This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Ramones debut LP. To celebrate the punk milestone, The Official Ramones 50th Anniversary Tribute will take place Aug. 30 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. It will feature the debut performance of Cretin
Family, a punk supergroup comprised of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, Blink-182’s Travis Barker, and latter-day Ramones bassist C.J. Ramone. Proceeds from show will benefit Dr. David Agus’ cancer research at Ellison Institute Research Foundation.
“The spirit of the Ramones is alive in every backyard punk show, punk club, and festival,” Billie Joe Armstrong said in a statement. “Generation after generation of cretins and weirdos become Ramones lovers. Kids are influenced by the Ramones and they don’t even know it yet. ¡Viva Ramones!”
The sentiment is echoed by Barker (“The Ramones are the blueprint. Punk rock wouldn’t be what it is today without them. I’m honored to celebrate 50 years of one of the greatest bands ever!!!”), Tim Armstrong (“From the moment I first heard the Ramones, music was never the same”), and C.J. Ramone (“This is gonna be the biggest celebration of the Ramones anyone has seen for a long time!!!”).
The event will be hosted by John Travolta, and will feature a 50th anniversary screening of Travolta’s 1976 movie Carrie. His new movie Propeller One-Way Night Coach will be screened as well. “Two years ago, I had the pleasure of experiencing the Hollywood Forever Johnny Ramone Tribute for the first time,” Travolta said in a statement. “It was a blast, and I want to return again for the Ramones tribute! With showing something new, my directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach. And something old, the 50th anniversary of original Carrie. It is going to be a fun night. See you there!”
The Ramones dissolved in 1996 after 22 years of nonstop touring. Lead singer Joey Ramone died in 2001, followed by bassist Dee Dee Ramone in 2002, guitarist Johnny Ramone in 2004, and drummer Tommy Ramone in 2014. The entire original lineup may be gone, but drummer Marky Ramone, who played with the band from 1978 to 1983 and again from 1987 to 1996, keeps the music alive with Marky Ramone’s Blitzkrieg. Drummer Richie Ramone, who was in the band from 1983 to 1987, and C.J. Ramone, who took over bass duties from Dee Dee in 1989, also have their own touring bands that focus on Ramones classics.
When the Ramones were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, months after Joey died, Green Day performed in their place, ripping through “Teenage Lobotomy,” “Rockaway Beach,” and “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
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