UPDATE July 12, 1:41 a.m.: And here is word from the official Ramones twitter account…
We are saddened to announce the passing of Ramones founding drummer Tommy (Erdelyi) Ramone. #RIPTommyRamone pic.twitter.com/kDBNMpn4Tp
— Ramones (@RamonesOfficial) July 12, 2014
UPDATE July 12, 1:02 a.m: Andy Schwartz, New York Rocker Magazine publisher and formerly of Epic Records, is confirming the news. “It is with sadness and regret that I report the passing of TOM ERDELYI a/k/a TOMMY RAMONE who died at 12:15 p.m. today (7.11.2014) at his home in Ridgewood, Queens. He was 65 and had been in hospice care following treatment for cancer of the bile duct.”
UPDATE July 12, 12:43 a.m.: We are still awaiting official confirmation on this, in addition to the Dangerous Minds post and word from some of our sources.
There is word late Friday night that Tommy Ramone, the last living original member of punk legends the Ramones, has died.
Born Erdélyi Tamás and also known as Thomas Erdelyi, he was 62 years old. We’re still waiting on further confirmation, but some reports say he was currently in hospice care for cancer treatment and died Friday afternoon at his Ridgewood, Queens, home.
Erdelyi drummed for the Ramones from 1974 to 1978, including on the New York band’s iconic 1976 debut album.
In passing, he joins Joey Ramone (Jeffrey Hyman, who died in 2001), guitarist Johnny Ramone (John Cummings, 2004), and bassist Dee Dee Ramone (Douglas Colvin, 2002) in an afterlife reunion. In 2002, all four original members and surviving drummer Marky Ramone were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“It wasn’t just music in The Ramones: it was an idea,” he said in 1978. “It was bringing back a whole feel that was missing in rock music — it was a whole push outwards to say something new and different. Originally it was just an artistic type of thing; finally I felt it was something that was good enough for everybody.”
Erdelyi also produced the Replacements’ 1985 major label debut Tim and Los Angeles punks Redd Kross’ 1987 record Neurotica. More recently, he performed in the acoustic bluegrass and country music band Uncle Monk with with his partner Claudia Tienan.
He is survived by Tienan and an older brother. Variety reports that a private funeral service is planned.
It's been confirmed by a reputable source that Tommy Ramone (nee Erdelyi) has passed away at age 65. The last of the original Ramones.
— michaelcorcoran (@michaelcorcoran) July 12, 2014
Even tho Tommy Ramone hadn't been in the band for 37 years, it's sad to know all 4 of those men who changed music forever have passed away.
— michaelcorcoran (@michaelcorcoran) July 12, 2014
