"Tommy would use the name Loudmouth Productions for the business side of things, so we'd sound professional. Sort of."

-Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando

"At that point, we were still dressed in partial glitter because the Dolls were still the big thing in New York. I had these silver pants made of Mylar and these black spandex pants I'd wear too. I was the only one with a real perfecto jacket- what the Ramones would later be identified with- which I had been wearing for 7years already. We were starting to throw in sneakers, Keds. I also had this vest with leopard trim that I had custom made for me. It was like the thing Iggy was wearing on the Stooges' Raw Power Sleeve."

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

Judy is a Punk

photo by Paul Zone.

I Don't Want Go Down To The Basement.

1. Loudmouth
2. Beat On The Brat
3. I Don't Wanna Be Learned/I Don't Wanna Be Tamed
4. Listen To My Heart
5. 53rd & 3rd
6. Judy Is A Punk
7. California Sun
8. I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You
9. Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World

"The Talking Heads were doing something totally different from us, so it didn't concern me. It wasn't really rock n roll, it was something else."

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

"Rolling Stone covered the festival with a one-page article. Most of it was about the Ramones,then the Talking Heads, with the other bands just casually mentioned. I thought that we were going to become huge and be the biggest band in the world."

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

1. I Don't Wanna Go Down To The Basement
2. Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
3. Blitzkrieg Bop
4. Swallow My Pride
5. Glad To See You Go
6. Chain Saw
7. Listen To My Heart
8. Babysitter
9. 53rd & 3rd
10. Havana Affair
11. Let's Dance
12. Judy Is A Punk
13. I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You
14. Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World

From the film Blank Generation.

"We sent five of the songs we had recorded to record companies, and they quickly sent them back. We never even considered that the music was seriously whacked or anything. We were wondering what was wrong with them."

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando

"We played 3 nights in October at Mother's with Blondie. I had an argument with Debbie Harry over the split of the door money. She thought we were doing a 50/50 split, and I said, " No one is here to see you guys. Everyone is here to see us." We split the door 70-30 and she was mad."

Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

photos by Bob Gruen

Joey at CBGB's with Debbie Harry 

Photo by Chris Stein

Photo by Bob Gruen

photo by Roberta Bayley

The Ramones at Arturo Vega's loft. 

All photos by Chris Stein