I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir
by Mickey Leigh
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Book Summary Information
Author: Mickey LeighContributor: Legs McNeil
Edition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-12-01
ISBN: 0743252160
Number of pages: 416
Publisher: Touchstone
Book Reviews of I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir
Book Review: A MUST READ FOR ALL RAMONES FANS
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been a Ramones fan for many years - back when punk first started and this band played alot at CBGB's. I found it interesting that the fans rarely got a chance to see what the individual personalities of members were and the true background of each member. As for Joey Ramone that mystery has now been solved in an incredible book written by his brother Mickey Leigh. The book is very well written and there is no b.s. or rear-end kissing. In this book you get to meet three people - Joey Ramone the rock star, Jeffry Hyman the person and Mickey Leigh the person.You also get some insight into the personalities and relationships of other members of the band since at some point they are intricately related.
Mickey Leigh, a child in a family with a seriously mentally ill member, recalls as best as possible growing up with big brother Joey. The closeness and love between these two brothers has existed since childhood and never stopped. Sure, there was some sibling rivalry and quibbling, but the love was always there. In the early days Joey was Mickey's protector, being 2 years older. But once early adolesence started, the roles reversed, and Mickey stooded up for and cared for his brother. As Joey became increasingly mentally ill, his family was at a loss of what to do especially when Joey was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and a very serious case of OCD. Mickey stepped into role the "big brother role".
Mickey was a college student while he helped his brother get the Ramones off the ground. Doing alot of the trivial behind the scenes stuff like roadies do but never receive public credit for.As time passed, Mickey left college to help his brother fulltime, which also helped the band. He got to see first hand the ups and downs and the politics with in the band. Joey needed special attention from his brother because sometimes Joey would get "stuck",or needed help in writing a song or a riff, and someone to watch over him. Unfortunately, Joey's dependency on his brother has a negative effect on Mickey's own music career. Everything in the Hyman family seemed to have taken second place to Joey's illnesses.When the band was on the road he became dependent upon several people to help him get through it.
The sibling rivalry took the form of Joey refusing to acknowledge his brother's contributions musically. Mickey was not given credit when he helped write a song with Joey, played the guitar during the recording of a song, and wasn't paid like he would've been if he had done the same with an "unrelated" band. This was probably Joey's way of trying to keep Mickey from becoming a "star" in his own right as Joey's dependence on Mickey increased. He was afraid of loosing Mickey and pulled a typical rock star power trip on him. Perhaps Joey did not do this intentionally but it is very possible he did. Remember that everyday was a struggle for Joey to get through.
The fact that Joey became an international rock star, some of it post mortem, shows a strength in character and a determination to succeed and live as a "normal" person. Joey can be an inspiration for all people with handicaps of any nature. His success can also be partly attributed to his family, all of them, that helped him through the really bad and tough times throughout his tortured life.
This book is as much an exploration about what having a seriously ill member of the faimily does to the rest of the members, as it is a loving memoir from a man who there for Joey for every day of his life. The love between two brothers is very special, and there is no doubt of the love between these two brothers. Rest in peace, Joey. We miss you. But thanks to Mickey's book, we get to know you as a friend, a brother, and a rock star. Peace.
Summary of I Slept with Joey Ramone: A Family Memoir
When the Ramones recorded their debut album in 1976, it heralded the true birth of punk rock. Fast and frenetic in their leather jackets and torn jeans, the Ramones gave voice to the disaffected youth of the seventies and eighties, influenced countless bands, and inspired the counterculture for decades to come.Born Jeffry Hyman of Queens, New York, Joey Ramone was the quirky, extraordinary lead singer and cofounder of the band. Hiding his face behind signature sunglasses and a mop of dark hair, he helped define punk's early image, and his two-decade-plus tenure as the Ramones' front man made him unforgettable. Told by Joey's brother, Mickey Leigh, I Slept with Joey Ramone provides an intimate look at the turbulent life of one of America's greatest -- and unlikeliest -- music icons.
With honesty, humor, and grace, Mickey shares the fascinating, sometimes troubling story of growing up with an emotionally distressed brother who becomes a rock star and the effect it had on their family. He shows how Joey used music to cope with mental illness; embraced the glam nightlife of the New York scene; launched CBGB alongside bands like the Talking Heads and Blondie; and brought punk to Britain, clashing with the Sex Pistols and changing music history.
Ultimately, betrayal and infighting would end the band. While the music lives on for new generations to discover, I Slept with Joey Ramone is the enduring portrait of a man who struggled to find his voice and of the brother who loved him.
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