Tommy Ramone, Last Original Member of the 1970s Punk Band The Ramones, Dies at 62

The Ridgewood, Queens, resident had been in hospice and suffering from bile duct cancer, according to Variety. Ramone was a drummer and producer who performed on the band’s first three albums.

Drummer Tommy Ramone, the last member of the original 1970s punk band the Ramones, died Friday of cancer, according to Variety. He was 62.

The Ridgewood, Queens, resident had been in hospice and suffering from bile duct cancer, the trade publication reported.

Ramone, born in Budapest, Hungary, was a drummer and producer who performed on the groundbreaking band’s first three albums, Variety said.

"Motown wasn’t about connecting singer/songwriters to an audience. It was a “hit factory” churning out studio product (studio writer, studio performers, packaged singers). It was mixed to sound good on an AM car radio. There is much better 60s soul than Motown."

Actually it WAS about connecting their latest artists to a live audience while mixing for AM radio which is correct. Think of all the bus tours they did. Yes, it was a "hit factory", but so what? The Supremes, Temps, Four Tops, Smokey, et al just sounded great even though they didn't write their own songs for the most part and had Phil Spector and other great producers. That actually started with the Shirelles and/or Martha & the Vandellas. Think it was Holland/Dossier/Holland or such that wrote many of the songs.

Motown and other R&B was what I loved, think Aretha (Respect). I started out with the Shirelles and others of the early 60's and progressed into Motown. My friends couldn't figure me out because I loved soul and the British invasion (mostly early Stones).

I also enjoyed Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Marvin Gaye, and other non-Motown label artists if that's what you're talking about above. If you want to see a good movie about the origins of R&B, check out the Chess Records movie.

You’ve got a few facts wrong.

1) Motown’s principal songwriters were Smokey Robinson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Ashford and Simpson and Norman Whitfield. Barry Gordy and Barrett Strong also wrote a smattering of hits.

2) Phil Spector never produced for Motown and the Shirelles were not a Motown Act.

3) The first Motown hits were “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes and “Money” by Barrett Strong.

4) Marvin Gaye did write his own songs, but not too many for other acts.

4a) Marvin Gaye was a Motown artist.

raw but had NO soul and just thrashed about. Just garage bands with a fast tempo and maybe some current message lyric wise.
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Even Sid was genuine IN HIS SUPERFICIAL “wanna look like a Rock Star” way,, he had no talent however ... the rest of the band was blessed with raw talent and it jelled beautifully... and yes their instruments , mikes , amps and all the rest was stolen from the top bands playing London ... John Lydon was amazing ,, he was “blessed” with being a total babe in the woods due to his memory loss ... he literally had only 6 years of “reality” rattling around in his brain so he looked at EVERYTHING in a fresh way...

Zepplin? That’ll go over like a lead balloon

(Who... Listen to Who’s Next with fresh ears .. it’s amazing..)

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