- The Ramones, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, 1979. Difficult to find a band to (almost) close the movie in The Roxy concert. Rungren wasn’t keen, Cheap Trick and Tom Petty also passed. (Rundgren alone regretted it) Director Allann Arkush took his problem to a Warner Bros Records contact. Devo was suggested. No, OK, Van Halen? Warner suits said they were raucous and difficult to handle. Finally, an exec really lit Arkush’s fire by mentioning one of his favourite bands – but not actors. Legend insists that after getting only $25,000 for the movie, the New York band had to play Californian gigs to help pay their hotel bill – and Dee Dee’s hospital bill after he ODed in jail following an assault arrest. No wonder he couldn’t remember his seven-word dialogue “Hey, pizza! It’s great! Let’s dig in!” was cut to “Hey, pizza!” – cut to “Hey, pizza!” [My apologies to Todd for misspelling his surname for the past year or so].
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Usual occupation: SingerCasting Calls: 1