Johnny Thunders The Tragic & Mysterious Death of the New York Dolls, Heartbreakers Musician
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Today we take a look at the tragic life and death of punk rock legend Johnny Thunders who was a member of the glam group New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders And The Heartbreakers
New York Dolls Video • Video
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#newyorkdolls #johnnythunders #heartbreakers
And By the age of 16 Thunders would take up the bass guitar and would start attending shows of the bands like the Who, and Small Faces and even rubbed elbows with the big rockstars at the time including Rod Stewart who he drank beer with backstage at the Newport Folk Festival.
By age 17 Thunders would latch onto the Detroit Music scene and His childhood friend Gail Higgins remembered “We would drive eight hours to see the MC5 or The Stooges,”It was around this time that Thunders quit bass and picked up guitar. “Whenever he was practising, I used to yell into the bedroom: ‘Give up, Johnny’,”
Given the look of the New York Dolls, Thunders never blended into the crowd - he would frequently borrow his girlfriend’s clothes. His former bandmate from the band the Heartbreakers Walker Lure rememberd “He had high-heeled boots, velvet jackets and pants, bowling gear,” “I’d see him at all the shows - mostly the British bands, as opposed to the Grateful Deads and Jefferson Airplanes - so I’d seen him around for years. Then when the Dolls started happening I said: ‘Holy! There’s that guy.’”
The story of the New York Dolls began in the early 70’s in the East Village of New York with the original lineup consisting of vocalist David Johansen , guitarist Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane, drummer Billy Murcia and pianist Sylvain Sylvain. Some of the band members were already familiar with one another prior to the formation of the Dolls as they played with each other in various bands and The band quickly got noticed with their look. They had big hair, wore silk scarfs and dressed like women.In fact sometimes they got mistaken for women.
Fashion aside, The band quickly got noticed and would find themselves playing at Wembley Stadium in London, England supporting the faces a year later, but during that trip Tragedy would strike as drummer Billy Murcia die due to an accidental drowning during a party.
Johnny Thunders friend Gail Higgins would remember: “Johnny was devastated. He was the closest with Billy and it really upset him. Johnny was very sensitive and loving, very needy and very insecure.”
hroughout most of 1977 the Heartbreakers would call London their home and record their lone album L.A.M.F. The record was hampered by mixing issues that lasted months and months and ultimately forced the demise of the band with the band’s manager remembering
“That mix can be completely laid at the door of Jerry Nolan.” “He went into this kind of control freak thing where he had to mix it. But everyone was stoned. Walking into the studio was like walking into a crack house. I should have gotten a gun and shot a couple of them dead.” he’d remember
Walter Lure of the Heartbreakers remembered the record label pressures with the album saying: “We were told we needed to release it in time for Christmas because they needed to make some money. So they just put us in a room and said if it doesn’t get released you’re not gonna have a contract. Johnny, Billy and I said yeah; Jerry said no, he was leaving, and just walked out.”
Nolan would form his own band the Idols which would make a name for themselves back home in New York. The Heartbreakers meanwhile limped along but Thunders was devastated by Nolan’s departure.\\
The Heartbreakers would be done by 1980 but would sporadically reform and perform shows together until 1990. And following the breakup of the band Thunders would remain in London and release a series of solo records featuring a whose who of the UK punk rock scene with his first being So Alone in 1978. He would eventually find his way back to the US and hook up with one of his idol’s MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer to form the shortlived project Gang War with kramer remembering
By 1986 Thunders seemed to turn his life around and repaired some of the fractured relationships in his life and soon enough Thunders was offering words of advice to other musicians stuck in the grip of addiction. By 1987 Thunders would get a second chance at being a father with the birth of Jamie Gazale, but something was wrong. The mother to his new child remembered - Hudba
I was a Thunders nut, from having had the pleasure of playing support on one of his gigs in 1986 when I was 18. I knew the Dolls, but that night his performance completely changed my life and set the bar for excellence that has never been touched by anybody I subsequently seen or worked with. The evening I read of his passing in 1991 is still engraved in my memory and I felt like someone had hit me in the solar plexus. The way my life turned out, the choices I made (some excellent, some not so), can all be traced to that evening in 1986 I saw John Genzale performing his magic, deftly assisted by Jerry Nolan on drums, Glen Matlock (ex-Sex Pistols) on bass and Barry Jones (ex-Idols and co-founder of the Roxy Club) on guitar. As it happens, he was magnificent, but the band was excellent too, and that contributed to the gig being brilliant. Johnny lives on, his music being discovered by generation after generation of misfits and ne’er-do-wells, as it should be....
When?
Great story, man...I don’t remember being aware that Johnny Thunders died at the time but looking back, the timing is very interesting, because 1991 was the year that punk “broke”. Nirvana and PJ would soon be world-famous, and the early nineties was such a great time for rock music...
I know people look for “meaning” where there is none, but I don’t believe that’s what I’m doing, but I DO find the timing interesting, that’s all. Point being, after the alternative explosion 💥 and in the subsequent years The Dolls seem to me to be more popular and loved than ever - Which I realize doesn’t necessarily SAY much, since they were so far ahead of their time and barely sold any records when they were still a working band...like so many artists (Van Gogh) JT wasn’t really appreciated until he died.
I met Johnny on that same tour in Australia. got invited back stage as our band had played, and he dug us. i was a harmonica player and he wanted me to get on stageduring their set. unfortunately i had indulged on too much rider champagne and reefer. i passed out insome bushes outside the venue.when icamto, i went looking for my friends..everyone dis_owned me..Johnny had stopped the show and saud " wheres the harmonica dude" he got pissed off that i was a no show. my name was mud after that. He was really friendly and generous guy, not what people think..a gentleman..is my recollection
steve flynn dumb people
@@steveflynn8311 ha, great story, sorry to hear it didn’t end up that well. At least you got free champagne lol. I remember Johnny as a really shy guy, sitting on a corner in silence, just following the conversations. Jerry was friendlier, in fact I gave him the demo tape of my band, which he no doubt threw away at the first opportunity haha. Tellingly, there was no smack around thar evening. Johnny, Jerry and John Cooper Clark, who was on the bill as well, had pestered the promoters for some gear, but they couldn’t get any, hapless guys they were. All they could get was some street methadone, that Johnny and John Cooper Clarke avidly shared just outside the dressing room as though it was a half a pint of Carlsberg, haha....
Johnny was so f’n cool. So much swagger, and the tone of his guitar was always amazing. What a loss.
@@jackiethedetestator7342 what did he do
@@user-eb8nk4cq8c he was Johnny thunders, you must not know a lot about music..... Troll
The sound of Johnny Thunders’ guitar is my favorite in all of rock n roll.
Les Paul Junior into a Twin Reverb with every knob cranked up to 10.
I know that sound after one note ! Immediately you know its him
@@AaronStark1993 Lure and Thunders would also split into a Marshall for low end and distortion but use the other amp for the reverb. Lure explains it in his autobiography. Probably used at times, but not always because I know Rundgren used a tailored set up for the Dolls' first LP balancing both Sylvain and Thunders' sound. Good call on the attention to use of reverb and volume....aka Johnny Volume = Johnny Thunders.
yep.ive seen him play through just a twin reverb but in later yrs i saw him with 2 twins and some kind of marshall.@@aristophanes00
Yes. Under Rated. Don’t do drugs kids
R.I.P. Johnny. L.A.M.F. is one of the greatest rock albums of all time. The music's immortal and will never be forgotten.
I was born on the exact day he died. Always weirded me out. RIP Johnny, one of the most ferociously original rock guitarists and a punk icon for the ages.
Johnny Thunders is a legend & doesn’t get enough credit, what so ever. He is a pioneer of punk music. Guns N Roses also covered “You can’t put your arm around a memory” on The Spaghetti Incident”. Duff McKaggan is a huge Johnny Thunders fan, he covered the same song with Steve Jones from the Sex Pistols on Joneseys Jukebox.
William HELLHASEYIS yes he was a mess but the music poured through him as though from heaven...
Agreed
That song tears me up. I can hardly listen to it without crying.
Yeah I've seen Steve Jones and Duff do that. Wasn't Steve playing the wrong chords? 😀
Duff > that was his name.... ?...2 other guys very much reminded of Thunders : guitarist in Lance Loud & The Mumps...& Jimmy Accardi of the Laughing Dogs.
I've been absolutely obsessed with The New York Dolls and The Heartbreakers for most of my life and I just turned 37 on the 5th! Thanks for doing a good video on him! Yeah the circumstances surrounding his death are definitely shady!
Same here, I'm 39 and me and my friends where big sex pistols fans in our early teens so when started looking for similar bands and one of us had a t-shirt with the anarchy tour bill on it and we bought albums for the clash, damned and the Heartbreakers and when I played lamf something click in my brain...
willy deville knows.he just cant afford to say it..
@@trembling3674 yep.madison sq gardens
or couldnt dont know if hes kicked the bucket himself
If you haven't read it already, I'd suggest reading Please Kill Me: An Uncensored Oral History of Punk. It covers a lot of the history with the Dolls and Heartbreakers
Ya know, I really hate the way that some police officers treat the death/robbery/assault/rape/ ad infinitum, of a known user,that is immediately to blame. If ANY drugs were found in our systems, it's immediately labeled as being' drug related' and all other evidence is promptly ignored. This man deserved better.
The police don't do autopsies, genius. The police just report what the coroner tells them. You have to be curious to be well informed...lol
@@tennised2283 Sorry if I misworded what I wrote, but I (and probably about 75% of the adult population) know that the Police simply need the autopsy results kin order to solve a case or to determine if there even IS a case. However, I somehow doubt that educating anyone was anywhere near your intent. I think we all know by now that the internet is sadly, a magnet for losers trying to make themselves feel better by (attempting to) drag others down to their level, in an environment where getting a nice curb kiss can't possibly occur. This is , of course, because they are incapable of actually rising to the other person's level. Even with people such as myself, who are hardly within the realm of 'high society', unless we're talking weed, which we're not.
Of course, only you actually know which one you are.
@Jake The police don't hire the coroner, Jake. Maybe you are thinking of a forensic specialist that the DA would bring in to be an expert witness? "Pedantic" might be the case if I didn't know the difference between a coroner, a DA, and a policeman. Look up "valid", if you can. You have to be curious to be well informed...
Johnny Thunders was the best songwriter that ever lived. Bob Dylan himself said that he WISHED he wrote “ you can’t put your arms round a memory “
Johnny Thunders was one of a kind. A treasure. But he was on a sinking ship, and he never got his treasures off board before the boat sank. It’s a sad story, but the music is pure rock n roll it’s nothing like todays music. I appreciate Johnny Thunders.
Amen
Where did you hear/find that article about Dylan Stating such ?!??? I’d love to read that ?!?
I'm 70 and still love to hear the dolls and Heartbreakers. There's a little club in LA that we still go to where musicians like Walter Lure of the Heartbreakers, Clem Burke of Blondie as well as other young bands that keep his music alive. Johnny had a knack and flashy style on the guitar that still gives me chills every time I listen.
Unfortunately, Lure died just a few weeks ago.
@@robgronotte1 Yes, I did hear that. Saw him at the Redwood in LA a while back. Great memories.
Johnny Thunders was and is a legend, it was a fast life but a wild one, the true bad-boy of all time but he was just killing himself slowly, he was no bad-boy just misled and in utter pain and suffering he had cancer that made him the bad-boy. he was charismatic and somewhat talented. long live the legend.
RIP- Johnny, Jerry, Arthur, Billy M, Billy R, and now Walter as well.
Rick Rivets a few years back as well 😪
I had heard that he was in the shape of a pretzel when they found him.
L.A.M.F.
@@snakewhitcher4189 yep he was😥
@@snakewhitcher4189 What causes that, rigor mortise?
I’ve always believed that Johnny Thunders truly died of a broken heart
@Tic Tac And a bit of leukemia..and a murder....
Heart attack.?
Aw, that is so sad. I almost did once.
@@davidmuzik1424 No. When a person dies of a broken heart, it’s usually the first step on the slippery slope that becomes losing the will to live and self destructing. It starts as a pebble and becomes a boulder on the way to the bottom. Sort of like an avalanche
What a load of sentimental shite.
I saw him a number of times performing in London in 86 & 87, then again in 89 in Los Angeles, with Celebrity Skin as the opening act. It was kind of a crapshoot going to see Johnny perform live. Sometimes he would play for HOURS. Other times, he'd cut the show incredibly short. I'm so grateful that last time I saw him in LA, he played for hours, even repeating songs he played at the beginning of the set again near the end. He took a brief intermission somewhere near the middle & returned to the stage, bleeding from his arm & visibly high. He still played an amazing show. He WAS rock n roll. RIP, Johnny!
Thank you I’m an old school punk, I got LAMF tattooed on my arm the day after he died.
Besides USMC those are the only other letters I would ever consider getting a tattoo of. His music and image are Rock and roll in the purest form.
I have it on my arm too. Done by some guy in a house somewhere in Ct. Everyone thinks it says L.A.M.E. and alotta other ppl just think it's a lame tattoo. I don't give a fuck; I like the shitty thing and it's a part of me. So cheers to you and your tattoo, kindred spirit!
Let's All Make Friends 😂
People weren’t naming their kids “Travis” in the ‘60s/70’s, seems unlikely you’d have been old enough in 1991 to get a LAMF tattoo.
Gregg Helmbold I was the only Travis around for awhile. I born late 60s. That would be an odd thing to lie about. Want some ID?
Great upload. I was working in a record store when Johnny died and my boss was massive Thunders fan. He was upset to hear he died, but not shocked. My boss had worked as a promoter and had brought Johnny into the Northwest for a tour. I wasn't too familiar with Thunders so I didn't ask a lot about it but he said in the early 80's the heroin had taken a serious toll. My boss said Johnny's arms had really thick scar tissue even then, almost like wood.
I knew a lot of people whose parents ran with Thunders here in NYC and all say the same thing he died of drugs maybe someone ripped him off but he was on methadone at the time so he probably partied and his body couldn’t take it anymore not to mention being sick also so sad he didn’t look 38 he looked much older such a shame I love his music
His roots was from Italy , like me . The last one i know Is Billie Joe Armstrong , from Green Day .
yeah,its the most true answer about the all facts,i agree
You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory, but we have to remember Johnny. R.I.P. Johnny, Arthur, Billy and Jerry.
And sadly walter
@@carlosgarciaruiz1102 and sadly Sylvain Sylvain
@@angelicbeing8931 yes! All gone too soon
@@carlosgarciaruiz1102 ❤🌹
I got into the Dolls via my discovery of The Ramones as a teenager in the 80’s. Although I was too young to ever see the great fathers of punk in their heyday, I thoroughly enjoyed them throughout my adult life, especially Johnny. I still have my LAMF license plate on my car after almost 20 years. We all have some sort of demons in our lives, but as Johnny said, “There’s no such thing as a bad kid.” I’d like to believe the good he brought through can outweigh the tragedy. He inspired me as a young kid, long before I even heard about drugs. My heart goes out to his family and friends for their loss of a brother, father and friend. Rest In Peace Johnny, your memory and influence live on.
JT might be one of the most underrated guitarists of all time in the rock n roll genre,his style,let alone guitar playin n attitude influenced almost EVERY 80-90s glam/Hard rock band that reached ARENA status(GnR,Motley Crue,FsterPussycat,Skid Row,basically almost ALL OF EM),but was given little to NONE credit,cause people were always more interested in his personal life rather than the huge contribution he made to the evolution of rock..
i think ull find his image was what they copied most...
Johnny’s “So Alone” is a pure classic!
Cool video Syd!
RIP Ol’ Chatterbox!
PLAY LOUD 🎸
Chatterbox, formerly"The Milkman."
So Alone is my favorite
Excellent topic as always
Thanks for all your hard work and superb storytelling.
Johnny had so much charisma and talent but he was complicated A great doc about the Dolls is "All Dolled Up" by the great rock photographer Bob Gruen It follows the Dolls in their prime... Rest in peace Johnny🎆🌹
That is a great documentary but it is mainly about Arthur Kane. Looking for Johnny is better if you are more into Johnny Thunders.
@@richardleeuwenburg9093 I'd like to see that too
he was just a junkie get over it he he
Ryenn and you’re just a troll, and not very original either. Get over it he he (did you notice the commas and a period in my sentence? Beautiful inventions, don’t you think?) en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_punctuation
@@MrGiorgioud only losers listen to this hopeless music he he.... and then get sassy when responding to those that speak the truth. Go away and enjoy a dead junkie's music.
I saw him once or twice in January 1976. Richard Hell was no longer the bass player. Johnny had cut his hair and had a greaser pompadour hair style, a look unlike his period during the Dolls. I would never forget that first song the played during the openning of their show, "Chinese Rocks", followed by "Do you love me", a real early 60s rendition of Rock.
Your videos always make me smile and cry. Keep'emcoming!
Johnny Thunders - Tho God of Rock'n'Roll. His live shows and unique way of playing guitar is something out of space. No other r'n'roller can compare to him.
czcams.com/video/SoH5mf8v1DA/video.html
Walker lurrrrr?
You mean the incomparable Walter Lure
I noticed that also. Walter wrote and song and played lead guitar on most of the Heartbreakers best songs. Twice when I saw them, he carried the band as Johnny was too wasted to play well. Johnny was an excellent guitarist when he wasn't wasted
When I was first made aware of Johnny Thunders I was utterly obsessed. To me he was as close to a rock n roll God as can be. His music was before my time but when I discovered the Dolls, Heartbreakers and alot of the solo work I just couldn't get enough. It's the rock n roll mystery death that kinda makes the Legend of the man more compelling which is sad.
I just noticed two things:
I've never heard a New York Dolls song in my life.
There is a LOT of deaths going on on this channel.
Are you new to Earth? welcome
The New York Dolls were pretty much a pre-punk sounding early '70's Glam band. They really didn't have very much talent & all of their songs sounded the same. Not to speak badly of them, their image influenced a lot of later bands from Kiss to eighties Glam bands. Their music was a direct influence on Punk rock. Do check them out.
Such a GOOD upload!!!! 😀🤘❤
Great guitarist. I remember as I teenager in the early 80's going to see Johnny Thunders in Glasgow at a place called Nitemoves. As much as I loved watching him perform, he was obviously playing on stage, either drunk or on drugs.
Just a sad waste of a talent.
Very influential, under appreciated artist. Drug abuse kills, not that complicated.
Great info here
Thanks so much
Great work.
The Iggy Pop song "Look Away" is about him and a mutual girlfriend.
So he stayed with the pure dream / And followed the moon / Till the drugs in his body
Made his mind a cartoon.
Sable Starr. How old was she? Twelve, or 13 at the time? I don’t remember.
@@shaneneave399 - In the song he meets Sable at age 13.
@@jlovebirch The song begins with 'I slept with Sable, when she was 13’. Obviously Iggy is referring to himself. Sadly they were passing around the baby groupies. I appreciate the music, and influence of especially Iggy Pop. But I know if they were anyone other than rockstars, that would be called out for what it is, statutory rape. Obviously they were hardly the only ones doing this, at the time.
@@shaneneave399 - Iggy also wrote "Sixteen" in 1977, but I guess that's legal age in, say, Japan.
@@jlovebirch A lot of very questionable things went on back then. Was seen as what rock stars did. Thankfully times change, even if it no doubt still happens.
After watching this, The Replacements song 'Johnny's Gonna Die' becomes even more eerily accurate.
1nera ma p1
"Baby I was born to lose"...
born too loose
Jimmy Kimble nope Johnny cash had a song called born to lose as well Ray Charles same names different songs
@Anderson Cooper I'm pretty sure it's not born too loose.
@Anderson Cooper I get your point. but unless you've actually spoken to Johnny thunders and he told you that directly, I'm more inclined to believe the way the title reads. at least on the copy of vinyl that I own.
@Anderson Cooper Ok. You win. Born too loose. whatever you say. just doesn't make sense to me.
Great episode!!!!!
I lived with JT 's biographer for 7 years and at the time had my own addiction problems . But when I see how his health got it put me on a slow path to recovery.i also reccomend reading that book as it's the definitive guide to Thunders - and her book was given his blessing .Props for mentioning he didn't od like so many articles say.
Sorry to be pedantic but 1.Leber/Krebs stopped working with the dolls and Malcolm mclaren had a breif stint with them , but JT would only meet Christopher Gierke when JT went solo .
2. Syl was a guitar player in the dolls , but occasionally played keys on the records .
3. Jerry didn't introduce JT to the needle it was another punk icon who was tight freinds with Bowie ( you can guess who I mean ).
You mean Nina's book. I have both editions of 'In Cold Blood' including the second updated version with the added orange cd. Great book. Nice 1 for getting clean m8. 👍😎
Is a film coming?
@Twistedspanner. yeah nina wrote the only book in thunders that I thinks worth reading , although ive yet to read Syl's biography .Thanks it's not an easy road x
Jerome Alexandre ???
RIP Angel AMEN ❤️
Philadelphia USA 🇺🇲💋
About Fucking time this guy is a Guiatr genius mixing chuck Barry and kith ritchards style. A true one of a kind.
Que Sera Sera One of my all time favorites by the legend himself. He shall live on everytime some newbee gets turned on to his music. Long Live Johnny Thunders! L.A.M.F.
I hated the way the NOPD just minimized Johnny and the whole situation. It was very obvious that something shady had went on. But Willie DeVille said police acted like they just weren't really interested.
Johnny Thunders - The Needle and The Damage Done.
He became the living embodiment of that classic Neil Young song.
His guitar tone on the first NY Dolls was the embodiment of "Don't-give -a- damn-rock
and roll". Only Ron Asheton of the Stooges matched him.
A dreadful waste of talent.
Never saw the Dolls but caught a solo David Johansen in NJ before the Buster Poindexter days.
Sheila Blische he made beautiful music
I have seen David in his Pointdexter guise and it was a great gig. I mean the guy has a brilliant bluesy voice and he was flanked by top-notch musicians. A big band too, as I remember, and he was in a comedic mood, telling jokes between songs and playing the part-fool, part-raconteur, all in a tuxedo and bow-tie (as the rest of the band was). He should have had much more commercial success, his early albums were geared for that kind of mass market but they were absolute quality, unlike the chart crap that was around in the late 1970s-early ‘80s. A unique and underrated talent, no doubt! And the same applies to Sylvain Sylvain...
Giorgio Curcetti Cool 😎
dixirose111 Even like his acting too! Scrooged? 😂
Fast Lane, Asbury Park!
"Walker lure"?
Think you meant Walter *
Yeah, narrator has a hard time pronouncing words, especially names. Maybe he should slow down and use some verbal punctuation?
@@2244ntho66 I think he's a bot.
@@AnthonyMonaghan Sounds like it!
No Walter white
This dude always says shit wrong.
I saw Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers in the 80s. They were amazing. And LAMF is one of the best albums or cadettes I've ever heard or owned. Obviously it got stolen cos it only came on casette.
Can’t say I know too much about J. Thunders nor can I say I’ve listened to any of his works but I did find a song about him called “Johnny Be Dead” by Sloppy Seconds and now I’m hear. “Bye Bye Johnny”
A great role model for the youth.
Saw Johnny once in the 80's at club ( keystone ) in Berkeley CA. My friend did sound there. Johnny was so loaded he could barely play. After a few attempts at a song he swung his guitar at some people jammed up to stage hitting guy in the head. Show over guy jacked up. Rumer he died. Bad nite all around...
Cool
The 80's and 90's were the best! I remember going to Dickies ,Dead Kennedy s,Ramones,Stiv Baiters New Church Black Flag..Etc. I joined the Navy to Norfolk base and was Awed to find a Television Song on the juke box! I played it every time I was there! RIP Johnny 🎸
Thanks for redoing this, the first version was pretty sparse.I wss very disappointed. This so much better. I take it you maybe learned more about our boy Johnny and saw he deserved better.
If I'm wrong, I apologize, but I remember the logo you used.
"You best believe I'm from New York City"
L.A.M.F will always be one of the best rock and roll albums ever created.
Absolutely. Been listening to it since it came out. Never gets old. It always holds up
Sounds like Johnny just...stopped. Burned out to the end of the candle. A fearsome talent.
OH my goodness
Yeah you know ❤️ AMEN
Philadelphia USA 🇺🇲🙏☦️
Thanks for making this, L.A.M.F. is my fav NY Punk record from that era 👍
You’re welcome a video on New York dolls is coming soon
@@rnrtruestoriesawesome!!!
At a NY Dolls show in Dallas, Texas in '72 or'73 *unsure the date, my gay and lesbian friends dressed in each others gear. The women wore men's tuxedos and we guys wore black tights and blouses and we upset the police by same sex dancing, so a group of them surrounded us and then stopped the concert. I think it was Johansen with the broken leg who gathered the band at the front of the stage and he said either you leave them alone and let them dance or the shows over. We only came to play for guys like these. Finally the crowd came to our defense and the police left us alone and the great gig continued for more than hour with Thunders and co. charging our brains with his fine guitar.
Thank you for your video on his life. *) love, joseph clay roehl
Great story!
Johnny Thunders & myself share the same birthday, July, 15th..
July 15 was also the birthdate of Ian Curtis.
I also shared the same birthday as Johnny Thunders. I used to talk to him hanging out at Max's, usually near the back where there were a few steps, I'd stand on a lower step because he was a lot shorter than me but he was always a nice polite guy.
I remember a few shows where the roadie would pull out Johnny's cord so you couldn't hear how badly he was playing when he was really high.
So many great ones lost from that time 😥
My suggestion!! Love the Heartbreakers!
@bucky468 They addressed it by adding Johnny's name . As in Jonny Thunders and the heartbreakers. Johnny also said he just might change his name to the Head breakers and go down their pay the Heart breakers a lil visit lol
bucky468 look up David Johansen interviews Johnny Thunders
Johnny thought about changing their name to the Junkies...the label was like ummm no.
The Dolls still kick my ass each and every listen. Thunders was for sure an integral part of the band.
If you watch every doco available youll probably find this conclusion:
Johnnys room was trashed and he was underneath a piece of furniture, in a strange position...possibly all from leukemia related seizures he may have died from. The autopsy report confirmed that he was weakened by the suspected leukemia, as well as cirrhosis, lymphoma, and a pulmonary edema that was probably a consequence of long-term drug abuse. It wouldn’t have taken a lot to make his body give out for good. Only small amounts of coke and methadone were found in his system. Johnny’s sister Mariann, ensures that the forensic doctor told her he was suffering from leukemia so advanced that he would had lived only about six weeks more. This would explain the deterioration of the appearance of Johnny in his last months of life. "His room looked like he was trying to get out of it, or he was in a struggle . .. his stuff was just laying on the floor.” Housekeeper, Mildred Coleman, let herself in to room 37 at around 3:30 p.m. and found his body crumpled up partway underneath a dresser-hence DeVille’s observation that the body bag was “bent like a pretzel.” The musician Willy Deville, living near the hotel, learned of Johnnys death, admits to taking his clothes after, (surely also his passport, money, methodone) as he helps the female hotel staff member deal with cleaning up his room/clearing away his personal items. He says so in a longer version of this video:
czcams.com/video/hruNe2v4bmE/video.html
Hes about to say it here but its cut at @1:59:09.
Not sure where online the longer interview is
czcams.com/video/-wljZ83Z3mw/video.html
Willy DeVille: The next day, the little girl who worked at St. Peter's Guest House came over to me and said, "Willy, would you go in that room? I have to gather up his clothes and things to send to his family, and I've never been in a room where somebody died so I'm a little scared to go in there." I said, "Sure, I don't mind helping."
I went in the room and there was small change all over the floor and a
lot of Japanese money and clothes and empty methadone boxes. There was
a syringe in the toilet. There was something funny in there, I could really
feel it. I don't think he OD'd-somebody dosed him.
Knowing Johnny, he probably checked into the hotel, then I heard that
he went across the street to the Pound Sterling. There were these two guys
hanging around the French Quarter, real street scum, because I ran into
them too. They were selling acid. Now Johnny didn't take acid, I know that. I'm sure Johnny said something like, "Look, if you get me some cocaine I'll put you in a hotel room there." And some rigs, if he wasn't carrying. You know, syringes. So I think they crushed a tab and Johnny, thinking that it was blow, just went in the bathroom and hit it. All of a sudden it's LSD, and he must have been bouncing off the walls and talking crazy. That's what the girl that was
working in St. Peter's told me. I think they dosed him and Johnny took the
methadone to come down. And I think that he took so much methadone,
that's what killed him. Because there were two empty boxes there and that's enough to kill the entire French Quarter.
-From the book, Please Kill me: The History of Punk
Willy Deville Took the clothes and money and methadone. Bob Gruen said Johnny was doing cocaine at the time, had $10,000 USD on him, new tailored suits and a few months worth of methadone. Willy says he saw all that in the room and made up a bullshit story to cover his ass.
100% Willie DeVille stole his shit.
@Arnold Layne No LSD found in his system. Only small amounts of coke and methadone. The guys Johnny was with that night have a criminal history of violent beatings, drug dealing, theft, imprisonment.
@Arnold Layne Yes, they sounded nice when interviewed for the doco but when I googled them,they were very brutal criminals. They probably beat him, stole his cash and drugs. Maybe JT had a seizure and they just stole from him, but when I read about their history of violently beating and robbing people, I believe they beat him, leaving him for dead. Dont do drugs kids. The people that come along with that life are not to be trusted.
It came down to Marky Ramone & Jerry Nolan... Marky got lucky not getting the gig...
I was in New Orleans two months ago. Made sure to walk by Saint Peters Hotel there to pay respect. R.I.P. pal
I hope you howled at the Moon 🌙💋 AMEN
Philadelphia USA 🇺🇲☦️🙏😇❤️
Johnny Thunders "One track mind" is a killer song. These cats lived a hundred lives in a very short time.
Actually it's Walter Lure who wrote that song and he is also the one who is on leadvocals. Walter also wrote and sung too much junkie business,all by myself,get off the phone,flight. And some people don't know this but Walter also played a lot of the guitarparts on a couple of Ramones albums. When Johnny was completely out of it,Walter always kept it together. R.I.P Johnny,Walter,Jerry and Billy and ofcourse the Dolls who died Billy Murcia and Arthur.
@@richardleeuwenburg9093 exactly correct
The last days before Johnny died, back from a Japan Tour , he re recorded Born to lose with German Punkrockers Die Toten Hosen followed by a couple of accoustic Gigs in Germany
"Cunt in the Mirror"...Great song by DTH!!!!!
Sung to the tune of"Guantanamera"
throw your suggestions below and here's the video i did on the new york dolls. czcams.com/video/YrdyLtmlAz4/video.html
Well researched, Thank you.
Plz make a video about the Jefferson starship lawsuit from 1984 when they were about to become Starship
@@sstaners1234 YES! one my to do list read the story and it's really good
No Doubt and how one of their original members died tragically.
Can you please do a video on the Gun Club? They were hugely influential and much underrated. And it’s a very interesting story, with all the ingredients: talent, innovation, perdition, redemption and ultimately, tragedy...
Thanks dude
I just watched every documentary on him last month this guy is absolutely fascinating. It’s a shame what happened. I think he might’ve been the originator of punk rock.
Definitely a proto-punk
he wasn't
Very interesting story.
That's not what was in the coroner's findings I read, it said they found drugs, but not an amount that would kill...
I would love to read that report 💋 AMEN
Philadelphia USA 🇺🇲☦️🙏😇😘
@@ladyhonor822 I've always wondered, what did Willy know, and when did he know it?
"Police reported that they found drugs in the room, but Thunder's manager, said there were no drugs in the room. Furthermore, the manager reported that the room was trashed as if there was a violent confrontation, and his wallet and passport were missing."
In 86' his band was sick of his antics..but he put on 2 good shows at the Jockey Club Newport Ky...thanks J.T.
Un gran compositor y artista auténtico. Larga vida a Johnny. LAMF.
COSMIC SYNCHRONICITY - My best friend Johnny “Evol“ Gogal overdosed in the same area in East Village. Johnny Rotten was the name of the Sex Pistols singer. Sid Vicious and Nancy used to hang at the Chelsea Hotel. The East Village..Omg, it sounds like our story. All of the bands were in the same neighborhood.. CBGBs… Johnny Thunders overdosed in ROOM 37 in New Orleans, Mick Baker was his manager.
Thnx man I always wondered what happend to them before them the only people I seen with their heads shaved around were punks and death rocker goth types. They made the hair style more popular. Would you do one on the punk band pure hell? Its funny the video went straight to thunders ( PH was friends with the dolls)
lol Omg. It was WALTER Lure, not Walker! RIP, Walter. :(
30 year anniversary today since his departure.
Love your videos. My only suggestion tge pictures not matching the narrative. You name the original lineup but show a picture w/Nolan on drums. Then the Richard Hell on bass using a pic of Billy Rath. Small things but noticeable
Make a video about Johnnies relationship with notorious groupie Sable Starr and everything that happened there.
You mean Sable Starr the teenage girl that he physically and sexually abused?
@@MensaCramps Yes. Exactly. That's Who. Very bad scene with Sable.
@@MensaCramps what happened to the girl
@@levisixx7545 She lived the groupie lifestyle till the late seventies, went back home and never really looked back. She died of cancer a while ago.
My favorite guitarist!
I actually shed a tear when he died. R I P.
Just great RnR Jonny thunders really true punk rocker
He hated the label 'punk' though
I saw johnny thunders at Melbourne Uni in about 86 or maybe 87, he was pretty good live...i also saw the Gun Club at the same venue around the same time
Gun Club!!!
glen matlock played bass jerry nolan drums....yeah it was 86
Wow I didn't know JT came to Melbourne...
@@suicidebysasquatch4873 1986 Melbourne Australia. You can find the recording of that show on my other CZcams channel. Username 8754richard. Or if you just typ in Johnny Thunders Melbourne you will also find it. And a lot of other Thunders/Heartbreakers/New York Dolls/Gangwar shows as well. And also a couple of Thunders videos.
That is sooooooo sad... I remember being young growing up in Long island NY all you heard about was the NY dolls and how Kiss opened up for them the NY dolls were very known...this sooooooooooooo sad I really hope he found peace with the angles 😇❣️
Can't put your arm around a memory.....😿
If you look at his style and image you can see so many copy him,Steve Stevens from Billy Idol,Izzy from GnR,the guys from Hanoi Rocks, Nikki Sixx,just about all the 80's era glam rock bands had JT clone and JT appears to have got that hairstyle from 67-70 era keith Richards..
Indeed
I loved the vídeo. Just a simple request: slow the pace a little bit. It's too fast. I'm Brazilian portuguese, It's hard to keep up.
Having seen Thunders' track marks ("Looking for a Kiss" was originally entitles "Looking for a Fix") back in 1977 at a Heartbreakers gig, I don't think it's a 'mystery' an any way.
More rock and roll gallimaufry.
Great gig though. Supported by the early Banshees.
Sad. all i remember was a GP article in the late '90s which was about 'songs played in guitar shops that make workers crazy'.
One cat hated girls playing Jewel songs and to clear the air, '58 Lp Jr type into a Marshall with some Johnny Thunders riffs.
Would work for me.
L.A.M.F! Rest in peace Johnny, and rest in piece Walter Lure.
I used to know him from the AD LIB KENSINGTON LONDON IN The 80s real nice geezer sadly messed up by heroin, Always sat down for a chat and a pint RIP ❤🇬🇧
Johnny was a very talented guitarist. He influenced many guitarist.
Sometimes I wonder whether Johnny Thunders was a session player / ghost writer on Sex Pistols' Never Mind the Bullocks?
Edward scissor hands looks like Thunders
Tragic
dont use words you dont know the meaning of. theres not a fucking thing "tragic" about dead junkies, the word you are looking for is "predictable".
@@megaflux7144 nice.
@36ix9 well quite
@@megaflux7144 Hey Mitch I was a Junkie for 22 years I have been clean for 4 years I hope that one day you will heal that little bit of negative feelings you have I wish you a safe and Wonderful year
When junkies die, I wouldn't call their deaths "mysterious." The mystery to me is always how they DON'T DIE on such a large intake of hard drugs.
Johnny is a legend R.I.P Brother!!
The original NYD line up can be seen @ 1:52-57, w/ original Dolls drummer Billy Murcia, first on the right.
Thats Sylvain Sylvain. Billy is on the far left.
@@nothx962 I Know! I meant to write 'Billy first on the left', Sylvain on the right. Momentary dyslexia struck.
Yes absence of a father not good.
Thanks for obliging my request
Rest in peace Johnny you were rock and roll
Love JT. Was depressed when he died (I was teenaged), wrote a song about it at the time.