'Channeller' Tells Dee Dee Ramone's Wife to Write a Book About Him

Posted on Mar 4th 2009 11:30AM by Benjy Eisen
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They were a happy family ... or, something. If nothing else, Dee Dee Ramone and Vera Ramone King were punk's "first couple," long before Sid and Nancy's first kiss. And now Vera has lived to write a book about it. In 'Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone,' Vera details their tumultuous relationship, in the process chronicling the history of the Ramones -- from Dee Dee's overdose on the set of 'Rock and Roll High School' to the turbulent recording sessions with Phil Spector to, ultimately, the end of the line.

"I was told by renowned chaneller Linda Drake that Dee Dee wanted me to write the book and tell the whole story," Vera tells Spinner. "The good, the bad and the ugly truths. Several times during the writing of the book, I decided to stop because it was too painful for me to remember some of the incidents. Every time I said, 'I can't do this,' Linda would call me out of the blue within less than five minutes and ask if I was still writing the book."

In the intro, Talking Heads couple Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth vouche: "Hey, Daddy-o, it's all true!" Vera's memoir hits shelves this June via Phoenix Books.

Buy 'Poisoned Heart: I Married Dee Dee Ramone'