Richie Ramone playing the drums.

I Know Better Now: My Life Before, During and After the Ramones

by Richie Ramone Author with Peter Aaron

It's 1982 and the Ramones are in a gutter-bound spiral. Following a run of inconsistent albums and deep in the throes of internal tensions, the legendary quartet is about to crash and burn. Enter Richie Ramone. Then a 26-year-old from New Jersey named Richard Reinhardt, he goes instantly from the obscurity of the underground club scene to membership in the most famous punk-rock band of all time, revitalizing the pioneering outfit with his powerful, precise, and blindingly fast beats—composing classic cuts like the menacing anthem "Somebody Put Something in My Drink" and becoming the only Ramones percussionist to sing lead vocals for the group. With the Ramones, he performs over five hundred shows at venues all around the world and records three storming studio albums – before abruptly quitting the band and going deep underground. To most fans, this crucial figure in the band's history has remained a mystery, his tale untold—until now. (Short Discount)