The estate of late-Ramones frontman Joey Ramone has sold a stake of his publishing rights and non-exclusive rights to the singer’s name and likeness for $10 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, “The acquisition was part of a larger $2 billion partnership between independent publisher Primary Wave Music and investment company Brookfield Asset Management.” Joey Ramone died at age 49 from lymphatic cancer.
Among the songs included in the deal are “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Judy Is A Punk,” “Beat On The Brat,” “Swallow My Pride,” and “Rock N’ Roll High School.”
Joey Ramone’s brother Mitchel Hyman — better known as musician Mickey Leigh (pronunced “Lee”) — said in the statement announcing the deal: “I’m happy to welcome Primary Wave as partners in my brother’s interests in Ramones. I’m thoroughly convinced of their eagerness to perpetuate his legacy, and their sincerity about doing it in a way that will never compromise his credibility. I, very much, am looking forward to working with them.”
SIDE NOTES
- It was announced last year, the long-awaited Joey Ramone biopic will premiere on Netflix starring Saturday Night Live’s Pete Davidson. The film, titled, I Slept With Joey Ramone, which is in pre-production, will chronicle Ramone’s life and times along with the often chaotic and comical career of the Ramones.
- The script for the film is based on the memoir of Ramone’s brother Mickey Leigh (pronounced Lee), with the new treatment written in collaboration with Davidson. Both Leigh and Davidson will serve as executive producers, with the film developed via Netflix and STXfilm. There’s been no recent word on when shooting will begin.
CHECK IT OUT: The Ramones on September 9th, 1982 at the US Festival performing “Beat On The Brat” live in San Bernardino: