Interview with Richie Ramone of the Ramones 6-30-2019

Stig interviews Richie Ramone of The Ramones 6-30-2019

Richard Reinhardt (born August 11, 1957) is an American drummer best known by his stage name Richie Ramone, and for being the drummer for the punk band the Ramones from February 1983 until August 1987. As of 2022, he is one of the four surviving members of the band (the others being Marky Ramone, Elvis Ramone, and C.J. Ramone).

Reinhardt joined the Ramones in February 1983. He played on the Ramones albums Too Tough to Die, Animal Boy and Halfway to Sanity and appears on their compilation albums Greatest Hits, Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hitsand Weird Tales of the Ramones, and on the Ramones live DVD It's Alive 1974-1996. He penned the Ramones' hit song "Somebody Put Something in My Drink" which is included on the album Ramones Mania, 

Richie was the only drummer to sing lead vocals on a Ramones song, including "(You) Can't Say Anything Nice" and the unreleased 1985 demo "Elevator Operator" written by Joey Ramone, which also featured Joey's brother Mickey Leigh on guitar and Dave U. Hall on bass, both from The Rattlers, as well a multitude of Ramones demos. Richie performed over 500 shows with the Ramones all over the world, including South America, where rabid Richie fans held up signs proclaiming "Richie" and "Drink", the latter referring to the song "Somebody put Something in my Drink" written by Richie.

Other work: In 2013, Richie Ramone signed with DC-Jam Records and released his first solo album, Entitled, on October 8, 2013.[23] Billboard debuted the LP's first single, "Criminal" and noted, "Back to holding the songwriting reins, Ramone's 12 freshest cuts aim to please fans of both rock and metal with its blend of barre chord-chugging simplicity and guitar hero virtuosity."[24][25] Richie released his second solo album Cellophane in 2016. In 2018, Ritchie's autobiography, I Know Better Now: My life before, during and after The Ramones, was published by Backbeat Books. The book was written with Peter Aaron. Richie continues to tour with his solo band and occasionally plays with former Ramones bassist C. J. Ramone.[26]

Produced by Philco Raves and Marko Olsen
Mixed at RSS Studios by Philco
Bumper Music by Marko Olsen
Interviewer: Stig Stench