Wahn two three fah!
Anyone that has ever bothered to delve into the history of the Ramones knows that three different drummers officially occupied the drum throne from 1974 to 1996. While friends of the family would lend a hand in times of crisis, the drum kit primarily belonged to Tommy, Marky, and Richie Ramone. These guys could play a 4/4 pattern all night long and were definitely too cool for school, too dumb to get a job.
Joey Ramone
Jeff Hyman, aka
Joey Ramone, was actually the group's first drummer. It was Thomas Erdelyi (later
Tommy Ramone) that suggested he try vocals instead. He did. It worked. Joey died on April 15th, 2001, after a battle with lymphatic cancer.
Tommy Ramone
On March 30th, 1974 (exactly 30 years previous to the completion of this writeup), record producer Thomas Erdelyi was present at the first serious Ramones
jam session, when the group was a three-piece with
Dee Dee singing and
Joey playing drums. Soon after recommending that Joey switch to vocals, Thomas was asked to join the group and donned the Tommy Ramone
moniker. Tommy left the band in 1978 to focus on producing, but remained close to the Ramones and served as the producer ("
T. Erdelyi") on several of their later records.
Tommy can be heard on these albums:
Editors Note:
Tommy Ramone died at his home in Queens, New York City, on July 11, 2014, aged 65. He had been receiving hospice care following unsuccessful treatment for cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Tommy was the last of the original band members.
Marky Ramone
Marc Bell, formerly of Ramones contemporaries the
Voidoids, replaced Tommy in 1978 and played with the Ramones until late
1982. After
Richie Ramone's chaotic exit in 1987, Marky returned at Johnny's urging and continued touring and recording with the group until their final
gig in 1996. Retaining his Ramones stage name, Marky has since formed several new bands and has toured and recorded with
the Misfits.
Marky can be heard on these albums:
Richie* Ramone
Richard Reinhardt was the drummer for the New York band the
Velveteens before being asked to replace
Marky Ramone. Richie played drums for the Ramones from 1983 until 1987. Richie appeared with the band in the music videos accompanying the
Subterranean Jungle (1983) album, although it was actually Marky's drumming that was heard in the videos. Having put the music business behind him, Richie is now working as a caddy at a Los Angeles
golf course.
Richie can be heard on these albums:
Billy Rogers
Drummer for
Johnny Thunders' band the
Heartbreakers, Billy played on the last track recorded for
Subterranean Jungle (1983) after a disgruntled Marky took his
drumsticks and went home.
Billy can be heard on this album:
Elvis Ramone
Clem Burke, drummer for
New Wave act
Blondie, sat in with the Ramones for two gigs in August, 1987 after the sudden departure of Richie. Clem was not meant as a serious
replacement (as his alleged stage name might indicate), and never recorded or
toured with the Ramones after those two shows.
* - Richie Ramone should not be confused with former bassist Ritchie Ramone, who played briefly with the band in 1974 before being ousted in favor of Dee Dee.
** - Smash You! Live '85 is an 8-song bonus disc included with the excellent Loud, Fast Ramones: Their Toughest Hits compilation.