Ramone battling cancer
Published June 18, 2004
RAMONES guitarist JOHNNY RAMONE is in a Los Angeles hospital battling prostate cancer, according to his longtime bandmate, drummer Marky Ramone. "Johnny's been a champ in confronting this, but at this point I think the chances are slim," says Marky, who joined the Ramones in 1977 when Tommy Ramone left the band. "John never smoked cigarettes, he wasn't a heavy drinker and he was always into his health," Marky continues. "It just proves when cancer seeks a body to penetrate, it doesn't matter how healthy you are or how unhealthy you are. It just seeps in and there's nothing you can do." The fifty-five-year-old guitarist, born John Cummings, first learned of his condition four years ago and has undergone extensive chemotherapy. "I've been getting so much email from people and from papers and magazines wanting to know what was up I had to take it upon myself to say something, because eventually John won't be in any condition to say or do anything," Marky says. "He went through many chemotherapy treatments. Some of it worked better than others. At this point [the cancer] has started to go into other areas of the body." Widely acknowledged as the world's first punk band, the Ramones have lost two members in the last three years, with singer Joey Ramone's death in 2001 of lymphatic cancer and bassist Dee Dee Ramone's death from a drug overdose the following year.This bit of sad rock & roll news comes via Hard News.
Marty's band, Growing Old Disgracefully, can be found at: Disgraceful Music. His Cthulhu tales can be found at Temple of Dagon. 
- Ramone battling cancer
- Published: June 18, 2004
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- Section: Music
- Writer: Marty Dodge
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It's like the Ramones are cursed: First Joey died of lymphatic cancer, then Dee Dee died from a heroin overdose, and now Johnny is battling cancer. It's sad. One of the most influential bands in rock history - though you wouldn't know it from the lack of airplay and chart success - is really falling apart. It almost makes you wonder if they should ever have broken up. If Johnny dies, only the two drummers, Tommy and Marky, and recent bassist/vocalist C.J. will be all that's left of one of the most pure of rock bands. Very sad.
gabba gabba hey: infinite healing beams to johnny ramone. and beams for marky too, just in case...
Ramones kick ass!!! Fathers of punk!!!!
They are such a great band and thank you Marky for inspiring me to play drums. Now I love it!!! Long live Ramones!!!!
To any surving ramone, I am 38 yrs. old I Have watched you guys performe sence I was a child , and now my children are lising to you all . isnt the world a beutiful place when you have an oppertity to relive your adollisent years At our age while watching this younger generation get excited to these old songs and antics that we held so dear. I was just talking to my son yesterday ,and trying to explane to him that what went on in the movies and what went on in real life witch the band are to diffrent things . My son tristan is very curious about joey but on the same hand wantes to no about why all those people are trying to get at the band when they are driving ;well it gets interesting explaning all this to him and do you want to know somthing ' I would not change a thing 'I love being a father to a littel boy; and a little girl . they will be better than us in music and smarter than us in life in general . but Ido beleave that they will wish for the safer dayes of the cold war and the berlin wall
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Strength to Johnny. Everybody focus your energies of life towards Johnny.
Thank you,
peaceloveguidance