In Loving Memory Of Arturo Vega

In loving memory of our friend and brother, Arturo Vega... Every band has, or had an Arturo Vega. Someone to champion the band through it's early days not quite a manager or a&r or producer but kind of all of them as well the inside friend ambassador peacemaker soldier artist confidant road warrior i feel safe to say without Arturo Vega you would not have The Ramones as you know them today i was, i am sure like a lot of Ramone fans embraced by the warm smile of this Latin rock and roll conquistador a man of no bull shit and for the last thirtysome years always made me feel welcome into the world of the greatest rock and roll band... i will never forget standing at the light board some local dj takes the stage ladies and gentleman... THE RAMONES!! lights go down logo up lit the PA thunders the opening riff of The Good The Bad and the Ugly and the sillouettes of the band take the stage through a field of fists in the air dee dee 1 2 3 4 POW!!! what the... ???!! and i stand there and look at Arturo flashing the lights to the backbeat and full frontal assault and think to myself man... this IS the guy he KNOWS them they lived with him he designed one of the worlds most iconic logos and after the show HE will be at the merch booth to sell you one and someday everybody in the whole fuckin world will wear one but tomorrow at John Marshall High it will only be me... and Clancy Carrol and few else in this whole school will ever even hear of of them i cant wait to start a band i think to myself as i stare out the window in daydream... i think that's how it began for a thousand others Thank You Arturo Vega for letting me push the merch road case through the desert of broken beer bottles and plastic cups and for five minutes feel like part of the crew and the coolest guy in Milwaukee Wisconsin... The Ramones have left the building But their Svengali still lives on Joey Ramone Way NEW YORK CITY

Love, Kevn