramones, Johnny literally changed the course of popular music and helped to create a new genre that continues to this day, 40+ years later. Certainly one of the most influential bands and guitarists to ever live, Johnny's story is a bit different than your average rock'n'roller's.

Johnny's early years were pretty much the same as any kid growing up in the 50's/60's - listening to music on the radio, going to movies, playing baseball, collecting trading cards - all the usual stuff. As he got older, he got angrier and, as he admits, he became kind of an aggressive asshole. He turned himself around a bit after a few years as a trouble-making hoodlum who committed random acts of violence, but he was always conservative and kind of a bully and not open-minded in the least.

He moves through time pretty quickly in the book, from being a kid and wanting to be a baseball player, to being a hoodlum, to a construction worker and finally getting the Ramones together with Tommy and Dee Dee - friends from the hood who would go to shows with him. The Ramones grew quickly, as well - with Joey joining, first as drummer, then as lead singer, then from playing CBGB's and barely being able to get through a set to being signed to Sire, followed by putting out 3 albums in a year or so and touring the world. He is a true curmudgeon, though, and hated touring Europe (something that I thought was incredible right from the start) - he wanted his basic hamburgers and trashy TV, in English, natch - and it didn't take him long to start disliking the other band members.

He is frank about not playing everything on the records, which most people know - to him, it was a job that needed to be done as fast as possible (to save money) and if that meant someone else playing a part, so be it. Daniel Rey, of course, did quite a bit with them, and friends like Walter Lure and Ed Stasium joined in at times, among others.

Johnny always kept meticulous records so he knows everything from what date he saw Jimi Hendrix to when they recorded their various albums to when they played on Rock Concert and everything in between and beyond. The money was always a concern of his, as well - with one eye on retirement at all times - as was keeping everyone in line to play the best possible show.

This book won't surprise anyone who knows anything about the Ramones or Johnny - he was the money man, the business man, the ultra-conservative and a bit of an asshole. But, damn if he didn't have great taste in rock'n'roll (always weird to me that a conservative is into r'n'r - the antithesis of conservatism) and films. I kinda wish that this book softened his image and put him in a better light, but he was who he was and the tension between the members is what helped make the Ramones the Ramones.

Certainly worth reading, with tons and tons of fantastic photos, and although this is not likely to make you like the man, it will help you to understand him. He helped to change my life, so I will always be grateful to him.