RIP Ramones drummer / producer Tommy Ramone

 “4, 5, 6, 7, All good cretins go to heaven!”

Ramones drummer and producer Tommy Ramone (Tom Erdelyi) passed away at his home in Queens, New York yesterday. He was 65. Tommy was the last surviving original Ramones member, following the deaths of Joey Ramone in 2001, Dee Dee Ramone in 2002, and Johnny Ramone in 2004.

Tommy played drums on the band’s initial three album run, including their 1976 self-titled LP, and 1977’s double-hitters Leave Home and Rocket To Russia. Those three records essentially created the blueprint for punk rock, and every derivation of the genre undertaken in the 30+ years since their release.

Tommy was the backbone of the band, pushing the original members to begin playing together in the first place. Surrounded on all sides by the combined madness of Joey, Johnny, and Dee Dee, it’s extremely unlikely the band would have ever been known outside of Forrest Hills were it not for Tommy’s drive and peacemaking skills.

In addition to drumming, Tommy was a skilled producer, co-producing Leave Home and Rocket To Russia, as well producing the It’s Alive live LP. Even after passing the drum kit over to Marky Ramone for 1978’s Road To Ruin, Tommy remained in the fold, co-producing that album, as well as 1984’s Too Tough To Die, a true return to form for the band. Tommy also went on to produce The Replacements‘ major-label debut Tim, as well as Red Kross‘ Neurotica.

In recent years, Tommy recorded and toured with his partner Claudia Tienan as Uncle Monk, a folk and bluegrass outfit.

Celebrate the Ramones at their peak with the incendiary It’s Alive video below, truly one of the greatest live shows ever captured, filmed in London on New Year’s Eve, 1977.

Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!