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SPIN EXCLUSIVE: A Q & A WITH JOHNNY RAMONE

Ramone: [Laughs] I’m not quite like that, but I dowant to protect my legacy. And I’ve come to accept that I didaccomplish something I never had before. I used to think, “Ijust did my best. I was in a rock’n’roll group, and Ijust played.” But as time’s gone on, I’ve seenwhat an influence we were on people. I’m very fortunate tohave been in a band that seemed to have mattered.

Ramone: [Laughs] I’m not quite like that, but I do want to protect my legacy. And I’ve come to accept that I did accomplish something I never had before. I used to think, “I just did my best. I was in a rock’n’roll group, and I just played.” But as time’s gone on, I’ve seen what an influence we were on people. I’m very fortunate to have been in a band that seemed to have mattered.

Spin: Has your no-bullshit approach been helpful while you’re going through this illness?

Ramone: I guess so. I try to be tough about it. I just remind myself that I had a great life. I had a great job. People have been nice to me everywhere I’ve gone. I mattered in my job. I have a great wife of 22 years. What more could I want? It’d be nice to stick around a little longer, but if you can judge your success in life by having great friends, I’ve been very successful.