Johnny Ramone’s original handwritten notes for his acceptance speech when The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, on March 18, 2002. The speech, written in black felt tip on the reverse of one of his personal ‘From the Desk of Johnny Ramone’ 5.5 x 8.5 stationery sheets, reads, in full: “Seymour Stein — Everything he has done for the Ramones / Danny Fields - 1st Manager / Gary KurFirst - Manager for Last 22 Yrs / Eddie Vedder - Great Intro / Friends that Are Here Tonite / My Wife Linda / + Ramone’s Fans - For Making it All Worthwhile / God Bless Pres. Bush, [God Bless] America.” Ramone has signed and dated the front in ballpoint, “3/18/02 - H.O.F Speech, Johnny Ramone.” Complete with a signed handwritten letter of authenticity from Johnny Ramone, which reads: “This is the speech I used and brought up with me to the podium at the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction on March 18, 2002. It is dated and signed on the reverse side. ‘Gabba Gabba Hey.’” In overall fine condition.
Alongside other musical acts like Isaac Hayes, Brenda Lee, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Gene Pitney, Talking Heads, Chet Atkins, and Jim Stewart, the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (in their first year of eligibility) on March 18, 2002, roughly 11 months after the death of frontman Joey Ramone. The band was inducted by Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, a personal friend of Johnny Ramone, who, in his 17-minute speech, recalled his first Ramones concert as being ‘terribly frightening and totally blissful at the same time,’ and that the band was ‘armed with two-minute songs that they rattled off like machinegun fire...enough to change the Earth's revolution.’
In 2006, Pearl Jam released their self-titled eighth studio album, which, according to Vedder, featured many songs that were inspired by the 2004 death of Johnny Ramone, whom he described as ‘the guy who turned out to be the best friend I ever had on the planet.’ The lyrics of ‘Life Wasted’ in particular were written after attending Ramone's funeral.
In addition to Vedder, his wife, Linda, and longtime manager and Radioactive Records founder Gary Kurfirst, Johnny Ramone made a point to thank Danny Fields and Seymour Stein, the man who discovered the Ramones and the man who signed them to their first deal with Sire Records. An amazing punk rock keepsake representing the night the Ramones achieved rock and roll immortality.
From the PuNk Rock Archives of Andrew D Gore.
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