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Ramones — El Mocambo Backstage
Toronto, 1979
This candid backstage photograph at Toronto's legendary El Mocambo captures the Ramones in their element—raw, unfiltered, and authentically punk. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited edition.
The Full Story
The Moment
Captured backstage in the chaotic greenroom of Toronto's El Mocambo, this archival pigment print immortalizes the Ramones in a rare, intimate, and unpolished moment. Tommy Ramone is mid-blink, Johnny squints through the haze, Joey hides behind his signature shades, and Dee Dee leans forward, breaking the formal line. Every detail tells a story: peeling paint on the walls, scattered cables and gear, graffiti etched into surfaces, faint reflections of stage lights bouncing across the room, and subtle shadows cast on the band's clothing. The result is a raw, beautifully gritty portrait that embodies the anarchic, anti-aesthetic energy of punk.The Heritage
This photograph is a rare backstage glimpse of the birth of punk in Canada, reflecting the New York ethos transplanted into Toronto. It's celebrated not just for its subjects, but for its authentic environmental storytelling—the clutter, the greenroom chaos, and the mood created by imperfect lighting—all elements that Rowlands meticulously captured to preserve atmosphere as much as likeness.
Editions & Dimensions
SMALL (16") — Edition 150
Paper Size: 23.7" × 15.6"
Image Area: 21.04" × 12.27"
Margins: 1.33" (sides/top), 2" (bottom)
Shipping: 25"L × 5"W × 5"H, 2 lbs
MEDIUM (24") — Edition 100
Paper Size: 35.56" × 23.41"
Image Area: 31.56" × 18.41"
Margins: 2" (sides/top), 3" (bottom)
Shipping: 37"L × 5"W × 5"H, 3 lbs
LARGE (33") — Edition 50
Paper Size: 48.88" × 32.19"
Image Area: 43.38" × 25.31"
Margins: 2.75" (sides/top), 4.13" (bottom)
Shipping: 50"L × 6"W × 6"H, 4 lbs
Provenance & Release
Previously unpublished in professional quality. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited and hand-numbered. Museum-grade scanning and archival pigment printing on heavyweight, acid-free fine art paper .Toronto, 1979
This candid backstage photograph at Toronto's legendary El Mocambo captures the Ramones in their element—raw, unfiltered, and authentically punk. Hand-signed by John Rowlands, strictly limited edition.
The Full Story
The Moment
Captured backstage in the chaotic greenroom of Toronto's El Mocambo, this archival pigment print immortalizes the Ramones in a rare, intimate, and unpolished moment. Tommy Ramone is mid-blink, Johnny squints through the haze, Joey hides behind his signature shades, and Dee Dee leans forward, breaking the formal line. Every detail tells a story: peeling paint on the walls, scattered cables and gear, graffiti etched into surfaces, faint reflections of stage lights bouncing across the room, and subtle shadows cast on the band's clothing. The result is a raw, beautifully gritty portrait that embodies the anarchic, anti-aesthetic energy of punk.The Heritage
This photograph is a rare backstage glimpse of the birth of punk in Canada, reflecting the New York ethos transplanted into Toronto. It's celebrated not just for its subjects, but for its authentic environmental storytelling—the clutter, the greenroom chaos, and the mood created by imperfect lighting—all elements that Rowlands meticulously captured to preserve atmosphere as much as likeness.
Editions & Dimensions
SMALL (16") — Edition 150
Paper Size: 23.7" × 15.6"
Image Area: 21.04" × 12.27"
Margins: 1.33" (sides/top), 2" (bottom)
Shipping: 25"L × 5"W × 5"H, 2 lbs
MEDIUM (24") — Edition 100
Paper Size: 35.56" × 23.41"
Image Area: 31.56" × 18.41"
Margins: 2" (sides/top), 3" (bottom)
Shipping: 37"L × 5"W × 5"H, 3 lbs
LARGE (33") — Edition 50
Paper Size: 48.88" × 32.19"
Image Area: 43.38" × 25.31"
Margins: 2.75" (sides/top), 4.13" (bottom)
Shipping: 50"L × 6"W × 6"H, 4 lbs