Tommy Ramone, the original drummer and producer of the legendary punk quartet the Ramones, died at his home in Ridgewood, Queens on Friday after a long battle with bile duct cancer, Variety reported.
We are saddened to announce the passing of Ramones founding drummer Tommy (Erdelyi) Ramone. #RIPTommyRamone pic.twitter.com/kDBNMpn4Tp
— Ramones (@RamonesOfficial) July 12, 2014
The 62-year-old rocker was the last surviving original member of the band and played drums on the band’s first three albums, “Ramones,” “Leave Home,” and “Rocket to Russia,” including some of the band’s more influential singles: “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” and “Rockaway Beach.”
He founded the band with original singer Joey Ramone, bassist/vocalist Dee Dee Ramon and guitarist Johnny Ramone in New York City in 1974.
Ramone, whose real name was Thomas Erdelyi, was replaced in the band by drummer Marky Ramone.
He continued to handle the band’s management for their fourth album, “Road to Ruin,” and produced their eighth album in 1984, “Too Tough to Die.”
“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,” Tommy said in 1978.
“Originally it was just an artistic type of thing; finally I felt it was something that was good enough for everybody.”