Joey Ramone
| Joey Ramone | |
|---|---|
Joey Ramone in c. 1985
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jeffrey Ross Hyman |
| Also known as | Joey Ramone Jeff Starship |
| Born |
May 19, 1951 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 2001 (aged 49) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | Punk rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1964–2001 |
| Labels | Sire, Radioactive |
| Associated acts | Ramones, Sibling Rivalry, Sniper |
| Website | joeyramone.com |
Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician and singer-songwriter, lead vocalist of the punk rock band the Ramones. Joey Ramone's image, voice, and tenure as frontman of the Ramones made him a countercultural icon.
Joey Ramone was born Jeffrey Ross Hyman to Charlotte (née Mandell) and her husband Noel Hyman. The family lived in Forest Hills, Queens New York where Hyman and his future Ramones bandmates attended Forest Hills High School. Though happy, Hyman was something of an outcast, diagnosed at 18 with obsessive–compulsive disorder. He grew up with his brother Mickey Leigh. His mother, Charlotte Lesher, divorced her first husband, Noel Hyman. She married a second time but was widowed by a car accident while she was on vacation.
Hyman was a fan of the Beatles,the Who, David Bowie, and the Stooges among other bands, particularly oldies and the Phil Spector-produced "girl groups". His idol was Pete Townshend of the Who, with whom he shared a birthday. Hyman took up the drums at 13, and played them throughout his teen years before picking up an acoustic guitar at age 17. Before he joined the Ramones, he was the singer in a band known as Sniper.
In 1972 Hyman joined the glam punk band Sniper. Sniper played at the Mercer Arts Center, Max's Kansas City and the Coventry, alongside the New York Dolls, Suicide, and Queen Elizabeth III. Hyman played with Sniper under the name Jeff Starship. Mickey Leigh: "I was shocked when the band came out. Joey was the lead singer and I couldn't believe how good he was. Because he'd been sitting in my house with my acoustic guitar, writing these songs like 'I Don't Care', fucking up my guitar, and suddenly he's this guy on stage who you can't take your eyes off of." Hyman continued playing with Sniper until early 1974, when he was replaced by Alan Turner.
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