Johnny Ramone died in his sleep Wednesday afternoon after a long battle with prostate cancer. The guitarist and leader of the Ramones was 55. His death follows a 30th celebration of the Ramones which was held in Los Angeles on Sunday.
Ramone (born John Cummings) was ill for four years but news of his cancer only became public this summer when he fell into a coma nad was hospitalized. Johnny is the third Ramone to die in the last few years. Singer Joey Ramone died in 2001 from lymphatic cancer and bassist Dee Dee Ramone died of a drug overdose in 2002.
The Ramones were the quintessential punk band. Founded in New York in 1974, the band never really became wildly famous but their simple lyrics and aggressive sound were always popular with musicians. They took the name Ramones from an alias Paul McCartney used to use when he checked into hotels. They will be remembered for songs like “I Wanna Be Sedated” and “Sheena is a Punk Rocker.” The band finally officially broke up in 1996. Bono, Rob Zombie and many others have cited them as an influence. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.
The 30th anniversary concert, held Sonday, featured performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Eddie Vedder. The show, hosted by Rob Zombie, raised money for cancer research. Johnny was unable to attend the event. Another benefit with performances by Blondie and the Strokes is planned to take place in New York on October 8th, Johnny’s birthday.
Johnny Ramone is survived by his wife, Linda Cummings and his mother Estelle Cummings. He will be cremated in a private ceremony.
Update: RamonesWorld.com has a message to Ramone Fans around the world.
"Our dear friend Johnny has died. May he rest in peace.
Johnny passed away on Wednesday, September 15 at 3:03 pm at his home in Los Angeles, California.
We are immensely saddened by this terrible loss. Johnny contributed in many ways to the success and greatness of the Ramones. But it was his strength and guidance, which made everybody else’s work come to an effective completion, that made him the group’s center of gravity, providing the balance and stability that kept the band, its support crew, and the entire Ramones organization together and in rocking shape. Johnny’s strength came from his character, rich in decency and honesty. His sense of fairness and his strategies always pointed towards the benefit of the Ramones and their fans as an inseparable unit.
In this moment of tragedy and darkness, let us find solace, and a cure to our pain, in the knowledge that Johnny accomplished to the limit his life’s aspirations, and in the process he made ours seem possible.
