I will keep this short as I just got home from a spectacular gig and it is almost 2 am. This was a gig that I have waited 36 years to see. I never had the chance to see the New York Dolls in the beginning back in 1973/74 (I was living in Nova Scotia at the time) and I could not make their show 2 years ago during their "comeback" tour. Now that they have a new album out, Cause I Said So, they wrapped up their North American tour in Toronto with a 2 hour Rock N' Roll party. Yes, the show was a neat mix of old and new, and yes, the new material it pretty damn good. But for the sake of the new and uninitiated, when it comes to the New York Dolls, their sometimes under appreciated legacy and gift comes down to their first 2 albums from 1973 and 1974, respectively, New York Dolls and Too Much, Too Soon.
Their story is of Rock N' Roll legend. Just read their bio on line and it is a mixed up tale of excess, fast times, success and disappointment plagued with drug addiction and death. Their initial image was one that shocked and rocked the western world. That image and their music set the tone for many things to come - 70s Punk & New Wave, 80s Heavy Metal and 90s "Alternative" Rock. From Kiss to Blondie to Def Leppard to Hanoi Rocks to Guns n' Roses to Aerosmith to The Pixies and so much more, the New York Dolls have left their distinct Brooklyn imprint on the music world.
Again, for the uninitiated, check out from their first self titled album - "Personality Crisis", "Trash", "Lonely Planet Boy", "Pills" (written by Bo Diddley) , "Private World", "Bad Girl" and "Lookin' For A Kiss". From Too Much Too Soon - the obvious gems are "Who Are The Mystery Girls", "Babylon", "Puss And Boots" and "Chatterbox".
Now all you have to do is pick out the purse to match the pumps, apply some lipstick and get set to Rock N' Roll! What could be more fun in the urban jungle!
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