Why did Dee Dee Ramone leave the band?
Numerous reasons have been cited for Dee Dee’s departure. In Ramones: An American Band, by Jim Bessman, Dee Dee’s wife Vera says the reason was a combination of the pressure of touring, constant songwriting, and recording, as well as his difficulties with sobriety. Johnny says that “I’m not really sure why Dee Dee quit. I never really knew what went on in his head.” Dee Dee’s last show was July 5, 1989, in Santa Clara, California. Dee Dee’s replacement was C.J. who played his first show on September 30, 1989, in Leicester, England.
