Palmyra Delran Covers Rare Joey Ramone Solo Track

Written By Mike Greenblatt
Palmyra Delran

Princeton-born Palmyra Delran is known as The Trash Queen. Her brand of garage-rock is in-your-face. She takes no prisoners. She just kills ‘em all, as Metallica once said. “Spirit In My House” (Stevie Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records) is a cover version of a rare Joey Ramone track. Ramone, who died in 2001 at 49, became an icon by shoving his middle finger forward to rock’n’roll convention.

“Joey Ramone’s brother Mickey Leigh invited my band The Doppel Gang to play a few songs for one of the yearly Joey birthday bash celebrations a few years back,” Delran recalls. “I thought it would be great to learn a few of Joey’s lesser-known solo songs—‘Spirit In My House’ and ‘Mr Punchy.’ My pals at Wicked Cool Records heard ‘Spirit In My House’ and thought it would be perfect to release around Halloween. I think it totally nails the vibe of our favorite holiday!”

And all in a nifty 1:39. Joey would’ve loved that.

(Singer-Songwriter-Guitarist-Producer-DJ Delran is also a member of The Coolies with Melanie Vammen of The Pandoras, Clem Burke of Blondie and Kathy Valentine of The Go-Gos.)

Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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