Johnny Ramone, RIP

John Cummings is dead. Long live Johnny Ramone.

Every morning of 8th grade I woke up to the immortal Ramones medley on the Rock N Roll High School soundtrack. The Columbia House cassette sounded like shit and had no liner notes so I had no idea where this music came from. Was it old? New? For real? All I knew was the music sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before and got my ass out of bed, ready to face the fucked up world of 1979.

Little did I know nothing would ever sound the same after The Ramones. Yeah, I was a fucktard.

Comments

[Pavel]

Although from a much older generation, The Ramones, as much as only a few other bands, influenced what I think of as good music.

From a Richard Hell interview:
"All their songs were two minutes long, and I asked them the names of all their songs. They had maybe five or six at the time: "I Don't Wanna Go Down in the Basement," I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You," " I Don't Wanna Be Learned, I Don't Wanna Be Tamed," and "I Don't Wanna" something else.

And one of them said, "We didn't write a positive song until 'Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue'." They were just perfect, you know?

[Mark]

Well, shit....

On another depressing note, I just told one of the women I work with that Johnny Ramone is dead. She asked if the Ramones were the ones who did the "Friends" theme. Dear god...

"I Wanna Be Sedated" is now playing on my computer. Let the education commence...

[Chuck]

I think that in honor of Johnny we should make "I'm Against It" the Official Libertarian Campaign Song of 2004.

[smith]

"Along with his wife, Linda Cummings, Johnny Ramone was surrounded at his death by friends, including Pearl Jam rocker Eddie Vedder, singer Rob Zombie and others. Other friends who gathered at his Los Angeles home included Lisa Marie Presley, Pete Yorn, Vincent Gallo and Talia Shire."

were they filming Surreal Life II at his home?

[richard III]

"In addition to his financial conservatism, the guitarist was politically conservative - the late Ronald Reagan was Ramone's favorite president, Vega said."

Wow. Truly a unique man, then. I wonder if he always held such beliefs, or came to them later in life. Because I don't think they'd let you in the door at CBGB's if they knew you held such political convictions.

At any rate, a very sad loss indeed.

[Jim Walsh]

Damn! The nucleus of the Ramones is gone. They were a much needed breath of fresh air - brash, in-your-face, and a hell of a lot of fun - during an era when most popular music was none of the above. BTW: I see where the Sex Pistols are up for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. I'd love to see that happen - if only to hear Johnny Lydon's acceptance speech...

[richard III]

"In addition to his financial conservatism, the guitarist was politically conservative - the late Ronald Reagan was Ramone's favorite president, Vega said."

Wow. Truly a unique man, then. I wonder if he always held such beliefs, or came to them later in life. Because I don't think they'd let you in the door at CBGB's if they knew you held such political convictions.

At any rate, a very sad loss indeed.

[jat]

Here, to further your downward spiral of rage and grief, I offer the "news" headlines from People.com:

Accused Zeta-Jones Stalker to Stand Trial

Punk Rock Legend Johnny Ramone Dies at 55

Affleck to Host SNL 30th Season Premiere

Peterson Trial: Graphic Photos Shock Jury

Jackson to Face Accuser's Mother in Court

Martha Stewart Ready to Begin Jail Time

Britney's Mom Bashes Media Coverage

http://people.aol.com/people/articles/0,19736,697848,00.html

[Tim Cavanaugh]

How many Ramones are left by this point? They're doing worse than the Beatles.

[trainwreck]

GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!
GABBA GABBA HEY!

[Russ D]

From Teenage Lobotomy to MidLife Colostomy to this.

I miss them all already.

[Mo]

Tim,
Just Tommy.

[Ivan]

The band plays their last show and just a few years later all the original members are gone. It's like being the Ramones kept them alive.

Re: richard III's comment about Johnny's political views, the answers are no and no. 1) Johnny was always a conservative and said so to anybody asked him, but he didn't preach. 2) 70s punkdom was a far more eclectic and tolerant world than the post-Fugazi PC milieu that passes for "punk" today.

A sad day today, indeed.

Gabba Gabba Hey!

[Sarnath]

So, three Ramones down, two Beatles down, two members of the Who down, but Keith Richards and Mick Jagger are still alive. How unjust.

[Douglas Fletcher]

You gotta know how to pace yourself.

[Rick Laredo]

The "Stones" will never die.

[kevrob]

Dee Dee did O. Dee, but Johnny had prostate cancer, and lymphoma got Joey.

"John never smoked cigarettes, he wasn't a heavy drinker, and he was always into his health," drummer Marky Ramone told Rolling Stone in July. "It just proves when cancer seeks a body to penetrate, it doesn't matter how healthy you are or how unhealthy you are. It just seeps in, and there's nothing you can do."

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,8118,00.html

"Here Today, Gone Tomorrow", I suppose.

Kevin

[SunKing278]

At least he's not in pain anymore, and we can all be grateful for that. The Ramones were the greatest; they completely re-affirmed what rock n'roll is all about during the era of disco, and countless bands from the Sex Pistols to Black Flag, Guns N' Roses to U2, Pearl Jam to White Zombie, took inspiration from that. As much as we bitch and moan about the state of rock n'roll today - and rightfully so in many cases - just imagine a world without the Ramones. Would we even still have rock music? Rest In Peace, Johnny.

[kevrob]

That RS interview here:

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/_/id/6485108/theramones?pageid=rs.Artistcage&pageregion=triple3

Kevin

[oyster]

Mo,
Marky and CJ (who came in after Dee Dee quit) are Ramones.

[Handsome Dan]

oyster, Mo, etc. -

Don't forget Ritchie, drummer #3.

I mentioned Johnny's untimely demise to someone at work, and she said "The Ramones? Weren't they from the 50's or something?" Kids these days...

[Handsome Dan]

oyster, Mo, etc. -

Don't forget Ritchie, drummer #3.

I mentioned Johnny's untimely demise to someone at work, and she said "The Ramones? Weren't they from the 50's or something?" Kids these days...

[JB Allen]

So are the Ramones the only rock band in history where everyone BUT the drummers die before their time?

[Rick Barton]

"Hey Hey-Lets Go!"

[kevrob]

That's "Hey, Ho", Barton.

Sheesh, who let the poseurs in? 🙂

Kevin
(I would've been a punk, before you were a punk, `cept I was never really a punk...)

[Rick Barton]

Kevin,

I know, and I was just listening to the song when I posted it. I thought about my mistake last night after I went to bed, and thouight about getting up and making amends. Thanks for making me wish that I would have. 🙂

[Sarnath]

The "Stones" will never die.

They are pretty good at finding replacement members.

[drf]

"The "Stones" will never die.

They are pretty good at finding replacement members"

-- yeah like the drummer who choked on (somebody else's) vomit. or who died in a bizarre gardening accident or {whisper whisper}

oh. wrong group.

NEVERMIND...

[Malak,]

There are certain bands who put out a record/CD that is considered a must have for serious collectors. Never Mind the Bollocks . . . or London Calling spring immediately to mind in the punk category. You can make an argument for one over the other if you like, but NO collector worthy of the name would be without at least one Ramones disc, and quite possibly two or three. They were the punk genre equivalent of the Beatles. RIP Johnny.