New York Dolls

'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

20 years ago i read mr thau's unpublished memoir-in-progress, allegedly considering an excerpt for the slick gen-x style magazine i worked for then. not esp well-written but chock full of great ny rock war stories. of course my bosses had no intention of using, it was a make-work project but i felt lucky to have read. RIP, sir

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lKWZ3Ohod0

http://www.wnyc.org/story/making-music-critic/

See the first comment.

geez, i wonder what she would have said if her son's first effort with the band hadn't gotten an A+?

Ha, yes, exactly. I am assuming she is completely unaware of that. The ironing.

his bro is a kickass bass player who looks just like him. saw him back southside johnny maybe?

Might well have been. This project looks interesting: http://www.earlyeltontrio.com/bio_john_conte.html

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec09/articles/classictracks_1209.htm

Jack Douglas:

"It doesn't sound good at all, but there's something about it that just works. I mean, I knew it wasn't sounding good when I was doing it, and you couldn't ask them, 'Let's get a sound on this.' You just couldn't. They had no patience for getting a sound on anything. 'Is there sound going through the microphone into the board?' 'Yes.' 'Well, that's good.'

Box Set Coming: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/new-york-dolls-personality-crisis-live-recordings-studio-demos-1972-1975-5cd-remastered-box-set/

Great but got it already.

First two discs are the Private World set on Castle (notwithstanding the obvious typos).

Third & forth discs are a straight copy of the From Here to Eternity set on Norton.

Syl has cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/sylvain-sylvain-of-ny-dolls-medical-support-fund?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fb_dn_postdonate_r&fbclid=IwAR3Bz7Z_kfZogjtStqFsWUjcokX5BN0mR_c1C8X1k59OjVBvCOeQdJAJ1NY

Oh right, had seen some mention of a medical support fund on Facebook.
His memoir was really good, read it a couple of months ago and would recommend it.
Need to get the Jerry Nolan memoir too.

the nolan book was readable and well researched, but has the same sad downward trajectory as other books about addicts. agree about syl's book. it's a much more personal and idiosyncratic journey.

is it a challop to say their recorded output is pretty crap, barring a couple songs?

A band I've always wanted to like more than I actually do. "Trash" and "Jet Boy" are great singles though. This Old Grey Whistle Test performance is pretty spectacular too

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbd-BcuPvLA

yeah I've seen that, it is entertaining. They just kinda didn't have the songs or the performances when it came to making records. Personally p much all I need from the first album are the first two tracks.

Took me ages to get into all the album tracks, especially from the first one.

it's not so much as a challop as it is something you would respond to one of those terrible twitter threads that's like YOUR UNPOPULAR MUSIC OPINIONS: GO

The first album is great, though admittedly I never listen to it these days. I'd rank "Trash" in my top five "rockers," no question.

i like most of the first album. i don't get how anyone could dismiss "trash." "frankenstein" is a personal favorite but maybe not everyone is into a 6-minute new york dolls song.

i don't know if i've ever listened to too much too soon. i should check it out.

too much too soon is good! underrated

huh I like both albums a lot but the first one really lives up to it's billing to me