Rating: 
Summary: Great Book!
Review: Just got through reading this book. Its cool that the Ramones tour manager wrote this book, so there is no bias towards making anyone look spotless. They were a great band but they didnt get along very well at all. Pretty much just tolerated each other. Alot of cool stories in the book. Johnny was a conservative, good work ethic, maybe a little condescending of other races, sports fanatic. Dee Dee was bipolar with a bad drug problem, genius. Tommy wasnt a great drummer but had great vision. Joey had a compulsive disorder but was the ultimate overachiever and brillant. But could never get the woman that Johnny stole out of his mind. Mark was a great drummer but an acoholic and unstable. Richie was good but underpaid. C.J. was probably the only person in the world who could replace Dee Dee on Bass. I have always liked the music but had no idea about the men. After reading this book I like them even more. To bad a couple of them are not around to see the much deserved respect that the Ramones get these days. Buy the book. Monte deserves it for all the stuff he had to deal with on a daily basis.
Rating:
Summary: "It's Monte, Not Monty!"
Review: Monte's book, "On The Road With The Ramones" tells it like it is and was.Frank Meyer knows his punk rock. This book is a MUST HAVE for any Ramones fan, and offers insight not only into rock 'n' roll and punk rock, but into the concept of bands themselves. Monte is honest, sincere, and an all around nice guy. As much as I'd like to say this is my FAVORITE Ramones book, with all the infighting that goes on among these guys (and still does to this day), it's best I don't. The pictures in here are priceless and I think Monte's pal, Shira, deserves lots of credit for helping him and Frank out with what is one of the best rock books ever written. Buy this right away. No matter if you are a Ramones fan, or just heard of them. This book truely talks about the heart of rock n' roll. And sometimes that ain't pretty. But it sure is interesting. -GT
June 2004
Rating:
Summary: "It's Monte, Not Monty!"
Review: Monte's book, "On The Road With The Ramones" tells it like it is and was. Frank Meyer knows his punk rock. This book is a MUST HAVE for any Ramones fan, and offers insight not only into rock 'n' roll and punk rock, but into the concept of bands themselves. Monte is honest, sincere, and an all around nice guy. As much as I'd like to say this is my FAVORITE Ramones book, with all the infighting that goes on among these guys (and still does to this day), it's best I don't. The pictures in here are priceless and I think Monte's pal, Shira, deserves lots of credit for helping him and Frank out with what is one of the best rock books ever written. Buy this right away. No matter if you are a Ramones fan, or just heard of them. This book truely talks about the heart of rock n' roll. And sometimes that ain't pretty. But it sure is interesting. -GT
June 2004
Rating:
Summary: E-Z Pass to Punk City!!!
Review: On the Road is not so much a book, but a menu of rock insider's "Soup de jour". No need to read from cover to cover
here...simply flip open to any page from any chapter and dig in.
Those who knew how punk was formed, by whom, and for whom, will offer you short bullets of wit and wisdom, insight and hindsight as to how these American Icons single handedly changed music's direction at a time when cocaine and disco, satin garbed son's riches' mega bands were brainwashing the teenage brains beyond rock and roll reason. Monte and Frank have put their two experiences and creative minds together to simply and visually state what the Ramones stood for to those who sensed something was wrong on their radio's. Beatles were gone, the British Invasion had retreated, and mindless, endless guitar and drum solo's numbed the masses.....enter Joey, Tommy, Dee Dee, and Johnny, Monte, Danny Fields, Billy Crystal, Deborah Harry (huge fan from the start) and Dead Boys....add producers, writers, and
NYC's new beat generation, and Ramonesmania was born and hit the road. All other bands had tour managers, but the Ramones had a father, brother, musician, and friend in Monte Melnick, the real "King of the Road" when it came to keeping this fab four alive for 23 years. When MTV's mental midgets banned them forever from mainstream, when radio stations ignored these geniuses, when crowds still paid top dollar for mediocrity, Monte kept the fires and tires burning throughout this country and into the global market. His serious looks, tailored briefcase, and steady "hands on the wheel" gave the consistent management that only he alone could provide a band who kept ticking even when it took apathetic lickings. BUY THIS BOOK and feel proud to contribute to the legacy that Street Walkin Cheetah Rocker Frank Meyers and the King of Corona, Sir Monte Melnick have given as a gift to the gifted. Thank you so very much Monte and Frank, so very very much...... Nancy of Newburgh
Rating:
Summary: E-Z Pass to Punk City!!!
Review: On the Road is not so much a book, but a menu of rock insider's "Soup de jour". No need to read from cover to cover
here...simply flip open to any page from any chapter and dig in.
Those who knew how punk was formed, by whom, and for whom, will offer you short bullets of wit and wisdom, insight and hindsight as to how these American Icons single handedly changed music's direction at a time when cocaine and disco, satin garbed son's riches' mega bands were brainwashing the teenage brains beyond rock and roll reason. Monte and Frank have put their two experiences and creative minds together to simply and visually state what the Ramones stood for to those who sensed something was wrong on their radio's. Beatles were gone, the British Invasion had retreated, and mindless, endless guitar and drum solo's numbed the masses.....enter Joey, Tommy, Dee Dee, and Johnny, Monte, Danny Fields, Billy Crystal, Deborah Harry (huge fan from the start) and Dead Boys....add producers, writers, and
NYC's new beat generation, and Ramonesmania was born and hit the road. All other bands had tour managers, but the Ramones had a father, brother, musician, and friend in Monte Melnick, the real "King of the Road" when it came to keeping this fab four alive for 23 years. When MTV's mental midgets banned them forever from mainstream, when radio stations ignored these geniuses, when crowds still paid top dollar for mediocrity, Monte kept the fires and tires burning throughout this country and into the global market. His serious looks, tailored briefcase, and steady "hands on the wheel" gave the consistent management that only he alone could provide a band who kept ticking even when it took apathetic lickings. BUY THIS BOOK and feel proud to contribute to the legacy that Street Walkin Cheetah Rocker Frank Meyers and the King of Corona, Sir Monte Melnick have given as a gift to the gifted. Thank you so very much Monte and Frank, so very very much...... Nancy of Newburgh
Rating:
Summary: Move Over Jim Bessman!
Review: This book is guaranteed to top ANY books written by ANYBODY claiming to be an expert on the Ramones. Monte Melnick IS the expert, and he has written an insightful and truthful book about
Rock's major influence in this or any other century. The pictures are as cool as the subject matter, and the layout of the book is a tribute to Sanctuary Publishing. Anyone wishing to peer into the past and learn what the Ramones really were all about, and how they evolved should buy this book today! Cheers to Monte and Frank (Frank Meyers made major creative insertions into the writing of this book, and should be plauded for his interviewing skills! Go Street Walking Cheetah's !
Rating:
Summary: Gabba Gabba Hey
Review: This book was written much in the same vein as Legs McNeil's "Please Kill Me". It was a very interesting, fast paced read that had many photos, some I've never seen before and I'm a pretty hardcore fan. You will certainly get an inside look at the band and some pretty ugly sides come out. Mostly, Johnny gets pretty bad treatment but most fans are aware of his far right political lean and control issues so I wasn't shocked or anything. All in all, this is a good book to pick up for the hardcore fan.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome from beginning to end
Review: This is a MUST-HAVE book for all Ramones fans. It's an inside look from the people who were actually there witnessing and experiencing all the extreme highs and lows one of rock's greatest bands. It's such a fascinating read, I had a hard time putting it down, and I think you will too. Buy it, read it, and then revisit their albums. You'll never look at the Ramones in the same light.
Rating:
Summary: Heartbreaking, but a must-read for dedicated pinheads
Review: This is the third "story behind the Ramones" book I've read. The first was published in the UK in the early 80s, and the second was published in 1993. This is not only more complete (for obvious reasons,) it's also by far the most in-depth and unflinchingly honest. Brutally honest.
I became a Ramones fan in 1983, when Subterranean Jungle was new. I saw the videos for Time Has Come Today and Psycho Therapy and immediately loved the songs. In the blissful ignorance of my youth, I had no idea that they were considered a punk band. I thought "punk" meant you played REALLY FAST, screamed unintelligible lyrics, and had short hair. The Ramones kept to a mid-tempo, I could understand all of the lyrics, and they had long hair. I thought they were just a rock band. A very strange and unique rock band, but a rock band nonetheless. I soon discovered that they weren't really brothers, but I assumed they were good friends. Now I know better. After the first few years, they couldn't stand each other. They never spoke. Some of them had severe mental problems. They were some of the most unhappy people I've ever read about. But through it all, Monte Melnick kept the machine going. God bless you, Mr. Melnick.
This book should have been titled: "Johnny Ramone: The Biggest ***hole the World Has Ever Known." I literally learned to play the guitar by playing to my Ramones records and doing whatever Johnny did. He's one of my all time heroes. Now I read this and discover that he was a complete bastard. A miserable, hateful, racist, fascist son of a *****. He sure could downstrum, though.
Rating:
Summary: Monte is the fifth Ramone
Review: This was such a fun read. I have been a diehard Ramones fan for almost 20 years, so much of the subject matter was not surprising to me. Although there are quite a few grammatical errors, the book is still well written. One thing that I appreciated was that Melnick includes interviews from Vera Ramone (Dee Dee's first wife). After reading Dee Dee's books, one would think that he was never married before Barbara (his wife until he met his untimely demise). Vera was married to Dee Dee for over eleven years, and it is wonderful and touching to read her insights about Dee Dee. The book also includes humorous anecdotes that will make you laugh out loud as you read ahout this crew of misfits who managed over 2,000 shows in their career. It was fascinating to learn about the many tasks a tour manager must undertake. Melnick was a true friend to the Ramones, and often underrated. If it weren't for his professionalism, I doubt that the band would be where they are today. Monte is truly the fifth Ramone.
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