Session Start: Wed March 24th - 20:46:20 1999

*** Now talking in #ChatGuest

*** Topic is 'Ronnie Spector /Joey Ramone March 24th at 4:00 p.m. EST'


Moderator: Hello all, and welcome to today's chat event with Ronnie Spector and Joey Ramone. Thanks for joining us. Have fun, no kicking or biting, OK.

Moderator: LET'S DO IT! Any questions?

Electric Warrior: I should say hi

Amalgam: Hi Ronnie, hi Joey ;-) I saw you (both) at the gig you did at Dingwalls before Christmas which was *fantastic*. Was it fun? Ronnie - you looked great in that Santa Suit *gush, gush, lol*

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says I really loved being at Dingwalls, it was the greatest experience because I hadn't been to London in a while. The audience was going bonkers. I loved every minute!

Coldfyr: This one's for Ronnie.. How old were you when you started singing?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I was about 8 years old and started with the Ronnetts at 14 with my sister and my cousing. We stood on line at the Peppermint lounge in NYC, and we were mistaken for another girl group, and we were ushered in to the stage and started singing.

Bonster1: Where are you all today?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says we're in NY. Ronnie says where we were born and raised. Jo.

Coldfyr: Joey.. Tell us a bit about backstage at CBGB's

Spector_Ramone: Joey says it was a dive.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says years ago in the 70's, we had some fun there. It's still a great place to see a band.

SpaceFace: hello to both guests, i'm always interested in teenage musical influences as they are usually the ones which last longest. What were your early grooves?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says Franky Limon and the teenagers were my inspiration growing up. They were the 1st group mixed in race, and I loved that because so am I, and I knew then that I had a chance. They were from Spanish Harlem, and so was I, and they were the first group that was not just black and white. I love Franky Limon's voice.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, the first band that inspired me was the Beatles. I was 13, and it gave me something that inspired me to want to play drums and make music.

Coldfyr: Joey.. You rocked on the Iggy Pop Tribute CD... any plans to collaborate with him?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, well, he did call me, but I never got back to him. I owe him a phone call. I've always been a big fan, and he's been a big inspiration. Listening to Iggy and the Stooges is like an exorcism. It releases the beast and it's cleansing.

ADynomoose: Joey, Did you prefer playing CB's or the Ritz?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, well, CBGB's was our ealiest beggings. That's where we started. I enjoyed playing the Ritz. They were both like hangouts, but later on in the 80's, the Ritz was the best place to see a band or a show. It was very ecclectic. The club was just two blocks from my house, so I could go there and hang out every night. I knew everybody

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, it was just a big party.

Bonster1: You both come from very differnent musical backgrounds and influences, how does that play for " togetherness" now?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, Well, I think Joey started listening to my records 1st, and I influenced him with my music and my voice because obviously I'm older than Joey. We started collaborating in the 80's because we both had hits with Baby I Love You. He liked my style and I liked his style, and here we are today in the 90's.

RaMOANa: Ronnie - would you ever consider doing the Howard Stern show with Joey?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, of course. I started out doing Howard's show more than 10 years ago. I was the first femal rocker to undo my blouse. I was the first sexy singer to Howard. Before Howard Stern started asking others to undress, I was the first to do that, but it wasn't on TV, so a lot of it was pretending and acting behind the mic at Howard Stern.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, that was before Howard started wearing dresses.

Rednik: Ronnie: There is a rumour knocking about that David has written a song for you. Is it true?

Spector_Ramone: Sorry folks, technical difficulties. We're back now.

Gothikka: Have you both considered collaborating on a full-scale joint headlining tour?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, we considered smoking a joint.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, but decided not to.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, well, when Ronnie performs, I usually come on and do a couple of songs with her.

Moderator: Ronnie: There is a rumour knocking about that David has written a song for you. Is it true?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, yes, it is true.

sQueakBox: JOEY: Do you regret making the song, "Rock n Roll High School"?

Spector_Ramone: Joey, no.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I'm a fan of Bruce McDonald's, and I enjoy being a part of the film. Its a great film.

Moderator: Tell us about The Beatles Ronnie

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I met the Beatles in England when the Ronnetts were doing their first tour in '63, and the Beatles loved us and asked us to go on their US tour. The Ronnetts went on tour with a look-a-like who took my place because I had to be in the studio with Phil Spector, and the Rolling Stones were my opening act when we were in London in '63, a

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie continues, and I'm still friends with the Stones, especially Keith Richard.

UrGothGrrl: Joey and Ronnie look very similar...coincidence or separated at birth??

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, it wasn't planned. I've worn bangs since the 60's, I've always had long hair, it's always been dark brown. It's only a coincidence that Joey has similar hair.

Moderator: Sorry folks, we are finishing up the Beatles question

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie continues from before, after the other Ronnetts left, there was a big party with a naked girl dancing on a bed and the Beatles were taking pictures of roadies having sex with her. I was sitting on John Lennon's lap and felt something very hard in his pants.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I immediately jumped up, and ran out of the hotel.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie continues, John Lennon called me the next day. That was his way of apologizing. (Joey says it was his way of saying hello).

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, and John and George Harrison came to Spanish Harlem and we took them to Sherman's BBQ Restaurant. That was John's way of making up with me.

Bonster1: What's the most important thing to you in your career now (both)? personal satisfaction, audience, what?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, of course it's always the audience response. That's what keeps me going is that every time I do a show and the audience goes wild, I know I'm not finished yet.

ADynomoose: Joey, anymore movie soundtracks in the works? If not who would you like to work with?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, the Ramons have been on numerous soundtracks in the last year or more. Most recently, 200 Cigarettes, and there's a new KISS movie coming out called Detroit Rock City, and KISS picked a Ramones song for the film. There's a new film called Idle Hands that Offsprint covered I Want To Be Sedated for the Film. There's probably more.

Spector_Ramone: Joey, soundtracks with Ramones songs that I know about. It's nice. It pays the rent.

Antea: to Ronnie: this CD ("She talks to rainbows") is your big come-back to musical scene...How do you cope with it?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, it's not coping with something. I love what I do. STTR reminds me a lot of myself. Joey wrote it, and it's a song that just hit me, and I think it's a great song.

Bonster1: When are you going to record the Bowie song?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie, sometime this summer.

Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Joey: Out of the old CBGBs punk band crowds, who do you stil hang out with today?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I hang out with the Dictators, Andy Shernoff, and Dick Manitoba, Blondie, Chris Stein and Debbie Harrie. We all talk still and see each other on occasion. A lot of people. I guess Blondie, Dictators. I run into Cheata Chrome once in a while. Lenny K I see. Then there are a lot of really cool new bands that I'm friends with like Deg

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, like Degeneration. There are a lot of people out there.

Spector_Ramone: I see Deedee Ramone every so often.

Gigantor,The Space Age Robot: Joey, How much rare material can we expect to see on Rhino's Ramones Set?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, well, there's 60 songs, It's going to be really well done with nice photographs in a booklet. There'll be a few obscurities there. It's called Hey Ho Let's Go

Bonster1: Do you like any of the new artists around?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie, I like Laura Hill. There's not many groups that I pay attention to these days because they come and go before y ou can say hello.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, Every year when I watch the MTV awards, there's usually no one from the year before.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie continues, except a few like Madonna, there aren't many that stay around.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, there isn't very much new stuff I like. I think it's pretty pathetic to tell the truth. There are a few like DGeneration. I like Rancid, I like Green Day and Offspring. Nice guys.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I like Hole, Helen Love, no relation to Courtney Love. I like Monster Magnet.

Moderator: Any questions?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I like groups like No Doubt. They were really hot a few years back, but I haven't heard a lot about them lately. That's what I mean about bands that are hot one minute, then they disappear.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, when Bowie recently did the Brit awards, that was fuckin' amazing. Matter of fact, my friend Veronica who writes the offical Ramones newsletter, she sent me a video of Bowie and Placebo doing 21st century boy. I was impressed with how young Bowie looks; like a kid. He's quite the youngster.

JanineGenie: Joey, do you still hang out at Coney Island High?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I go there every so often when somebody good is playing that I want to see. I'm friends with the staff, but usually I go if there's someone I want to see. It's a great club.

Bonster1: My husband wants to know if you liked working with Eddie Money and how that duest came about ;)

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I love working with Eddie, he's crazy as hell, but I love his voice. He has one of the greatest Rock n Roll voices of all times. As a matter of fact, I just did a X-mas single with him titled Everybody Loves Christmas.

JanineGenie: Joey, do you like the Kowalskis? (Kitty is a pal of mine)

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I like Koala Bears.

ThefouranswerGuru: What is your opinion the WORST movie

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, that Lost in Space movie was horrible. I really wanted my money back. I had heard such great reviews about it, but it sucked, it was terrible.

RaMOANa: Joey - Do you still drink Yoohoos?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I gotta stay away from dairy products. It's not good for singers to drink dairy products because you cough up all that shit, and it gets very messy.

ADynomoose: Joey and Ronnie, Is there any artist left that you haven't worked with, but would like to?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I'd like to work with David.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, no, I've been out since the 60's, and I've seen the best and the worst of Rock N Roll bands, singing groups, all of it.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, all my favorite artists are dead.

Rednik: Ronnie: So you had a good time at Iggy Pop's birthday party?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I wasn't there.

Chroyst: Joey: What kind of work would you do with David if you had the chance?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I was talking to Ron, and he mentioned that David may be doing a T-Rex project or a Mark Bolan project. I'd certainly be interested in something like that. I was always a big T-Rex fan.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I'd love for David to help me on my new coming album as part producer/writer. I think he has such a head for producing and recording.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie adds, and writing.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, about the records, we put the word out about Ronnie doing a full album, and we've been getting submissions from great artists like Glenn Matlock from Sex Pistols, and Jimmy Destri, and Capt'n Sensible sent a song. Andy Chernoff wrote a great song. We're going to make a great record.

RaMOANa: Ronnie - Do you have a site so we can see more recent pics of you?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, not currently.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie adds, check on BowieNet.

SpaceFace: is Ronnie going to tour it?????

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I'm going back to Japan for Christmas.

JanineGenie: Ronnie, out of all the great music you have made, what is your favorite record/song of all time?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, Walking in the Rain, and Be My Baby. I love those two songs.

Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Do you guys like to have fun on the internet? If so where are some of favorite sites?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I'm on my computer a good portion of the day, especially in the morning. I wake early in the morning, have a cup of coffee and go on-line to check my e-mail.

Spector_Ramone: Joey continues, some of my favorite sites are sonic net's addicted to noise. That's one of my favorite sites. I'm on AOL, so, whatever that means. And I guess that's probably my favorite site.

SpaceFace: any hobbies away from the music industry?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I have young kids, so it's hard to have a hobby and have kids and be in Rock N Roll.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie adds, and touring.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I guess for me, outside of music, I'd say being on-line.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, you know, basically my life revolves around music.

RaMOANa: Ronnie - What is the status of the lawsuit you have going with Phil?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, it's still going on. It's still pending. It's still aggravating.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie adds, I'm just waiting for the judge's decision on the lawsuit.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, sometimes I like to go to the Ramones newsgroups and spy on the fans, see what they're saying about me.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I'm here because it was something with David Bowie, and being that I'm his friend, and it was something to do with him, I came running.

SpaceFace: is that how you came to be here today? mutual love of the net with db?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I'm here for Ronnie, basically, but I'm a big David Bowie fan as well.

SpaceFace: how are u liking it???

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, it's very exciting. LOL. Ronnie says, it's all very new to me. Joey says, it's the future. You know what it is? It's the new frontier. Like Davy Crockett.

Bonster1: What do you like about Bowie?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I like Bowie's style, I like the way he's lasted for the last 25 or 30 years, his different styles, his different music on stage. He's such a good friend. I love his wife (so does Joey). We stay in touch, and he's just a great guy.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie adds, very down to earth.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, he's a chameleon. I became a fan of his first album. He's got a great voice, especially when he gets into that lower register. He's a great songwriter. I like his earlier work, I'm more of a fan of that, but I am impressed with how he's maintained. Everything he does is.. he's a perfectionist, and I admire that.

Rednik: Ronnie: You're gorgeous! You were my first ever crush. My mum had an album of yours. I pinched the cover and stuck it on my bedroom wall. The things I did to myself at 8 years of age!!

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, thank you!

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, one thing I want to say, I like David producing World Power. It sounds great. I heard the re-mix, which sounds good too, but I don't think it was such a travesty that it had to be remixed. I'm a big Iggy fan, stages. I'm glad he's still alive and going strong.

KelMarSupervixen: Ronnie, is Brian Wilson as odd as the media makes him out to be?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie, yes, he's odd, and he's been through a lot, and I'm so happy that he caught himself before he died like so many other rockers from the 60's. He had a great way of writing and producing. I think he can still do it again.

Spector_Ramone: Joey corrects typist: It's Stooges, not stages.

Moderator: Any good questions out there

Bonster1: What special qualities does it take to endure in rock?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, you have to take your vitamins.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie answers, you really have to not do drugs, and not drink a lot of alcohol if you want to stay around for like 30 or 40 years. It's such a hard job being in Rock N Roll, doing 1-nighters, so you really have to watch what you eat and of course, stay off of drugs and alcohol.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, and you have to really love it for the right reasons, not being in it for the money. From the outside, it looks very glamorous and romantic and all that crap, but on the inside it's another story.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, It's really hard going from city to city, whether you're on an airplane or a bus. Your fans only see you on stage. They don 't know how hectic it is when you're off-stage and running for an airplane or bus.

Spector_Ramone: Joey adds, then there's the business side of it as well.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, A lot of groups, especially from the 60's and the 70's, where so busy being starts, that they forgot, including myself, about the business part of show business, because you're so busy, if you love it, wanting to please the crowd, you rarely look at the business side of it until it's too late.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, so anybody who really loves Rock N Roll should always remember when they sign on the dotted line with any record company that you really must read what you sign. Joey says because they're all out to screw the artists. It's always been that way. They love you, and they love your money ever better.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, A lot of people don't pay attention to the business of Rock N Roll because we're mostly very young, teenagers when we start, so naturally, you don't think about the business part. You're so excited and eager to put on a great show; most of the record companies know that too. So when you're out there promoting your album, the business

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie continues, the business people are looking for ways to make money from you. You don't think about the money and royalties when you're on the road and promoting your record.

Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Bowie once said that managers are that species of creature that you find when you turn over a rock... do you essentially agree?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, Yes.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, well, Jonathan Greenfield is one of the best, most honest managers out there. Just because Green is in his name, doesn't mean he's only after the money.

Aki-Caffeine-Withdrawal: Hey Joey could you tell some of the people at BowieNet that the English DID NOT invent punk?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, The Ramones invented Punk Rock in March of '74, well, actually before because the first show in a club was March, but we had been together for a few months prior to that. CBGB's had a 3-day festival of unsigned bands, and we headlined. The first night, I guess everybody who was anybody was at the club.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, there was Press, and new muscial express, sounds, melody maker, rolling stone. We blew people away, literally, and the kids read about us in the British press, but also, around that time, Malcom McClaren was trying to save the career of the NY Dolls at the very end of their career, and heard the Ramones, and basically, like the weasel

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, weasel he is, when he went back to England, he kind of took the style and sounds of the Ramones and combined it with the hair style, Richard Hill style, with the safety pins, he cut his shirt, he kind of copped a lot of things from a lot of people and manufactureed the Sex Pistols. They were a great band, but were unoriginal.

Spector_Ramone: Yes, richard hell.

Moderator: OK, bout 5 more questions

SpaceFace: television also get a mention as godfathers of punk, would you agree/

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, they had a unique style, especially Tom Verlane's guitar style. They were more like artisitic. The Ramones were extremely primal.

EoS: So, um, Lou and Cale and Iggy pretty much had nothing to do with it, eh?

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, no, no, no, I never said that. I mean, the Stooges, Iggy and the Stooges were an inspiration to us amongst other influences, and you know, not quite from the same period as the Ramones. They came before us. They were an exciting band, a sonic band, and were a major influence, as far as the Ramones go. The Velvet Underground too, they were out prior to us, and were very influential to a lot of people. I was a fan as well of both those artist, still am. I'm talking about Punk Rock when we started, you know what I mean, because the music prior to us wasn't called Punk Rock. It was definitely attitude music, but it was Rock N Roll.

Spector_Ramone: Joey adds, Everything is Rock N Roll, so it may be a little too general as far as terminology goes.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, One thing about the Sex Pistols, I guess a lot of the English bands were more of a political defiance, and that wasn't quite our thing initially. Ours was more of a social defiance.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, Just singing about the things that we dealt with in our lives, you know what I mean.

SpaceFace: What new music do you think will break through for the millenium, any predictions?

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, to me, the millenium is just another year, so I don't think anything great is going to happen. They're making a great deal about the end of the century but as far as Rock N Roll, it's just another year. Rock N Roll is something that will never die.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I think the next big thing will be spoon players, and people that play the saw. We were in Italy, in an airport or a boat or something, and there was an amazing old man playing a saw like Jimmy Page, it was amazing. When I put together a band to tour, I'm definitely going to get a saw player. For the millenium, of course.

Spector_Ramone: Ronnie says, I'd like to thank David Bowie for having us come down, and that you will always be my friend, and I'm looking forward to working with you. Love, Ronnie Spector.

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, I'd just like to say, I guess what attracted me initially to Ronnie was her voice and her passion, you know, there aren't many singers that really move ya. David Bowie moves me, they way he.. I remember the first time I heard that song.. the Cat song from that movie... a ballad, something about...What's the name of it???

Spector_Ramone: Joey mumbles, the alzheimer's kicked in.... The cat, putting out a fire with gasoline...

Spector_Ramone: Joey says, yes, that it... I love that kind of dark, lush, warmth that he possesses in that lower register. He has an amazing voice and an amazing range, but that's great stuff. That thing he did with Bing Crosby was great, and Heroes. That's an all time favorite. He has an amazing voice that has it's way with you, and Ronnie has that too.

Spector_Ramone: Joey continues, and Ronnies, very street, and very authentic, so it's a pleasure to be involved, and we're going to make a great records, and it's very exciting. I hope David joins the party, and I was happy to come here today as well and join the future. The future is now.

Moderator: Thanks to everyone for the chat! that's it folks. Ronnie and Joey have left the building.

Moderator: thanks

Session Close: Wed Mar 24 22:23:51 1999