I'm about 5 years behind you, but one of the guys I rode with in the Rutgers Fire Department introduced me to them in 1986- Candy Apple Grey--yeah, long past their debut, but a solid album.
Saw them there as well but don't think it was in 84. Really couldn't tell you, I'm old and the memory is going.
Bob did a solo show at Bimbo's in San Francisco in 2001, posing the greatest philosophical question I've ever heard from a rock stage: "Is Madonna getting better, or am I just getting more gay?"
I'm from right across the river, so I spent some time there. It's a 10 minute drive from where I grew up. I saw some good Ramones shows but they got progressively worse - I think some of it was them and some of it was me. I also saw BAD there, it was a highlight. More than just hardcore there, the Replacements, 10,000 Maniacs, REM, Sinead all played there as well as Ween (all the time), Soundgarden, Nirvana, Social D - just too many to remember. There could be 50 people there, there could be what seemed like a 1000. Good times, from what I remember (not a reference to my age, lol). I will look for the book, thanks for the tip.
Never saw the Ramones, and had one chance around 1989 at City Gardens, but I remember it was raining and the line was pretty long, and my date (now my wife) was not up for it so we bailed. I think my lone City Gardens show was Rollins Band.
Those who are the most influential are often not the most popular.
The Melvins fall into that category.
