Tommy Ramone, last original member of namesake punk band, dies at 65

Regarded as the ‘architect’ of the band, Tommy Ramone was principal in shaping the band’s sound.

If ever an opening song on a debut album could set the tone for the entirety of a band’s career, it was Blitzkrieg Bop, off the 1976 self-titled album by The Ramones. Lean, fast and propelled forward by a low-to-the-ground-beat and no-fuss lyrics (“Hey! Ho! Let’s go!”), the two-minute, 13-second song doesn’t waste any time in putting the listener on high alert.