NEW YORK DOLLS - DOLLS TO PLAY RAMONE'S BIRTHDAY BASH

DOLLS TO PLAY RAMONE'S BIRTHDAY BASH

Reunited punk icons the NEW YORK DOLLS will celebrate late pal JOEY RAMONE, at what would have been the rocker's 56th birthday party. The seventh annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash, which will take place on 19 May at The Fillmore New York, has been organised by Ramone's brother Mickey Leigh. Leigh reveals his brother, who didn't live to see the Dolls' reunion, would have been excited that the group was playing at his birthday party. The organiser says, "Joey used to play the first Dolls album so much that the grooves eventually wore out on the vinyl, creating new arrangements to the songs, but he kept playing it anyway." As well as the Dolls, the birthday bash will also feature the world debut of punk supergroup Slinky Vagabond, including former Sex Pistol Glen Matlock and Blondie's Clem Burke. Ramone died in 2001 after a seven-year cancer battle.