Johnny Ramone Nearly Dies in a Street Fight
In 2023, things nearly turned tragic for Johnny Ramone on Aug. 14, 1983, when a post-concert brawl left him fighting for his life.
The Ramones had spent the early part of the year on the road in support of their seventh studio album, Subterranean Jungle. They returned for a performance on Aug. 13, in their hometown of Queens, N.Y.
In true Ramones fashion, the show didn’t end until early the next morning. Afterward, Johnny – whose real name was John William Cummings – headed back to his apartment in the East Village. Along the way, he spotted Cynthia “Roxy” Whitney, who he’d had an on-and-off relationship with for years. Whitney, who appeared intoxicated, was chatting with another young punk rocker, Seth Macklin of the band Sub-Zero Construction.