In 1989, punk icons The Ramones released the single “Pet Sematary” on their eleventh album, Brain Drain. Not only was it a hit single and a staple in their live shows, but Dee Dee Ramone initially wrote it for the 1989 film adaptation of Stephen King’s early-80s novel of the same name. The story of “Pet Sematary” gets even better, though.Marky Ramone actually wrote about the experience in his 2015 memoir, Punk Rock Blitzkrieg: My Life as a Ramone. There, the drummer recounted how “Pet Sematary” came to be, and the mutual admiration between Stephen King and The Ramones.Describing the band’s songs as “musical sci-fi,” Marky elaborated that it wasn’t the effects of science fiction films that inspired him and guitarist Johnny Ramone at the time. “It was the power of a story. To probe your darkest fears, deepest insecurities, and wildest fantasies.”This influence led The Ramones to Stephen King, and, most notably, the film adaptations of his novels. Marky pointed out the influence of the Carrie film, noting the everyday experience of being bullied in high school. “What doesn’t happen every day,” he added, “is that girl’s rage triggering her telekinesis and creating a vengeful bloodbath.”Meanwhile, King, as a music buff, also held The Ramones in high regard. It was a match made in heaven. Or, in Stephen King’s basement.How The Ramones Ended Up Writing a Song in Stephen King’s Basement in MaineThe Ramones were traveling through New England, wrote Marky, when Stephen King invited them to his home in Bangor, Maine. According to the memoir, King’s basement was full of sci-fi and horror memorabilia that impressed The Ramones.“It was a museum of some of the best gore ever splashed across the silver screen,” Marky recalled. During this visit, King gave bassist Dee Dee Ramone a copy of Pet Sematary. The book came out in 1983, with filming taking place in Maine in the fall of 1988. About a month before filming began, The Ramones were hanging out in Stephen King’s basement. Taking the book, Dee Dee then disappeared, which “usually meant trouble,” wrote Marky. But he only left for barely an hour, and when he returned, it was with the lyrics to “Pet Sematary”. “He had condensed the book into a concise, hooky, three-minute song in which he pleaded that he didn’t want to live his life again,” Marky recalled. “Pet Sematary, the movie, was set to begin filming the following month, and Stephen King wanted the song, as long as it was recorded by his favorite punk band of all time.”‘I told him it was Great to play Dee Dee King for a While, but he was really the Stephen King of Punk’During this time, Dee Dee Ramone wanted to leave the band. “He wanted to be Dee Dee King, the rap artist, not Dee Dee Ramone,” wrote Marky. “He wanted a life free of control by the Ramones, by Vera [Boldis, his wife at the time], by his doctors, and the medications they prescribed.”Marky had heard these complaints from Dee Dee before, he wrote. Every time the topic came up, “I told him, if he ever got out of control of the drugs, the control by everyone else would become a non-issue because he would then be in control of his life.”This time, on the front porch of Stephen King’s house, Marky Ramone tried a different approach. Dee Dee began talking about leaving the band again, but Marky highlighted his skills instead. “I explained to Dee Dee that he was among maybe a handful of people who could pick up a book, skim it, and write a catchy song about it in under an hour.“I told him he had done for punk what Stephen King had done for fiction,” he continued. “Create, from scratch, images, themes, and stories that drew people in because they could relate. Because the songs penetrated to the curiosity, fears, and insecurities people carried around with them but couldn’t put into words.”Marky’s motivation helped for a while. Dee Dee contributed to The Ramones’ next album, but he still had “one foot out the door.” Before that, however, the rock ballad style of “Pet Sematary” caused some problems for Johnny Ramone. He had trouble nailing down the arpeggios and chords, as it had more of a classically late-80s structure. Daniel Rey eventually laid down the rhythm and lead guitars. Additionally, Jean Beauvoir of the Plasmatics assisted in commercializing the song’s structure to get it ready for the film and radio.“Pet Sematary” played over the end credits of the film and became one of The Ramones’ big hits. While some fans turned their nose up at this apparent commercialization, collaborating with Stephen King in this way was still punk as hell.Photo by Peter Noble/RedfernsThe post This Punk Classic Was Written in the Basement of Stephen King’s Maine Mansion appeared first on VICE.