It's a long way from CBGB

Somebody Put Something in My Drink.
As the featured soloist with The Pasadena POPS Orchestra (www.pasadenapops.com), Richie Ramone--an extraordinarily gifted as well as technically skilled musician-- will be drumming a 17-minute interpretation of the Leonard Bernstein classic, West Side Story. This first series of performances with the POPS represents a new career direction for Richie Ramone, who will be touring with other symphony and pops orchestras through 2009.

Widely considered one of the fastest and most exacting drummers in rock music, Richie Ramone's unique style has inspired a generation of punk-rock fans. For his solo performances with the POPS, Richie Ramone will be playing with noted composer, musical director, arranger and keyboard player Ron Abel who created the Suite under Richie's direction. Ron Abel has worked with numerous stars of stage and screen, such as Lucy Arnez, Liza Minelli, Michele Lee and Shirley Jones, and has won awards writing the score for Twist of Fate.

The performances will be conducted by the brilliant Pasadena POPS Orchestra Music Director Maestra Rachael Worby (www.worby.com), who had the vision to understand the value of this as a performance and also as a way to encourage young punk and rock fans about other genres of music.

Richie Ramone was a member of the Ramones for five years. His world-renowned talents as a vocalist and songwriter as well as drummer for the Ramones are legendary. He drummed and sang back-up vocals, and wrote some of the best Ramones songs including the acclaimed "Somebody Put Something in My Drink." After a long absence from the music scene, Ramone wowed the audience at the Joey Ramone Birthday Bash in 2006. Critics heralded his return as "the most exciting event" of the evening.

The last time a drum solo of West Side Story was performed in such fashion was by the late Buddy Rich.