Marky Ramone - Musical Career

Musical Career

Marc Bell started playing drums in 1971 with one of the first heavy metal bands in America, Dust, which included Kenny Aaronson on bass and Richie Wise on guitar, and was produced by Kenny Kerner. Bell recorded two albums with the band, before getting into the punk scene. In late 1972, following the death of New York Dolls original drummer Billy Murcia, Bell auditioned as a replacement and was the only seriously considered alternative to the eventual chosen candidate, Jerry Nolan. In the mid-70s he played with Wayne County and the Backstreet Boys. Wayne County would go on to become rock's first transsexual singer. In the mid 1970s, he joined Richard Hell & the Voidoids. He played on the Voidoid's first album, Blank Generation. In 1978, Bell was renamed Marky Ramone.

Marky was with the Ramones for the next five years. He was asked to leave the band in late 1982 for personal reasons. He returned in 1987 and played with the band up until their retirement in 1996.

In 1993, Marky appeared with the Ramones in the episode "Rosebud" of The Simpsons.

In 1996, Marky joined Dee Dee Ramone to form The Ramainz, performing Ramones songs for fun.

In 2000, Marky Ramone joined Joey Ramone, lead vocalist of the Ramones, to record Joey's solo album, entitled Don't Worry About Me.

In October 2001, Marky appeared on MTV accepting his lifetime achievement award presented by Bono of U2 Marky Ramone's hand prints are on the Hollywood Rock Walk. In March 2002, Marky was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, at New York's Waldorf Astoria as a member of the Ramones. He recorded some albums with his solo bands Marky Ramone & the Intruders and Marky Ramone & the Speedkings, as well as many 7" releases. Marky Ramone & the Speedkings toured the world from 2002 to 2003.

In September 2004, Marky served as Executive Producer and released a Ramones DVD entitled Ramones Raw on Image Entertainment, which featured footage of the band while on tour all over the world along with other various rare, vintage footage. Much of the candid footage is courtesy of Marky Ramone's personal video library. The DVD was finished just in time to include commentary from Johnny Ramone, who died from prostate cancer on September 15, 2004. The commentary also includes Marky Ramone. Ramones: Raw is the only certified Gold selling Ramones DVD and one of only two US gold selling releases in the Ramones entire catalog. The other being the greatest hits double LP Ramonesmania released in 1988. Ramones: Raw is also the highest charting release in the Ramones history.

In January 2005, Marky went to tour with Russian band Tarakany!. The tour was called Ramones Night Tour 2005: Marky Ramone & Tarakany!. Marky just signed on for another year as the D.J. on his own show the Punk Rock Blitzkrieg. On SiriusX.M. On April 22, 2008, Marky Ramone appeared on a new CD in Canada playing drums with the Canadian punk band called Teenage Head. The CD is called Teenage Head with Marky Ramone and it was released in the USA on June 10, 2008. It was recorded in 2003 on two separate visits by Marky to Canada.

Marky has a DVD coming out next year called The Job That Ate My Brain - the Marky Ramone Story.

He teamed up with Tommy Hilfiger's, Hilfger Denim, in 2009 to launch his own clothing line consisting of leather jackets, jeans and t-shirts. He also has his own line of pasta sauce, "Marky Ramone's Brooklyn's Own Pasta Sauce."

Marky continues to carry the torch for the Ramones as he tours the world with his band called Marky Ramone's Blitzkrieg, which plays a 32-song set of the Ramones with former Misfits' singer Michale Graves. Marky Ramone also performed a set of Ramones songs with New Found Glory at 2011's The Bamboozle Festival.

Marky appeared on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations twice. On the 2007 Cleveland episode, he ate with Bourdain at the Michael Symon restaurant Lola and also toured the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Bourdain said Marky approved of the Ramones exhibit. On the 2010 "No Reservations Holiday Special," the two gather around a table and discuss what they want from Santa Claus ("to take the Millennium Falcon for a spin!").

Marky also won the lifetime achievement award from the Grammy's for 2011.

In September 2011 Marky was a guest instructor on VH1 Classic's Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp season 2 episode 3 where he helped the campers polish their chops and song writing skills.