Mid-Week MP3

Word on the street is that the surviving members of the New York Dolls have once again hit the road (at the behest of Morrissey, no less). As such, this week we shall celebrate the gifts afforded us by these proto-punk, cross-dressing, hard-living Rock ‘N’ Rollers. If you are a fan of rock music, or punk, or art rock, or R&B, arena rock, metal, or any other of a myriad of genres, then you, no doubt, have some idea of the importance of five boys from NYC. If you don’t… well, then there isn’t much I or anyone else can do for you.

In 1971, David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, Sylvain Sylvain, Arthur "Killer" Kane and Billy Murcia came together under bright likes and heavy makeup to start a revolution. Citing influences like the MC5, The Stooges, and T-Rex, this band went on to inspire the punk rock generation in a way that only they could. Many were lost along the way. Murcia died before the first album was even released, and was replaced by Jerry Nolan. Thunders died of an overdose in 1991, and Nolan himself followed a few months later. Kane finally left us the middle of last year. Despite all these deaths, the spirit and the legacy of the Dolls lives on.

This track is from the first album. It’s still available, as are their follow-ups. Do yourself a favor and pick it up. Also, be on the lookout for a new Dolls album from the two surviving members in Spring 2006.

1modernboy humbly requests that you use these MP3s solely as a means of evaluation. If you like what you hear, please buy records, CDs, t-shirts, or other merchandise to support this band/artist and his/her/their label-mates. Seeing them live probably wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
Should the features artist, or the related label or distributor take issue with my inclusion of the song file, please don’t hesitate to contact me, so that the offending file can be removed.

New York Dolls – Lonely Planet Boy