Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe pays tribute to Tommy Ramone

Randy Blythe, frontman with US metal band Lamb Of God, has paid tribute to Tommy Ramone following the drummer’s death from cancer last week.

The last surviving member of the original Ramones lineup, Tommy Ramone died from cancer at the age of 65.

Blythe hailed him as “helping to create the music that changed and saved my life.”

Writing a statement via his Instagram account, Blythe continued: “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.”