New York Dolls

anyway, they had their moments, sure. "Frankenstein" kicks ass. But I absolutely can't stand Johnny Thunders (even though So Alone was one of my desert island discs in college - I've done a complete 180 on that fucker for some reason)

"...these jerks who will ultimately pull no more weight that to make the world safe for Motley Crue, whose sole function of note during their collective professional tenure will be as Malcolm McLaren's first test barrel of monkeys..."

Maybe Johansen's lyrics turn you off? If so, you ought to hear the wacky Actress demos from '71 or whenever (been bootlegged and was pressed on LP by the Italian label Get Back in 2000 or so). With Johnny Thunders on lead vocals, they were a very different thing. It's almost Electric Eels-like.

for the record, I don't like the Pistols either (and prefer the Dolls anyway)

As if that's a bad thing! I remember now why Meltzer has been a bore for so long.

to be honest though, Too Fast for Love still totally rocks, I'll give you that. It's almost punk in places.

Man I'd kill to hear The Jet Boys

'Chinese Rock' was a song by Dee Dee Ramone.

Listen to Sonic Youth's cover of 'Personality Crisis'.

Was I having nightmares or did I really read somewhere that the late Mr Genzele's replacement for this - ahem - Frankenstein creation with a Personality Crisis, is actually going to be Chrissie "Bad Girl" Hynde?

Of course, I will go and see 'em if I get the chance....

Incidentally, my understanding is that Dee Dee wrote the lyrics to Chinese Rock but the Ramones refused to record it so Richard Hell finished it off when he was working with Jerry Nolan and Johnny Thunders in the first incarnation of The Heartbreakers. There are demos of this version about.

It's even moreso "Sister Morphine" by the Rolling Stones.

my understanding is that Dee Dee wrote the lyrics to Chinese Rock but the Ramones refused to record it so Richard Hell finished it off when he was working with Jerry Nolan and Johnny Thunders in the first incarnation of The Heartbreakers. There are demos of this version about.

It appears on the Time 2CD retrospective of Hell's work that Matador put out a couple years back, so its not hard to find. It's probably my favourite version of the song. In Hell's essay in the CD booklet, he points out what he wrote (the last two verses, if yr interested) and touches on the writing controversy (after he left the Heartbreakers, they took a writing credit on it).

I know what you mean but bet a lot of those groups never even heard of the New York Dolls. Maybe they indirectly took their Dollish elements from KISS and Aerosmith.

WHOA THERE MR. DIAMOND CIRCA TWO THOUSAND THREE. JERRY NOLAN WAS A KILLER DRUMMER.

Yeah, i remember Duff was the one really talking up what he was originally calling 'the punk album'. Other than that, I don't know whose songs were whose.

i too impatient to read this thread but i am listening to the dolls and "private world" is fucking great. and it's nice to see the name vic funk on a thread.

http://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2013/02/rip-record-producer-shadow-morton-dead.html

RIP. Dude also had a pretty cool solo 45 as Shadow Mann:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11xvtrmRuM8

I'll never forget him (the leader of the pack): RIP Shadow Morton

Marty Thau passed away over the weekend -- managed the Dolls, worked with Suicide, Blondie, Richard Hell, etc. One of those behind the scenes movers and shakers! RIP.

rip

http://s.pixogs.com/image/L-39551-1335926388.jpeg
pretty stellar track record right here: http://www.discogs.com/label/39551-Red-Star-Records

I didn't know about this 'til recently. Got some of it, but must hear whole thing--and read it; Ace did a bunch of interviews for the booklet.
https://acerecords.co.uk/images/ACE-ShadowMortonStor.jpg

(I'll have to get used to the Vanilla Fudge all over again...)

Merry Late Ex'ass from Shadow and duh guise:
http://31.media.tumblr.com/d7221084fc80de62935e1eb9288babc8/tumblr_mibwpb1c7O1s3ihwto1_500.jpg

Oops: ExM'ass, that is. Pardon!

I'm always surprised by how poorly the Dolls fare whenever they turn up here on one of those yearly Acclaimed Music polls or something similar. Usually, they get no votes. They were a very big deal for a few years after the first British punk bands came along, but that's long gone (as opposed to say, Television or Wire, who generally do well). Too bad. (About the Dolls, I mean--no quarrel with the other two.)

I exaggerate. In a 2007 poll, they tied for first with four votes; in 2011, there was a poll with a bigger turnout, and they finished tied for seventh with five votes (the winner drew 16); and in 2013, they finished tied for sixth with four votes (winner had 14). So they do okay.

Plus the most recent one, late 2013, where "Personality Crisis" finished way down the list with two votes (eight for the winner). That must have been the one on my mind.

Thau is getting lotsa love from folks commenting on Billy M & Miriam L of Norton Records facebook pages. But yea, Norton Records is not exactly young kid ilx friendly