Blythe: Tommy and The Ramones saved my life

Randy Blythe has paid tribute to Tommy Ramone following the drummer's death from cancer last week.

The last surviving original member of The Ramones died in New York on Friday at the age of 65.

Lamb Of God frontman Blythe took to Instagram to praise Tommy, who he thanked for “helping to create the music that changed and saved my life.”

He says: “The importance of the Ramones in the history of underground music cannot be overstated — before the Sex Pistols, The Clash, Black Flag and way 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 and 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 New York City 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 feeaking 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. “No Ramones = no Lamb Of God, or any of the other music most fans of my band listen to.

“Rest in peace, bro.”

Meanwhile, The Ramones’ management confirmed Tommy was 65, and not 62 as initially reported.

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.