ENTERTAINMENT ICON: Ramones punk band co-founder Tommy dies at 65

(Reuters) - Tommy Ramone, the drummer and last surviving member of the hugely influential American punk band the Ramones, has died at the age of 65, an associate said on Saturday.

The death was confirmed by Dave Frey, Director at Ramones Productions, the company that controls the band's copyright. Frey declined to provide additional information.

Born Thomas Erdelyi in Budapest, Hungary, Ramone was the co-founder of the band and its drummer from 1974 to 1978. He was the last surviving member of its original quartet.

The New York band, with mops of long hair, black leather jackets, torn jeans and sneakers, deeply influenced punk rockers in the United Kingdom and the "power pop" of ensuing decades.

They were seen as masters of minimalist, 2.5-minute tunes played at hyperkinetic tempo, such as "Blitzkrieg Bop", "I Wanna be Sedated", and "Sheena is a Punk Rocker."

(Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Additional reporting by Mark Heinrich; Editing by Louise Heavens)
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