September 16, 2004

JOHNNY RAMONE

Associated Press reports:

Johnny Ramone, guitarist and co-founder of the seminal punk band "The Ramones," has died. He was 55.

Ramone died in his sleep Wednesday afternoon at his Los Angeles home surrounded by friends and family, his publicist said. He had battled prostate cancer for five years, and was hospitalized in June at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The band's singer, Joey Ramone, whose real name was Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 of lymphatic cancer. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone, who was born Douglas Colvin, died from a drug overdose in 2002.

Johnny, Joey, Dee Dee ... good times.

Posted by Tim Blair at September 16, 2004 02:56 PM
Comments

Smithers, have the Rolling Stones killed!

Posted by: Monty Burns at September 16, 2004 at 03:17 PM

They saw it coming: "Hey, ho. Let's go."

Depressing. Who's left? Gummo Ramone?

Posted by: Lileks at September 16, 2004 at 03:44 PM

CBGB's a Ramone Free zone.

Posted by: Habib at September 16, 2004 at 05:59 PM

Dang. I'm glad I got to see them. (It was great. They played like 65 songs in half an hour or something like that.)

Posted by: Andrea Harris at September 16, 2004 at 08:04 PM

Their rendition of the Spider-Man theme was the best ever adaptation.

Posted by: ushie at September 16, 2004 at 09:57 PM

I've got 'em cranking on the stereo right now.

Johnny was a great guitarist and a great Republican. I'm sorry he won't be around to savor Bush's victory in November.

RIP Johnny Ramone!

Posted by: JDB at September 17, 2004 at 01:34 AM

I saw the Ramones in 84 at the (long since gone) Wax Museum in D.C., afterwards I couldn't hear a damn thing for 3 days.

Good times indeed.

Posted by: Joe Bagadonuts at September 17, 2004 at 06:05 AM

I just can't believe the Ramones are all dead! What horrible, horrible news....

If justice were to prevail, *they* would be touring until they were in wheelchairs instead of those boring old hippies who sing all the songs in car commercials....

Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock, rock n roll high school....

Posted by: KevinV at September 17, 2004 at 06:29 AM

Marky (and CJ) are alive. That's it.

1,2,3,4!

Posted by: oyster at September 17, 2004 at 03:15 PM

No, we still have Tommy & Richie as well. Also Clem Burke (aka Clem Ramone).

I'm loved the Ramones, they made music seem all so easy and fun to boot. 1,2,3,4!! and they roar off into another 90 second classic. My favourite is without doubt "Carbona Not Glue" but "Psycho Therapy" comes in a close second.

Johnny described the music as "sick bubble gum music", a perfect description.

Their fan base crosses all political lines & all walks of life. My favourite album, It's Alive. Them at their loud, live & furious best.

Very sad indeed.

RIP Johnny.

Posted by: Joe at September 17, 2004 at 10:26 PM

'They played like 65 songs in half an hour or something like that.'

That all sounded exactly the same.

Posted by: Jack Tanner at September 18, 2004 at 04:10 AM

So?

Posted by: Andrea Harris at September 18, 2004 at 11:07 AM

The rest is silence ... save for that ringing noise caused by tinnitus

Posted by: Paul Pottinger at September 18, 2004 at 02:54 PM