JOHNNY RAMONE, RIP

by

One of the true great ones is dead. (Ramones official site)

I knew he was sick, but I’m still blown away. Too busy (and sad) to write more. Some further thoughts and reminiscences this weekend, probably.

Thank you for everything, Johnny. We’ll miss you, man.

Gabba Gabba Hey.

Rest in peace.

Update: My Democrat wife sent me this, noting that he was “misguidedly conservative”. Johnny Ramone: Rebel in a Rebel’s World. The Conservative part I agree with.

The music is what really matters, but this is worth a mention, too:

Johnny Ramone was a fiercely Republican-voting, NRA-supporting musician in a milieu that is remarkable for its embrace of all things left. Johnny went worldwide public with his partisanship in 2002, when the Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At the microphone to give props to the people who made it all possible, he offered his own version of a Michael Moore moment. “God bless President Bush, and God bless America,” he said, clad in his trademark T-shirt, ripped blue jeans and leather jacket. “I said that to counter those other speeches at the other awards,” Mr. Ramone says in a phone interview. “Republicans let this happen over and over, and there is never anyone to stick up for them. They spend too much time defending themselves.”

He did it his way.

10 thoughts on “JOHNNY RAMONE, RIP”

  1. I loved that band. “Road to Ruin” is an ageless classic. I got my kids listening to them, too.

    So just Tommy is left, plus the ones who came in after (Marky, CJ …). Very sad.

  6. I was fortunate to have helped Johnny (thru his friend and musical partner John Cafiero) on the band’s last DVD release (“Ramones Raw”) at Image Entertainment in June 2004. I was shocked to find Johnny to be conservative, but always a likeable guy to his leftist pals (like Eddie Vedder). I knew we are likely never going to be working with Johnny again, so it was bit sad to finish the project and say goodbye. I learned how cool a Republican can be! Hey Ho, Let’s Go—

  9. In the mid-70s, the Ramones were to play at a rather large venue in Nashville, where I was going to college. Six of the nine tickets sold were bought by me and my friends! (I mean, hey, this was Nashville). A few months later, they played at a more appropriately sized venue, seating (!) about 1000…the place was sold-out. It was, without a doubt, the best concert I’ve ever experienced.

    RIP, Johnny.

    P.T. boat on the way to Havana……

  10. Good bye Johnny Ramone
    *********
    go to
    http://website.lineone.net/~murrayramone/
    if your a Ramone’s fan its got stuff on it about the Ramones and other bands from that era of “CBGBS” before it became the morgue shrine that it is now. And stuff that no other website has
    GO there and click on to Debbie C.B.’s youll get a great laugh! alotta crazy stories about DeeDee and Marky and the whole punky bunch hanging out and living on the lower east side in NYC
    and lots of photos
    and coming soon there will be a full report and photos of the upcoming nyc memorial show with BLondie and The Strokes, Sonic Youth and more!
    R.I.P
    Well always remeber you Johnny
    1-2-3-4 !

Comments are closed.