US punk rock legend Tommy Ramone dies at 65
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TOMMY Ramone, the drummer and last surviving member of American punk band the Ramones, whose aggressive and fast-driving songs spearheaded the punk rock movement, has died at the age of 65, an associate said yesterday.
The death was confirmed by Dave Frey, of Ramones Productions, the company that controls the band’s copyright.
Born Thomas Erdelyi in Budapest, Hungary, Ramone was the co-founder of the band and its drummer from 1974 to 1978. He was the last surviving member of the original quartet, who adopted pseudonyms ending with the surname “Ramone.”
The New York band, with mops of long hair, black leather jackets, torn jeans and sneakers, had limited chart success but influenced scores of musicians who went on to form bands such as the Clash, the Sex Pistols, Nirvana and Green Day.
They were seen as masters of short, minimalist tunes played at blistering tempo, such as “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “I Wanna be Sedated,” “Rockaway Beach” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker.”
The band’s style, anchored by Tommy’s frenetic drumming, was partly a reaction against the bloated, and heavily produced rock music of the mid-1970s.
“They are heard everywhere. At every sporting event you hear ‘Hey, ho, let’s go!’,” Frey said, citing lyrics from “Blitzkrieg Bop.”
Guitarist Johnny Ramone, born John Cummings, died of prostate cancer in 2004. Singer Joey Ramone, born Jeff Hyman, died of lymphoma in 2001. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone, born Douglas Colvin, died in 2002 of a heroin overdose.
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