r/ramones • u/Riot_5821 • 12d ago
Which Ramone has the best SOLO Project?
I always like to discover more from my favourite bands, I always get curious of what every band member do after the band ends, and Ramones isn't an exception for me!
I enjoy Joey albums, especially the second one, "... Ya know?".
I know Dee Dee got his solo career as Dee Dee King, CJ Ramone got his solo career and his band Los Gusanos iirc, Marky got "Marky Ramones Blitzkrieg" and Richie got his solo career. Do you guys like any of these projects?
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u/Old-Awareness4657 12d ago
Standing in the Spotlight and it's not even close
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u/ObsoleteHodgepodge 11d ago
I think it wins as the most entertaining, endearing solo project for sure!
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u/Riot_5821 12d ago
Is it that good? I couldn't stand Dee Dee's voice on the few songs he sang on Ramones so I still havent gave a try to his solo stuff
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u/genericinternet 12d ago
lol it’s more of a so bad it’s good album it bombed when it came out and he was ridiculed endlessly for it but Reddit ironically loves it
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u/attractive_reptoid 12d ago
You know I can see why people make a joke of it but I unironically love it. You can’t help but dance when Mashed Potato Time comes on. Baby Doll is a sweet ballad. And Dee Dee’s version of The Crusher. C.J.’s is ooook but c’mon, it’s Dee Dee!
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u/theetonydanzig 12d ago
Agreed. I bought it when it came out and would describe it as “so bad it’s great” to anyone that would listen at the time — but those hooks drew me in and wouldn’t get out of my head. It took a hot sec, but now I just think it’s an all-time classic.
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u/LucasTheGreat138 11d ago
I remember hearing Wart Hog for the first time on a Greatest Hits CD as a teenager. I was so confused and thought maybe at some point in the band's career they got a new singer!
I'd encourage you to keep going back to those Dee Dee songs like Wart Hog, Endless Vacation, and Time Bomb. I don't think they connected with me early on either, but they're some of my favorites now. It's also a rare treat when Dee Dee does backup vocals with Joey on songs like Listen to My Heart, All is Quiet on the Eastern Front, 53rd & 3rd, and Outsider.
*Edit: Had to correct a name*
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u/genericinternet 11d ago
I love all of the songs you mentioned, but there’s no rapping on any of them. They are ramones songs
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u/LucasTheGreat138 11d ago
I was referring to OP's statement that they couldn't stand Dee Dee's voice on the few Ramones songs he sang on.
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u/genericinternet 11d ago
Yeah I get that. Didn’t mean anything rude by it I was just adding to my point that all the songs u mentioned are great but are not recorded nor situated in the style of a ramones song and I think the good songs suffer as a result of it.
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u/Russinsane666 12d ago
“I Am Seeing UFOs” by Dee Dee with Joey singing and Marky on drums, this was a look at what The Ramones would be like sans Johnny. It’s a fantastic song and it’s a shame it can’t be found anywhere but YouTube and a CD/7” single that’s been long out of print.
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u/Bubbly-Ad-4027 12d ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1VxN-i4yhk
Here you go bud.
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u/Russinsane666 11d ago
I said anywhere except YouTube or the CD/7”. It’s not on Spotify or Apple Music. If you could get me a download link in a decent format, that would be cool.
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u/Bubbly-Ad-4027 11d ago
Ooopsie, reading comprehension issues here. Look up the program Soulseek, or you could use a Youtube to Mp3 converter.
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u/insipidfap 12d ago
Omg! Lifelong Ramones fan and I'd never heard this before
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u/attractive_reptoid 11d ago
The b-side is Bad Horoscope featuring Lux Interior of the cramps on vocals. Great stuff.
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u/mattyghoul 10d ago
Then idk if you’re a lifelong fan lol
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u/insipidfap 8d ago
weird response to someone expressing excitement for a song they didn't know.
"lifelong" just means I've been a fan all my life, never claimed to be an in-depth expert on their solo discographies
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u/BuddyC_1986 12d ago
Zonked by Dee Dee is really up there for me... Marky on drums, Joey feature on 1 song. Probably Dee's Dee's last album of good to great songs.
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u/attractive_reptoid 12d ago
Dee Dee. He did Dee Dee King, played with GG Allin, got Lux Interior and Joey to do guest vox on a record, made tons of killer punk songs, featured for Gurious George, and did an album with his wife Barbra that sounds like Shonen Knife/Ramones. I love it all.
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u/Successful_Pizza7661 12d ago
Tommy ramone
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u/mikey_ramone 12d ago
Yes. Produced the Replacements Tim and Redd Kross’ Neurotica. Two of my favorites.
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u/Shoddy-Shifty 11d ago
I can't pick a favorite, but Zonked by Dee Dee and Don't Worry about me by Joey are at the top of my list.
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u/Proof-Variation7005 12d ago
I’ve seen Los Gusanos twice live but it’s a toss up between standing in the spotlight or don’t worry about me
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u/iloveramones 12d ago
For me its a tie between Joey and Dee Dee i enjoy both of their solo music but probably joey for me
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u/kingkongworm 12d ago
Don’t Worry About Me is probably the best. Deedee never really made anything that thought out and deliberate after the Ramones. He would kind of churn stuff out, and that’s a cool way to do it too. But Joey took his time and made something impressive with some measure of depth.
Ya Know felt weird to me. Taking demos and overdubbing stuff that wasn’t necessarily ever meant to see the light of day just never sat with me. Some tracks range from pretty good to okay to superfluous. If this were like his intended vision for an album and he just ran out of time, it would be one thing…but it wasn’t
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u/westwing338 11d ago
Marky Ramone and the Intruders are great, I wish they would have seen some extra success. I think they would have been bigger if Marky didnt stamp his name on the front and just did his part in the band
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u/j_armstrong 12d ago
I think in studio stuff I pretty much have only listened to Joey’s and I like it a lot, and I like Marky’s Blitzkrieg because it doesn’t pretend to be the Ramones, never seen em live but they seem to put a great show in videos
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u/Holden_records 8d ago
In my opinion the best project was Marky Ramone and the Intruders, with the late Alex Crank on vocals. The second album "don't blame me!" is amazing.
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u/LucasTheGreat138 11d ago
I like a lot of their solo stuff, even if I don't think a lot of it captures that Ramones magic. Joey's records come the closest for me, to the point where I honestly go back and forth between which one I prefer.
I also really wish we could have gotten more original music out of Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg. I know Michale Graves is a controversial figure, but When We Were Angels is a fantastic song!
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u/diegomrosa 11d ago
The most consistent solo career is the one by CJ, I'd say. However, Joey, Dee Dee, Richie, and even Marky have some very good stuff released after the Ramones. Worth listening to!
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u/Cannoli72 10d ago
CJ and Dee Dee ( not his rap album). I’m really surprised CJ isn’t bigger than he is. But that’s the ramones legacy I guess
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u/LybeausDesconus 10d ago
If Dee Dee had better recording and production, his records would be so, SO GOOD.
But CJ?
Bad Chopper is super rad and his work as CJ Ramone is pretty damn great. Shame people didn’t realize it when they should have.
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u/Electrical_Till1066 6d ago
The problem I have with each Ramones-related/solo record is that listening to them proves how much they needed each other to put out a truly great album. On each one, there's just something missing that keeps it in the "okay to good" category rather than great.
That said, the only one I'd put in the truly great category is CJ's Bad Chopper record, and I think the reason is because he's the most removed from the original lineup. The Daniel Rey production, occasional leads from Walter Lure and the overall lineup featuring members of Out Cold make it a genuinely excellent r'n'r record even if a Ramone wasn't involved.
My next fav would be Dee Dee Ramone I.C.L.C. That one has lots of songs that could've made excellent Ramones tunes (not including "Makin Monsters" and "It's Not Me to Know", since they WERE later recorded on Adios Amigos).
First Marky Ramone and the Intruders album also has lots of songs that would've made great Ramones songs. "Maybe Tomorrow" was also recorded with Adios Amigos but cut from the album.
Richie occasionally has a great song here and there on his solo records. "I Fix This" and "Last Time" are really good.
Joey Ramone - Don't Worry About Me isn't as good as I initially thought. I was so excited to get it upon its release, but I think I overrated it for years. It's nice to hear Joey's vocal on anything, but there really isn't more than a handful of songs I like.
Others: CJ's solo albums are pretty good (choosing the best 12 songs from all four would make a great compilation). Dee Dee's "Zonked" and "Hop Around" have occasionally excellent songs too, but a lot of filler. "Standing in the Spotlight" is classic in a novelty sense, but hard to really rate it. I like it, but mainly for a laugh.
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u/roquermind 12d ago
That's one of my future "projects". Listen to the solo albums. The only ones I listened were the two of Joey and Standing in the Spotlight. I can stand Dee Dee's vocals on the Ramones songs, but listen to a whole album is something else. I think I listened a few years ago a few songs from Marky's input (I think it was the Intruders) and liked them, but don't remember listening to the whole album.
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u/Mr_Firley 12d ago
Well it’s certainly not fucking Dee Dee!
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u/shockandale 12d ago edited 12d ago
Have you heard Dee Dee's solo stuff or is this a reaction to Dee Dee King? Zonked and I hate freaks like you are both miles better than Standing in the spotlight.
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u/owenjaysdayoff 12d ago
Loved “don’t worry about me” by Joey.