A teaser from Marky Ramone’s new memoir Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone:
We were back at Los Angeles International Airport waiting for our baggage to slide down the ramp and swing around the carousel. I knew what everyone’s stuff looked like more or less, and the Ramones’ luggage wasn’t on the first cart unloaded. A situation like this one required patience, and Dee Dee didn’t have any. He edged up to the carousel and eyed a particular red American Tourister suitcase that had already circled around once, unclaimed.
The suitcase looked like it had taken a beating over the plains states. The handle was busted and the zipper was broken. Clothing was sticking out. As the bag swung around for lap two, Dee Dee positioned himself to intercept it. He yanked it off the belt using the broken handle and began rifling through. A white silk blouse caught his eye. So did a gray cashmere sweater. Dee Dee had excellent taste in stolen women’s clothing at the airport. He slipped the items under his jacket and continued the treasure hunt.
I smiled and looked at Marion in disbelief. She smiled back and rolled her eyes. There were a hundred and fifty witnesses and basic rules of civilization, and none of them seemed to mean anything to our bassist. But the middle-aged white lady now yelling in Dee Dee’s face caught his attention.
“Excuse me! What are you doing with my clothes?”
“Oh, this yours? Sorry.”
He didn’t seem sorry at all other than that he was caught. He pulled the blouse and sweater out from under his jacket and sheepishly handed them over to the lady.
“What is wrong with you?”
We were all still trying to figure that out and really didn’t expect a breakthrough here in baggage claim at LAX.
Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life As a Ramone by Marky Ramone (Amazon)
“Marky Ramone Exclusive: Read an Excerpt From ‘Punk Rock Blitzkrieg’” (Rolling Stone)