The New York Dolls Are Back!

The New York Dolls are rollin into town tomorrow night here in P-Town. It has been said that this band’s influence helped bring in the era of both punk rock and heavy metal. “Their drug-fueled, shambolic performances influenced a generation of musicians in New York and London, who all went on to form punk bands. And although they self-destructed quickly, the band’s two albums remained two of the most popular cult records in rock & roll history”. This band was truelly a New York band. All of the members of the New York Dolls played in New York bands before they formed in late 1971. Guitarists Sylvain Sylvain (who named the band), Johnny Thunders and Rick Rivets, bassist Arthur Kane, and drummer Billy Murcia were joined by vocalist David Johansen. Early in 1972. The group began playing regularly in lower Manhattan, particularly at the Mercer Arts Center. Within a few months, they had earned a dedicated cult following, but record companies were afraid of signing the band because of their cross-dressing and blatant vulgarity.

Now over 30 years later they are releasing another album, “Cause I Sez So”. It was produced by the original producer of their first album, Todd Rundgen. The finishing touches on the album were made in Rundgen’s studio on the island of Kauai and released this month.