The New York Dolls' first album fused glam, sleaze, metal and punk, and in 1973 was way ahead of its time. The Dolls gussied up in make-up, sleazy women's clothing and big high heels to bring us catchy tales of drugs, sex and the urban life in Lower Manhattan. The album is stuffed with songwriting gems, lifted by ferocious energy, and serving as an audible link between 60s garage rockers like the MC5 and the Velvet Underground, glam rock, and first-generation punk bands like the Sex Pistols (who were called into being by Malcolm McLaren, who'd managed the Dolls during their 1975 collapse).
It all adds up to an arresting innovative sound - the Stooges' ear-busting Raw Power is much louder and less self-conscious, and although the Dolls are sometimes close to blues-based heavy metal, they're much less predictable. This album has so many wacked-out classics like "Looking For A Kiss," "Frankenstein," "Trash," the head-banging "Jet Boy," and the raving "Personality Crisis" that make it a fun listen.
After this, the band cut just one follow-up album, 'Too Much Too Soon' before Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan quit and formed the Heartbreakers with Richard Hell, while Johansen (backed by Sylvain) began a solo career, and later adopted the alter ego of Buster Poindexter.
David Johansen on lead vocals and harmonica.
Johnny Thunders on lead guitar and backing vocals
Sylvain Sylvain on piano, rhythm guitar and backing vocals
Arthur "Killer" Kane on bass guitar
Jerry Nolan on drums
For the freeload (a nice sounding Japanese remaster), tell us who your favorite androgynous rock musician or band is.
Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's gotta be Bowie '72-'73 before he shed that skin and moved on to Plastic Soul. By the way...this stuff didn't play well in the Bay Area which was still having a hippie hangover. Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia...glam was actually a "thing" that got some airplay. Bowie bombed at Winterland on his first tour...and skipped the Bay Area entirely on his second tour.
ReplyDeleteAgreed on David Bowie, who, to me, always seemed distant, detached and insincere.
DeleteGlam was a short-lived thing in New York, and never caught on in the US. During '73 and '74, I lived in the UK, '73 being pretty much the height of Glam, which I wasn't all that crazy about. It should be pointed out that the zeitgeist of the UK and US were very different in the early 70s. Slade was probably my favorite Glam band.
I liked Slade after seeing them on TVs In Concert
DeleteWhen High School began so did Glam Rock. I listened to Bowie, Mott The Hoople, T. Rex, Lou Reed, Eno, I accepted it as the next phase. I noticed the reluctance of my older brother and friends to give up the Dylan's and hippie socially conscious music but I thought there was room for it all. And they eventually came around. Early Alice Cooper through Roxy Music, it was all good, all new. But androgynous? that's a tough question. Maybe Brian Eno was early on. I never got into Marilyn Manson. We should all take another look at the album cover of Zappa's We're Only In It For The Money. Those are dresses they are wearing. Alice Cooper's Easy Action. Well guys in dresses is crossdressing. Androgynous is like the characters in a Maxfield Parrish painting.
ReplyDeleteI skipped over most punk rock because I was living miles from a city and still listening to Prog Rock and Black Sabbath and Ten Years After. One day while working by myself the radio played Satisfaction by Devo. I wondered what was going on down in the real world. Soon got into New Wave. Which was essentially a return to AM pop. But like I said, it was all new, and all good music.
ReplyDeleteLater, when Rap & Hip Hop came around I no longer cared about
ReplyDeletediscovering new music or what was happening on the streets. Although I never held it back from the next generation from sharing their griefs. I figured it was just the next wave.
Besides, wasn't Bob Dylan the best rapper?
DeleteThanks Babs. Hi SteVe, your comments above might coincide with the link I provided the other day, you might/might not find it interesting/relevant/complete bs.
Deletehttps://digg.com/stat-significant/link/when-do-we-stop-finding-new-music-analysis
Thanks Babs
mumbles, I read that article when you posted it before. Perhaps it influenced my comments. Thanks, it was a good article and confirmed what I thought but couldn't put in words.
DeleteSo Babs, I began watching Naked City, they will take a while to get through. but you should get the Route 66 DVDs. They are all filmed on location, you can take a trip around the United States without leaving home. They even go to the Boy Scout camp I went to on Catalina Island. Lot's of jazz involved. Well worth watching.
ReplyDeleteI watched Route 66 during their first run, and in syndication.
ReplyDeleteOnly reason I asked is some of the guys that made Naked City also made Route 66. I have to do more investigating.
DeleteBowie Bowie Bowie Bowie and Bowie
ReplyDeleteMarc Bolan and T. Rex. Some argue that Bowie actually stole his act.
ReplyDeleteElectric Warrior, is a classic. I wonder how (or if) Marc might have evolved, if his life wasn't tragically cut short?
DeleteThey had 3 really good releases that ultimately got gogged down in some very badly mixed re-issue packages. From what I have read, Bolan was looking to move into a new direction at the time of his death, and was starting to experiment with a slightly more acoustic soul sound. Not the biggest fan of glam, but I do like Bolan. BTW - Ms. Pmac dated Sylvain when they both were in the same HS.
DeleteI think I know where Ms. Pmac went to HS.
DeleteOh oh!! ;-)
DeleteBowie & Bolin shared the same producer, Tony Visconti. an American that moved to England.
DeleteRead Tony Visconti's book. Whatever it was called.
DeleteJan 1973, Sweet on Top of The Pops, I was ten, and this was one of the first records I really liked. When the guy with the bat wing eye make-up sings the second “we just haven’t got a clew what to do”, I still find very funny.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y64211sjSko
That video really captures the era.
DeleteLittle Richard and Bobby Marchan practiced androgyny long before all the ofays cited above were out of short pants.
ReplyDeleteAnd jazz musician/band leader Billy Tipton.
DeleteMarchan used to have a line he would quip at his gigs, "If no man can, try Marchan!"
DeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://we.tl/t-W2JawR4SiL
Bonus Link: Electric Warrior (24bit Hi-Rez)
https://we.tl/t-RaycxdpbEp
Bowie no question.
ReplyDelete50+ years ago I"d say Tiny Tim, but not now.
ReplyDeleteAnnie Lennox circa 1983/1984. I absolutely love her.
ReplyDeleteEno!
ReplyDeleteI remember when the New York Dolls performed on The Old Grey Whistle Test here in the UK and Bob Harris, when they had finished, called their music Mock Rock..they weren't too pleased. Jay
ReplyDeleteI saw the Dolls in '74 at Kenny's Castaway. Two hours late and without the slightest hint of contrition. Masters of loud, snotty rock n roll.
ReplyDelete