New York Dolls

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20 years ago i read mr thau's unpublished memoir-in-progress, allegedly considering an excerpt for the slick gen-x style magazine i worked for then.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

I love 'em but...if you pruned one minute from every song I would not be mad

The real challops would be: the only good Dolls song is "Hot Hot Hot"

Lol.

The real challops would be: the only good Dolls song is "Hot Hot Hot"
― chr1sb3singer, Thursday, November 7, 2019 2:21 PM

inject this directly to my veins, please.

That's what killed Johnny Thunders.

but to respond to the revive. . . yeah, i mean i always respected 70s nyd, but recently traded away the records (again) because it's stuff that i felt like i "should" have in my collection, not because i actually wanted it there.

The late Adam Roth used to have a funny bit about Johnny Thunders.

golfclap to Austin + Grisso/McCain for that A+ setup/punchline

First album is awesome all the way, dammit!!!

never made it past “stranded in the jungle” on the second one. I’m sure the rest of it rules.

it's worth getting past that - the David Johanson Novelty Songs are a big stumbling block on that one but Human Being and Chatterbox are all-time

(my reissue copy of TMTS had a locking skip in Stranded in the Jungle on the line "My soul was dead" so I literally started skipping that track and it made the album better)

Personally p much all I need from the first album are the first two tracks.

― Οὖτις, Thursday, November 7, 2019 2:00 PM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

really??? "jet boy", "subway train", "trash", and boy do i love "lonely planet boy"

I don't love the second one, but the first has wonderful tracks all over, and "Lonely Planet Boy" is a personal anthem.

my love for this band knows no bounds. i saw them when i was 17, which might have something to do with it. in their red patent leather phase, shortly before they split. i love johansen's goofy covers, love the way johnny thunders guitar acts like a greek chorus to the lyrics. love how the lyrics don't exactly parse but sound so cool. oh, check this out -- i got this from the man himself: "well we can't take her this week, and her friends don't want another speech, hoping for her that someday they'll hear what she's gotta say." true quote from steve conte to johansen: "THAT's what you're saying?!?"

^great post!

The first David Johansen album is a cleaner Dolls record, down to the co-writes. I recommend it to skeptics.

That's great--you're the second person I know who saw them first time around. (I mean, the other person I really do know.) He saw them in '73 or '74, I think at Toronto's Victory Burlesque Theatre...with Rush opening! Close as I got was seeing Johnny Thunders in '86 or '87.

First album, 10/10; second, 8 or 9/10.

for some reason i really enjoy most of the songs on the debut if i hear them in isolation, but it's not an album i ever feel like hearing all the way through. "lookin' for a kiss" sounds delightful on almost any playlist, but somehow i get tired of their sound in a way i don't with, say, the velvets or the stooges or even the ramones. i think my main issue is how sludgy the album's always sounded to me -- what i mainly enjoy is david johansen's singing.

Does this thread have a mention of Quintano’s School for Young Professionals yet?