Ronnie Spector (with Joey Ramone) WNEW Idiot's Delight 7th November 1999

 

I posted a few weeks ago a gig by The Courettes after their support slot on Hugh's recent Nosferatu tour. A reviewer quite recently said of them when trying to pinpoint their sound for the writer's readership, 'imagine if the Ramones met The Ronnettes'... and well, if it didn't happen it got pretty close.

Joey was always big on Phil Spector's 'Wall of Sound' production, even if he wasn't so keen on Phil Spector himself. He liked all of that sixties girl group thing, a style exemplified by The Ronnettes. In 1999 Ronnie and Joey joined forces to the extent that Joey did some backing vocals for Ronnie's 'She Talks To Rainbows' E.P. and also got involved in the promotion of her new release, as was the case with this acoustic session that was broadcast of the long running and influential Vin Scelsa's 'Idiot's Delight' show broadcast on New York's WNEW-FM 102.7 station.

Before Noddy and Roy came along, the soundtrack to Christmas (for those going beyond 'The Coventry Carol' and 'Once In Royal David's City) was provided by Phil Spector and group's such as The Ronnettes.

This acoustic radio session features some of those classic Phil Spector 'Wall Of Sound' tracks as well as a number a covers, 'She Talks To Rainbows', 'Bye Bye Baby' (Ramones), 'Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory' (Johnny Thunders) and 'Don't Worry Baby' (The Beach Boys).

For a moment forget Shane and Kirsty... this is Joey and Ronnie, the real 'Fairytale of New York'!

Many thanks to Mark for sharing this session with me. Cheers!

Have a good one!

FLAC/MP3: https://we.tl/t-3X3UnFWtj6

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-vlZfTtWDyo

Joey Ramone And The Resistance 'Rock The Reservation' Festival Tuba City AZ 18th October 1996 (TFTLTYTD #7)

 

OK, hands up, I missed it. The anniversary of Joey's death... the reason why Mo is named Ramona! Sadly, this 'Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die' applies equally to all of the founder members of Ramones, but this is for Joey.

Here playing the 'Rock The Reservation' benefit in Arizona, Joey and his band The Resistance play a good quality set of covers and Ramones classics!

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-2Q13gHr2Ba

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-gAgo2aVOL6

Joey and Dee Dee Ramone Coney Island High NYC 4th July 1997

 

On waking up to Mo's take on 'Danny Says' I thought that I would dig out a Ramones bootleg featuring the track. However, I can't find any gigs in my collection that include the song in the set. Perhaps the exclusion of such a strong track was something to do with the fact that it is one of their slower numbers and as such did not sit comfortably in the standard high octane Ramones set.

I may be wrong, but you have to essentially look beyond the Ramones to find a live version of the track. Post Ramones, Joey and Dee Dee played a gig at Coney Island High. In preparation for the gig, a fan based poll was conducted to find the fans choice of a song to be included in the set and it seems thta 'Danny Says' was a comfortable winner.

Enjoy this, a late, almost last hurrah for a band that were so instrumental in the creation of the punk scene.

FLAC: https://we.tl/t-DHw4GuyC1b

Artwork: https://we.tl/t-Yq7dkO2kK3

01. Jesse Malin Intro/I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You
02. Babysitter
03. Listen To My Heart
04. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
05. I Want You Around
06. I Am Seeing UFOs
07. Danny Says
08. Rockaway Beach
09. 53rd And 3rd
10. 53rs And 3rd (Continued)
11. Commando
12. I Don't Care
13. I Just Wanna Have Something To Do
14. I Wanna Be Sedated

'Sitting Here in Queens, Eating Refried Beans'

Joey Ramone (The Ramones 1977)

15cm x 20cm linoprint

Black ink on cream card.