I Want You Around

The Ramones and the Making of Rock ‘n' Roll High School

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by Stephen B. Armstrong

Type: Stories
Subject: One Film > Rock 'n' Roll High School
Keywords: Allan Arkush, Joe Dante, rock, music
Publishing date: 2023
Publisher: Backbeat
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 264 pages
6 x 8 ¾ inches (15.5 x 22.5 cm)

ISBN

978-1-4930-6449-6

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Book Presentation:
The first of its sort, I Want You Around: The Ramones and the Making of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School provides readers with a detailed production history of this beloved film that draws upon extensive interviews the author has conducted with many of the people who contributed to the movie’s creation, including lead actress P. J. Soles, director Allan Arkush, second-unit director Joe Dante, producer Michael Finnell, the Ramones’ tour manager Monte A. Melnick, and Roger Corman.

About the Author:
Stephen Armstrong is a film historian and author of several books, including Paul Bartel: The Life and Films, Pictures about Extremes: The Films of John Frankenheimer, and Andrew V. McLaglen: The Life and Hollywood Career. A professor of English, he teaches in the Creative Writing and Professional & Technical Writing emphases at Utah Tech University.

Press Reviews:
A delicious triple feature for cinema and punk rock fans ... Fans of Rock ‘N’ Roll High School, Roger Corman, and cult movies are going to love this too.
― Library Journal, Starred Review

An amazing (and often hilarious) book ... Armstrong has given fans of Rock ‘n Roll High School the exact book they’ve always needed, whether they knew it or not.
― Forces of Geek

The Ramones' involvement in Rock 'n' Roll High School was a significant milestone for the band, as it helped them gain more mainstream exposure and recognition. They had a great time working on the movie, and Joey Ramone described the filming process as "a blast." The movie remains a cult classic among punk rock fans and is remembered as a fun, energetic tribute to the music of the Ramones.
-- Monte A. Melnick, Ramones tour manager, 1974-1996

There used to be an underground movie theater at Columbus Circle in New York. Is it still there? That's where Tina [Weymouth, bassist, Talking Heads] and I attended a premier of Rock 'n' Roll High School. It was so exciting! The Ramones were the first of the CBGB crowd to make a Hollywood movie.
-- Chris Frantz, drummer, Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club

Loaded with compelling anecdotes, Steve Armstrong’s history of Rock ‘n’ Roll High School is for anybody who loves the Ramones, and who doesn’t love the Ramones?
-- Legs McNeil, co-editor Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk

Rock 'n' Roll High School is a refreshing burst of teenage anarchy. P. J. Soles shines, Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov represent the faculty, and the Ramones supply the rock 'n' roll! Raucous and funny, one of my favorite New World Pictures movies.
-- John Landis, American filmmaker and actor

Like the Ramones, this book rocks. Gabba Gabba Hey!
-- Zane W. Levitt, producer, Out of the Dark, Guncrazy, Shiloh