Punk rock icon Tommy Ramone dies

He founded the band with original singer Joey Ramone, bassist/vocalist Dee Dee Ramon and guitarist Johnny Ramone in New York City in 1974. Ramone, whose real name was Thomas Erdelyi, was replaced in the band by drummer Marky Ramone.

Tom Erdelyi hadn't planned to become Tommy Ramone, but circumstances forced him into a new identity as the drummer and driving force behind one of the most influential and unforgettable rock-and-roll bands of the 1970s. He was the last surviving 

Tom Erdelyi hadn't planned to become Tommy Ramone, but circumstances forced him into a new identity as the drummer and driving force behind one of the most influential and unforgettable rock-and-roll bands of the 1970s. He was the last surviving 

Born Erdelyi Tamas in Budapest in 1949, Ramone emigrated to America in 1957. He grew up in Forest Hills, Queens, where he began playing music with John Cummings (a.k.a. Johnny Ramone) while he was in high school. The two formed a garage band 

The pair, along with Jeffrey Hyman (Joey Ramone) and Douglas Colvin (Dee Dee Ramone), formed the Ramones in 1974, reportedly taking their name from Paul McCartney's own pseudonym; The Beatles frontman had briefly called himself Paul Ramon