Books (scroll down for more).

"Rock In Peace : Dee Dee and Joey Ramone"
by Jari Pekka Laitio-Ramone

Another labour of love by Finland's biggest Ramones fan. After Joey died in 2001 at the young age of 49 Jari published "Heaven Needed A Lead Singer : Fans Remember Joey Ramone". When Dee Dee passed away the year after Jari started working on this book, a loving tribute to both Queens rockers.

Both Tommy and Marky are interviewed as well as Ramones associates Daniel Rey, Arturo Vega and Lech Kowalski (director of "Hey Is Dee Dee Home"). Most of the book consists of rock'n'rollers remembering Dee Dee and Joey like Andy McCoy, Dregen, Howlin' Pelle, Nicke Royale (nice drawings!), Jerry Only, Die Toten Hosen, The Dickies, and Chris Spedding. Several Finnish metal bands I've never heard of also contribute which in my opinion seems a bit strange in the context of the music of Ramones. But hey, its Jari's choice and he has included Finland's national soccer goalkeeper, Antti Niemi as well! Jari has an impressive website (http://www.kauhajoki.fi/~jplaitio/ramones.html) and many fans' thoughts are printed in the book. He also tells about his trips to several Joey birthday bashes in America. There's also many wonderful photos, drawings, and paintings in b&w and color, as well as obscure Ramones merchandise from all over the world. "Rock In Peace" isn't a slick book from some corporate firm, but Jari's outerworldly passion and worship of anything Ramones related make this a must for any hardcore fan of The Ramones. I wonder if we get a third book from Jari since Johnny passed away after the book's completion.

Jens

eXtase # 2

The first issue of eXtase was maybe a tad too highbrow and arty for my taste, even though I reviewed a few Takashi Ishii flicks. # 2 is fuckin' perfect! The film magazine is a labor of love by my good friend Nils Markvardsen, without a doubt the biggest spaghetti western freak in Denmark, and this issue sure reflects that passion. The frontpage is graced by Lee Van Cleef shooting his pistol in classic "The Big Gundown", not only are all of Sergio Sollimas' westerns and crime flicks analyzed, there's also a long wildly eccentric interview with the man himself conducted by Mario 'Nighteagle' Marsili. Mario also interviews Giulio Fetroni, the creator of the outstanding "Death Rides A Horse", who vividly tells about working with Thomas Milian and Orson Welles. Nils loves obscure spaghetti western actors, and this issue features an interview with Robert Mark and an epitaph for Gordon Mitchell. If # 2 were all about Italian westerns it'd been too much, so thankfully Nils changes the scenery completely with a loving tribute to Birte Tove, a Danish sex icon who was the star of many 70s films.
She is mostly known for silly Danish sex comedies, but Nils gets her talking (reluctantly) about his and my fave Birte Tove feature, the ultra nasty "Bamboo House Of Dolls", a HK Women-In-Prison masterpiece from the Shaw Brothers of 1974. Way to go - give this man an award! There's a sleazy eyewitness report from Michael Porel from the set of "Mark Of The Devil", probably the most vicious witchhunter flick ever made, and an insightful look at the movies of Spanish surrealist Fernando Arrabal who makes Jodorowsky look sane! The 2nd issue of eXtase (in Danish and English) still costs only 50 D.kr. but has expanded from 64 to 80 pages, and the layout looks awesome thanks to Pedro Lopez. A must for any serious filmbuff, so please email Nils at klauskinski@ofir.dk or get the zine in selected stores in Copenhagen - you won't regret it!

Jens