“He blew it”: The 1980s feud at the heart of the Ramones’ punk dominance
Drummer Richie Ramone's four-year tenure with the Ramones from 1983 to 1987 began with considerable promise, as he appeared on three successive albums and initially received public praise from Joey Ramone for restoring the band's original energy and spirit after years of stylistic drift.
Richie's departure in 1987 came at a pivotal moment, occurring without notice just as the album Halfway to Sanity was completed and a major tour, including dates at The Ritz in New York, was about to commence. The split centred on financial disagreements, particularly Richie's request for a percentage of merchandising profits, which the founding members—especially Johnny Ramone—refused to grant, leading Joey to publicly blame Richie's departure on ego and greed rather than acknowledging his contributions to the band's revival.
- Richie Ramone joined as drummer in 1983 and was credited with revitalising the band, contributing to three albums before his sudden 1987 departure
- He quit abruptly during a critical touring period over financial disputes, specifically his request for merchandising profit participation being denied by the founding members