Wissenswertes

He was often at odds with guitarist Johnny Ramone, despite a 20+ year collaboration with the Ramones. They disagreed on many things, from the artistic direction of the band (Johnny wanted to keep performing similar material, Joey wanted to experiment more) to politics (Johnny was a die-hard Republican conservative, Joey was an outspoken liberal), but the main wedge occurred when Johnny stole Joey's girlfriend Linda and eventually married her.

Both the Sex Pistols and the Clash credit the Ramones as a source of inspiration in their formative years.

An outcast in his neighborhood, he was frequently a target of bullies in school on account of his towering height and awkward demeanor which was a result of his severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

East Second Street between the Bowery and Second Avenue, the street adjacent to the legendary club CBGB in New York City, was renamed the Joey Ramone Place after his death.

Actively disliked the Parents Music Resource Center, considering it a form of censorship. He wrote the song "Censorshit" about this.

The inspiration for one of the Ramones' biggest hits, "I Wanna Be Sedated", reportedly came when Joey was hospitalized for exhaustion after a concert tour.

Through the 1970s, Bruce Springsteen wrote several hit songs for other artists without scoring a Top-10 single himself. Joey asked Springsteen to compose a song for the Ramones that was to be included on the Phil Spector-produced album "End of the Century". The song was his classic single "Hungry Heart", which he ended up recording and releasing himself at the insistence of his manager.

Although the Ramones shared credit for writing all songs, Joey actually wrote a majority of the Ramones songs by himself, with most of the significant early songs having been written by either him or Dee Dee Ramone.

The Ramones were named the second-greatest band of all time by Rolling Stone magazine (behind the Beatles).

The Ramones' self-titled debut album is usually credited as the first true punk album.

Joey Ramone passed away on April 15, 2001, one month away from what would have been his 50th birthday on May 19. Suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2002).

Was a huge fan of Motörhead and was close friends with their founder, bass player, and lead vocalist Lemmy.

Along with fellow band members, Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy, chose the name Ramone for himself and for the band when Dee Dee learned that Paul McCartney was reputed to have use the name when checking into hotel rooms incognito. The band never had a single in the top 40 of national charts, and only three singles ever broke into the top 100.

Reportedly died in his hospital bed as the song "In a Little While" by U2 had finished playing on the radio.

One of the first television appearances of the Ramones was on the local TV program "The Uncle Floyd Show". Grateful for the free publicity when they were still growing in popularity, they continued to make occasional appearances on the show even after they became famous, spoke highly of the show in press interviews, made a reference to the show in their song "It's Not My Place (In the Nine to Five World)", and wore T-shirts and buttons that promoted the show when they appeared on national television programs. Both Joey Ramone and the show's host, Floyd Vivino, appeared in the film Final Rinse (1999).

Was raised by his parents at 64-03 110th Street in Forest Hills, Queens, New York.

Was the first of four original members of the Ramones to die. The other three - Dee Dee, Johnny and Tommy - died in 2002, 2004 and 2014 respectively.

Was a huge fan of the Beatles, the Who, the Stooges, David Bowie, and the Beach Boys among other bands.

In 1960, his mother Charlotte fell in love with a neighbor, Henry Lesher. She divorced his father and married Mr. Lesher.

His last recorded work appears as a backup vocalist on the CD "One Nation Under" by the Diné (Navajo) punk rock group Blackfire. Joey sang backup on the tracks "What Do You See" and "Lying to Myself".

Shares a birthday with fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members Pete Townshend of the Who, Dusty Hill of ZZ Top, and Phil Rudd of AC/DC.

After his stepfather's death, the family moved to Birchwood Towers in Forest Hills where they lived on the 22nd Floor.

Mother was Charlotte Mandell, she married her husband in December 1947.

Father Noel Hyman owned Noel's Transfer which he inherited from his father Morris "Mo" Hyman.

Founder of the early punk-rock group the Ramones.