Interview: CJ RAMONE

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Words: Jen Rees

Hi CJ, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. Firstly it is hard to believe that it has been 25 years since you joined The Ramones, can you believe that? I can’t believe that it is that long ago.
That was two marriages and three kids ago!!!!

When you released  ‘Reconquista’ your first album, you used Pledge Music, a Fan Funding Project, but this time you have joined Fat Wreck Chords, can you tell us your experience with the Fan Funding Project and how you came to join Fat Wreck Chords?
I really enjoyed the Pledge Music campaign for reconquista. The personal contact with the fans and the things I could offer was great, but it was a lot of work. Just me and a friend had all the products made and we hand stuffed every package. Plus all the personalized items.  Overall, a good experience.  I was ready to put my new record “Last Chance to Dance” out myself when I was introduced to the folks at Fat through a friend. I sent them the recording,w hich they liked, and after seeing us at Punk Rock Bowling in Las Vegas they took us on.

Is it easier for you to have representation? Does it give you more time to write music for example or spend time with your family?
Being on a label and having management and a booking agent lets me do what I’m good at, music. I’m not a business man and I don’t want to be.

Your artwork for the cover for the single is amazing. It seems to be packed full of objects that seem to define you as a person, your life as a Marine, motorbikes and you must like Fords.  How did this concept come about? Got to be a story behind that!
I just grabbed a bunch of things from my dresser, my pockets and my pickup truck (’78 Ford F250), and placed them on the Mexican blanket that was my bed roll when I rode across the US on my bike (lolla palooza ’96) and took a picture. I liked the simplicity of it so I used it.

It seems to be clear that you are a Tom Waits fan? Was the concert in 1999 a special one for you?
The one and only time I ever got to see him. Very special.

Can you pick a few more objects and explain their meaning for us?
There’s a skull ring on there that Deedee gave me. My dog tags from my time in the Marines.  A picture of me with my mom and dad 1967.  Family, Ramones, Marines.

Punk fans will be delighted to hear your new song ‘Understand Me’ as it does have that garage punk sound to it, was this song always going to be the lead single off the album?
In my mind it was. It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written.

Listeners can relate to the message in “Understand Me” as I think we all can understand the meaning, and probably picture someone in our head as we sing it.  Did you have this in mind or just for people in general to take it anyway they wanted to?
Some songs are lyrically ambiguous and I’ve always dug that.  Other songs just say what they mean. But there is something cool about taking someone else’s words and making them your own. It gives you the feeling that you’ve got a connection to the person who wrote them. A fan’s dream!!! At least for me it was.

What made you choose Black Flag’s ‘Rise Above’ as the B side song? You and Des Cadena (backing vocals and guitar) are good friends aren’t you?
That song was recorded for Reconquista but not used.  I chose it because it fit with the theme of that record. Reconquista was about the years between when the Ramones retired and my return to doing music. There were some rough years, but I didn’t let it keep me down. Rise above was my statement on that.

Is ‘Understand Me’ the sound we can expect from your new album? Your last album ‘Reconquista’ was perhaps darker with the exception of some songs; does this album take a different path from that?
Absolutely is. More fun, but rocks just as hard!

You worked with Steve Soto and Dan Root from The Adolescents and David Hidalgo, Jr. from Social Distortion, did they contribute to the writing process of Last Chance To Dance?
Steve and Dan each co-wrote a song on this one.  Steve wrote the music for “Won’t Stop Swinging”, and Dan wrote the music for Clusterfuck.  It’s great working with professionals!

In your 2015 Tour will they be your musicians that tour with you?
Steve and Dan yes, Dave, when he’s available.

I do hope that you come and play a few shows down here in Australia!
That is my personal project for this year. I have not been there since 1999 and I am going to make it a point to get there.

One last question that I would love to know the answer to is, I heard that you turned down Metallica not once but twice to play with them, what was the reason for this?
My son Liam had been diagnosed with autism a little while before I got the offer. I asked his doctor how living on a tour bus or living home without his dad would affect him. I was told I’d be doing him a great disservice and it would interfere with his development. So, I respectfully declined, without regret. If you met my son today, you’d never know he was autistic. I am not saying that it’s because I didn’t join Metallica, but following the doctors advice and putting my children’s needs before my career definitely made a difference.