'I Slept With Joey Ramone - A Family Memoir' by Mickey Leigh
with Legs McNeil
From
Publishers Weekly:
Singer-songwriter Joey Ramone, who cofounded the rock group the Ramones
in 1974, died of lymphatic cancer at age 49 in 2001. Born Jeff Hyman in
Manhattan, he grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, with low self-esteem and
what is described as an obsessive compulsive disorder, but he soon escaped
to Greenwich Village, where he became a punk pioneer. Commercial success
was elusive. While the Ramones remained an underground band, they are
regarded today as a huge influence on the entire punk rock movement. Joey's
brother, Mickey Leigh (who formed his own band), recreates that electric
era, striking all the right chords in this dynamic biography. With skillful
writing, he finds Joey's musical roots in their dysfunctional family life.
As they attempted to deal with their mother's divorce and remarriage,
the accidental death of their stepfather, financial worries and neighborhood
bullies, their interest in rock, drugs and far-out fashions escalated.
With angst-ridden anecdotes, the book traces the trajectory of the Ramones
over two decades, from early gigs and recording sessions through sibling
rivalry, feuds, fights, eccentric escapades and 2,000-plus performances
before they disbanded in 1996. Leigh and Legs's mashup of memories with
solid research makes for revelatory reading in this compelling portrait
of a musical misfit who evolved into a countercultural icon. (Dec. 1)
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Inc. All rights reserved.
Reviews
"Joey Ramone kick started my career as a singer ... blame him."
-- Bono
"Mickey's cool new book is not only important, it's very, very moving.
Joey's overcoming incredible adversity to be the lead singer in one of
the greatest and most influential Rock bands of all time will be an inspiration
for every kid that doesn't quite "fit it."
-- Steven Van Zandt
"Mickey Leigh's story makes for compelling reading. I Slept With Joey
Ramone is funny, sad, shocking and surprising and best of all, brutally
honest."
-- John Holmstrom, Co-founder of PUNK Magazine
- Amazon.com Description