The Ramones' were an American rock band often regarded as the first punk rock group. Formed in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, in 1974, all of the band members adopted pseudonyms ending with "Ramone", though none of them were actually related. They performed 2,263 concerts, touring virtually nonstop for 22 years. In 1996, after a tour with the Lollapalooza music festival, the band played a farewell show and disbanded. A little more than eight years after the breakup, the band's three founding members - lead singer Joey Ramone, guitarist Johnny Ramone, and bassist Dee Dee Ramone - were dead. The Ramones were a major influence on the punk rock movement both in the United States and the United Kingdom, though they achieved only minor commercial success. Their only record with enough U.S. sales to be certified gold was the compilation album Ramones Mania. Recognition of the band's importance built over the years, and they are now cited in many assessments of all-time great rock music, such as the Rolling Stone lists of the 50 Greatest Artists of All Time and 25 Greatest Live Albums of All Time, VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, and Mojos 100 Greatest Albums. In 2002, the Ramones were ranked the second greatest band of all time by Spin magazine, trailing only The Beatles. On March 18, 2002, the Ramones - including the three founders and drummers Marky and Tommy Ramone - were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Dr. Chud's X-Ward was formed in 2003 after Dr. Chud folded his other band Graves. Their first CD was released in 2004, it was be released on Dr. Chud's very own Bloodwork Records label, it was named Diagnosis For Death. The first 1000 copies of Diagnosis For Death are limited edition and were signed, numbered, and came with a free vinyl sticker. In 2005 it was released on purple vinyl. Only 1250 were released. Every Halloween the band goes on tour.

Dee Dee Ramone, born Douglas Glenn Colvin, (September 18, 1951 - June 5, 2002) was a German-American songwriter and bassist, best remembered as a founding member of punk rock band The Ramones. Colvin was also known for his distinctive count-in style, used to start off many Ramones songs. Though nearly all of the Ramones' songs were credited equally to all the band members, Colvin was the group's primary lyricist and songwriter, penning songs such as "53rd & 3rd", "Commando", "Rockaway Beach" and "Poison Heart". He was the bass guitarist for the group from their formation in 1974 through 1989, although at first he wanted to play the guitar. He then left to pursue a short-lived career in rap music under the name Dee Dee King. Afterwards, he returned to his punk roots and released three little-known solo albums featuring brand new songs (many were used later on Ramones records). He toured the world playing his songs, Ramones songs and some old favorites in small clubs and continued to write songs for the Ramones until 1996, when the band retired. Colvin struggled with drug addiction for much of his life, especially heroin; he began using drugs as a teenager, and continued to use for the majority of his adult life. He seemed to clean up his act in the early 1990s and to remain clean for most of that decade until 2002, when he was found dead from a heroin overdose.

Christopher Joseph Ward (born October 8, 1965), better known as C. J. Ramone, is an American musician known as the bassist for punk rock group The Ramones from 1989 to 1996. Christopher J. Ward was born in Queens, New York, though he lived in Deer Park, New York for most of his early life.He attended Ss. Cyril and Methodius School and graduated from Deer Park High School in 1983. Prior to joining the Ramones, Ward served in the United States Marine Corps. He was a fan of the Ramones, particularly of Dee Dee Ramone, before joining the band, and later played with him in a band called The Remains or The Ramainz, which was formed by Dee Dee Ramone, Marky Ramone and Dee Dee's wife, Barbara Zampini . He also played with Axe, Los Gusanos, and is currently playing in Bad Chopper. Ward replaced original band member Dee Dee Ramone, though Dee Dee continued to write songs for the group. C.J. sang many well-known Ramones songs, and gave The Ramones a younger image. In the documentary End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones it states that when C.J. joined the Ramones he was seen as a breath of fresh air into the band. Johnny Ramone says he knew immediately when C.J. auditioned to replace Dee Dee that he was right, commenting that he "had the right look". When the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame original Ramones drummer, Tommy Ramone, credited C.J. with "keeping the band young". C.J. also had the idea for the band to cover Tom Waits' "I Don't Want to Grow Up" on the album u00A1Adios Amigos!.C.J. Ramone was the youngest member of the Ramones when he joined, by 9 years. His first show with The Ramones was on September 30, 1989, in Leicester, England, and he played with the band until they retired on August 6, 1996.

John William Cummings (October 8, 1948 – September 15, 2004), better known by the stage name Johnny Ramone, was the guitarist for the seminal punk rock group The Ramones. Along with vocalist Jeffrey Hyman, aka Joey Ramone, he remained a member of the band throughout their career.

Richard Reinhardt (a.k.a Richie Ramone) is an American drummer best known for his five year stint as the drummer for the punk rock group the Ramones. He left the band acrimoniously in August 1987 after the three original members refused to evenly share the money from t-shirt sales with him. He was replaced by Elvis Ramone. He worked on the albums Too Tough to Die, Animal Boy and Halfway To Sanity. He also has one live album which was recorded on February 25, 1985 called Ramones Smash You: Live u201985. He penned the songs "Smash You," "Somebody Put Something in My Drink," "Humankind," "I'm Not Jesus," "I Know Better Now" and "(You) Can't Say Anything Nice."

Tommy Ramone, also known as Thomas Erdelyi (born Erdélyi Tamu00E1s, January 29, 1952 in Budapest, Hungary), is a Jewish Hungarian-American record producer and musician. He is the last surviving original member of the pioneering punk rock band The Ramones.

The Misfits are an American rock band often recognized as the progenitors of the horror punk subgenre, blending punk rock and other musical influences with horror film themes and imagery. Founded in 1977 in Lodi, New Jersey by singer and songwriter Glenn Danzig, the group had a fluctuating lineup during its first six years with Danzig and bassist Jerry Only as the only consistent members. During this time they released several EPs and singles and, with Only's brother Doyle as guitarist, the albums Walk Among Us and Earth A.D./Wolfs Blood, both considered touchstones of the early-1980s hardcore punk movement. The Misfits disbanded in 1983 and Danzig went on to form Samhain and then Danzig. Several albums of reissued and previously unreleased material were issued after the group's dissolution, and their music became influential to punk rock, heavy metal, and alternative rock music of the late 1990s and early 2000s. After a series of legal battles with Danzig, Only and Doyle regained the rights to record and perform as the Misfits. They formed a new version of the band in 1995 with singer Michale Graves and drummer Dr. Chud. This incarnation of the Misfits had a sound much more rooted in heavy metal and released the albums American Psycho and Famous Monsters before dissolving in 2000. Only then took over lead vocals and recruited former Black Flag guitarist Dez Cadena and former Ramones drummer Marky Ramone for a Misfits 25th Anniversary tour. This lineup released an album of cover songs entitled Project 1950 and toured for several years. In 2005 Ramone was replaced by Robo, who had played with Black Flag in the early 1980s and had also previously been the Misfits' drummer from 1982 to 1983. The current lineup of Only, Cadena, and Robo continues to tour and has announced plans to record an album of new material.

Marky Ramone (born Marc Steven Bell on July 15 1956 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American drummer. He is best known for being the drummer for the Ramones, but has also played in other notable bands like Dust and Richard Hell and The Voidoids. He is currently hosting "Marky Ramone's Punk Rock Blitzkrieg" on Sirius XM 28/52 Faction, Tuesdays at 8pm ET. Marky can be seen on stages all over the world with his new band, Marky Ramones Blitzkrieg. Marky is the only living member of the longest running Ramones line-up (15 years) featuring Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee, and Marky. Unrelated, each band member adopted a pseudonym with the surname Ramone.

Perry Farrell (born Peretz Bernstein on March 29, 1959) is an American musician who is the frontman for the alternative rock band Jane's Addiction. Farrell created the touring festival Lollapalooza as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction in 1991; it has since evolved into an annual festival. Farrell continues to produce Lollapalooza with partners William Morris Agency and C3. Farrell has also led the alternative rock groups Porno For Pyros and Satellite Party. Peretz (u05E4u05E8u05E5) is his Hebrew name, as well as his DJ moniker DJ Peretz.

Clem Burke (born Clement Bozewski, Bayonne, New Jersey, November 24, 1955) is an American musician who is the drummer for the band Blondie. Recruited by Chris Stein and Debbie Harry when they were first forming Blondie, Burke remained with the band throughout the first stage of their career and was instrumental in the late 1990s reunion, as well as their current extensive tour in 2009. During the 1980s and '90s, when Blondie was disbanded, Burke played drums for The Romantics, Pete Townshend, Bob Dylan, Eurythmics, The Tourists, Dramarama, The Fleshtones, Iggy Pop, and Joan Jett, amongst others. He went on to record with the superstar line-up of Chequered Past in 1983 with Sex Pistols Steve Jones, former Blondie bandmate Nigel Harrison, musician Tony Sales and singer/actor Michael Des Barres. In the late 80's, he stood in as drummer for The Ramones (under the name "Elvis Ramone") for two gigs, on August 28, 1987, in Providence, Rhode Island, and August 29, 1987, in Trenton, New Jersey, after the sudden departure of Richie Ramone. On October 8, 2004, he once again played under the name "Elvis Ramone", when he joined Tommy Ramone, C. J. Ramone, and Daniel Rey in the "Ramones Beat Down On Cancer" concert. He has recorded and played live with Wanda Jackson and Nancy Sinatra. Clem also played on The Go-Go's member Kathy Valentine's solo release, "Light Years" in 2005. He was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. He now is a member of Slinky Vagabond with Earl Slick, Glen Matlock, and Keanan Duffty. Slinky Vagabond played their debut concert at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash in May 2007.He is also currently a member of Magis Christian along with Cyril Jordan and Eddie Munoz.

Stanley Eisen (born January 20, 1952 in Queens, New York) known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist for the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of most of the band's highest-charting hits, including "Rock and Roll All Nite", "Detroit Rock City", "Hard Luck Woman", "I Was Made for Lovin' You", "Crazy Crazy Nights" and "Forever".

Gorgeous Frankenstein is an American horror punk band formed by Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein in 2005 after his departure from the Misfits. The name is a combination of Doyle's stage name and that of his wife, Stephanie Bellars (Gorgeous George). The first songs were written by Doyle originally for his wife to dance to. However, after Doyle's reunion with Glenn Danzig, Danzig suggested Doyle produce and release the songs on Danzig's record label, Evilive. The band has since released one album of eponymous nature. Recently Doyle has announced that the band is working on songs, with four songs finished, and eleven that they are still working on.

Keith Morris (born September 17, 1952) is an American singer and songwriter. Active since 1976, Morris is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, and Midget Handjob. He currently works as an A&R manager at V2 Records. In 1999, he was diagnosed with adult onset diabetes and many of his friends held benefit concerts to cover his large medical bills.

Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz on August 25, 1949) is an Israeli American hard rock bassist, vocalist, and actor. He is best known as "The Demon," the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, and tongue-wagging bassist and vocalist in the hard rock band Kiss, an act he co-founded in the early 1970s. Simmons also contends that he has "never been high, drunk, or smoked in [his] life."