Tommy Ramone forms Uncle Monk

According to this story, Tommy Ramone, the original drummer of the legendary punk band, has formed a alternative country/punk/bluegrass duo called Uncle Monk.

Ramone, who will be performing using mandolin, banjo, guitar and dobro along with guitarist/bassist Claudia Tienan, explained that

There are a lot of similarities between punk and old-time music, Both are home-brewed music as opposed to schooled, and both have an earthy energy. And anybody can pick up an instrument and start playing.
[and Uncle Monk will use] the vocabulary of country and bluegrass combined with the aesthetics of punk and alternative music.

Themes on the record include "the struggle to make it in a big city, urban gentrification, interpersonal relationships, spiritual longings and how one goes about satisfying emotional needs." The band is currently working on their debut record and expects to find a label when it is completed.