Sad Day for the 40(ish) - Johnny Ramone dies - R.I.P.

[Bangkokney]

From the BBC ...

Punk guitarist Johnny Ramone dies


Johnny Ramone had battled cancer for five years
Johnny Ramone, guitarist in punk band The Ramones, has died at the age of 55 following a long fight against cancer.
He passed away at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday, surrounded by friends and family, said the band's artistic director Arturo Vega.

Johnny Ramone, real name John Cummings, battled prostate cancer for five years.

A public tribute is being organised and he will be cremated on Thursday at a private service. The Ramones were one of the most influential bands in rock.

Johnny Ramone is the third member of the band to die in the past few years, leaving Tommy Ramone as the only surviving member of the original line-up.

Singer Joey Ramone, whose original name was Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 from lymphatic cancer.

Bass player Dee Dee Ramone, real name Douglas Colvin, died of a drug overdose the following year.




Send your tributes to Johnny Ramone
Vega, who worked with the band for 30 years, paid tribute to Johnny's devotion to the band. "He was the guy with a strategy," he said.

"He was the guy who not only looked after the band's interest but he also was their defender."

News of Johnny's cancer fight emerged in June when he was admitted to the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles for an infection related to the illness.

There was optimism that he would recover after beginning an experimental therapy treatment. But he died in his sleep on Wednesday afternoon.

Among those at his bedside were his wife Linda Cummings and friends Eddie and Jill Vedder and Rob and Sherrie Zombie.

Also there for his final moments were Lisa Marie Presley, actress Talia Shire, director Vincent Gallo and musician Pete Yorn.

A cancer research fundraising event was held on Sunday to mark The Ramones' 30th anniversary, with performances from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Henry Rollins.

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IMVHO - The Sherman's only real contribution to that which was Punk.

[Wanderlust]

A bit slow on the forum from me but RIP Johnny.
I'm proud to say I saw the Ramones in 1979 at The Rainbow in North London, and it was quite simply the loudest, fastest and most exhilerating gig I ever went to. The seats were destroyed, the press in the pit were covered in phlegm and pounded with the remains of the seats (fancy leaving the seats in for a Ramones gig!), and if anyone has ever listened to their 'It's Alive' album, the set was identical. Only two final things to say;
'Gabba Gabba Hey!'
'1,2,3,4'