Another gone and all of the core given the three drummers who backed them through the years they played, 1974 to 1996. I suppose I started listening to their records in 1981, my first year of undergrad when I played "Blitzkrieg Bop" or "Sheena is a Punk Rocker" on our show Bob the Dog on CKDU radio late Monday night. I recall it also being my car tape a decade ago for those great moments after spending a day as duty counsel in family or criminal court taking off well aware I had not and could not do much for the crappy lives of the people I had dealt with. My favorite was Joey, built like an bloodless alien, spitting nasal mad when he sang.

Johnny, the wall of guitar who died at home in bed after five years with cancer, said of the Ramones:

"I always dwell on the fact that we could have been better...but now I feel that the Ramones were the most influential American rock band. And that's pretty good. I'm sure a lot of other people think something different, but let them name the bands. You have The Doors and The Beach Boys, great bands. But name the other bands that came out of being influenced by them. When I saw the New York Dolls and Slade in 1972, '73, what I saw were two bands that were really entertaining. It made me feel like I could go get a guitar, that I could do this too. Which is what kids felt when they saw the Ramones.

Gabba Gabba Hey.