First of all, Dee Dee “King”’s first solo album, Standing in the Spotlight isn’t as bad as everyone says it is. It’s not great (though it does approach greatness in a few limited aspects), but it’s not a complete disaster.

Near the end of his tenure with the Ramones as a touring member, Dee Dee became infatuated with the burgeoning New York Hip Hop scene which had recently crossed over from underground culture to mainstream success. And really, it’s no wonder that Dee Dee ventured into Hip Hop. Arguably the band’s most powerful lyricist, Dee Dee was possibly bored with playing the same Ramones songs over and over and over 150 times a year. As any of his hits prove, creativity could flow from Dee Dee, so it’s almost a wonder that he didn’t leave the Ramones earlier… of course, his drug addiction and conflict with the band was probably the bigger cause of his departure.

And, in a way, it’s not that surprising that Dee Dee moved over to Hip Hop. When the Ramones started, they epitomized cool and danger with their leather jackets and songs about beating people down with bats (even though most of the band were actually hippy-ish glam fans). By ’89, Hip Hop had mostly replaced Punk as the main suburban menace, and moreso, coolness was one of the highest virtues in Hip Hop. So, after releasing the “Funky Man” 12-inch single, Dee Dee tried his hand at a full Hip Hop album.

Except, that Standing in the Spotlight wasn’t a Hip Hop album, despite how it is often portrayed. Really, there were only about three straight up Hip Hop tunes, including “2 Much 2 Drink,” “Commotion in the Ocean,” and “German Kid.” And, even those tracks were backed by a live band. Meanwhile, Dee Dee did his best to rap. But really, he just wasn’t up to the task. As he rapped “I was so distressed/ my life was a mess/ I needed a new rap” he just sounds amateurish. It’s easy to imagine the audio engineer looking at Dee Dee in booth, and in a sort of intimidated obligation, assuring, “Yeah… yeah… Dee Dee… that… that was… great…”

But either by nature or tactical choice, Standing in the Spotlight was more a sampler of Dee Dee’s influences and current whims, than a Hip Hop album. “Mashed Potato Time” was a remake of ‘50s bopper “Do the Mashed Potato,” and while Dee Dee did try a little rapping (as Debbie Harry cooed in the background), it’s far more Chubby Checker than Kool Moe Dee.

In fact, when Dee Dee lets his natural talent work for itself, the album shows just why the Ramones were THE Ramones. “Baby Doll” sounds like a cover of one of Frankie Valli’s greatest hits… except that it’s a Dee Dee original thrown together for this album. Frankly, it’s baffling how the most messed up Ramone could just toss about a stunning, beautiful song- as filler- and then try to twist out some cheesy, unfortunate Hip Hop.

Likewise, Dee Dee churned out some Ramones-worthy smashers. “Poor Little Rich Girl” could have been one of the ballads on Leave Home and tough-guy stomp The Crusher actually was re-recorded for the band’s final album- and it’s one of the best cuts on the LP.

That’s not to say that Standing in the Spotlight is a long lost classic. It ranges from sublime to shitty and a lot of places in between. But, to a degree, as zagged out on the nasty stuff as he was, Dee Dee should be commended for trying something new. As “Baby Doll” proved, there was more to Dee Dee than just the three-chord speedy smasher. Perhaps with a clearer head he could have really exploited this desire to test out new fields. But, then again, that’s a tragedy commonly associated with genius- and Dee Dee was a genius. You have to go where the muse leads you, and sometimes she leads you through minefields.