This is a DVD that does what it says on the packet, in other words it is bloody raw, being made up mainly home video clips made by the band while on tour, and augmented (woo! big word) with some brilliant clips of songs played live that unlike any other band's DVD are played in their entierety, start to finish. Which is a nice change from most other DVD band biographies that only play half of the songs before some talking 'expert' butts in with some 'know it all' shit that smatteres over the bands sound.
There is clips from the bands career dating from 1980 the bands end and after, and it also has many other 'extras' as well, including some rather odd american tv appearences, which give the watcher some idea of where they got some of their song ideas from. the 'extra's are interesting (for once) in that they show the bands live performances, tv appearances (as ive already said) plus loads more.
Over all, the DVD has a 'home made' look to it, going from one year to the other without any definite direction, jumping from DEE DEE'S departure to then showing live clips of him and also home video footage, and also includes DEE DEE'S replacement CJ pop in and out in 'home footage' clips and band performances before and after DEE DEE'S departure and then it goes back to DEE DEE again (and after, in no order).
Like wise the DVD goes from the death of singer JOEY and the bands induction into the rock'n'roll 'hall of fame' to clips of him on tour and playing live.
Also the DVD includes footage of DEE DEE'S short lived rap career (a bad move) as 'DEE DEE KING' and clips of him leaving openly in TV interviews to more clips of him in the band. The same goes reguarding the death of guitarist JOHNNY, one moment we see him being 'remembered' and his statue being unveiled, the next we see his smilng face as he makes some quips to the camera, then back to more rare footage of the band live, the DVD doesnt follow any kind of timeline and just jumps from year to year without a care for continuity.
And what could be considered as the DVD'S most 'touching moment' is when we see the recording of a news broadcast from the unveiling of a street named after the dead JOEY, and the tributes from fans and 'stars' alike, plus the assembled crowd waiting for the street signs unveiling while chanting "hey ho lets go" non stop.
We also see the unnerving and rabid devotion that the band inspired in their fans in certain countries, like the mad south american fans who risked life and limb chasing the bands tour bus while piled onto mo-peds hoping to get t-shirts signed or just to shake a band members hand, and for a band of uglies they didnt have any trouble attracting pretty willing female fans who were ready to strip at the nod of a RAMONES head, and we see the madness that followed the band on tour, an experience that that i didnt envy the band.
In summing up, the DVD seems to be directionless, being more like a home made video scrap book than a band biography, but because of that we get to see sides of the band that DVDS like 'END OF THE CENTURY' didnt show, and 'RAW' shows the band in happier company with each other than the 'allways' fighting' stories that are part of the bands many myths, they might not of been the best of friends after so many years of being stuck together in the same rooms but they new how to get along which probally helped to keep the band together for so long, and showed the devotion the members of the RAMONES had for the band.
All in all i would ive give this DVD seven out of ten because it has complete live songs and has interesting american tv clips that might other not have seen the light of day for fans otherwise, and is full of interesting 'special features' that unlike many DVD'S are actually interesting.
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