The Cretin Family existed for one night, and the line-up explains why the show sold on the name alone. Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day, Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, Rancid's Tim Armstrong and former Ramones bassist CJ Ramone came together at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on August 30 for The Official Ramones 50th Anniversary Tribute.
The anniversary is of the 1976 self-titled debut, the record that carried Blitzkrieg Bop, Judy Is A Punk and Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue and did as much as anything to start punk as a going concern. Fifty years on, the tribute leaned on covers rather than reinterpretation, opening with Durango 95 and running through Rockaway Beach, Cretin Hop and Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment.
Armstrong told the crowd it was the first time in his entire life he had played with Barker, and that he was getting to play with an actual Ramone, introducing CJ. John Travolta introduced the set, and the event also carried a double feature screening of the 50th anniversary deluxe edition of Carrie and Travolta's new film Propeller One-Way Night Coach.
The guests arrived steadily. Fred Armisen joined for Danny Says, Jason Freese for Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?, and The Linda Lindas came out for a cover of Joe Jones' California Sun and then I Wanna Be Sedated. The band also worked in Motorhead's R.A.M.O.N.E.S., Dee Dee King's The Crusher and The Trashmen's Surfin' Bird.
Billy Idol was the last surprise, arriving to play Beat On The Brat, his own Generation X song Ready Steady Go, and then Blitzkrieg Bop to close the night. He is having a year of that sort of thing, having been named for the AMAs' lifetime achievement award.
Green Day and Rancid both have history here. Both appeared on the 2003 tribute album We're A Happy Family: A Tribute To Ramones, Green Day covering Outsider and Rancid taking Sheena Is A Punk Rocker. Armstrong also runs The Coverups, a covers band known for chaotic shows, which in July played David Bowie songs with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson and dedicated Nirvana's Drain You to the late L7 musician Jennifer Finch.
The Linda Lindas arrived with their own material in flight, having put out Blood On Our Hands ahead of their third album. Green Day, meanwhile, have a film called Nimrods and a soundtrack to go with it. More rock anniversary events are tracked across the site.
The facts
- The Cretin Family played Hollywood Forever Cemetery on August 30.
- The band was Billie Joe Armstrong, Travis Barker, Tim Armstrong and CJ Ramone.
- The show marked 50 years since the Ramones' 1976 self-titled debut.
- Fred Armisen joined for Danny Says and Jason Freese for Rock 'n' Roll Radio.
- The Linda Lindas played California Sun and I Wanna Be Sedated.
- Billy Idol closed the night with Beat On The Brat and Blitzkrieg Bop.
- John Travolta introduced the set.
- Green Day and Rancid both appeared on the 2003 Ramones tribute album.
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