Desi Ramone, who has no connection to legendary New York punks the Ramones other than fandom, combines the music of that band, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash and Link Wray into something that straddles the line between rockabilly and punk. He performs at the Cinema Bar on Thursday, and he told the News about what he has in store for Culver City…
When did you start playing and performing?
I started playing around the age of 18 (a late bloomer). [I played] drums in a rockabilly band up in San Francisco – Reggie and the Rebels. An all ‘50s cover band. The lead singer Reggie Rebel was an African-American man with a bleached pompadour. At the end of the first set, he’d tell the crowd, “Ok folks we’ll be white black,’ and then leave the stage. I was a terrible drummer and they canned me after a month. It didn’t stop me, no way. I moved on to other bands that were more like Generation X or Pretenders. At the time, in San Francisco, if you didn’t look or sound like Jane’s Addiction doors were not going to open. So I moved to L.A.
I moved up to playing guitar around 2004 when I joined forces with a banjo playing pal of mine, and forming the Sunshine Bros of Hollywood. It was just the two of us and we played some covers and originals. Also, I worked out some dance moves and became very popular. I’ve always played guitar, but with drums it was a lot easier to get work. Anyway, the Sunshine Bros were doing good and getting gigs and fans. Everytime we moved up, my partner would find a reason to drop out. On the third time, I called it quits and never went back to being someone else’s sidekick or hired gun. I decided around 2010 to just play my guitar alone. I started writing songs and jamming at parties and on New Year 2013, 60 years after the death of Hank Williams (my number one hero) I said to myself, “I’m going public.” It was the only way to do what I had in my vision for the whole world and I to enjoy.
Describe your sound…
My sound? That’s very simple because I only play three styles: Johnny Cash, Johnnie. B.Goode and Johnny Ramone, with vocals as painful as Johnny Rae. Buddy Holly made every one of his masterpieces danceable. These three styles just make folks groove. It’s the style I’ve been drawn to since birth. Folks have called me “rockabilly” and I guess that’s ok from a marketing point of view ,but I’m more than three chords and a standup bass.
What are your career highlights so far?
On paper, I’ll have to start with my constant invitation to play on Radio Venice w/Michael Jost. An internet radio broadcast live at 4:20 p.m. almost every Sunday, high above the Venice Boardwalk. Second on the list would be my singles played and live performance on KXLU Fm. Fred Kiko, Robert Douglas, and Stella Stray POP have played my singles and Robert brought me on to promote them live. Third would have to be a Mexican disco. After releasing my third single, my version of “Rockin Robin,” I received a message on my Facebook. To my surprise it was from a Mexico City DJ begging for any other songs I could send along with a video. Unbelievable to my eyes and ears. The camera was set high above a packed dance club where hundreds of youngsters were dancing and bopping to my RR recording. The DJ could be heard in a sexy man voice saying, “Esta es nueva cancion de DESI RAMONE.” Very cool.
Do you have recorded music available?
Yes, I have songs on Bandcamp and Youtube.
Have you performed at the Cinema Bar before? Any memories?
My first real performance was at the Cinema Bar back in 2013. It was on a Friday. The set was dedicated to Mr Huell Howser, as he had passed a few days before the gig. I love playing the Cinema. They are really cool. I’m allowed to bring in my fog machine, set up my colored lights, and plug in my disco ball to make my show into a proper concert.
What can the audience expect from the set this time?
This time and everytime, you can expect a fast, fun, danceable set of exciting music from a talented group of musicians. A light show to soundtrack the experience with NO useless time wasted chatter between songs, NO story about anything, just on to the next song. Also, a great disco/punk/rockabilly/’80s playlist between sets. It’s really important to keep the excitement and fun going even when the band is off. So we’ve put together a great playlist. I’ll be bluetoothing between sets. You guys are in for a treat – it will be Desi Ramone’s Rodeo Diaries all night, performing two sets at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.
What else do you have coming up?
Coming this summer we’ve got a great show with a superb lineup of bands at the Redwood in Downtown L.A. Us and Hard Rooster. Also, the release of two originals that are loaded with Link Wray’s DNA.
Desi Ramone performs at 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 13 at the Cinema Bar. Go to thecinemabar.com for more information about the show.
Elsewhere this week
The Culver Hotel will be hosting the likes of Sylvia & the Rhythm Boys, and Scotty Bramer. Go to culverhotel.com for more info.
The next show at Boulevard Music is Jim Curry Presents the Music of John Denver, on Saturday, June 22. Go to boulevardmusic.com for more info.
