The Ramones LA debut was August 11 and 12, 1976, I grabbed my camera to shoot them the second night.

A simple act that would change my life forever. A girl I’d seen at other shows asked if I wanted to join her at Sunset Marquis hotel and maybe run into the opening band. I didn’t care for the Flamin’ Groovies, but figured why not. I almost fell of the lobby sofa when the Joey and the band walked in. Their manager, Danny Fields, invited us up to their room .

I followed them everywhere, up to San Francisco (where I shot Joey lying by the swimming pool, barefoot and in his Carbona t-shirt), then down to Orange County and back to Hollywood and the Starwood.

I knew I was in the presence of a very special band and time, never to be repeated. I never dreamt this shot of Joey and I backstage, either at the Golden Bear in Huntington Beach, Orange County or the Smokestack, Redondo Beach, LA County (aka the Fleetwood), would ever be publicly seen. I was totally new to rock photography; he new to touring, from opposite sides of the country, and our lives about to forever change. I was very aware of the burgeoning skateboard scene, but I’m a night creature and hate being in the sun.

Leave it to Joey the New Yorker to be on the cutting edge of So Cal culture. Joey and Dee Dee Ramone were two of my favorite people. I have many shots of the two of them together, smiling and hanging out. I wish they were around to enjoy their success and know how much they mean to so many.

Words by Jenny Lens.