As is happening all too frequently these days, another punk icon has sadly passed. Joining the ranks of his fallen brethren Joey and Dee Dee Ramone, who died of lymphoma in 2001 and a drug overdose in 2002, respectively, as well as other heroes like The Clash's Joe Strummer (2002), The New York Dolls' Arthur Kane (2004), and Richard Hell and the Voidoids guitarist Robert Quine (2004), to name a few, the great guitarist of the greatest punk band in the world, The Ramones, died in his sleep September 15^th at his Los Angeles home. He'd been battling a case of prostate cancer, and reports as of late, namely by Ramones drummer Marky Ramone to Rolling Stone, basically said Johnny (nee John Cummings) was on his death-bed, that there was little hope left. Then, shortly thereafter came word that his condition wasn't as dire as reported, and a ray of hope shone through the darkness. Well, no matter what his condition then, he just couldn't fight the disease anymore, after a five-year struggle. The guitarist was 55 years old.

Born on Long Island, NY, but later relocating to Forest Hills, Queens, Johnny's first aspiration was to be a Yankee. Apparently baseball wasn't his true calling… Anyway, he first did time playing bass in a band with Tommy Erdelyi, later, Tommy Ramone, in high school. Some years later, upon meeting Douglas Colvin, a.k.a. Dee Dee Ramone (bass), the two decided to start a band. Johnny bought his first guitar January 23, 1974, according to Everett True in his book Hey Ho Let's Go: The Story of The Ramones – a blue Mosrite. The band was rounded out by Jeffrey Hyman, a.k.a. Joey Ramone (vocals), and Tommy (drums), forming The Ramones – the FIRST true punk band – in 1974, soon after making a home for themselves at NYC's famed CBGB's (famed because it birthed punk rock in America, with the likes of Television, The Dead Boys, and Blondie, to name a few, holding residency there). Basically, the so-called Kings of Queens came from humble beginnings, but truly created some of the most loved, respected, and recognizable punk albums ever, due largely in part because of Johnny's revolutionary guitar playing. Why, their first three albums, 1976's Ramones, and 1977's one-two punch of Leave Home and Rocket to Russia are the punk world's mighty triumvirate (that's not to take away from subsequent releases, of which there are many, it's just these three records are unbeatable to say the least).

What made these guys so extraordinary was that they fused fast tempos (they slowed down on record to help sales – their live show is infamous for being so short and fast like a swift punch in the face that the guys had to play the set twice just to fill the 20-minute slot!), hard-edged music, AND bubblegum pop. Similarly on the pioneering front was whereas other '70s bands were getting more and more technical and self-indulgent, playing songs of epic lengths, The Ramones countered this trend by molding songs once again to the two-minute variety of the early-'60s (they were immensely influenced by bands of this era, even incorporating some covers on their albums) and by being musical minimalists – NOT being technical or virtuoso musicians. In fact, there are no guitar solos on the band's initial three records. Meanwhile, on the ever-important lyrical front, these guys kept things to a minimum as well, as they had some of the simplest lyrics in rock! Along with the U.K.'s political hardcore punk giants Discharge, they were an anomaly in that for such simple (and in The Ramones case, oddball, wacky, "dumb," and rather humorously dark subject matter – B horror films, cretins, mental problems) lyrics, they’re so powerful and just work. They, as much as the music, make The Ramones who they are...

And Johnny, the domineering and most controlling of the gang, had a huge role in forming The Ramones classic style, musically, that is. (I don't care what anyone says. The Ramones have influenced EVERY punk band out there for the past 30 years. Why, who gave pioneering British punk bands like The Sex Pistols and The Clash confidence enough to get up onstage and play even though they thought they weren't "good enough?" By the way, Da Bruddas' first show in the U.K. was July 4. 1976.) Johnny's technique was an insanely rapid buzzsaw downstroke. Imitators haven't been able to exactly duplicate his unique style to this day.

Still for all their innovations and influence, The Ramones never had that seminal "hit" (by popular standards). One reason often cited is the negative publicity of punk in Britain. Headlines and stories about violence and the luridness/lewdness of bands like The Pistols gave punk a bad connotation (at least for those old farts who didn't "get it!"). Here in America, because The Ramones were punk, the uneducated masses wouldn't have anything to do with the band. Although punk in New York during this period was not about violence, it was still linked to that which was occurring in Britain). Sure "I Wanna Be Sedated" made it onto radio stations all over, but not when it was officially released back in '78 originally on the aforementioned Road to Ruin. Even their fifth album, 1980's End of the Century produced by THE Phil Spector, which coincided with the movie Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979), in which they starred, didn't do as well as expected. The band ended up calling it a day in 1996, 22 years after their formation and incessant touring that brought them and their infectious music all over the world. The legendary band finally got their due when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002. And they deserved it and deserve all the credit they are given, for they are, as has been said before, THE classic American band.

Johnny Ramone is survived by his wife, Linda and his mother, Estelle Cummings. He will undoubtedly be greatly missed by the punk community, as well as the music world in general. At least he will live on through his music, his greatest legacy. And, to be sure, no one has – or will EVER – look cooler playing guitar onstage than he.

www.ramones.com