A concrete testament to punk rock history stands before us. This is the Erdelyi Tamas Plaque. It commemorates Tommy Ramone, a founding member of the iconic punk band the Ramones.
The Erdelyi Tamas Plaque marks the birthplace of Tamas Erdelyi. He was born in Budapest in 1949. His family was of Jewish origin. They were forced to hide during the war. In 1956, like many others, they left Hungary.
Did you know Erdelyi Tamas was instrumental in shaping the Ramones sound? In New York he met a guitarist. This guitarist would later play in the Ramones. Erdelyi was initially the band’s manager. He ultimately became the drummer. He took on the name Tommy Ramone. He even wrote some of the band’s lyrics.
The Ramones were more of a cult band than a popular one in their time. Yet they became one of rock history’s most influential groups. None of the original lineup are alive today. The “style-creating punk band” was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Look closely at the Erdelyi Tamas Plaque. The plaque shows the image from the first Ramones album cover. The mold was created using 3D printing. The material is exposed concrete. The bilingual inscription details the rocker’s story. It also tells the story of the Erdelyi Tamas Plaque itself. The District V Municipality of Belvaros-Lipotvaros commissioned it.
Architect Andras Krizsan designed the Erdelyi Tamas Plaque. It is a concrete relief. It’s a 3D version of the Ramones’ first album cover. You can see the four band members depicted there. A bilingual metal plaque accompanies the relief.
The Erdelyi Tamas Plaque resides on the facade of Cinema Toldi. It’s just to the right of the entrance. The address is 36 Bajcsy Zsilinszky street. This location is in Lipotvaros. It is in District V of Budapest.
So, as you stand before the Erdelyi Tamas Plaque remember its story. Remember Tommy Ramone’s contribution to music history. He was a Budapest native who helped ignite the punk rock revolution. The Erdelyi Tamas Plaque stands as a lasting tribute.