New York Dolls, Slinky Vagabond (Sex Pistols, Blondie) to play Joey Ramone Birthday Bash

The details on the 2007 Joey Ramone Birthday Bash have been announced. The event, which would have been the 56th birthday of the Ramones frontman, will take place on Sunday, May 19th at the Fillmore in New York.

One of the major influences on Ramones will be paying tribute to that band's late singer at the annual Joey Ramone Birthday Bash. The highlight of the popular event will be a full set from the New York Dolls.

The celebration also features the debut of Slinky Vagabond, a new band featuring the Sex Pistols Glen Matlock and Blondie's Clem Burke, Keanan Duffty and Earl Slick (a member of David Bowie's touring band). Underground Garage favourites the Chesterfield Kings and NYC punk band the Bullys will also perform. The event will be MC'd by Little Steven Van Zandt of the aforementioned Underground Garage and the E Street Band along with Matt Pinfield.

The bash concludes with The Friends of Joey All-Star Jam. That performance will feature original Ramones drummer Tommy Ramone and the first appearance of Elvis Ramone (Blondie's Clem Burke, but don't tell anyone) since he left the band in 1987. They'll be joined by Ramones producer Ed Stasium, Joey's brother Mickey Leigh, queercore pioneer Jayne County, ex-Heartbreaker Walter Lure, the Dictators' Andy Shernoff and J.P. "Thunderbolt" Patterson, Furious George's George Tabb, Willie Nile, the Plasmatics' Richie Stotts, Al Maddy, Walt Stack and Tish & Snooky.

Joey Ramone passed away in April of 2001 after a seven-year battle with lymphoma. Net proceeds from the Birthday Bash and proceeds raised by a special raffle will go to the Joey Ramone Foundation for Lymphoma Research.

Sadly, this will be the first year without both the show's founder and Joey's mother, Charlotte Lesher,. Charlotte passed away in January of 2007.