David Johansen, New York Dolls Frontman and Glam-Punk Pioneer, Dies at 75
David Johansen, the charismatic frontman and last surviving member of the New York Dolls, passed away at age 75 in his New York City home on February 28. Earlier this year, he had been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor.
David Johansen with New York Dolls
Photo Credit: New York Dolls at AVRO's TopPop in 1973 / CC by 3.0
As leader of the New York Dolls, Johansen helped pioneer both glam and proto-punk styles in the early 1970s. The band's signature look - teased hair, feminine clothes, and dramatic makeup - would later influence the '80s hair metal aesthetic. Though they released only two original albums, their impact on music was profound, with their self-titled debut ranking No. 301 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
Born on Staten Island to a Catholic family, Johansen showed early artistic promise, writing poetry and lyrics from youth. The New York Dolls formed with guitarists Sylvain Sylvain and Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane, and drummer Jerry Nolan, taking their name from a Manhattan toy hospital.
Despite never achieving commercial success during their initial run, the band's influence spread widely, inspiring artists from Morrissey to Tommy Lee and Chris Stein. In 2004, Morrissey organized a reunion at England's Meltdown Festival, leading to three more albums.
After the Dolls' first split, Johansen reinvented himself several times - fronting the David Johansen Band, creating the lounge singer persona Buster Poindexter, forming The Harry Smiths, and hosting SiriusXM's "The Mansion of Fun."
"When you're an artist, the main thing you want to do is inspire people, so if you succeed in doing that, it's pretty gratifying," Johansen once reflected, cementing his legacy as a true pioneer in rock music history.
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