Hey Ho Let's Go: The Ramones [Hardcover]

Everett True (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2002

Once seen as a punk joke, The Ramones eventually came to be taken seriously, influencing almost every garage rocker that succeeded them. The story of the band from Queens is the paradigm rock saga - a litany of drugs, fallings-out, financial catastrophes, inter-band rivalries, bad management and death. This is a warts-and-all rock biography.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The British music journalist Everett True is The Ramones' ideal biographer, and not just because he'd interviewed Dee Dee and Joey countless times while they were still with us...Hey Ho Let's Go stays on the right side of the divide between fawning sycophancy and articulate, passionate, committed fandom.' 'A remarkable portrait...a highly entertaining and informative read. VH1

About the Author

Everett True is a former Assistant Editor at Melody Maker and editor of Vox who has written the definitive account of grunge, Live Through This. He currently lives in Brighton where he edits his own music magazine Careless Talk Costs Lives. His favourite Ramones album is It's Alive. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 344 pages
• Publisher: Omnibus Press (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0711991081
• ISBN-13: 978-0711991088
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,477,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hey Ho! Worth the Dough!, October 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Hey Ho Let's Go: The Ramones (Hardcover)

Probably the best book on the Ramones to date. Everett True has done his home work, and it's makes for an exciting read for Ramones fans and beyond. Ensuring the information was fresh, the author had interviewed CJ, Tommy, and Markey (among others in the "Ramones family") exclusivliy for this publication. Also to his advantage he had been in jornalism since the 70's and had conducted several interviews with other members (except Richie). You're going to read some negitive criticism about the author being too subjective, however I think he backs up his opinions with strong reasoning adn examples. And his critiques are never far off.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good ---a Bit Too Subjective at Times---But Good!, July 19, 2003

By 

K. Brown "El Rudo Lucky Pierre!" (Walnut, Ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hey Ho Let's Go: The Ramones (Hardcover)

I just finished reading this book, and have gone from being a casual Ramones fan to an intense fan and great admirer of the band. Everett True did an awesome job showing how The Ramones functioned as individuals and as a group.

What fascinated me is how the group stayed together for over twenty years, functioning as a band despite intense differences. Each member seemed to have a different vision, temperment and political stance, but they remained professional enough to keep working hard and cranking out great music.

True shows liberal Joey, Johnny the ultra-conservative; Dee Dee and Joey the artists, Johnny the workhorse who at times seemed like the "disciplinary glue" that kept the band well-marketed and organized. We see Tommy, who intrigued me the most as he tired of being an active member early on, but stayed involved with the band's production throughout the years. You see the out-of-control sides of Marky and Dee Dee, and the different recovery trips they sought. Band members often fought and held grudges, but rarely did it effect their professional work. Despite a cult following without huge record sales, these guys kept working hard.

True also put good effort into showing us the unsung members like CJ and Ritchie, and he shows how various crew members and artists worked as a family.

The book's only flaw is a biggie. True frequently cites what the band's best work is as if his personal likes are the final word. This does not happen once or twice, but throughout the book. Annoying! HOWEVER--- to his credit, he did print viewpoints that conflicted with his own, and he did so without discounting each person's word. I honestly can overlook Everett True's subjective flaw, because the work he put into this book is incredible. You can tell that he was a huge Ramones fan from day one, yet was focused enough to paint both their glory and their shortcomings.

Judging from other interviews I read with Johnny Ramone, I get the feeling that Everett True painted Johnny as more of a "hardnose bust-yer-chops" type than he actually is. Still, he did show Johnny's near military disclipline may be part of what kept the Ramones professional and reliable.

If you've never even heard of the Ramones, I recommend this book. You will read a fascinating account of a rock band that, conflicting individual dynamics, became a cohesive and legendary rock group.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Boys! The Band! The Best!, August 9, 2003

By 

Glenn S. Hawley "glenn with 2 'n's" (NEW YORK, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hey Ho Let's Go: The Ramones (Hardcover)

Well written, researched & executed Biography of one of the Greatest Bands of Punk or Rock or Whatever. The story is a little sad, but I now understand even more the work ethic and obstacles that this band dealt with. We know the Great songs, great albums, great Movie, but we get some insight into this not so D.U.M.B. Little band from Queens NY! I still wake up at Night wondering why they were not The Biggest Band in the world! Joey is Put up as an almost mythical Romantic Hero Figure, while Johnny is really villified. Dee Dee is treated as a sort of Retarded Genius. Tommy, Marky, CJ, and Richie are touched upon nicely. 3 out of 5 for the imbalance of viewpoints But overall not to be missed.