Thousands of Rockers & Film Fans Join Hollywood Celebrities at Premiere of

San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the iconic rocker’s memorial tribute was the largest ever, with approximately 3,000 fans showing up to pay homage to the guitarist and witness the World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!” during the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, which took place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Ramones’ guitarist Johnny Ramone created the enduring template for punk rock guitar. With his blazing power chords and brutal licks energizing Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”, Johnny inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004. His annual tribute, now in its fifth year, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Attending Hollywood celebrities and rockstars included actress Rose McGowan, actress Rosanna Arquette, actress PJ Soles, actress Virginia Madsen, actors David Arquette and Vincent Gallo, Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, musician Pete Yorn, X’s Billy Zoom, radio personality Joe Escalante of the Vandals, Stan Lee of The Dickies, the Ramones’ Tommy Ramone, CJ Ramone and many more.

“This year’s event was spectacular and turned out to be everything we’d hoped for,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “It was just a great night all around. The event was rich and diverse as a whole and so was the crowd. Commandos assembled from all over the world and it was the biggest turnout we’ve ever seen at the annual Tribute. I think Johnny would be proud.”

The event was a fundraiser with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus.

Fans enjoyed a full evening of Rock ‘N Roll and movie magic in both 2D and 3D with a vintage 1977 Ramone’s concert film “It’s Alive”; the rarely-seen “Rock ‘N Roll High School” original theatrical trailer, which was introduced by special guest PJ Soles, the original Riff Randall from the film; “Night of the Living Pinheads”, a unique clip from the “Ramones RAW” DVD where the band is seen in South America and their van is being mobbed by adoring fans fittingly intercut with shots from “Night of the Living Dead”; a rare memorabilia exhibit; an art show of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone; opening featurettes of animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and the world premiere of Osaka Popstar’s “Wicked World” 3D video; NVIDIA’s new 3D Vision presentation of the horror game “Resident Evil 5”; and never-before-seen 3D photos of Johnny Ramone himself.

The evening concluded with the 3D World Premiere of George Romero’s original 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”, produced by PassmoreLab, and was superbly introduced by actress and JRA affiliate Rose McGowan, a close friend of Ramone for many years.

“We had a huge turnout! What can I say? It was for the love of Johnny Ramone, a great cause and fantastic entertainment,” reflects McGowan. “Johnny would’ve been thrilled that so many people love & respect The Ramones.”
“The movie looked great in 3D,” said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab. “We took great care restoring and converting it, and I am very pleased with the outcome.”

“Night of the Living Dead”, one of the greatest low budget cult movies ever made and originally shot in black and white over 40 years ago, was painstakingly restored, colorized and converted, frame by frame into full 3D using Passmorelab’s proprietary technology.

“It was great to see this all come together,” said James Humann, producer at PassmoreLab. “We are fans ourselves, and were happy to be a part of such an amazing event!”

Gibson Guitar Offers Colorful Assortment of High-Quality Guitars for All Personalities for the Holiday Gift Giving Season

Gibson Guitar, the world’s premier musical instrument company and leader in music technology announced a selection of ultimate gift giving guitars for this holiday season. Whether you’re a metal-head and your favorite musician makes an axe scream like Zakk Wylde or someone who wants a more refined instrument like the Les Paul Standard or Studio guitar or maybe you like swingin’ grooves of the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and Gibson USA’s Zoot Suit SG guitar, Gibson has designed guitars that are each timeless and with an abundance of character. Some of the offerings this holiday season include:

THE SG ZOOT SUIT BY GIBSON USA

Adding a splash of color to the Gibson electric guitar family, the new SG Zoot Suit embodies the excitement of jazz “zoot” style. Featuring a slick body made of multiple birch wood laminate pieces, each died a different color, bonded and finished with two coats of satin lacquer to form one naturally flawless block of wood, the Zoot Suit will ignite any performance. A favorite of The Cherry Poppin’ Daddies’ Steve Perry, this new model comes in five pinstripe color combinations which highlight Gibson’s traditional rounded profile and legendary 496R and 500T pickups.

MSRP: $1,999

Visit http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/SG/Gibson-USA/SG-Zoot-Suit/Overview.aspx for more info.

ZAKK WYLDE GRAVEYARD DISCIPLE & BFG LES PAUL “BUZZSAW”

Raise the dead with the Zakk Wylde Graveyard Disciple guitar by Epiphone. Combining killer sound with a striking, coffin-shaped body of solid Mahogany, a neck of hard maple with a smooth satin finish, the Graveyard Disciple is perfect for hard rock or metal. Customized by Five-Time Most Valuable Metal Guitarist, Zakk Wylde, this unique model is just dying to be played and includes a customized, Coffin™ hard case.

Designed with and approved by Gibson legend Zakk Wylde and Gibson USA, The Buzzsaw, features BFG appointments, a 50´s profile neck, Book matched Maple Top, Chambered body, super hot EMG 85 and 81 model pickups, jumbo frets designed specifically to meet Zakk´s demanding playing style and looks that have this guitar screamin’ before you even plug it into a monster sized, city-leveling stack.

GRAVEYARD MSRP: $1,499

BFG MODEL MSRP: $3,331

Visit http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/graveyard-disciple-819/ for more info.

*Under license from Coffin Case Company

GIBSON ACOUSTIC SONGWRITER DELUXE STANDARD

The Gibson Acoustic Songwriter Deluxe Standard is designed with superior levels of guitar features and benefits to acoustic players around the world. The guitar has a clean even-grained AAA-grade solid Sitka spruce top with elegant abalone rosette, and finished in an antiqued natural lacquer that gives this instrument a striking golden-toned hue. It also bears a gorgeous sculpted modern Dove-style pickguard created by the division’s master luthier. The Songwriter Deluxe Standard delivers a higher level of performance and tone. The performance and studio needs of today’s professional players is also addressed by the addition of Fishman’s Aura Ellipse Pickup system which reproduces the natural sound. Many other exclusive features make this Gibson Acoustic an innovative, legendary model from the division in Bozeman, Montana. Gibson Acoustic also produces the Songwriter Deluxe Studio, Songwriter Deluxe Custom and the famous Gibson Hummingbird.

MSRP Songwriter Deluxe Standard: $4,083

Visit: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/songwriter-deluxe-standard/

TONY IOMMI G-400 BY EPIPHONE

The Epiphone Tony Iommi Signature G-400 Electric Guitar is what you want for hardcore, heavy hitting sound. Classic SG attitude is enhanced with mother-of-pearl cross fingerboard inlays, black chrome hardware, and a matching black finish on the solid mahogany body. The slim-tapered mahogany neck is fast and the Gibson USA Tony Iommi pickups put out the firepower required for maximum destruction. The Locktone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece add sustain and make string changing easier.

MSRP: $999

Visit: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/SG/Epiphone/Tony-Iommi-G-400.aspx for more info.

GIBSON LES PAUL STANDARD & GIBSON LES PAUL STUDIO BY GIBSON USA

A true classic, Gibson’s first solid body guitar remains the standard for the music industry. Since 1952, the Les Paul Standard has shaped the sound of popular music and become known as an icon in its own right. The Les Paul custom continues to provide the rich, versatile tone it is famous for, lending itself to all styles of music. The 2008 Standard’s alterations have refined this proven classic to make it more playable than ever. An enlarged neck tenon and a new asymmetrical profile enhance comfort for the player and custom-made gold plated Bourns potentiometers add clarity and power to the sound. Additionally, locking Grover tuners improve gear ration 18:1 and the addition of the Plek computer-controlled set-up works to eliminate buzz and enhance overall experience playing the Les Paul. Available in a dozen colors, the classic is a powerful addition to any musician’s collection. Les Paul’s Studio guitar, another classic from Gibson USA, sings with simplicity, combining tremendous performance with a classic look. Including a carved maple top, solid mahogany back and genuine Gibson humbucker pickups, the Les Paul Studio is one of Gibson’s best-selling instruments.

STANDARD MSRP: $3,889

STUDIO MSRP: $1,799

Visit http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Studio.aspx or http://www.gibson.com/en-us/divisions/gibson%20usa/products/lespaul/2008-standard/ for more info.

SIMPLICITY MEETS 21ST CENTURY TECHNOLOGY: THE ROBOT LES PAUL JUNIOR SPECIAL BY GIBSON USA

If you are a technology addict looking for the ultimate guitar, the Robot Les Paul Junior Special is the best holiday gift ever. Featuring proprietary technology and advanced features unprecedented in the musical instrument manufacturing industry, the Robot Les Paul Junior Special guitar meets every demand a player has. Constructed from mahogany, the average weight is 5.21 lbs. The MCK, the control knob with the illuminated top – serves as the master control for all aspects of the guitar’s amazing self-tuning system. The Neck CPU is the genius little device responsible for receiving and processing the data signal from each individual string and feeding it to the Powerhead Locking Tuners which then tune the guitar. The guitar also features the highest value potentiometer allowing for smooth transitions from highs to lows. At the core of the Robot Les Paul’s pioneering technology is a lithium rechargeable battery system which keeps the Robot guitar going for approximately 200 tunings.

MSRP: $2,775

Visit: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Robot-Les-Paul-Jr-Special.aspx

GIBSON CUSTOM LES PAUL AXCESS STANDARD

The Gibson Les Paul Axcess by Gibson Custom carries all of the elegant styling, fluid body lines and rocking attitude of a classic Les Paul Standard from the golden era of the late 1950s. Upon closer examination, however, you will find many substantial modifications made in the name of maximum playability and versatility. Everything about this Les Paul has been designed to make it a player’s guitar. From the easy access to its upper range to the comfortable belly scarf to the Floyd Rose vibrato, the Gibson Custom Les Paul Axcess Standard was designed to give optimum performance.

MSRP: $5,292

Visit: http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/spotlight-on-lp-axcess/ for more info

THE RETURN OF THE REVERSE FLYING V

Gibson has turned the legendary Flying V — and the guitar world along with it — upside down with the release of the Reverse Flying V. The greatest guitar makers in the world have handcrafted a small number of Reverse Flying Vs for another very limited run of these flame-throwing cult classic collectables. For those who missed it the first time, here is one more chance to grab an amazing Reverse Flying V from Gibson USA. If there is this much demand for them now, think what they will command when they are vintage.

MSRP: $999

Visit http://www.gibson.com/promotions/reverseflyingv/ for more info.

ROY ORBISON “PRETTY WOMAN” EPIPHONE ACOUSTIC

Write the next American classic with the new limited edition “Oh, Pretty Woman” 12-string acoustic guitar. Based on Roy Orbison’s original 1962 Epiphone acoustic, this faithful reproduction features a solid spruce top, mahogany back, rosewood bridge and vintage tuners. This new edition of an iconic acoustic is modeled after the guitar that helped Orbison craft one of the most recognized riffs in music. Featuring the notation for the first measure of “Oh, Pretty Woman,” on the back of the guitar’s headstock; this limited edition includes a hard case with Roy’s signature and “sunglass” icon, a certificate of authenticity hand-signed by his widow and son, a black & white photo of Roy with his original 12-string, a “sunglass” lapel pin and a copy of the “Oh, Pretty Woman” sheet music.

MSRP: $1,332

Visit http://www.epiphone.com/news.asp?NewsID=1493 for more info.

EPIPHONE AJ-500M MASTERBILT

Epiphone revives the prestige of its 1930s guitars with the new Masterbilt Acoustic Series. These new flat-top guitars feature all solid wood construction and a distinctive 1930s-style “offset notch” peghead shape with historic Epiphone script logo and mother-of-pearl stickpin inlay. It is the ultimate acoustic guitar for the musician looking for quality, performance and value.

MSRP: $832

Visit: www.epiphone.com

More information and hi-res images about all of the above products and more can be found at www.gibson.com/press.

About Gibson Guitar:

Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument, including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins, and banjos. Gibson’s HD.6X-PRO Digital Guitar, the Gibson Robot Guitar and Gibson’s Dark Fire represent the biggest advances in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Founded in 1894 in Kalamazoo , Michigan , and headquartered in Nashville since 1984, Gibson Guitar Corp.’s family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Echoplex, Electar, Flatiron, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Oberheim, Baldwin, Sunshine Piano, Take Anywhere Technology, J&C Fischer, Chickering, Hamilton, and Wurlitzer. Visit Gibson’s website at www.gibson.com.

Johnny Ramone’s Tribute to be Memorialized in New Documentary

San Diego-based 3D producer PassmoreLab, in conjunction with the Johnny Ramone Army, has confirmed that the legendary rocker’s memorial tribute will be filmed for a as-yet-untitled documentary during the previously announced 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute, which will take place at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Ramone’s annual tribute, now in its fifth year and attended by thousands of fans, takes place at the foot of his 8 ft. memorial bronze statue inside the cemetery.

The Hi-Definition 2D documentary will be worthy of the rockstar and will focus on capturing the raw, emotional, and endearing moments of the 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute — a day-long rock-icon tribute event attended by thousands — as told by the people who were there: his loyal fans, trusted comrades, and the attending celebrities and rock musicians Johnny influenced through his storied career.

Ramone, who created the enduring template for punk rock guitar with his blazing power chords and brutal licks, energized Ramones’ classics like “Blitzkrieg Bop”, “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker”. Ramone inspired generations of punk bands until his untimely death from prostate cancer in 2004, at age 55.

The film will capture all the action from the event as it happens — celebrity guests and speakers in attendance; autograph signings with sole surviving founding member, Ramones drummer & producer Tommy Ramone, and CJ Ramone; a rare memorabilia exhibit; an art show of original paintings by the legendary Ramones bassist Dee Dee Ramone; opening featurettes of 3D animated music videos from the Johnny Ramone Army and Osaka Popstar; and never-before-seen 3D photos of Johnny Ramone himself.

The evening will continue with a 2D version of the original “Rock ‘N Roll High School” theatrical trailer, which will be introduced by special guest PJ Soles, who appeared in the classic film decades ago; and “Night of the Living Pinheads”, a rare clip from the “Ramones RAW” DVD where the band is seen in South America and their van is being mobbed by adoring fans.

The filming and the evening will conclude with a vintage Ramones concert shot in 1977 entitled “Its Alive” and the 3D World Premiere of George Romero’s original 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D”, produced by PassmoreLab, and introduced by actress Rose McGowan.

“Johnny’s annual tribute has become such an awe-inspiring event. We’ve started showing Johnny’s favorite movies and paired them with vintage Ramones concerts each year,” said John Cafiero, Chief of Staff of the Johnny Ramone Army. “This year, we are doing the same with ‘It’s Alive’ and premiering one of his all-time favorites with ‘Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D’. Capturing the tribute on film for the first time will be a great time capsule and a real testament to the power of Johnny’s legacy, and the timeless legacy of the Ramones. It’s very exciting and will be a lot of fun for the fans to be such a big part of it too.”

The documentary has been an inspiration for everyone involved, including the film-makers.

“We are honored to be a part of this tribute, and as filmmakers, we felt obligated to capture this moment in time so future generations can experience it as it happened” said Steve Glum, PassmoreLab’s head of Branding & Distribution. “The journey of so many fans, young and old, to be present at an event like this is proof of Johnny’s ever-enduring spirit, and we are thrilled to co-produce this film with JRA.”

“Every year after the tribute, I always feel bad that there’s nothing to remember it by. This year there will be,” said Linda Ramone, wife of the legendary guitarist and founding member of the Ramones.

The 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute and World Premiere of “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D” event are open to the public for a $10 per person minimum donation entrance fee with net proceeds benefiting the Johnny Ramone prostate cancer research fund at USC Westside Prostate Cancer Center lead by Dr. David Agus. Gates for the event will open at 5:30pm, and picnic dinners, drinks (including alcohol), pillows, blankets and small chairs are permitted. Attendees of the event will get free commemorative 3D glasses upon entering.

The 5th Annual Johnny Ramone Tribute documentary will be released on DVD at a future date.