Still Waiting For "Dee Dee Drive"...

I was walking up Bowery just past CBGB this afternoon and was surprised to see this:



I knew they named that corner "Joey Ramone Place" a while ago, but everytime I looked for the sign, there was none to be found, and I assumed it/they were stolen. This one is way high up on the pole, high enough that it would take three drunken punk rock fans standing on each other's leather jacketed shoulders to swipe.

For all the commemoratively named streets, lanes, and parks around the city, this landmark is the first one to make me smile. Joey was one of the nicest and smartest musicians I've ever met, and the Ramones most certainly were one of the most important artistic influences on my life.

As I'm typing here, I'm reminded of this mural of Joe Strummer, painted on the side of the Niagara bar on Avenue A. The guy in the photo is my pal Spike, photo taken by one of his friends a few years ago. The painting of this mural is documented in the video for Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros' cover of Bob Marley's "Redemption Song". Strummer's another guy that struck me as kind and heartfelt when I met him...one of the few idols of mine that didn't totally disappoint me upon meeting them.

Who needs Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame? As far as I'm concerned, I've got my own right here in my backyard.