The lineup for the 8th Annual Joey Ramone Birthday bash has been announced, and I have to say it's a good. It's always good, but I'd be stoked for this lienup, which includes a special reunion appearance from Manitoba's Wild Kingdom featuring Handsome Dick Manitoba, Andy Shernoff, Ross the Boss & JP “Thunderbolt” Patterson.

The show takes place on Monday at the Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza, and also includes headlining slots from Mary Weiss (the Shangri-La's) and Richard Lloyd (Television) and the SmuftyDogs. If that isn't a sweet enough lineup, the party will conclude with The Joey Ramone Birthday Bashers featuring Jesse Malin, Cheetah Chrome, Walter Lure, Tish & Snooky, Jean Beauvior, Andy Shernoff, Joe McGinty, JP “Thunderbolt” Patterson, Al Maddy, Ivan Julian, Bobby Steele & Mickey Leigh. Also appearing are Charm School, Semi-Precious Weapons, The Independents, Local H, L.E.S. Stitches and Rachel Newman. In what has become a Birthday Bash tradition, Sean O'Sullivan's Punk Pipers will round out the night on the bagpipes.

The show will also be emcee'd "Little Steven" Van Zandt, Matt Pinfield and Peter Aschner.

These birthday bashes keep getting bigger and bigger, and they are truly a fitting tribute to one of the true pioneers in American punk music. Joey would have been 57, had cancer not taken him away in April 2001 after a seven-year battle with Lymphoma.

I've not been to one yet, due to geographical limitations, but if you're in the area, you should go. You can pick up tickets ($25) at the venue, or through Ticketmaster, you know, if you want to pay an additional $800 in service charges. If you can't go, then you should do what I'll do: pick up a copy of The Ramones box set Weird Tales of the Ramones and play it loud, so loud that Joey will know we're thinking of him.