Tommy Ramone, last original member of the Ramones, dead at 65

Pertho · July 12, 2014, 9:42am

Drummer and producer Tommy Ramone, the last surviving original member of the influential New York punk quartet the Ramones, died Friday at his home in the Ridgewood area of Queens, New York. He was 65 and had been in hospice care following treatment for bile duct cancer.

Born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest, Hungary, and known professionally as Tom or T. Erdelyi, Ramone played on the first three epoch-making Ramones albums, “Ramones” (1976), “Leave Home” (1977) and “Rocket to Russia” (1977). He also co-produced the latter two albums with Tony Bongiovi and Ed Stasium, respectively. He appeared on and co-produced the 1979 live Ramones opus “It’s Alive.”

After leaving the Ramones to concentrate on studio work, he co-produced the band’s 1984 album “Too Tough to Die” with Stasium. He was replaced in the lineup by Marc Bell (Marky Ramone), a former member of Dust and Richard Hell’s Voidoids.

One of the first high-profile releases to emerge from New York’s punk underground of the mid-‘70s, “Ramones” – reportedly recorded in six days on a budget of $6,400 – brought a pared-down, hyperactive style to the stuffy rock scene of the day. Tommy’s driving, high-energy drum work was the turbine that powered the leather-clad foursome’s loud, antic sound.

Tom Erdelyi emigrated to America in 1957 and grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, where he played with guitarist John Cummings – later Johnny Ramone – in Tangerine Puppets. He went on to study engineering and worked at the Record Plant (where he assisted on a 1969 Jimi Hendrix session) and other facilities.

The Ramones coalesced with the addition of fellow Queens musicians Jeffrey Hyman (aka lead singer Joey Ramone) and Douglas Colvin (bassist Dee Dee Ramone). Breaking in their act at Hilly Krystal’s Bowery club CBGB, the band was signed to Seymour Stein’s Sire Records, also the home of such other punk acts as Richard Hell, Talking Heads and the Dead Boys.

The Ramones finally disbanded in 1996 after a show at the Palace in Hollywood. Joey Ramone died of lymphoma in 2001; Dee Dee succumbed to a drug overdose in 2002; and Johnny expired from prostate cancer in 2004.

The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Erdelyi’s other production credits included the Replacements’ major label debut “Tim” (1985) and L.A. punk unit Redd Kross’ “Neurotica” (1987). In later years, he went the acoustic route, playing bluegrass and country music with his partner Claudia Tienan in Uncle Monk.

He is survived by Tienan and an older brother. A private funeral service is planned.

chadouken · July 12, 2014, 9:09pm

Adios Amigo, RIP.

Raz0r · July 12, 2014, 9:19pm

Hope he enjoyed his ride to Rockaway Beach.

final_cut · July 13, 2014, 1:23am

This is really sad news. I’m glad I didn’t miss seeing them while they were still around. Some dumb girl I was dating at the time tried to convince me not to go to the show. I’d forever regret it if I didn’t.
Such an iconic band.

A few of the lesser-known Ramones are still around though.

Magegg · July 13, 2014, 2:07am

One of the best bands ever

manbehindthewires · July 13, 2014, 2:33am

The Ramones will live on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVJfErLlyLI

StockyJam · July 13, 2014, 9:00am

that’s so cute ^.^
also,
the Ramones were huge in South America.
lastly, there was a movie involving two high school girls that wanted to throw some dance and wanted the Ramones to be there. does anyone remember the name of the movie? it was a early to mid 1980s movie.
I found out the title Rock ‘n’ Roll High School

CI581 · July 13, 2014, 9:07am

RIP. I’m glad I saw them in concert.

angelpalm · July 13, 2014, 10:33am

Pop music will never be the same. Well at least we can look forward to hearing their classics in random commercials for Diet Pepsi, Budweiser, and Coppertone.

Missing_Person · July 13, 2014, 11:41am

Ugh, RIP Real Musician.

3 of 4 dying to cancer. Terrible.

OrochiDemon · July 13, 2014, 1:47pm

Hes not dead, hes just sedated.

(Ive seen worse jokes about people killing or dying on this forum so dont judge me.)

ElliePhil · July 13, 2014, 8:22pm

[quote=“manbehindthewires, post:6, topic:170282”]

The Ramones will live on:

[/quote]

I had Evo on in the background (was waiting for BlazBlue to start) and in the middle of the video there was just a very loud man screaming

“ARE YOU READY FOR BLAZ BLUE?!?!?!?!?”

I choked on my strawberry milk.