This is a great interview for any fan of the Ramones. Richie is a genuinely good person and didn't deserve to be treated the way he did. After watching him open up here and answer questions honestly I felt I knew him a little better and understood his reasons for quitting. His contribution to the group during a particularly bleak period in their career was enormous. Thanks for sharing this.
Absolutely solid interview. Richie opened up a lot and Eric let him talk which is rare for interviewers to do nowadays. Take note, interviewers. This is how it’s done.
Nice to see Richie doing so well. I've been a Ramones fan from the first time I heard them as a junior in high school in 1977. Richie became one of my favorite Ramones, and it was a sad day when he left the band. Punk on Richie!
In the late 70's there was a club in Brooklyn on Quentin Road called ZAPPAS. It was the CBGB's of Brooklyn, NY. The Ramones played there with opening act The Rattlers which was Joey Ramones brother Mickey's band. I hung around after the show and helped them with their equipment loading it into a station wagon. Years later I bumped into Joey Ramone at The Bowery Ballroom in the Lower East Side of NYC at a Wildhearts show, and he extended his hand to me and thanked me. He truly meant it. I will never forget that moment.
Very nice interview indeed. I'm actually reading his book and it's really convinced me he's an underestimated "Ramone". He brought a couple of good good songs and still hit drums quite differently compares to Marky and Tommy on Ramones songs; besides, he has been totally honest with his band members when he took the decision to quit. As a huge fan of The Ramones, It's imposible to not give respect to Ritchie... Thanx Eric Blair!
I saw richie ramone april 16th at the secret group here in Houston Texas. and he exactly what he said. talk to fans, sign autographs and took pictures. when I was taking a photo of him I thanked him for making my dream come true on finally meeting a ramone. I bought a sigh poster, a sticker and a pin.
This is probably the first time I have ever heard Richie speak. First saw Richie with the RAMONES at Hammy Palaise and when that fast intro instrumental tune kicked off their set, I realised something powerful was happening. Great show. A year later at the Lyceum and so on till Richie just disappeared off the scene. As it is with any of the bands I listen to, I buy the records, buy the tickets for the show then carry on living my life. Never gave the individual members of any band I like any thought. You hear things like band bust ups and so on but as a record buyer and a concert goer, the punters never know anything about any band and what goes on behind the scenes. So when you see a band and someone who you expect to be on stage isn’t there, you do ask questions but the show, for that moment, is the thing that is important at that time. After the show, that’s when you ask questions. Paul Dianno leaves and Bruce comes in. Fast Eddie and Robbo. Dee and CJ. Pete Gill and Nigel Glocker. All bands change over time but only the band members control the outcome. WAS RICHIE TREATED BADLY BY RAMONES MONTY AND JOHNNY. I WOULD SAY YES. MY OPINION ONLY. OTHERS will obviously disagree but my opinion. Good to see Richie doing something and his own material at that. Crack on kid and just do your best coz time stands still for no man.
I'll sign it lol. I've never understood why people think it was unreasonable of him to want that money. I think it's way more unreasonable for the rest of the band and management to exclude one quarter of the band, their most talented musician by a country mile, and one of their principle songwriters at the time from their biggest source of income.
Hey Richie, it’s your old buddy Dorren. Do you remember the old days clubbing in NYC with James, Mitchell , Taylor& Devon riding around in my 1970 orange VW Camper van??. I absolutely love this interview, you are such a humble man, it’s refreshing to see & hear.
Sounds like it all comes down to Johnny giving him the cold shoulder, even though Joey got along with Richie really well. One has to wonder if Johnny secretly wanted Marky back into the band. Clem Burke was just an impromptu fill-in, which I saw live in Providence, RI in August 1986.
Eric does what few interviewers do in that he talks about the music. I love the specifics on the albums. Sad that Richie got the shaft as he wrote some great songs and the band sounded more punk with his drums v Marky's. His unreleased band demo of Elevator Operator was great and should have been on the bonus cuts of TTTD.
andy black his drums sounded more punk than Road To Ruin or Pleasant Dreams? I’m sorry, the things people are saying shitting on Marky, who has an incredible legacy with bands like Dust or The Voidoids:
Finally read Richie’s book (great read, read most of it in a few days). Surprised the story about Joey taking all that stuff out of his pocket wasn’t in there! Edit: here’s 2 surprising things I learned from the book- - Richie auditioned for Cinderella! He’d have been great, but I can’t imagine him wearing all that makeup and crap! - Apparently Richie and Dee Dee “King” gave Chubby Checker and the Fat Boys the idea for their hit version of “the twist”!
Hello Eric first my English is not very well hope you can inderstandme I'm from Buenos Aires argentina I want to say this is more complete and my favourite interview to richie I ever see you make great great questions thanks to shared this I really enjoy .
I had a friend who'd moved into my neighborhood and lived nearby. He would walk past the corner by our homes and make an X with his finger and then anytime we passed that corner he'd have to repeat the X except he'd start it at the opposite end. He was always tapping on walls and would get really bothered if he couldn't tap the walls when he wanted to. I never heard of anyone else doing that til I heard about Joey suffering OCD.
Eric, thanks for what you do. Especially the Ramones and Misfits interviews, though not just those. I'm surprised some of the vids (like this one) don't have more views, but I'm sure thousands of folks have really enjoyed all of your work. If ya do another one with Richie some day, ask him what he thinks of Marky as a drummer... also, he's worked with Joe King and the Queers, and with Expulsados (Argentinian Ramones-influenced band), I'd like to know if he has any thoughts on those guys. Also his band has (had?) former members of Marky's band "Blitzkrieg", Alex and Clare Antiproduct... I wonder if there's any nteresting stories about that connection...
Richie Ramone is my Favorite Ramone Besides Dee Dee! He made The Ramones Punk Again! He hit them drums, screaming backup vocals! Richie Ramone Was Pure Power!
My first concert was Jethro Tull at Madison Square Garden, March 7, 1976. But Get this.....My next show was at The Palladium in New York City. Opening Act A;an Vega and Martin Rev's SUICIDE, and then Joan Jett and THE RUNAWAYS, and then the headliners THE RAMONES. I believe it was the Rocket to Russia tour. That concert changed my lie all for the better!
You should read his autobiography in his new book. Unbelievable details about him and the band all the information you need to know. Johnny refused to give him a 5% cut from the T-shirt sales and that’s what made him quit. The man deserved it since his name was on the shirts and was a true Ramone on the stage. If he stayed until the end,he would probably got indicted in the RNR HOF with the others.
Really enjoyed this.......I was too young to see the early Ramones gigs but I seen them 5 times with Richie from Too Tough To Die and they were absolutely brilliant.......I don't think he was treated fairly and those gigs I seen him at were so good.....seen them another 5 or so times with Marky...also great...
You don't sound old, Richie, you sound very sensible. Very sensible. I wish Johnny had been more fair with the t-shirt money. Also, your band is on point!
It's all about the T-Shirt money baby! After faithful service as drummer for 5 years in the Ramones, Ritchie felt it was time for him to get cut in with sharing a portion of the T shirt money being generated at Ramones concert tours. For some reason, Johnny Ramone didn't think Ritchie deserved to earn any T shirt cash. Richie voiced how humiliating it was to wait in the touring van while all the other bandmates would be going to the European banks and converting their proceeds into U.S. currency and making deposits into their growing accounts. So Ritchie flipped his cool and stupidly quit the Ramones. Ritchie later stated in an interview if Johnny would have only been fair with him, he would have continued blitzing through the vast catalog of Ramones songs. I'm certain at some point Johnny would have cut Ritchie in. Then Marky having sobered up came back to the Ramones as a valued drummer and band member having served an eventful 17 years with the Ramones.
I now have a new respect for Richie. Before, I always thought he was there for the money. I also hated Johnny, but he was definitely the "Drill Sergeant". Love you Richie.
at 30 minute time in interview is when richie ramone talks about the ramones 1987 ramones song im not jesus-he richie isnt putting jesus down,richie says he is not as good as jesus
Wished The Ramones would've kept Richie Ramone. He beat the hell out of those drums plus bought in great songwriting not to mention such an Awesome singer while playing drums. Such a Great and Awesome Musician- Punk! He even made the Ramones more Punk of all things. All out of Johnny not wanting to give him his fair share. What a douche that Johnny Ramone.
His drumming on Too tough to die is possibly the best compared to the other albums: now Rocket, Pleasant dreams is the best but Tommy's drumming although the template setter wasn't anything extraordinary & Marky is awesome but Rich had a unique dynamic.
This is the best Richie Ramone interview 🤘🏻, he opens about everything, and I think he should receive his part for the T Shirt money.
Pro tip : watch movies at flixzone. I've been using it for watching a lot of movies during the lockdown.
@Rodrigo Leroy definitely, I have been watching on Flixzone} for since december myself =)
@Rodrigo Leroy yea, I've been watching on Flixzone} for since december myself :)
@Rodrigo Leroy yea, been watching on flixzone} for years myself :D
I think Richie should have the t shirt sales money I wonder if he ever did get it in the end
This is a great interview for any fan of the Ramones. Richie is a genuinely good person and didn't deserve to be treated the way he did. After watching him open up here and answer questions honestly I felt I knew him a little better and understood his reasons for quitting. His contribution to the group during a particularly bleak period in their career was enormous. Thanks for sharing this.
This has been online for five years and only now I find it. What gives??? Big Fan.
Thank you, Richie, for helping to keep the Ramones going. Great drummer, and songwriter.
richie wrote one of my favorite songs from the ramones, "somebody put something in my drink"
If only Johnny Ramone would have given Richie some T shirt money who knows what may have become of the Ramones.
Absolutely solid interview. Richie opened up a lot and Eric let him talk which is rare for interviewers to do nowadays. Take note, interviewers. This is how it’s done.
Thanks Richie for your Ramones service! You played on 2 of my fave Ramones albums. 86-87 albums
Richie Ramone is a great drummer. Really like the albums he played on!
Nice to see Richie doing so well. I've been a Ramones fan from the first time I heard them as a junior in high school in 1977. Richie became one of my favorite Ramones, and it was a sad day when he left the band. Punk on Richie!
Eric is a great interviewer. Ask a great question and let them talk. Period.
Awesome stuff.
yes indeed very professional
and perhaps the most respectful interviewer of history!
He recorded 3 great albums. thanks RICHIE
One of the best interviews I've seen. What a genuine dude. And phenomenal drummer
Never really knew much about him but Richie seems like a really good dude.
In the late 70's there was a club in Brooklyn on Quentin Road called ZAPPAS. It was the CBGB's of Brooklyn, NY. The Ramones played there with opening act The Rattlers which was Joey Ramones brother Mickey's band. I hung around after the show and helped them with their equipment loading it into a station wagon. Years later I bumped into Joey Ramone at The Bowery Ballroom in the Lower East Side of NYC at a Wildhearts show, and he extended his hand to me and thanked me. He truly meant it. I will never forget that moment.
What an Incredible story, mate! Congrats!
Quentin and where?
Great interview. Richie reminds me here, facially, of Dee Dee a little.
I was thinking the same thing
@@davymag3476 He kind of has a bit of that Dee Dee German accent too for some reason.
I mean they were brothers after all.
Really good interview....richie ramone is a class act...very underrated in every way. Huge respect for the guy.
Richie Ramone was great on the "Animal Boy" Record!
Very nice interview indeed. I'm actually reading his book and it's really convinced me he's an underestimated "Ramone". He brought a couple of good good songs and still hit drums quite differently compares to Marky and Tommy on Ramones songs; besides, he has been totally honest with his band members when he took the decision to quit. As a huge fan of The Ramones, It's imposible to not give respect to Ritchie... Thanx Eric Blair!
I saw richie ramone april 16th at the secret group here in Houston Texas.
and he exactly what he said. talk to fans, sign autographs and took pictures. when I was taking a photo of him I thanked him for making my dream come true on finally meeting a ramone. I bought a sigh poster, a sticker and a pin.
YES THIS IS FANTASTIC thank you Eric as always. You both look well!
Glad Richie is keeping this kind of stuff going . I hope he does another US tour soon !
Love this interview I didn't know much about Richie before this and now he is one of my favorite Ramones. Well spoken and just awesome
Fucking brilliant. Learned a lot, the right questions and the right answers, a humble super cool guy.
Wow excellent interview. Thanks
„Too tough to die“ is one of their best albums IMO
I agree. The first 4 & too tough to die are their essential albums, in my opinion.
Richie's songs are among my favorite Ramones songs.
Richie looking more and more like Dee Dee as the years go by.
This is probably the first time I have ever heard Richie speak. First saw Richie with the RAMONES at Hammy Palaise and when that fast intro instrumental tune kicked off their set, I realised something powerful was happening. Great show. A year later at the Lyceum and so on till Richie just disappeared off the scene. As it is with any of the bands I listen to, I buy the records, buy the tickets for the show then carry on living my life. Never gave the individual members of any band I like any thought. You hear things like band bust ups and so on but as a record buyer and a concert goer, the punters never know anything about any band and what goes on behind the scenes. So when you see a band and someone who you expect to be on stage isn’t there, you do ask questions but the show, for that moment, is the thing that is important at that time. After the show, that’s when you ask questions. Paul Dianno leaves and Bruce comes in. Fast Eddie and Robbo. Dee and CJ. Pete Gill and Nigel Glocker. All bands change over time but only the band members control the outcome. WAS RICHIE TREATED BADLY BY RAMONES MONTY AND JOHNNY. I WOULD SAY YES. MY OPINION ONLY. OTHERS will obviously disagree but my opinion. Good to see Richie doing something and his own material at that. Crack on kid and just do your best coz time stands still for no man.
Loved this interview !! Thanks for doing it !!
Richie Ramone is the Best Ramones Drummer and a Really nice guy to talk to. He's also got plenty of time for the Ramones Fans. Barney Glasgow 😎
Great interview, I ended up listening to a lot more than I thought I would.
Excellent interview. You have Keith Richards in the background watching the interview over Eric's left shoulder.
a high Keith, or a concerned and interested looking Keith??
I'm starting a petition that Richie gets all the Ramones t-shirt money from now on
I'll sign it lol. I've never understood why people think it was unreasonable of him to want that money. I think it's way more unreasonable for the rest of the band and management to exclude one quarter of the band, their most talented musician by a country mile, and one of their principle songwriters at the time from their biggest source of income.
Punk, it’s a life style not a fad.
Hey Richie, it’s your old buddy Dorren. Do you remember the old days clubbing in NYC with James, Mitchell , Taylor& Devon riding around in my 1970 orange VW Camper van??. I absolutely love this interview, you are such a humble man, it’s refreshing to see & hear.
That was splendid, as I love all Ramones, Richie is my all-time favorite Ramone, this was absolutely incredible thanks so much!
Sounds like it all comes down to Johnny giving him the cold shoulder, even though Joey got along with Richie really well. One has to wonder if Johnny secretly wanted Marky back into the band. Clem Burke was just an impromptu fill-in, which I saw live in Providence, RI in August 1986.
Great interview!
Class act! Great interview!
Excellent! Just met Richie a few weeks ago after his concert. So down to Earth just like in this video.
Thank you Eric and thank you Richie!
Eric does what few interviewers do in that he talks about the music. I love the specifics on the albums. Sad that Richie got the shaft as he wrote some great songs and the band sounded more punk with his drums v Marky's. His unreleased band demo of Elevator Operator was great and should have been on the bonus cuts of TTTD.
andy black his drums sounded more punk than Road To Ruin or Pleasant Dreams? I’m sorry, the things people are saying shitting on Marky, who has an incredible legacy with bands like Dust or The Voidoids:
@@opaljk4835 ..... dont forget KING FLUX..... heavy metal
Dude that was great. Very enjoyable to watch. I loved the types of questions that you asked him. Keep up the good work!
great interview
I’m late to this party but Jesus what a great interview. Richie just wanted some t-shirt money no big deal.
Cool interview!
Cant wait to see him this spring on his tour in Europe!
Finally read Richie’s book (great read, read most of it in a few days). Surprised the story about Joey taking all that stuff out of his pocket wasn’t in there!
Edit: here’s 2 surprising things I learned from the book-
- Richie auditioned for Cinderella! He’d have been great, but I can’t imagine him wearing all that makeup and crap!
- Apparently Richie and Dee Dee “King” gave Chubby Checker and the Fat Boys the idea for their hit version of “the twist”!
Hello Eric first my English is not very well hope you can inderstandme I'm from Buenos Aires argentina I want to say this is more complete and my favourite interview to richie I ever see you make great great questions thanks to shared this I really enjoy .
THANKS VONCREEPERTV YOU ROCK !!!
I have to agree. This is a great, in depth interview.
Great interview
I had a friend who'd moved into my neighborhood and lived nearby. He would walk past the corner by our homes and make an X with his finger and then anytime we passed that corner he'd have to repeat the X except he'd start it at the opposite end. He was always tapping on walls and would get really bothered if he couldn't tap the walls when he wanted to. I never heard of anyone else doing that til I heard about Joey suffering OCD.
Great interview, Richie. S.S.
Love ya Eric...for these interviews
love this dude!
Eric, thanks for what you do. Especially the Ramones and Misfits interviews, though not just those. I'm surprised some of the vids (like this one) don't have more views, but I'm sure thousands of folks have really enjoyed all of your work. If ya do another one with Richie some day, ask him what he thinks of Marky as a drummer... also, he's worked with Joe King and the Queers, and with Expulsados (Argentinian Ramones-influenced band), I'd like to know if he has any thoughts on those guys. Also his band has (had?) former members of Marky's band "Blitzkrieg", Alex and Clare Antiproduct... I wonder if there's any nteresting stories about that connection...
LETS GO RICHIE!!!
Awesome, Can't wait to read it!!!
Happy 65th Birthday Richie Ramone
Legend has it he's still waitin fo that T-Shut money 💰 👕
Cool AF guy🤘💘
Can't wait for the book. Great drummer, great guy.
Richie Ramone is my Favorite Ramone Besides Dee Dee! He made The Ramones Punk Again! He hit them drums, screaming backup vocals! Richie Ramone Was Pure Power!
Everybody is saying this is a great interview AND I AGREE 😁
Richie Ramone is great and he has a good motivation.
My first concert was Jethro Tull at Madison Square Garden, March 7, 1976. But Get this.....My next show was at The Palladium in New York City. Opening Act A;an Vega and Martin Rev's SUICIDE, and then Joan Jett and THE RUNAWAYS, and then the headliners THE RAMONES. I believe it was the Rocket to Russia tour. That concert changed my lie all for the better!
My 2nd show was the same as your's- RAMONES, RUNAWAYS, SUICIDE @ The Palladium Jan 7th 1978
Aye, somebody get this man his tshirt money!
Halfway to Sanity is wildly underrated.
Changed my life forever!
Intelligent. Humble. Honest. How he coped in the Ramones I'll never know !
Still looks cool
What's up with Eric mouthing at 6:01 through 6:10
Fear/interview boner?
great story about Richie's dad
You should read his autobiography in his new book. Unbelievable details about him and the band all the information you need to know. Johnny refused to give him a 5% cut from the T-shirt sales and that’s what made him quit. The man deserved it since his name was on the shirts and was a true Ramone on the stage. If he stayed until the end,he would probably got indicted in the RNR HOF with the others.
You got me interested in his book. Thanks!
Bitchie
5% ??? Ok come on, that’s pretty reasonable.
Richie didn't look this much like a Ramone when he was in The Ramones
Really enjoyed this.......I was too young to see the early Ramones gigs but I seen them 5 times with Richie from Too Tough To Die and they were absolutely brilliant.......I don't think he was treated fairly and those gigs I seen him at were so good.....seen them another 5 or so times with Marky...also great...
Richie is my second favorite Ramones drummer only to Tommy. Very underrated.
He wrotte a bunch of very good songs for the band.
Richie do not worry, punk will rise
Great interview. It's too bad that Richie left the Ramones as a business decision instead of an artistic decision. Richie's work was CPR for the band!
Best drummer in the Ramones
Incredibly ACE
He is right about Marky
You don't sound old, Richie, you sound very sensible. Very sensible. I wish Johnny had been more fair with the t-shirt money. Also, your band is on point!
It's all about the T-Shirt money baby! After faithful service as drummer for 5 years in the Ramones, Ritchie felt it was time for him to get cut in with sharing a portion of the T shirt money being generated at Ramones concert tours.
For some reason, Johnny Ramone didn't think Ritchie deserved to earn any T shirt cash.
Richie voiced how humiliating it was to wait in the touring van while all the other bandmates would be going to the European banks and converting their proceeds into U.S. currency and making deposits into their growing accounts.
So Ritchie flipped his cool and stupidly quit the Ramones.
Ritchie later stated in an interview if Johnny would have only been fair with him, he would have continued blitzing through the vast catalog of Ramones songs.
I'm certain at some point Johnny would have cut Ritchie in.
Then Marky having sobered up came back to the Ramones as a valued drummer and band member having served an eventful 17 years with the Ramones.
Marky came back because he belonged.
I mean they had his name on the shirt, he for sure deserved some t-shirt money.
💎🔥Great!!!
He deserved a fuggin tee shirt.. he deserved one piece of merch while touring with them that had his face in it too.
Marky didn't want to get his picture with Richie. Of course Marky didn't...Richie's a legend!
Legend of what?...
I now have a new respect for Richie. Before, I always thought he was there for the money. I also hated Johnny, but he was definitely the "Drill Sergeant". Love you Richie.
Wow a surprising amount of animosity between this guy and Marky... hmm
Surprised me too
This guy could REALLY hit those 1/8 notes A: really fast B: really fast
at 30 minute time in interview is when richie ramone talks about the ramones 1987 ramones song im not jesus-he richie isnt putting jesus down,richie says he is not as good as jesus
thankyou2532 was there some confusion? I’m not Jesus is a pretty blunt statement
2:30 "Do you like the direction the world is going in? We got that "crazy guy"? Wonder who that is??? LOL
Wished The Ramones would've kept Richie Ramone. He beat the hell out of those drums plus bought in great songwriting not to mention such an Awesome singer while playing drums. Such a Great and Awesome Musician- Punk! He even made the Ramones more Punk of all things. All out of Johnny not wanting to give him his fair share. What a douche that Johnny Ramone.
He was the best drummer in the ramones rigth before tommy
Why
heyhey heyhey I’m not Jesus is one of the best punk songs ever?? You must be the first person who has ever said that.
7:16 dee dee was on _____ for drinking at the time???
"Antabuse" it's an alcohol blocker medication.
Johnny Ramone made one of the BIGGEST MISTAKES of his life getting rid of Richie! Richie Ramone made The Ramones Sound Hard as well as PUNK!
Richie was around when Dee Dee decided to go more hardcore with songs like warthog and endless vacation lol
Hitler isn't in hell he has been reborn and is doing well in California.
His drumming on Too tough to die is possibly the best compared to the other albums: now Rocket, Pleasant dreams is the best but Tommy's drumming although the template setter wasn't anything extraordinary & Marky is awesome but Rich had a unique dynamic.
They should add that to the new Joey Ramone movie where the cops asked Joey do you have anything else in there 😂😂😂 pulls out a bagel
Richie brings it up a bit in this interview, would’ve liked it if you asked him his beef with marky...Richie was the better drummer though
It's too bad Richie and Marky don't like each other. Richie on voice and guitar, CJ on voice and bass, and Marky on drums would be a legitimate draw.