RIP David Johansen

This week we lost one of the great pioneers of rock 'n' roll and a true artist

David Johansen.

Johansen was the last of The New York Dolls to pass. His impact on rock ‘n’ roll, fashion, and pop culture is immense.

David Johansen. Circa 1980. San Francisco, California. (Photo by Randy Bachman/Getty Images)

The Dolls were one of the first glam-punk bands to emerge on the scene, and although not super commercially successful, they would go on to influence countless artists, from Morrissey and Kiss to Mötley Crüe and Poison, and so many more.

Back when Johnny Thunders and Johansen put on their high heels and makeup, there really weren’t any bands around on that same wavelength. Dare I say, half the bands that made it from the Sunset Strip days wouldn’t even exist if it weren’t for The Dolls.

My only real connection to the members is when I played drums during a few shows with David’s bandmates, Steve Conte and Sami Yaffa (of Hanoi Rocks). Those two were part of the newer incarnation of The Dolls. I also opened up for Thunders back in the late '80s with my band Black Cherry. At that point, he was such a terrible junkie, and I’m not sure he even managed to finish the set. However, just listen to “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory,” and tell me it isn’t one of the coolest songs of all time.

Johansen, I’m sure, struggled financially, like most true artists in his generation. While I can’t imagine he and the band made a ton of money, his legacy is, nonetheless, priceless. He was instrumental in the look and feel of pop culture, and I know his influence will live on for decades.

The New York Dolls: Jerry Nolan, Sylvain Sylvain, David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, and Arthur Kane. November 1973. London, England. (Photo by TPLP/Getty Images)

The early Dolls shows saw them playing at the Mercer Art Center. In my humble opinion, they also helped to define early punk mixed with the glam rock that had been coming out of England. It was men in drag with a punk rock ethos, and it was amazing. Although, even early on, I’m not sure they were widely accepted in the city that they began in.

The first Dolls record produced by Todd Rundgren featured standout tracks like “Personality Crisis” and “Jet Boy,” but apparently it was all about the live act back then. Just sift through YouTube to catch their vibe, and see how Johnny Thunders might have been one of the coolest, I-don’t-give-a-fuck guitar players of all time. I wouldn’t call him a techinical player, but he was the epitome of junkie cool, ala Keith Richards back in the day too.

I tend to go back and listen more to the Thunders / Heartbreakers stuff, but Johansen managed to reinvent himself as Buster Poindexter, and went on to have an alter ego career for years. He did a great version of “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”

It’s terrible that people become more appreciated once they pass away. But those that know David Johansen, know. Watch an interview with Morrissey to hear about the influence The Dolls had on pop culture.

Without The New York Dolls, we would not have so many of the greatest bands today.

Let us know what you think.

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