Tag: Ramones

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Look Out Below!

Helicopter over backyard. Rochester, New York
Helicopter over backyard. Rochester, New York

It is so good to see Kevin’s blog come back but so sad, the circumstances. Tommy Ramone was a great drummer. He cut out the crap and nailed the tune. He made the Ramones sound fresh and pop. Too bad for everyone that radio wasn’t ready for them. Now that all four original members are dead you can hear the chorus of a song Tommy wrote every night at Red Wing Stadium.

In 1977, when the “Do You Wanna Dance/Baby Sitter” single was released, the Ramones played the Penny Arcade and the leading rock station here, WCMF, printed t-shirts for the bartenders at the Penny Arcade to wear that said, “Punk Rock Sucks.” Like they would know what sucks. I got this sleeve signed by the band that night. They were unbelievably good.

I learned quite a bit learned quite a bit from Tommy. The band I was in did a few Ramones songs. I can’t remember which ones. Even though I had loved The Voidoids drummer when I saw them in in New York, I was bummed when Marky replaced Tommy. Long live the Ramones.

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Good Night Irene

Phil Marshall Trio at WXXI Sound Stage in Rochester, NY
Phil Marshall Trio at WXXI Sound Stage in Rochester, NY

The Phil Marshall Trio may not really be a real band. The official name may now be “The Horse Lovers” but the players are the same and Phil’s songs are are just as sweet. Even the new songs feel like old friends and the players are old friends so their performance on WXXI’s “On Stage” last nigt was especially enjoyable. Ken plays a different kind o bass in Margaret Explosion and all three of these guys played with Colorblind James. My favorite part was when Jimmy Mac did the chain drop on his snare drum for the big beat during their minor key, revamped version of “America The Beautiful”. Phil’s song, “Walking To The Opera”, written for his late brother is a flat out beautiful. There is an acoustic version of it on Phil’s MySpace page. While you’re there check out Annie Wells singing, “Guide Your Sweetest Dreams”. Watch out though. There’s a few Phil Marshalls in the MySpace world.

Tar Box Ramblers at Abilene in Rochester, NY
Tar Box Ramblers at Abilene in Rochester, NY

We were traveling with Rick Simpson in John Gilmore’s car last night so the night was still young when the XXI show ended. We walked into Adeline as the Tar Box Ramblers were startig their second set. We got talking to Rita Coulter at the bar and then got sidetracked at the pool table where John Gilmore was playing the night watchman from the Little Theater. When we finally got out back the bass player had set aside his stand up bass to join in on drums. The woman doing the door told us that the band reminded her of Phil Marshall. She was right. They did a nice versio of “Good Night Irene”.

I started thinking about Marky Ramone and how I liked his angular playing in the Voidoids but didn’t think he could match Tommy’s succinct playing with the Ramones. That was pretty much a non-sequitur. Here’s another one. Did you know Ken Frank is a mean chess player and an enigma.

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