Breaking news: Johnny Ramone dies

AP | Sept. 15, 2004 | AP

[JellyJam]

Johnny Ramone, member of punk legends ’The Ramones,’ dies at 55

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Johnny Ramone, guitarist and co-founder of the seminal punk band “The Ramones,” has died. He was 55.

Ramone died in his sleep Wednesday afternoon at his Los Angeles home surrounded by friends and family, his publicist said. He had battled prostate cancer for five years, and was hospitalized in June at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Ramone, born John Cummings, was one of the original members of the Ramones, whose hit songs “I Wanna be sedated” and “Blitzkrieg Bop,” among others, earned the band induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

The band’s singer, Joey Ramone, whose real name was Jeff Hyman, died in 2001 of lymphatic cancer. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone, who was born Douglas Colvin, died from a drug overdose in 2002.

Johnny Ramone founded “The Ramones” in 1974 with Joey Ramone, DeeDee Ramone and Tommy Ramone, the only surviving member of the original band.

[roadrunner96]

Thank you for the info. You know the band very well.

[Mase]

Johnny Ramone was a proud Reagan conservative and was always amazed how the rock culture, as a whole, blindly followed liberalism. He lived in the heart of the leftist echo chamber but was a consistent voice against these morons. I have a copy of an excellent interview he gave last year talking about his politics. I'll post it if I can figure out how to do it.

[SevenofNine]

How sad

The Ramones were my fav band

[roadrunner96]

Last post here for me tonight at least.

For Punk Music, they and the Clash is who I liked, we all have opinions. The Clash's success is almost commercialized now, but of course, they lost one of their band leaders in the last few years as well.

Just my opinion.

[Republic Rocker]

damn....hope he mailed in his absentee ballot! Gabba Gabba Hey!

Saw the Ramones @ CBGB's

R.I.P.

[pete anderson]

I am not too sure he was a Conservative.

[Clemenza]

Despite their leftist politics, London Calling and The Clash are two albums that I never get tired of playing.

[Clemenza]

Read my post #22. That song caused a bit of a rift in the band.

[GalaxieFiveHundred]

Home of the brave.

[Coleus]

Disco Rules!

[bootyist-monk]

18 Seconds. Foiled again.

[pete anderson]

I am a fan of the Ramones, I saw them play several times and even got a bloody nose while in the pit.

But, if you listen to the songs lyrics and see the cover art I do not see how Johnny could have been a true conservative.

[paltz]

I had the wonderful opportunity to actually speak to him about his politics almost a year ago, and he told me that when he was a construction worker in Queens, NY during the Vietnam War, he and his fellow workers used to drop bags of cement on to the hippies who were protesting the war beneath their construction site.

[roadrunner96]

Thanks for that Galaxie; to me, they say Brooklyn, or New York, I haven't been there, but to me, that's what they are; and so original...

[NYCVirago]

How sad. And he was a Bush fan, too.

[richmwill]

I just started up "Radio@AOL", tuned to the Punk station, and that exact song was playing. Coincidence? Something higher? Eerie, nonetheless.

[Clemenza]

Disco Rules!

The most played CD at Clemenza's house these days is Saturday Nigth Fever. I even have the original double album.

[kezekiel]

If that's a conservative, this country is lost.

I guess he doesn't live up to your Ned Flanders standard.

[pete anderson]

I am not sure a Proud Reagan Conservative would be in a band with these lyrics:

(Bonzo Goes To Bitburg)

You've got to pick up the pieces

C'mon, sort your trash

You better pull yourself back together

Maybe you've got too much cash

Better call, call the law

When you gonna turn yourself in? Yeah

You're a politician

Don't become one of Hitler's children

Bonzo goes to bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea

As I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me Drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy

Pick up the pieces

My brain is hanging upside down

I need something to slow me down

Shouldn't wish you happiness, wish her the very best

Fifty thousand dollar dress

Shaking hands with your highness

See through you like cellophane

You watch the world complain, but you do it anyway

Who am I, am I to say

Bonzo goes to bitburg then goes out for a cup of tea

As I watched it on TV somehow it really bothered me

Drank in all the bars in town for an extended foreign policy

Pick up the pieces

My brain is hanging upside down

I need something to slow me down

If there's one thing that makes me sick

It's when someone tries to hide behind politics

I wish that time could go by fast

Somehow they manage to make it last

My brain is hanging upside down

I need something to slow me down

[Slings and Arrows]

When you're the sole conservative in a band with three liberals you're not going to win every battle.