A conversation with Tommy Ramone at Max's Kansas City, in New York City (1976)

Photo by Danny Fields

Photo by Danny FIelds

"In the studio, they stuck me in a little room to play by myself with headphones. I thought it was strange, but what did I know? [...] Tommy knew more about what we should do in the studio."

-Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

Photo by Danny Fields

"Doing an album in a week and bringing it in for $6,400 was unheard of, especially since it was an album that really changed the world. It kicked off punk rock and started the whole thing—as well as us."

—Joey Ramone

Photo by Danny Fields

Photo by Danny Fields

Photo by Danny Fields

Photo by Danny Fields

53rd & 3rd - Seymour Stein's birthday. ( Sire Records Founder )

I Want To Be Your Boyfriend - Seymour Stein's birthday. 

Photo by Danny Fields

" I saw our first album for the first time at Alexander's, probably the day it was released, April 23, 1976. There it was. It was cool, sort of like the first time I heard myself on the radio".

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando.

Today Your Love,Tomorrow The World(1975)

- 53rd & 3rd

0:00 Loudmouth 2:10 Listen To My Heart 4:06 Blitzkrieg Bop

6:20 California Sun

“With their first album ready to release in early 1976 the Ramones were booked into M.P.C.S’s TV studio to shoot what Rock Scene Magazine would refer to as a ‘special 20 minute full colour surprise TV show’. I was there taking pictures. Arturo Vega’s backdrop with the band’s name seems to sag a bit, but that would add to the punkiness of the production, it was hoped!”

Photo by Danny Fields.

Photo by Danny Fields

"Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1976. The Ramones perform at The Club in Cambridge. The Boston area was the first major metro in which they performed outside of their native New York."

- Danny Fields

Johnny and Dee Dee with a fan at The Club.

- Danny Fields

 Chain Saw

Cult British Punk Zine Inspired by The Ramones's song.

photo by Danny Fields

“Still not sure how it happened, but within weeks of the release of the first Ramones album, in April 1976, and after getting to play as far from New York as Nashua, New Hampshire – 250 miles away – Seymour Stein, who’d signed the band to Sire records, told me they had been booked to play the Roundhouse in London; capacity 3,300 people; distance from CBGB’s about 3,400 miles.”
-Danny Fields

Rare Promotional Postcard. 

1. Loudmouth (0:00)
2. Beat on the brat (2:04)
3. Blitzkrieg bop (4:35)
4. Glad to see you go (6:53)
5. 53rd and 3rd (8:55)
6. I wanna be your boyfriend (11:20)
7. Havana Affair (13:43)
8. California sun (15:37)
9. Judy is a punk (17:33)
10. I don't wanna walk around with you (18:56)
11. Today your love tomorrow the world (20:28)
12. Let's Dance (23:20)

The Roxy, L.A. – 12 August 1976. The show was recorded for a radio broadcast and probably derives from a copy taped off the air. The whole concert has been officially released on the 2001 expanded CD version of Leave Home

Photos By Danny Fields

Photos By Danny Fields

"We did some shows in L.A with the Flamin' Groovies, a co-bill thing on August 11 and 12. We played two nights, the 16th and the 17th, at the Starwood on our own."

-Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando

"I like those parks. I've been to Disneyland three times and to Disney World twenty times. At DIsney World, I like to ride Thunder Mountain and Splash Mountain."

-Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando

"We liked L.A right away, and they liked us. We met Rodney Bingenheimer, who was a really sweet guy. We did his show on KROQ and L.A became a very friendly place for us." 

- Johnny Ramone, from his book Commando

photo by Brad Elterman

“The Ramones react to pro-communist graffiti stencilled on the iconic/ironic Washington Square arch. When it was a question of being funny or giving a good picture, they’d go for the good picture – but if they could do both they would. Here they could go beyond joking and flirt with politics.”
-Danny Fields

Photo by Danny Fields

“This shoot was staged but the shopping was real. Preparing to support the first album with their first US tour, the Ramones were ready to do what every young band dreams of; buy Big Equipment for their Big Sound! The guys in a showroom full of gear like kids in a candy store seemed like a ready-made Rock Scene story. I accompanied them to Quantum Audio for an afternoon of shopping.” - Danny Fields.

Havana Affair - Listen To My Heart.

“It was the afternoon of 22 October 1976, ten days before the election in which Jimmy Carter toppled sitting president Gerald Ford. Washington looked remarkably empty. Between posing the guys would frolic until I spotted another stately sight. If you can get rid of all the DC soldiers and tourists, you too can take pictures as memorable as we were fortunate enough to get that day.”
 -Danny Fields

Photo by Danny Fields

Amos Poe film The Blank Generation which documented the downtown burgeoning music scene at CBGB's which was not yet labeled PUNK.