It’s a sad day in punk music.
Tommy Ramone, the last surviving member of iconic punk rock band The Ramones, has passed away at the age of 65.
The musician had been in hospice care following treatment for bile duct cancer and died Friday at his home in the Ridgewood area of Queens, New York, according to Variety.
“We are saddened to announce the passing of Tommy Ramone (nee Erdelyi), the original drummer for the Ramones, earlier today, 11 July 2014,” the band said in a statement on their Facebook page.
The official site also posted a quote of Ramone’s from 1978:
“It wasn’t just music in The Ramones: it was an idea. It was bringing back a whole feel that was missing in rock music – it was a whole push outwards to say something new and different,” he once said. “Originally it was just an artistic type of thing; finally I felt it was something that was good enough for everybody.”
Born Erdelyi Tama, the drummer-producer was the last surviving member of the legendary punk band. The Hungary native co-founded the band in 1974 in New York with singer Joey Ramone, bassist Dee Dee Ramone, and guitarist Johnny Ramone. (All members were unrelated and born with different last names, but took the Ramone surname for the band.)
Our thoughts go out to his family. R.I.P Tommy, you will be missed.
