Friend Encounters: Richie Ramone and Joey Roth

Friend Encounters is a weekly series featuring friends who have met celebrities.

If his hair was darker, Joey Roth could be one of the Ramones. He's a knowledgeable enough fan to pull it off, too.

At Chicago Pop Culture Con last year, I was there to witness Joey meet Richie Ramone. Richie was there in part to promote I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During and After the Ramones, his recently published book. The meeting of Richie and Joey was epic (at least in Joey's mind).

In all seriousness, Joey was excited to meet Richie, as was I. The Ramones do not make many appearances these days. For fans like Joey and me, this was pretty cool.

Richie is pretty much considered the best drummer the Ramones ever had. He is the only drummer to have sung lead vocals on Ramones songs. Joey Ramone gave Richie credit for saving the Ramones and putting the spirit back in the band. That's high praise from Joey considering the amount of discourse in the band over the years.

Meanwhile, Joey Roth credits himself with saving the Chicago wrestling scene. One of Joey's idols is Rowdy Roddy Piper and it shows in Joey's work and style. I haven't seen Joey wrestle, but I have heard his work on the mic and with a crowd. He has the charisma and the verbal sparring ability to capture a crowd, whether they are with him or against him.

At Chicago Pop Culture Con, I had the pleasure of interviewing Richie. That interview can be found at On the Beat with Richie Ramone. I have yet to interview Joey, but he is on my radar and it will appear right here when it happens.

You can get more info on Richie at RichieRamone.com. You can follow Joey on social media and also check him out at POWW Entertainment.

You can catch Joey all over the Chicago area wrestling scene. You can also find "The best damn villain ever" at Joey Roth on Facebook. Hopefully, I will catch Joey at an event and add him to my interview resume.

Joey Ramone and Richie Ramone in St. Charles, IL-November 2018.

On the Beat With Richie Ramone at Chicago Pop Culture Con 2018

I have been a fan of the Ramones since new 6th grade classmate Steve Marino introduced me to the punk rockers. I thought their sound was so original and unique, but I didn't realize how important they were to the music scene.

Richie Ramone joined the band in February 1983 and stayed with the band through August of 1987. The talented drummer has been called the greatest drummer the Ramones ever had. This comes from critics and lead singer Joey Ramone. That is high praise, especially from Joey, considering the amount of dissension often found in the band. Richie is also the only Ramones drummer to write songs and sing lead. His stint in the Ramones might have been relatively short, but he it was memorable.

When I signed on to do coverage of Chicago Pop Culture Con, I contacted Richie about an interview. He quickly agreed and I even did extra coverage on his October appearance in Chicago. That story can be found on the Patch at Richie Ramone Will Rock Reggie's.

Walking into Chicago Pop Culture Con, Richie was the first celebrity I saw. Of course, I immediately went to him. Although quiet, Richie has an aura about him. Maybe it was just me being a fan, but he has that "natural" rocker presence.

I kept the interview short, because time is precious at these events. I can't keep Richie from his fans for too long. We talked about him joining the Ramones, being their best drummer and his upcoming book release. Released November 27, I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During, and After the Ramones is available on Amazon.

I'm definitely adding Richie's book to my library. It should be arriving in the mail this week. I can't wait to dive into it and learn more about Richie.

Extremely talented and versatile, Richie debuted a classical composition in 2007. He was both the featured soloist and the concerto's co-composer. I have listened to Richie's work outside of the Ramones and I am even more in awe of him. Of course, the Ramones will always be special to me, but my interest in Richie goes beyond the Ramones.

It was a real pleasure talking to Richie during and after the interview. It brought me back to my early days of loving the band. Although Richie joined the band about 6 years later, he is part of such a big part of their history. Now, I am proud to say he is a part of Johngy's Beat history.

Go to RichieRamone.com for more info and updates on Richie. You can also follow Richie Ramone on Facebook.

Thank you to Richie for his time and consideration. Thanks to Tim Zurko of Zurko Promotions for the hospitality and access all weekend.