Jason Ringenberg "God Bless the Ramones"

I want to take you back to a happier era in NYC. I moved back to my home state in 1975 to work on the radio at WPIX and then WHN. It was a magical time, lots of possibilities, lots of different threads of creativity. There were some amazingly cool hangs, from the uber hip Max’s Kansas City, to the Texas-centric Lone Star Café which was about to open, to the legendary CBGB & OMFUG. The name stood for Country, Bluegrass, Blues, and Other Music for Uplifting Gormandizers. It rapidly descended into a home for punk and new wave, with Blondie, Patti Smith, and of course, The Ramones leading the way. It was a heady yet innocent time, and everyone was pushing the limits. And of course, NYC was a pretty inexpensive place to live then, which always encourages artist communities.

Ahhh the Ramones, they were ever so earnest in their mission. And so were Jason & The Scorchers. Rock and Roll reminds us there are no rules to success. And though neither band generated superstar income, they both left their indelible marks on society. Today’s video comes from the inimitable Jason Ringenberg, as he chronicles a Texas tour The Scorchers did with The Ramones. Music Fog filmed Jason's kicking legs and frenetic energy last year in a private session in Nashville. I love this video! "God Bless The Ramones." And God Bless New York.

-Jessie Scott