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THE NEW YORK DOLLS: NEVER A DULL MOMENT

BY ROBBY RUSSELL AND NURSE CHERIL

THE NEW YORK DOLLS ARE ONE OF THE TOP GARAGE BANDS WE PLAY ON GARAGE-MANIA, THE INTERNET RADIO SHOW I HOST WITH MY ZANY SIDE KICK, NURSE CHERIL. STREAMING IN FROM CERRITOS COLLEGE HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. GARAGE-MANIA CAN BE HEARD ON WPMD.ORG.

THE NEW YORK DOLLS ARE ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ROCK BANDS OF THE LAST THREE DECADES. FORMED IN DEC 1971, THE DOLLS PREDATED BOTH PUNK AND METAL MOVEMENTS THAT FOLLOWED LONG AFTER THE DOLLS OWN DEMISE. IN THIS MONTHS ARTICLE WE WILL FOCUS ON THE FORMATION OF THE DOLLS, THEIR FIRST TWO ALBUMS, THE BANDS DEMISE AND THE TRAGIC STORIES OF THE BAND MEMBERS LIVES FOLLOWING THE BREAK UP.

THE NEW YORK DOLLS SPORTED AN OUTRAGEOUS GLAM ROCK IMAGE- HIGH HEELS, LIPSTICK, AND TACKY LEATHER OUTFITS BEING THE NORM. UNDERNEATH, THEY WERE A FIRST RA TE ROCK N ROLL BAND. THEY LOOKED LIKE THE BOYS IN THE SCIENCE CLUB AFTER DISCOVERING BOTH THE STONES AND ANDY WARHOL’S TRANSVESTITES. THE DOLLS ROCKED LIKE THE EARLY WOULD HAVE DONE, HAD MICK AND KEITH STARTED OUT WITH DRUG HABITS. THEIR HIGHLY ENERGETIC PLAYING STYLES SET THE TONE FOR MANY LATER ROCK N ROLL BANDS.

THE DOLLS THEMSELVES WERE INFLUENCED BY EARLY RHYTHM AND BLUES, AMERICAN GIRLS LIKE THE SHANGRI-LAS’, ANARCHIC POST-PSYCHEDELIC BANDS SUCH AS THE MC5 AND THE STOOGES, AND THEN-CURRENT GLAM ROCKERS SUCH AS DAVID BOWIE AND MARK BOLAN. THE ROLLING STONES INFLUENCE WAS OBVIOUS, WITH JOHANSEN RESEMBLING JAGGER IN BOTH VOCAL STYLE AND MASCARA’D LOOKS, AND JOHNNY THUNDERS A GLAM PUNK VERSION OF HIS IDOL, KEITH RICHARDS.

THE ORIGINAL LINE UP COMPRISED OF SINGER DAVID JOHANSEN, GUITARISTS JOHNNY THUNDERS AND RICK RIVETS, ARTHUR “KILLER’‘ KANES ON BASS GUITAR AND DRUMMER BILLY MURCIA . THEIR FIRST GIG WAS ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1971 AT A HOMELESS SHELTER, THE INFAMOUS ENDICOTT HOTEL. IN 1972 AFTER A SHOW AT THE MECER ARTS CENTER, WHICH WAS THEIR MAIN STOMPING GROUND. THEY SIGNED WITH MANAGER MARTY THAU. IT WAS ABOUT THIS TIME THAT SLYVAIN SLYVAIN REPLACED RIVETS.

THE NEW YORK DOLLS GOT THEIR BIG BREAK IN OCTOBER 1972. ROD STEWART INVITED THEM TO OPEN UP FOR HIS BAND, THE FACES AT WEMBLY STADIUM IN FRONT OF A CROWD OD 13,000.THIS WAS A FAR CRY FROM THEIR USUAL AUDIENCE OF A COUPLE HUNDRED. AS USUAL THE REACTION TO THE BAND WAS MIXED. SOME LOVED THEM, SOME HATED THEM. ON

NOVEMBER 6TH DRUMMER BILLY MURCIA PASSED OUT AFTER DRINKING AND TAKING MANDRAKES. HIS GIRLFRIEND DECIDED TO PLACE HIM IN A COLD BATH AND MADE HIM DRINK COFFEE, ON WHICH HE CHOKED AND DIED. THE DOLLS WERE BADLY SHAKEN. THEY LEFT QUICKLY AND RETURNED TO NEW YORK.

THE DEATH OF MURCIA DREW MORE ATTENTION TO THE BAND THEN EVER BEFORE, WHILE NEW MEMBERS JOINED THE DOLLS. JERRY NOLAN JOINED AS THE NEW DRUMMER. MARK BELL (MARKY RAMONE) LATER CLAIMED HE AUDITIONED TO TAKE MURCIAS PLACE. THE NEW LINE UP DEBUTED AT THE MERCER ARTS CENTER ON DECEMBER 19, 1972 TO A FULL HOUSE OF 450 PEOPLE. THEIR MANAGERS BOOKED SHOWS ALL OVER NEW YORK, AND THE BAND WAS GETTING QUITE A REPUTATION. PEOPLE COULDN’T GET ENOUGH OF THEM. THIS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF MERCURY RECORDS AND THEY GOT READY TO RECORD THEIR FIRST ALBUM.

THEIR SELF-TITLED DEBUT WAS RECORDED IN JUST TWO WEEKS AT THE COST OF $17,000. IT WAS PRODUCED BY TODD RUNDGREN TO MIXED REACTIONS. SOME THOUGHT RUNDGREN KEPT THE DOLLS ON TOO SHORT A LEASH OTHERS THOUGHT THE RESTRAINT HE USED ON THEM WAS JUST RIGHT. THE DOLLS WERE GENERALLY DISPLEASED THAT HE DIDN’T COVER THE TRUE MANIC ENERGY THAT WAS THEIR TRADEMARK. THE ALBUM DEBUTED IN JULY 1973 AND WAS MOSTLY RECEIVED BY CRITICS; BUT THE RECORD #116 ON THE CHARTS. JOHANSEN AND THUNDERS PENNED MOST OF THE SONGS ON THE FIRST ALBUM. “PERSONALITY CRISIS” “LOOKING FOR A KISS” AND “TRASH” ARE THREE OF THE MOST POPULAR SONGS WE PLAY ON GARAGEMANIA.

IN SEPT 1973, THE DOLLS WERE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK AND LONDON, SET OFF TO KICK THEIR NATIONAL TOUR STARTING IN LOS ANGELES. THE BAND HAD ANOTHER SETBACK, THE GIRLFRIEND OF BASSIST ARTHUR “KILLER” KANE, FOR UNKNOWN REASONS ATTEMPTED TO CHOP OFF KANES THUMB. KANE WAS FORCED TO WEAR A CAST FOR TWO MONTHS, WHILE CHIEF ROADIE PETER JORDON FILLED IN TEMPORARILY. KANE WENT ON THE TOUR AND APPEARED IN PHOTO SESSIONS AND SUPPLIED OCCASIONAL BACKING VOCALS. THE DOLLS PLAYED FOUR SOLD OUT NIGHTS AT THE WHISKEY A GO GO.
AS PART OF THE TOUR, THE BAND MADE IT’S FIRST TELEVISION APPEARANCE ON DON KIRSHNER’S ROCK CONCERT, WHERE THEY PERFORMED SIX SONGS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THE COUNTRY REALLY GOT A LOOK AT THE DOLLS. DRESSED IN MILE HIGH PLATFORMS, LIPSTICKED MOUTHS, SKIN TIGHT PANTS AND TEASED HAIR, THE GROUP SCARED THE HELL OUT OF MIDDLE AMERICA. THEY ALSO APPEARED LOCALLY ON THE”REAL” DON STEELE’S TV SHOW, AND OPENED UP FOR THE TUBES IN SAN FRANCISCO. ALL THIS MADNESS WAS FILMED BY BOB GRUEN IN HIS DOCUMENTARY ALL DOLLED UP WHICH IS A MUST-SEE FOR ALL DOLLS FANS. LATER ON THIS TOUR, THEY WENT TO HOUSTON, DALLAS, AND MEMPHIS, WHERE THEY WERE MET WITH PROTESTS FROM THE MOTHERS OF MEMPHIS ORGANIZATION. THE PROTEST ONLY HELPED TO SELL OUT THE MEMPHIS SHOWS IN TWO MINUTES. THE BAND OPENED FOR AEROSMITH IN DETROIT WHERE THEY WERE WELL RECEIVED, AND FOR LYNYRD SKYNRD AND KISS IN OTHER CITIES. AFTER THE GIGS IN MANY MORE CITIES THE DOLLS RETURNED TO NEW YORK FOR A WELL-PUBLICIZED ROCKN’ ROLL MASQUERADE HALLOWEEN BALL AT THE SWANKY WALDORF ASTORIA HOTEL ON OCT 30. THIS GIG GOT NATIONAL COVERAGE ON TELEVISION.
MERCURY RECORDS WANTED THE DOLLS TO MAKE A FOLLOW- UP ALBUM. THIS TIME GEORGE “SHADOW” MORTON WAS BROUGHT IN AS THEIR PRODUCER. MORTON WAS FAMOUS FOR HAVING WORKED WITH THE GIRL GROUPS, SUCH AS THE SHANGRA-LAS MORTON TRIED TO TONE DOWN THE BAND AND STREAMLINE THEIR SOUND. THAT ALBUM NAMED TOO MUCH TOO SOON, WAS A COMMERCIAL FAILURE, REACHING ONLY #167 IN ITS SUMMER 1974 RELEASE. THE CRITICS DID NOT LIKE THE ALBUM AS MUCH AS THEIR FIRST EFFORT, CALLING IT OVERLY COMMERCIAL AND A SELLOUT.

TOO MUCH TOO SOON HAD SOME GREAT SONGS ON IT HOWEVER “BABYLON” IS ONE OF THE DOLLS BEST EVER. THEIR CAMPY COVERS OF ARCHIE BELL’S “THERE’S GONNA BE A SHOWDOWN” AND OF THE CADET’S “STRANDED IN THE JUNGLE” ARE BOTH WORTH CHECKING OUT. OTHER FINE CUTS ARE A JOHNNY THUNDERS COMPOSITION “CHATTERBOX”. ON WHICH HE HANDLED THE VOCALS. “BAD DETECTIVE” “WHO ARE THE MYSTERY GIRLS” AND “IT’S TOO LATE” ARE ALL GARAGE-MANIA FAVORITES.

THE ALBUM DID NOT GET MUCH RADIO AIR PLAY OR SALES, AND THE BAND WAS SOON DROPPED BY THE RECORD LABEL. EVEN WORSE, AROUND THIS TIME THUNDERS AND NOLAN GOT HEAVILY INTO HEROIN AND KANE WAS ABUSING ALCOHOL, WHICH LED TO FRICTION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS OF THE BAND.
THINGS SOON WENT DOWNHILL FOR THE DOLLS WHEN MALCOM MCLAUREN WHO LATER GAINED FAME FOR MANAGING THE SEX PISTOLS, BECAME THEIR MANAGER. ALL HIS STRATEGIES BACKFIRED FOR THE DOLLS. MCLAUREN HAD BAND MEMBERS DRESS COMPLETELY RED LEATHER AND PERFORM IN FRONT OF THE USSR FLAG, WHICH ONLY MADE RECORD LABELS MORE RELUCTANT TO SIGN THEM. MEMBERS BEGAN TO LEAVE THE GROUP. BY THE MIDDLE OF 1975, THUNDERS AND NOLAN LEFT TO START THE HEARTBREAKERS WITH RICHARD HELL FROM TELEVISION. JOHANSEN AND SYLVAIN FIRED KANE AND MCLAUREN AND HIRED REPLACEMENTS. BY 1977 THE BAND BROKE UP FOR GOOD.
ON APRIL 23 1991, THUNDERS WHO WAS A NOTORIOUS DRUG ABUSER, DIED OF A HEROIN OVER DOSE. THUNDERS WITH HIS TEASED KEITH RICHARDS-STYLED HAIR HAD ONE OF THE BEST LOOKS IN ROCK N ROLL. MANY SAW HIS DIRTY-TONED SLASHING GUITAR AND TRASHY DECADENCE AS HAVING VITAL FUEL INTO PUNK ROCK AND HEAVY METAL. JERRY NOLAN IN AN INTERVIEW IN THE VILLAGE VOICE ONCE SAID “EVERYWHERE I GO I SEE JOHNNY CLONES. POISON, MOTELY CRUE I COULD NAME A HUNDRED BANDS THAT HAD A JOHNNY CLONE IN THEM. AT THE AGE OF 40 JERRY NOLAN DIED AFTER A STROKE ON JANUARY 14, 1992.
DAVID JOHANSEN BEGAN A SOLO CAREER. JOHANSEN EVENTUALLY METAMORPHOSED INTO HID CAMPY LOUNGE SINGING ALTER EGO BUSTER POINDEXTER. HE ALSO APPEARED IN SEVERAL FILMS, INCLUDING A REMAKE OF CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU, WITH ROSIE O’DONNELL. JOHANSEN ALSO HAD A ROLE IN MARRIED TO THE MOB. ARTHUR KANE GREW FRUSTRATED AND GAVE UP PLAYING GUITAR, AND RELOCATED TO LOS ANGELES. HIS ALCOHOL ABUSE, DRUG ADDICTION AND THE BREAKUP OF HIS MARRIAGE LED TO DEEP DEPRESSION. KANE ATTEMPTED SUICIDE AFTER WATCHING JOHANSEN ON TV IN THE MOVIE “SCROOGED”. KILLER KANE BECAME A MORMON IN 1989 AND WORKED AS A LIBRARIAN AT THE LOS ANGELES TEMPLE. HE DIED FROM LEUKEMIA A FEW WEEKS AFTER A REUNION CONCERT ON JULY 13, 2004. HE WAS 55 YEARS OLD.

I AM WRITING THIS ARTICLE BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THE NEW YORK DOLLS NEED TO BE REEXAMINED. THE DOLLS WERE A BAND THAT COULD HAVE ONLY COME FROM NEW YORK CITY IN THE EARLY 1970'S. THEY DIDN’T LOOK OR SOUND LIKE ANYONE THAT HAD COME BEFORE THEM. THEY TOOK THEIR ANDROGYNOUS LOOK AND RAN WITH IT. THEY TOOK ELEMENTS OF SIXTIES GIRL GROUPS, R & B, GLAM ROCK, THE ROLLING STONES THE STOOGES AND THE MC5. FROM THAT ECLECTIC MIX THE NEW YORK DOLLS CREATED THEIR OWN DISTINCTIVE LOOK AND SOUND. THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCES HAD TO SEEN TO BE BELIEVED AND THERE WAS NEVER A DULL MOMENT. THE BAND INFLUENCED A WHOLE ERA OF MUSICIANS AND BANDS INCLUDING THE RAMONES, KISS, BLONDIE, GUNS AND ROSES, MOTLEY CRUE ANS MORRISEY OF THE SMITHS. PERHAPS CREEM MAGAZINE HAD IT RIGHT BACK IN 1973 WHEN THEY VOTED THE DOLLS THE BEST AND WORST NEW BAND OF THE YEAR.

THE NEW YORK DOLLS REFORMED EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH JOHANSEN AND SYLVAIN, AND A NEW ALBUM WAS RELEASED. THE REUNITED PAIR ARE ON TOUR. THEIR SHOWS HAVE BEEN MET WITH EXCITEMENT FROM BOTH THEIR NEWER AND OLDER FANS ALIKE.

THE DOLLS WERE TRULY AHEAD OF THEIR TIME. ANY SERIOUS ROCK N ROLL COLLECTOR NEEDS TO HAVE THE FIRST TWO DOLLS ALBUMS IN THEIR COLLECTION.

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This article written by Robby Russell first appeared in printed form in the record magazine RECORD CONVENTION NEWS it is copyrighted by RECORD CONVENTION NEWS and GARAGE-MANIA . I authorize all future and past articles can be used by VAGUE Magazine with my permission.