NEM#175: Richie Ramone Builds His Own Brand

Podcast (nakedly-examined-music-podcast): Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:01:35 — 56.5MB)

Richie Reinhardt drummed and sang from ’83-’87 along with original Ramones Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee, writing their single “Somebody Put Something in My Drink” (included here as opening music from Animal Boy, 1986) and a few other songs. He added energy to the band at a time when it was needed, and carries that spirit into his solo albums. We discuss his new single “Not Afraid” (written by Marc Diamond), “I Know Better Now” from Entitled (2013, though previously recorded by the Ramones for Halfway to Sanity in 1987), “Human Kind” by Ramones from Too Tough to Die (1984), and “I Fix This” from Cellophane (2016). End song: “The Last Time” (a 2018 single). Read his auto-biography I Know Better Now, My life Before, During and After The Ramones (written with Peter Aaron). For more see richieramone.com.

Listen to all of “Somebody Put Something in My Drink.” See the video for “I Fix This.” Hear the 2013 version of “Humankind” with Richie singing. Richie is going to be the vampire king in an upcoming film, which is why he covered as the B-side to “Not Afraid” the song “Cry Little Sister,” which was previously used for the Lost Boys soundtrack. 

Watch a whole live gig from 2020. Here’s a short, “awkward” interview with Joey and Richie from back in the day. Watch Richie live with Ramones; he’s singing the chorus by himself on this song fronted by and written by Dee Dee. Here are some demos Richie made for Ramones with him singing.

Photo by Niklas Gustavsson. Interview editing by Tyler Hislop of Pixel Box Media.

Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon.

Sponsors: Upgrade your showering at nebia.com/nem (code NEM). Get 15% off at at MasterClass.com/examined.