Johnny Ramone lost his battle with cancer and passed away this week. If you were from NYC and grew up in the 70s and were into music they were a big part of your life. I saw the Ramones in 1976 and was overwhelmed with the raw power and energy. But even at 15 I remember thinking the guy playing guitar isn't playing the most technical stuff...I could do this? But this was the point of early punk rock get a guitar start a band make music get out there ! God do we need those times again !

Years later in the mid-80s I worked at a club in NY called My Father's Place where the Ramones played several times. Johnny was very sweet straight guy with a heavy Queens accent who basically just wanted to talk about baseball cards shows ! Its very sad that 3/4 of the original lineup is now gone. The Ramone brothers who in fact were not brothers but made the last name up after Paul McCartney. McCartney had changed his name to Ramone in 1961 in Germany but later changed it back right before Beatlemania.

Johnny was the energy of the Ramones. He was the engine who's power chords and raw power drove the band and the music. He only needed an old Mosrite guitar and a Marshall stack and he proved that with just that you could change the world somewhat.

Rest well Johnny.....count it off Dee Dee 1-2-3-4