The Ramones were certainly not metal, but you're a fool if you deny that these four punks had a lot of influence on all the metal that came out after them. Sadly, the last living member of the original lineup of the seminal punk band, Tommy Ramone, born Thomas Erdelyi, passed away at the age of 62 – the only founding member of the band to live past 60. The cause of death was bile-duct cancer. It's a true bummer for many music fans, one of whom is Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe, who blunty stated without the Ramones there would be no Lamb of God.
Blythe posted the following photo to his Instagram page, with the below touching tribute:
The last original Ramone, Tommy Ramone (second from right), has died, & with him the last of one of the main roots of all modern punk/hc/and metal as we know it today. The importance of the Ramones in the history of underground music cannot be overstated- before the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Black Flag and waaaaaaay before any speed/thrash metal band, the Ramones were blowing minds with LOUD, FAST, AGGRESSIVE music. Although to the calloused ears of modern youth who have grown up listening to crust punk/grind core/speed & thrash metal/and even some of the more aggressive music on commercial radio, the Ramones might sound like fast pop, at the time they started playing out in NYC at CBGB/Max's Kansas City (1974) they were something that had never ever been seen or heard before. The first time my band played CBGB, I was completely emotionally overwhelmed- "Man, the FREAKING RAMONES started out here!" I thought as I stood on stage- I almost started crying. Without that band, the tempo of underground music would have never reached the speed that it has today- there were a bunch of glam bands & hippies at that time, & (yeeeech) disco was big- the Ramones came along & blasted everyone straight out of the water. No Ramones= no lamb of god, or any of the other music most fans of my band listen to. Metal existed, but it was not until punk rock kicked it right square in the ass with a combat boot that things got FAST & AGGRESSIVE. Tommy passed away from cancer yesterday in Queens, NYC, at the age of 62. Rest in peace, bro, & thank you for helping to create the music that changed and saved my life. #BEATONTHEBRATBEATONTHEBRATBEATONTHEBRATWITHABASEBALLBAT!!!!OOOOOOOHYEEEEEEAAAAAAAAHHH,OHOHOOHHHHH!!!!!!
Elsewhere, Moby posted the band's first ever press release, which was drafted by Tommy:
RIP Tommy, your influence and music will live on forever.
