RIP David Johansen

[jhull54]

Loved the Dolls. All my generation's performers are checking out, it seems like.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/musi ... 235285144/

[toomanycats]

I was too young to witness the direct impact of the Dolls in the 70s.

When 80s L.A. glam metal exploded in the early 80s I still didn't understand their incalculable impact upon that scene.

In the later 80s, after seeing Johansen in his alter ego Buster Poindexter, I thought to myself, "Who in the heck is this guy?"

RIP David.

[tobijohn]

I saw the NY Dolls way back when and their outrageousness was an inspiration. I liked their catalog but for me, the music was secondary to the image. As far as the music was concerned, I preferred his early solo stuff, but that's just me:

[BatUtilityBelt]

Yeah, I heard some of that in the 70's but I was just a kid, and I too thought Buster Poindexter popped up from out of nowhere. Oblivious.

[jhull54]

I saw the NY Dolls way back when and their outrageousness was an inspiration. I liked their catalog but for me, the music was secondary to the image. As far as the music was concerned, I preferred his early solo stuff, but that's just me:

Agree here. I don't personally think there's been any group that ever "out-Dolled" the NY Dolls. Their image completely blew me away, and as far as I was concerned, they were never equaled as a "glam" rock group, which I didn't really view them as. You can really see their influence on groups as far back as the very early 70s, and up to this day. I always got a chuckle out of Motley Crue and Poison, because in my opinion, those groups actually had to tone the image DOWN from what the Dolls were doing a decade earlier! Take a look at some early photos of Hanoi Rocks--it's the Dolls, whom they obviously idolized. Monroe even sounded a lot like David vocally, and it's no surprise that the latter-day Dolls enlisted members of Hanoi Rocks to flesh them out.

I too enjoyed Johansen's solo records. He was a thoughtful and funny songwriter who had a way with words, and was no dummy. The Dolls lyrics were often witty and sarcastic, but also paid loving tribute to their Brill Building, R&B, and girl group influences which they wore as badges of honor. Even the lyrics to Personality Crisis, wink and nod to Lloyd Price's "Personality", from the late 50s. And probably David's biggest solo hit was a medley of "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place/Don't Bring Me Down/It's My Life", while "Build Me Up Buttercup" was a concert staple.

And they were tough to beat as a live act. RIP David Johansen

[LightWingStudios]

Yet another Legend passes. We're ALL getting old.

[tobijohn]

...We're ALL getting old.

I thought that was just happening to you guys, but I seemed to have wandered into some old guy's body and now can't find my way out...

[Tonray's Ghost]

...We're ALL getting old.

I thought that was just happening to you guys, but I seemed to have wandered into some old guy's body and now can't find my way out...

I just wish the old guy had taken his prostate with him before he left the body with me

[glasshand]

The last of the Dolls...it's a sad day. My band used to cover "Jet Boy" and "Pills", and we're thinking about bringing something back as a tribute.

If you haven't listened to the Dolls' last three albums, go check them out! Usually when I hear that a band from the 70s or 80s (or 90s) has reunited to make new music, I kind of wince...but their later albums actually had some really good stuff, as David and Syl's musicianship had only continued to improve.

From 2006's "One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This":

[tonebender]

He was great in Let It Ride with Richard Dreyfus. It is one of my all time favorite movies and there were two lines in it that I have repeated many times over years. One was Teri Garr stating, "I've decided to become an alcoholic" and the other was David Johansen shouting, "He pissed it all away!"

RIP David