RIP Tommy Ramone

While The Ramones may not be a huge piano bar staple, they are certainly a New York City original.

The last original member of the Ramones passed away last night, in his battle with cancer.

For me this strikes a particular chord. As a native New Yorker, I've always had a soft spot for the scrappy, rough edged boys from Queens who had limited musical ability but loads of moxie and who changed the face of American and British punk rock with their sonic assault, brash stage presence, and 90-second song structure.

It was once joked that you could attend a Ramones concert where you heard a full offering of their catalog and be out the door in 20 minutes.

Every piano player has their "go-to" songs, their pocket songs that they keep with them for various occasions. And every piano player gets that same occasional request - "Play something YOU like". Often, for me, that was I WANNA BE SEDATED. A rocket of a tune, that was over before it began, but it propelled you from start to finish in the way that only The Ramones could do. A 90-second roller-coaster ride. All the way to Rockaway Beach.

Enjoy the surf, Tommy.

#rip #tommyramone #ramones #punk #iwannabesedated