The Diva Review:
Here's a confession - the Ramones are my favorite band. They always have been. Well - except for that brief period in my pre-teens when I had a thing for Shaun Cassidy. But once I discovered punk, that was all over. Good bye to Shaun Cassidy and Leif Garrret. Hello Joey Ramone and Sid Vicious. I fell in love with the the Ramones when I was 13 years old and I've loved them ever since.
On the Road with the Ramones is by far THE BEST book out there about the Ramones. It's also one of the best books you can read to get a flavor of the New York punk scene in the 1970s. I would say that it's right up there with Please Kill Me, by Legs McNeil, which is generally regarded as the bible of the 70s punk scene. And not just by me!
On the Road with the Ramones is a really fun book - even if you're not a Ramones fan. Trust me, not all of them are. We live in a world where anyone who ever went backstage thinks that they can write a book. Monte Melnick, however, is uniquely qualified to tell the story. And he tells it really well. Melnick spent over 20 years as the Ramones' tour manager, van driver, friend, babysitter and den mother. Written as something of an oral history, his memories, along with the memories of his contemporaries, come together to weave a tale that you just can't put down. Multiple perspectives really fill out the stories.
The Ramones have a phenomenal story and pretty much laid the foundation for the music we listen to today. But they were all significantly flawed people with all kinds of issues. What I love about the book is the sensitivity with which Melnick treats his subjects. He chronicles the ups and downs, the fights and feuds, the drugs, the ODs, the crippling emotional issues, the money (and lack thereof), and the fabulous cast of characters that surrounded them. And he does it without judgment and without betrayal. You never get the feeling that he’s sacrificing anyone for a buck. He genuinely loves these people and it shows.
Melnick provides amazing photos, cool memorabilia and behind the scenes stories from the people who experienced them. You really won't find a better book on the Ramones. As a huge Ramones fan (in case you didn't get that), I've read pretty much every book about them out there. This is the one to buy.
*No, I don't know Monte Melnick. I'm an independent reviewer, you know that.
**I still kind of like Shaun Cassidy. Look him up, kids.
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