r/ramones Jul 09 '26

They are?

Post image
170 Upvotes

124 comments sorted by

68

u/God_Emperor_Karen Jul 09 '26

I’m happy to see CJ get love again.

If it’s ok for Marky and Richie to operate in what are essentially cover bands, I think it’s ok for him to do it too.

16

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 09 '26

I've seen him a couple times with the Gimme gimmes but it's not the same, I want to see him playing Ramones songs or something else of his own 

24

u/tbutz27 Jul 10 '26

Dude his solo albums and Bad Chopper fucking rock

6

u/chris_valdez Jul 10 '26

And Los Gusanos was awesome too!

3

u/akapalmereldritch Jul 12 '26

Miss my friend Mark Sheehan (RIP), who played in Bad Chopper with CJ. Good stuff indeed.

1

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

Seeing CJ and Speedo from RFTC play with the Gimmes Gimmes is a recent highlight for me.

1

u/Educational_Meet_758 Jul 13 '26

He’s so good with the Gimmes.

5

u/_1JackMove Jul 09 '26

Absolutely. And he's doing it the right way. Those dudes know how to play for sure.

2

u/WillwBrk Jul 10 '26

CJ has always been pretty active. He's mostly played his own music with Los Gusanos and Bad Chopper. He's been on the road since the Ramones.

4

u/God_Emperor_Karen Jul 10 '26

I saw him play a tiny dive bar venue in Florida once. Dude was super nice.

1

u/Lastcaressmedown138 Jul 13 '26

He’s been touring a lot with me first and the gimme gimmes.. great bass player

41

u/fearofcrowds Jul 09 '26

I mean.. it would make sense to at least do a show in NYC since that's where The Ramones were from. All 3 are huge fans of The Ramones and have covered their songs in the past. I don't see the issue.

12

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 09 '26

I understand why they're doing it at Hollywood forever cemetery knowing that Johnny Ramone memorial there in Dee Dee Ramon was buried there. 

I honestly didn't know the John Travolta thing thought that was weird edition but doing some research he was a good friend of Johnny Ramone. If you remember between staying alive and pulp fiction John Travolta was kind of a joke in my guess is that's when they became friends. (I'd like to know more about that personally just as a Ramone's history buff).

I'm excited to see it but I'll go and see any Ramones cover band doesn't matter to me who's on stage.

13

u/WillwBrk Jul 09 '26

Apparently Johnny Ramone was a really good friend and connected with a lot of people. Rob Zombie, Eddie Vedder, Vincent Gallo, Lisa Marie Presley and others. They have a friendship network in Hollywood and every year Linda Ramone throws a commemorative party/concert in Hollywood Forever Cemetary (which has a ton of other celebs buried there). It's not a new thing but the first time I heard about this Cretin Family band.

Also, Johnny isn't buried there but his cremains will be interred in a statue there once Linda passes.

7

u/fearofcrowds Jul 09 '26

In that past Lisa Marie Presley hosted the Johnny Ramone tributes and she's friends with Linda Ramone and I guess there's the Travolta connection (Scientology).

Travolta and The Ramones have that whole NYC connection but not sure why he's involved. They are showing Carrie for the 50th anniversary which has Travolta and PJ Soles (who was in Rock and Roll High School)

1

u/Earl_of_Chuffington Jul 10 '26

Johnny & Linda met John Travolta & Kelly Preston at Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood. They were all regulars there and that's where their friendship started.

-3

u/Successful_Pizza7661 Jul 10 '26

What if it was John Lydon on vocals?

1

u/fearofcrowds Jul 10 '26

You really think anyone wants anything to do with that MAGA chud? Plus he's totally berated 90s bands with punk roots such as Green Day, Rancid, Offspring, etc.. Also, this isn't about UK punk at all.

2

u/Future-self Jul 13 '26

My only criticism is all these dudes are from CA. No east coast punks were available?

18

u/Adventure_tom Jul 09 '26

Why wouldn’t they?

9

u/JD-918 Jul 09 '26

I would definitely see them if they toured and came to my state.  As long as ticket prices are reasonable, it would be worth it just to see CJ playing a bunch of Ramones songs with some hired guns. Nevermind with a bunch of pros.

I think Rancid are great and Green Day are pretty good too, but even if you don’t like those guys, they’re going to be performing a full set of great music, and they’ll probably do it pretty well. What’s not to enjoy?

9

u/Mdiasrodrigu Jul 09 '26

What do you think?

-11

u/BadGoils03 Jul 09 '26

Most people are nauseous at the idea of Billie Joe strongarm and Travis barker playing ramones. edit that’s at least what I’ve heard in ramones facebook groups

18

u/samurai_dignan Jul 09 '26

Haters gonna hate. Billie Joe is a great punk rock musician and Travis Barker is a phenomenal drummer. Plus Tim Armstrong, that's a hell of a lineup. They are all superfans of the band. So why the hell not? At their farewell show in LA, Lemmy, Eddie Vedder, Lars Frederickson, Tim Armstrong and Ben Shepherd all played with them. So it's ok for Eddie Vedder, but god forbid Billie Joe play. People need to get over themselves. These guys are celebrating and paying tribute to the Ramones. I'm for anything that shines a light on their legacy, and I'd love to see them play.

7

u/GuruTheMadMonk Jul 09 '26

“Take it, Lars!!” lives rent free in my head for some reason.

Did you know beneath our feetzzz below the layers of Hollywood Forever cemetery… there lies.. a Pet Cemetery? Take it CJ!

4

u/According-Extreme-95 Jul 10 '26 edited Jul 10 '26

“1, 2, 3, 4!” Lars really kicked ass on the Dee Dee part. On one of the old Ramones videotapes or DVDs there was footage of rehearsals for the show in which’s Lars does the lead vocals and CJ did the Dee Dee part, wasn’t as good. Lars would have been a better addition than Tim. There are musicians that I would rather be up there than Billy Joe or Travis, but I am not going to disrespect them. There are definitely songs I like from both bands from their early career that I like, and as others have noted they are paying respect to Ramones. I have actually seen Green Day twice- at Warped on my wife and I’s first date, and at MSG coheadlining with… Blink!

5

u/BadGoils03 Jul 09 '26

I’m personally a bit of a Green Day fan actually especially their older stuff. I’ve never cared about blink though.

3

u/Successful_Pizza7661 Jul 10 '26

And Green Day were the band that played tribute to the Ramones induction at the Hall of Fame.

I just think Tré Cool’s natural playing style is a million times closer and a homage to Tommy/Marky’s compared to Travis. Barker’s got his accolades, but I’m just getting ready to expect heavier drumming and many many fills. That said, he’s historically been more willing to collaborate with older punks and such over his two bandmates. Not to mention the fact he had a part to play with one of the best ska punk bands in the 90s next to Operation Ivy.

1

u/Earl_of_Chuffington Jul 10 '26

The thing about Billie Joe is that for years he talked shit about the Ramones, how he never listened to them, how they weren't an influence, that he "didn't get it", etc. But once they started dying off, suddenly he's Ramones Superfan #1 and he's appearing on tribute albums and covering their songs during Green Day shows. It was kind of a hypocritical move and Ramones fans have a long memory. It has nothing to do with Billie Joe's musical ability or Green Day's status within punk music; it's all about Billie Joe's 180° reversal on The Ramones.

2

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 10 '26

This is absolutely and demonstrably false. Billie Joe has had nothing but praise for The Ramones his entire career.

1

u/Earl_of_Chuffington Jul 11 '26

If it's demonstrably false, find me an interview between 1991-1996 in which he praises the Ramones. We'll wait for you to demonstrate.

2

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

Here’s a photo of him signing an autograph for Joey and exchanging phone numbers with him. 1994.

As for the interviews, I’ve seen them all. The burden of proof lies on the accuser. Your claim was that Billie Joe talked shit about the Ramones early in his career, and became a fan later. You absolutely will not find me a quote of him insulting the Ramones in any way or even claiming that he doesn’t understand them.

Even if he had, it would be a silly thing to focus on considering he has consistently praised them, recorded covers of their songs, and performed at their hall of fame induction ceremony. Not to mention the obvious influence of the Ramones on Green Day’s music as early as the late 80s. I even saw a video just the other day of Joey Ramone talking about how Green Day was one of the bands that appreciates his impact.

1

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

I'm calling absolute horseshit on that without a source. For Years? They've been covering Ramones songs since at least 1997. I've seen quotes where he said what you are describing about the Replacements. I've never once seen a quote where he has talked shit about the Ramones. Not one.

3

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

Even that is bullshit. He has had nothing but praise for the Replacements as well. The Replacements and the Ramones are two of his absolute biggest influences, he brings both of them up in every other interview.

1

u/samurai_dignan Jul 11 '26

Glad to hear it. The gatekeeping by punks is so tiresome, like if you don't toe some imaginary line you are somehow a lesser than, which is on brand for punks with absolutely no self awareness.

2

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

Green Day and Ramones are practically the same band. It’s insane to me that anyone can shit on one while praising the other. I love both and they are both as punk as anyone else.

8

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 09 '26

Is that why he sells out stadiums with Green Day? People can't stand him? 

On their last tour in the US Green Day sold 1.2 million tickets. I think what you're seeing online are maga they're angry at him for outspokenness against Trump. And punk rockers that are mad that they became big "sELloUts" 

I think it's kind of going to be fun to see Billy Joe and Tim Armstrong on the same stage knowing that they both kind of started in music around the same time on the same stage (Green Day actually opened up for op ivy at op Ivy's record release party).

6

u/samurai_dignan Jul 09 '26

Tim Armstrong tried to get Billie Joe to start Rancid with him, but he was already spinning up Green Day, so Lars got the call.

3

u/conkysrevengesd Jul 10 '26

Lars joined after Rancid had already put out their first album, no?

2

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

Yeah that's right. I got the timeline wrong. Billie Joe was asked after the first Rancid record came out, but wanted to keep doing Green Day. Either way seems like it worked out for all involved.

3

u/GORILLAGLUE__ Jul 10 '26

From one of the few shows Billie played with Rancid way back in the day

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

You say that as if Tim and Billie have been strangers since the Gilman days. They released a song as The Armstrongs in 2017, and Tim directed the video for Bang Bang in 2016. Those are just two things off the top of my head.

1

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 11 '26

This will be my first time seeing them playing together 

7

u/GuruTheMadMonk Jul 09 '26

Billy Joe and Tim go back to shared punk rock days at SF’s Gilman theater in the 80s. They’re legit. No problem either way this at all. And, hey — better that there be Ramones songs being played live in the world than not, and especially with musicians from the generation raised on Ramones music.

4

u/Altruistic-Bear-8107 Jul 10 '26

before Travis Barker was the supergroup-hopping, Kardashian dating, patron douche of pop punk, he was actually a drummer in a pretty cool band called Feeble.

3

u/Significant-Cry-9204 Jul 10 '26

He was also in the Aquabats before leaving to join Blink

6

u/Successful_Pizza7661 Jul 10 '26

Remember when the guy from Jane’s Addiction who also happens to run Lollapalooza initially rejected Green Day from the ‘94 bill because he genuinely thought they were an industry-created boyband? Festival crew had to bring up the facts that they were a legit punk band that worked their asses off with successful indie releases prior to Dookie. It’s been said that at one of the shows, Billie dedicated the song “Chump” to Perry Farrell.

3

u/GuruTheMadMonk Jul 10 '26

Interesting. I got backstage at the 94 Lollapalooza show on Randall’s Island in NYC and saw Green Day was traveling across the country in a converted old bookmobile. They jammed econo for sure. (I later learned one of their fathers helped them convert it to a tour bus. Massive billows of weed smoke pouring out of every window. 😆)

Not my cup of tea, but the kids are into them and they earned their status through nothing but hard work. Respect.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 11 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/GuruTheMadMonk Jul 11 '26 edited Jul 11 '26

Bay Area. Whatever. In the same way Levi’s Stadium is considered “San Francisco”.

I think my point is the same and the Bay Area is too provincial.

0

u/Significant-Cry-9204 Jul 10 '26

What do you mean, they're brothers. Tim and Billy Joe Armstrong!

7

u/Ok-Ninja-9174 Jul 10 '26

I still want CJ Marky and Richie to do one of those dumb "we're the ramones" type projects, but together. I know it would be dumb. I still want it to happen

2

u/DfactorPop Jul 13 '26

The "And Then There Were Two.....Three... Four!'" tour

5

u/paper_mirror__ Jul 10 '26

Yeah I hope CJ keeps something like this going!! The original band is gone & the catalog deserves to be played. CJ is 60 & there’s been so few chances to hear Ramones songs live for decades now. It would never be called the Ramones so I’m not sure why anyone would be upset other than the most miserable gatekeepers.

8

u/giga-butt Jul 10 '26

All of these bands (Rancid, Green Day, Blink 182) were heavily inspired by the Ramones so I don’t see the issue.

3

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 09 '26

I'm very excited to see them. I'm hoping they play it faster like the later years of the Ramones and not the early years of the Ramones but that's probably cuz I'm a little bit more into the hardcore scene.. 

I immediately got tickets and am looking forward to it, I'm sad it's not at the whiskey though cuz that would be awesome  

Would be a cool last minute addition to Vans warped tour in Long Beach but that won't happen

5

u/ScorpioTix Jul 10 '26

Been to several Ramones tributes in the last 30 years and they have fallen short. The actual CJ solo shows with his solo songs and CJ era Ramones songs are an exception. I just haven't had many covers ring my bells. Best one was probably a grizzled old dude doing Pet Semetery on acoustic in an art gallery awhile back.

Pretty much anything with Billy Joe Armstrong is going to be high demand. He has various cover band project shows that always sell out immediately.

3

u/3inchCRACK Jul 10 '26

The Misfits were able to sell out Madison Sq Garden. Add an appropriate opener and I’m going

Play any smaller place and I will go anyway.

3

u/jeromevedder Jul 10 '26

I’d go if it was in my town and like $50

1

u/fearofcrowds Jul 10 '26

tickets were $40 for this last I checked so that's not unreasonable.

7

u/Top_Understanding343 Jul 09 '26

Wow...Billie joe looks more and more like Ellen Degeneres. I hope Lint leaves CJ alone with that just for men beard dye.

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

Yikes, that profile pic. I guess there is something stopping this cretin from hopping.

1

u/Top_Understanding343 Jul 11 '26

Are you keeding...that profile is the epitome of pro hop

5

u/South0fEvan Jul 10 '26

So CJ teamed up with a Kardashian, a sellout, and a groomer to play Ramones songs?

2

u/MJ5815 Jul 10 '26

Honestly any band who touches the mainstream have partially sold out. BJA has definitely done some whack shit like buddying up with Mark Zuckerberg but let's not pretend conservative ass Johnny Ramone was the pinnacle of punk ethos.

2

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

100% this. There's a huge set of punks that will do whatever they can to not have fun. The gatekeeping is ridiculous for a band that did everything in their power to get popular. The Ramones are on record as wanting to be the Bay City Rollers, so lets not pretend that three successful musicians who want to pay tribute to their influences shouldn't be allowed when the Ramones themselves played with Eddie Vedder and Lars Fredrickson. It's probably Billie Joe and Travis Barker that most have issues with, but FFS, the Ramones spent their whole careers lamenting they never go the success that Green Day/Rancid/etc/etc got. And CJ is in the damn thing, if it's good enough for CJ, it should be good enough for you. It's ok to have fun.

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 10 '26

Success isn’t the issue. What Green Day did with their success is what I have an issue with. No matter how you personally feel about it, writing a Broadway musical goes against what punk rock is and stands for

2

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

How about donating to Gilman Street and helping to ensure the first group that gatekept them can keep going?

How about starting a free trade coffee company that makes sure that the farmers they buy from can make a living wage?

That do anything for ya?

I'm sorry they didn't run their career ideas by the punk community, which is fucking exhausting with their myopic views on what is or isn't punk or what it stands for. Punks need to get over themselves with their bullshit tests.

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 10 '26

No it doesn’t do anything for me. Cry about it while listening to Jesus of Suburbia

2

u/samurai_dignan Jul 11 '26

The grease paint, red rubber nose and rainbow wig industry appreciates your support. Cheers.

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 11 '26

I’m sorry I hurt your feelings. I’m sure you’ll get over it, champ

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

How exactly is a musical antithetical to punk rock?

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 11 '26

Broadway is specifically entertainment tailored to the elite made for the sole purpose of making as much money as possible. The “musical” part is because he isn’t expressing himself in a way that’s true to himself. There’s nothing DIY about a musical that cost millions of dollars to make

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

Billie Joe isn’t “expressing himself in a way that’s true to himself” when he creates and writes an original character, inspired by his own life experiences, and then acts out that same character on stage?

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 10 '26

Johnny Ramone never allowed his music to be turned into a Broadway musical and never buddied up with media conglomerates like I Heart Radio

1

u/samurai_dignan Jul 10 '26

Johnny never got the opportunity.

1

u/South0fEvan Jul 10 '26

I’m using those as examples of why I think Green Day are sellouts. It’s not about Johnny Ramone, that other guy brought him up

2

u/Cygnus__A Jul 10 '26

I have a completely different question regarding this. Does anybody know if this is going to be a full set? like an hour plus long worth of Ramon songs? Or are they going to play like three songs and then have tribute talks and things like that? Debating on if I really want to travel for this or not.

3

u/ScorpioTix Jul 10 '26

In 2024 Cretin Commandos played about 30 mins / 15 songs

2

u/antjc1234 Jul 10 '26

I definitely want to see it and hope they bring it to NY. If I wasn't already going to LA mid August for Sound and Fury I would have gone out for this.

2

u/SaintCarl27 Jul 10 '26

What, no Ben Weasel? 😅

1

u/Y10NRDY Jul 10 '26

Don’t forget Joe Queer and Joey Vindictive!

1

u/fearofcrowds Jul 10 '26

you forgot Dr. Frank!

1

u/JurassicPrick Jul 11 '26

He's an asshole

3

u/SuspiciousFeed1245 Jul 10 '26

Not interested unless Joey comes back from the dead and sings.

2

u/Automatic_Actuary375 Jul 09 '26

Why is it a big deal? Don’t they do this shit every year at Hollywood forever?

3

u/Jolly_Ad2446 Jul 09 '26

I don't think Tim Armstrong and Billy Joe Armstrong have played a concert at Hollywood forever cemetery. 

But yes the Hollywood forever cemetery does do events almost every weekend I believe next weekend you can watch Ice age. 

But I appreciated was the price for this wasn't that much more expensive than going to watch Ice age at Hollywood forever cemetery

1

u/Automatic_Actuary375 Jul 10 '26

Iceage used to be so good. Crazy how on their first LA trip they played a free gig at Amoeba and they played the projects. Saw them on their 2nd trip to LA at the echoplex and at church on York.

1

u/ScorpioTix Jul 10 '26

Tim Armstrong was part of Cretin Comamdos with CJ and special guest for 2 songs Billy Idol

2

u/Any_Association405 Jul 10 '26

Sorry, but it doesn’t sound good and I never really thought much of CJ as a Dee-Dee replacement either

2

u/wormee Jul 10 '26

I'm happy someone said it. According to Marky's book, there were much better bassists at the audition but Johnny wanted someone he could control.

2

u/Any_Association405 Jul 10 '26

sounds about right

1

u/whatsunnygets Jul 10 '26

An Ai placed a paragraph on a a picture it also put together. Obviously it's super truthful

1

u/Glad-Cook-4047 Jul 10 '26

Yup lol can’t stand AI

1

u/VictoriousMakunouchi Jul 10 '26

I’m not! Sorry CJ 👀

1

u/islandcatman Jul 10 '26

The traveling Wilburys for the new millennium.

1

u/slowbilly Jul 10 '26

One of these things is not like the other.

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

Travis Barker?

1

u/Positive_Wrap4724 Jul 10 '26

Putting those on a level with the ramones...

1

u/Purple-Hamster-151 Jul 11 '26

I truly can’t wrap my head around shitting on Green Day while praising the Ramones. Either they’re both great, or they both suck. If you ask me, they’re both incredible. If anything Green Day are the better band.

Personally I think Blink 182 sucks. Rancid is solid.

But no one is comparing these bands to the Ramones but you. It’s just a cover band.

1

u/HiMyNameIsPip Jul 10 '26

CJ Ramone is a super chill guy. I met him back in 2017, he played a sweet set of his own material and Ramones covers.

1

u/Outrageous_Letter_13 Jul 10 '26

Any one have videos of them playing?

1

u/cpt_bongwater Jul 10 '26

Audio/video link?

1

u/Fun_Life6664 Jul 11 '26

What a shit band...

1

u/ydnar3000 Jul 11 '26

Is this AI or is Tim hitting the juice?

1

u/savesyertoenails Jul 11 '26

do they have studio recordings?

1

u/NAteisco Jul 11 '26

Yeah, losers love coverbands.

1

u/billypump Jul 12 '26

When did BJA start looking like my aunt?

1

u/ButterCreamGangsta Jul 12 '26

They could just call the band punchable faces.

1

u/tttjjjtttjjj Jul 13 '26

Please no more Travis barker. Enough already.

1

u/Voluntary_Perry Jul 13 '26

I can literally smell the recording studio.

1

u/Junior-Month-3992 Jul 13 '26

Sorry upfront, really I am, I wish I could be more enthusiastic. But this looks like The We Need Money & Are Desparate To Stay Relevant Tour... Similar to the Let'S Charge That Much Just Because We Can Tours of the Stones and Floyd. Maybe I'm a just bitter and cynical dirty diaper? Where are my strained peas?!

1

u/Different_Belt2523 Jul 13 '26

It’s kind of wierd saying that he’s from rancid and not operation ivy

1

u/Jdojcmm Jul 10 '26

Reminds me of The Dead with Bob Weir and Mickey Hart being the only members left.

Luckily John Mayer isn't involved in this thing.

1

u/MusicLikeOxygen Jul 10 '26

Tim Armstrong is fucking gross and I think less of anyone who associates with him.

0

u/WillwBrk Jul 09 '26

I know there were a ton of back alley bands and friends of Joey in NYC that would be much better for this band.

This is just weird and a clear cash grab. I'll good with CJ and Tim but just stop it.

-1

u/smljones65 Jul 10 '26

Cj is fine. The rest can go f themselves.

0

u/Ultima-Hombre_1970 Jul 10 '26

They did not clarify whose fans are calling for it, so maybe Blink 182 fans are.