The Ramones were the soundtrack to my junior high and high school life. Pretty much every milestone during this period was accompanied by the energetic music of the band. As well as I knew the music I really did not know too much about the band going in other than a few stories associated with CBGBs.

Marky tells his story and that of the Ramones in an enjoyable and accessible manner. He openly discusses his and the other band member's issues with alcohol and drugs. He also goes into the mental health issues the members, especially Joey, had to deal with. It is inspiring that once he was able to get himself clean that he rejoined the band and tried to help his band mates do the same but that he realized they had to do the work themselves.

As I worked my way through the book I could hear the songs Marky mentioned in my head and remembered all of the good times I had while listening to them growing up. If you ever listened to the Ramones or punk music in general this book is essential reading. 5 stars.

I was provided a copy of the eArc for this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.