Customer Reviews

Lobotomy: Surviving the Ramones

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The title of this book is "Lobotomy: Surviving The Ramones" and that's exactly the tale Dee Dee tells. It's his story; not a Ramones chronology or tell-all. I found it fascinating. Dee Dee writes honestly about his unhappy and lonely childhood, his drug addiction, and his dysfunctional relationships, both with girlfriends and The Ramones (apparently, he had to omit any references to his first wife, Vera, as part of their divorce settlement). He freely admits his own faults and ineptitude (he writes that Johnny had to teach him the bass lines to his own songs) and the book reads like the wistful memories of a man who has finally come to terms with his past and found happiness at last. As much as I love The Ramones, one can't deny the fact that they are quite a dysfunctional family. Remember Joey and Marky's verbal slugfest on Howard Stern's show? And Johnny's position as Boss Hog? No wonder Dee Dee quit! Sheesh. I enjoyed his dry humor and writing style. Dee Dee rules! He is a true original. For more information on the history of The Ramones and their career, read the excellent "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk" by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain.

I reviewed the first edition of this book, "Poison Heart", a couple of years ago and have since revised my opinion a little. We were lucky enough to get Dee Dee to sign our copies last year and he was so friendly and happy to do it, I thought I'd re-read it and give the book another chance.

I waited a looong time for this book, and I wish I could say it was 100% worth the wait. Before I thought maybe 70%...now I'd say 96%. Upon first reading, -I couldn't believe that after all those years with the Ramones, Dee Dee didn't have ONE nice or positive memory or thing to say. Don't get me wrong, I liked the book on first reading and love it now. Dee Dee has a great sense of humor, and even at his worst there's something so lovable about the guy. It sounds corny but there really is an innate sweetness under all that drug abuse and New York attitude. It's really just kind of depressing that he seems to have had such a miserable time. I knew he had problems with depression, but not this bad. Even though the Ramones are my favorite band and have been since the later 80's and I read everything I could get my hands on about them- I didn't know Dee Dee's drug problems lasted much longer than "End of the Century".

The first edition of the book seems to be a series of wretched stories about being broke, taking drugs, turning tricks, getting beat up, taking more drugs, overdosing, getting beat up or stabbed by insane girlfriends, or out trying to cop drugs. The second edition at least has a more positive ending. Not to sound like a name-dropper (as I said to Iggy Pop the other day...just kidding) but I've spent time with the Ramones and agree that Joey can be moody and Johnny can be crabby and bossy, but that they are also nice people in general and can be fun to be with. I am glad there turned out to be at least ONE show, ONE night when Dee Dee was up there, playing bass and jumping up and down and thought, "Man, this is pretty fun." Obviously there's still some bad feelings left, which is too bad. But then again, think of some of the people you may have worked with years ago who you still don't want to run into again because you're so sick of. And as another reviewer said, see the title of the book.

This book is also a very, very effective example of why not to do drugs. You may not want to look at the pictures taken after 1989 if you want to remember him like he was. I do still tend to think, though, that "Please Kill Me" gave you a better idea of the Ramones and the New York punk scene back then, and even of Dee Dee's life. Now that's a solid, satisfying read and includes almost as many of Dee Dee's words as this autobio does. In both, it's clear he's a great storyteller.

Another thing that bugged me when I first read the book was there's absolutely NO mention of his wife of over 10 years, Vera Ramone, who he loved so much he married her in a church and had her name tattooed on his arm. Like she never existed, and I really wanted to hear about their marriage. I since found out that they have some kind of written agreement that he can't write about her, or she asked him not to and they are close enough so he respects her wishes.

Anyway, Dee Dee gets some great stories about the punk scene in, is a good sport about the less than shrewd decisions he's made in his life ("Putting out a rap album didn't exactly win me any popularity contests", he writes) and has a great sense of humor. Just wish the book wasn't so short (and that he did an audio version). He said his next book is going to be a horror novel- now that I **really** can't wait to read.

Dee Dee's much smarter than he sounds...I still think every hardcore Ramones fan should have this in their collection.

Perhaps, the most intriguing aspect of this book is that it's author, Dee Dee Ramone, lived through (and was a contributing part of) a ground breaking movement in rock'n'roll -punk rock- during a time when NY's East Village was a free-for-all of real "sex and drugs and rock'n'roll", a place where anything and everything went down, and new ideas and attitudes were born to blaze permanent trails in rock culture and American culture. While Dee Dee may have been just a bass player in a band (the Ramones!), he lived a life that was (in part) both influenced by and representable of that era. -- Dee Dee's writing style is very simple and often spills onto the page like broken fragmented memories, but he does write from the heart and offers more of a personal story than documentation of the times. In doing so, he exposes himself like a raw nerve and yet also manages to successfully capture an exciting and dangerous mood and era in NY's East Village and rock'n'roll, - (now lost to the urban gentrification and the commercialism of underground rock and art.) Much like the film the Bad Lieutenant, he takes us on his personal journey through the seedy part of life, filled with drug addiction, self hate, and mental breakdowns. And, unintentionally gives us an insight as to who or what our rock stars and heros may actually be. There is a soul behind his voice that reveals the freaks and substance abusers to be victims of their own weaknesses, fears and past lives. Much of Dee Dee's childhood is tragic, it haunts him throughout his life, and provides us with an insight into much of his self destruction. While at times his writing doesn't explain the how's or why's of an event, he does give us enough of his painful personal history and insight into his demons so that we may read between the lines and fill in the blanks - somewhat! Dee Dee was a serious drug addict and often writes as if his memories are charred segments of a post-drug haze. A couple of times he even states he can't remember details. Dee Dee does whine a bit throughout the book and often fails to see that being a Ramone bestowed him many blessings and privileges (as well as torment and restrictions, which he is all too well aware of). But his failure to see the glass as half full (not half empty) is tolerable, forgivable and understandable as it is in line with aspects of his personality that have beaten him into self destruction, insecurity, and self loathing - which, to his credit (and intelligence), he is very aware of! Many of the stories do leave one wishing he would have gone into more detail or offered more of an explanation, yet this doesn't seem to detract from their interest. This book isn't a history of the Ramones or punk rock. It's the personal story of Dee Dee Ramone, a drug addict and survivor, a man who many may find compelling merely because of his association with the Ramones and punk rock. Yet those two things are so much a part of his existence that anyone interested in either should find his story of some interest. -- I was a bit baffled and disappointed that no real mention was made of his ex-wife, Vera, who had to play some role in his life. (Christ, he married her, right!) Perhaps, this was for legal reasons. Still, I found this book worth the read.

This is the best sorce to find out how it's really like to be one of the ramones.Dee Dee gives you great insight on life of a drug addict,musican,and one of the most influencial bass players of all time. If you like the ramones at all you will love this book. The best part about it is that is is an easy read all chapters are less than 20 pages long...short like a ramones song! Long live Dee Dee Ramone, may he rest in peace.

I bought this book thinking it was a follow-up to Poison Heart, which I enjoyed very much, but IT IS EXACTLY (WORD FOR WORD) THE SAME BOOK with a different cover and publishing date! Even Amazon makes it look like 2 different books.

However, if you haven't read Poison Heart, then I strongly recommend you read this book for an insight to the major creative force behind one of the world's greatest bands since the Beatles.

I did find the language unnecessarily vulgar at times. Does f--k even have to be on the outside jacket reviews. I think Dee Dee should stop trying to appeal to morons and realize that his audience has a brain; maybe the Ramones would have been bigger if they didn't try so hard to look stupid.

I will keep the book because I am a collector and a fan, but I warn all buyers to BEWARE!

For those who are complaing that this book is not a comprehensive history of The Ramones, you are missing the point. This is the story of one Dee Dee Ramone, a man who lived part of his life as bassist for the band, and lived his whole life as a drug addict. Ego? Of course. As addicts, we are insecure egomaniacs and if we don't have our sobriety, we have no chance of building a better life from this chaos.
Dee Dee never found what he needed. The only irony is that the word "Surviving" is in the title. Like thousands before and after him who are still suffering, Dee Dee did not survive.

Most people seem to miss the point of this book. Dee Dee is joking around... he's being authentic... being Dee Dee... a PUNK and a drug addict. Everything is exagerrated and shot through Dee Dee's Special Black Humor Lens. Every page has priceless moments where Dee Dee takes the piss out of someone... like the Idiots who buy this book and actually expect Dee Dee to be some sort of self-important Rock Historian. He invents endless bizarre stuff like Marc Bell doing the "Chicken Beek Boy Dance" and references it every 5 pages to really rub it in. Brilliant.

But where the book really shines is Dee Dee's brutally honest portrayal of the life-long battle addicts wage with there addictions. Usually a losing battle. His humanity is bared for all. And we are all one and the same. In contrast to Phony Rock Stars and Celebrities who carefully cultivated air-brushed images that absolutely no one believes anyway. After reading this book... I just love this guy. I would have cried the day he died.

I liked the book for it was - an honest and straight from the horses mouth telling of how it was being Dee Dee Ramone. You get a great sense of who he is and how he works, he holds nothing back in regards to the things he's done in his life that he is not proud of. The book's got a ton of personality behind it and it reads as if Dee Dee is talking right to you directly. What I didn't like was that there were very few stories regarding THE RAMONES themselves. I know, then don't read a Dee Dee book, read a RAMONES tell all! But the book lost points for lacking more and by more - most of the book is just Dee Dee talking about running around for drugs and feeling bad for himself. I loved the honesty, just hungered for more. Still a needed read for a Ramones fan.

Great read! Interesting to see things from the viewpoint of the outcast. Love the photos! I highly recommend this book- especially for anyone who loves the Ramones.

This book was surprisingly good. Dee Dee's sincerity and honesty really showed through this confessional autobiography. The book is filled with Dee Dee's insight about his journey from a highly dysfunctional family to being a successful song writer and punk star. It made me realize how much he contributed to the band and even during the times he was out of the band he was still writing songs for the Ramones on a freelance basis. What impresses me about Dee Dee is that his main goal was happiness and he was well aware of his struggle, his own ghosts and faults. This book also is simply enjoyable to read. Dee Dee is a great writer with tight chapters that wrap up nicely. I really love this book and will definitely reread it a couple more times.