JohnO Posted June 6, 2006 Share Posted June 6, 2006 There was a recent thread here about Arthur "Killer" Kane and the New York Dolls, so I know there are some Doll fans here. Their new studio album, "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This," is coming out on Roadrunner Records on July 25th. I realize I have stirred up some sh*t on other boards in the past, writing about how great live this latest version of the band is....there are a lot of people out there who consider it blasphemous that David Jo and Syl are still using the name "New York Dolls, " as they're the only survivors left. And yeah, I would have been happier had they called themselves the Johansen/Sylvain band or something else....but they didn't...and the new band is ungodly great live! Better musically, if lacking in the originals' sheer raw excitement (or drunken/stoned stupidity....and if you were a fan of Johnny Thunders, you know what I'm talking about!)Anyhow, the new band has written 13 new originals, produced by Jack Douglas, and they've added a lot of them to their live set. In a March 2006 CBGB's boot show I have, they played 6 new songs....all of which fit in well with their old songs. They apparently didn't do any covers on the new LP. (In their reunion shows, they've covered Piece of My Heart (Erma Franklin & Big Brother (Janis Joplin)), Out In The Streets (Shangri-Las), In My Girlish Days (Memphis Minnie), Mecca (Gene Pitney), Mirage (Tommy James & Shondells), and possibly others). I'm hoping the studio versions of the new songs are as good as the live ones I've heard....and I'm hoping the new LP is a success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Allen Posted June 7, 2006 Share Posted June 7, 2006 Looking forward to a listen. Again - anyone who has NOT seen the 'New York Doll' documentary on Arthur Kane [and I suspect that would be everyone on this board w/ the exception of about 5 people] should really do themselves a favor. It's memorable and touching viewing indeed -- regardless of your take on the music of the New York Dolls. A 'must see' as they say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Nivan Posted June 11, 2006 Share Posted June 11, 2006 Sounds great.I'm in."New York Doll" is indeed must see. An intense and memorable personal portrait of Kane.And here's to drunken/stoned stupidity! "K" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted June 11, 2006 Author Share Posted June 11, 2006 "And here's to drunken/stoned stupidity!"This reminds me of a Johnny Thunders show in 1983 or so, that was scheduled for a Sat. night at a club on the outskirts of Baltimore (the name of the club eludes me, owing to my drunken state that night). He and his band no-showed, leaving my buddies Black Market Baby to play a second set (and get paid the headliners' money as well - a treat for them). Well after the show, around 2 in the morning, up rolls Mr. Thunders and band in a van with one headlight busted, Johhny driving and wearing shades (!?). "OK, we're ready to play!" Per the club owner -"Uh, Johnny, soundcheck was 6 hours ago, and the show was 3 hours ago." "Huh??? Well, we got lost - we played Philly last night" (NOTE: Philly's about an hour from Baltimore).To make a long story short, Thunders wanted to get paid, as they did show up. I believe the club owner paid them $50 to go away finally. This is a typical Johnny T. story, unfortunately..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierson Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 Looking forward to a listen. well, judging from the "single" you'll be f'n blown away-- it's really as great as anything they've laid their name on... production wise it's a damn masterpiece both performance & sonically speaking... wow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Allen Posted June 12, 2006 Share Posted June 12, 2006 If it's got the PP cred stamp of approval, that's basically good enough for moi. Will seek it out (I, of course, was predisposed to NOT like it, for all the obvious reasons...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Nivan Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 JohnO:Indeed, typical Thunderous Fare.Makes me feel like Winger in Stripes :"Now I know why I have always lost women to guys like you. It's not just the uniform.It's the stories that you tell. So much fun and imagination." "K" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted June 13, 2006 Author Share Posted June 13, 2006 Pierson - Is the new single "Dance Like A Monkey"? If so, yes, it's excellent - I have a live version of it from a March CBGB's show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted June 13, 2006 Author Share Posted June 13, 2006 I just answered my own question at the Roadrunner Records site. The new single is, indeed, "Dance Like A Monkey." I'm a bit perturbed to see that the band and Jack Douglas have chosen to go the route of guest stars on the album (Michael Stipe on one cut, Iggy on another, Bo Diddley on yet another), since these types of affairs usually suck big time. In this case, having seen the new band 4 times (Underground Garage Fest in NYC and the Fillmore, SF, in '04, and in LA and Wash, DC in '05), I'll give them the benefit of the doubt....(Also, Jack Douglas is quoted as saying that the album's a killer...and that the band just plain kicked ass throughout all of the sessions.)There's a great quote on the Roadrunner site from David Jo. - "A lot of the mess people are listening to gets blamed on the Dolls, but we've always been just a stupid R&B-based rock & roll band." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Allen Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 The 2 songs I heard made me smile. Wide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted June 15, 2006 Author Share Posted June 15, 2006 I've got live versions of 6 new songs - called (I think) - "We're All In Love," "Superfluous Music," "Dancing On The Lip Of The Volcano" (which, I think, has Michael Stipe as a guest on the studio version), "Gimme Love and Turn On The Light" (Iggy as guest in the studio), "Punishing World," and "Dance Like A Monkey".....and they all blend in seamlessly with the older material.I also understand that they're planning to tour in support of the new CD. These guys are one of the best live bands I've ever seen - if they play anywhere near you, go see them!!!(The highlight from the 4 shows I've seen so far - everyone in The Fillmore singing along to the chorus of "Piece Of My Heart" - dedicated by David Jo to Janis Joplin.)(Another highlight, BTW, was booing and jeering The Strokes at the Underground Garage Fest at Randalls Island, NYC, in August 04, after they followed the Dolls - Little Steven billed them 2nd - Iggy & the Stooges headlined - and the Strokes were a HUGE letdown after David & Syl - I believe it was their very first show after Killer Kane's passing.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hbecstacy Posted June 15, 2006 Share Posted June 15, 2006 An mp3 of the new single "Dance Like a Monkey" can be heard at: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/Music/ Go to "Select an artist", click on "New York Dolls" and "SUBMIT" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 18, 2006 Author Share Posted July 18, 2006 Just heard the new Dolls CD last night....while I've only heard it once, a couple of notes.....Production-wise (Jack Douglas), it sounds great! JD has captured their live sound in the studio. The songs? Much, much better than I was afraid they'd be, and much, much better than they had any right to be, after what, 32 years since their last studio LP? David Jo has written all of the lyrics, and the rest of the band shares in writing the music - more Syl songs than the others, but most fit quite well into the NY Dolls legacy.The guest stars (Michael Stipe on 1 song, Iggy on another, Tom Gabel on another) stay in the background (as they should!), the band's playing is just excellent throughout.....all in all....this is a f***ing great comeback!!! (Minor quibbles - "We're All In Love" is probably not the best opener they could have chosen; the "bonus track", "Seventeen", with Bo Diddley as a guest, isn't on my promo disk, although I did get the "Making of the LP" bonus DVD.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I just chacked out the single. Thanks hbecstacy and JohnO . I like it a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 On 2nd and 3rd playings of the new full-length, "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This", dammit, it's still very fine!!!! Raunchy, kick-ass R&B-inflected dirty rock & roll.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 JohnO, How does it stack up against their first 2 albums? Where do you rank it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 19, 2006 Author Share Posted July 19, 2006 THAT is a very tough question....it's kinda like comparing the early, '63/'64 Stones LPs to their 90's output. On the one hand, the earlier stuff is more raw and exciting, but, on the other hand, the band can play a Hell of a lot better 30 years later. It's a bit different with the Dolls, though, due to the 32 year hiatus. These new guys definitely play a lot better than the originals, and I think I like Johansen's whiskey-and-cigarettes-aged voice a bit better, but the jury's out with me as far as how well the songs themselves will age.I'd say the new one captures the band's live sound a lot better than the first 2 LPs did....but I'm not quite ready to say that "Running Around" or "Dance Like A Monkey" or "Dancing On The Lip of the Volcano" are better songs than "Personality Crisis", "Looking For A Kiss", "Babylon", "Chatterbox", etc.I'm also not quite convinced that I'm raving about this new one primarily because I was afraid it would really, really stink to high heaven, and it clearly doesn't. One thing for sure - it IS a damn sight better than 95% of the crap being released under the name of "rock & roll" nowadays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 19, 2006 Share Posted July 19, 2006 I hear ya'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 21, 2006 Author Share Posted July 21, 2006 Normally, I'm not one who really gives a rat's ass about what critics say in record/CD reviews, but I was very curious to see what they might be saying about the Dolls' new CD....which has been trashed on a couple of web sites that are generally populated by old NYD fans who are still outraged that David & Syl had the nerve to keep the band's name....and I seriously doubt they've even heard the CD yet. I found 2 published reviews last night....that, at the very least, assured me that I haven't been hallucinating too much while listening to this new albumBoth MOJO and Uncut like it, each giving it 4 out of 5 stars. MOJO's Lois Wilson sez "It's trashy rock & roll, but I like it,"......"what's most remarkable is just how like the old Dolls this new record sounds," and "their bright, brash flamboyance didn't sell records the first or even second time around, but here's hoping that it's the third time lucky for the Dolls."Bud Scoppa in Uncut headlines his review as "Personality Crisis Avoided on Improbable Return to the Studio - After 34 Years", and sez "At once lovable and dangerous, and possessed by a spastic kineticism, the Dolls were a quintessential rock & roll band, the kind they don't make anymore. Now, 34 years after their previous LP, and despite a 60% mortality rate (66.6% if you count their original drummer), they've returned, with the above ingredients more or less intact, to teach 21st century kids what rock & roll is all about."Also - "the new band members play their roles without letting their underlying competence get in the way," and "producer Jack Douglas understood it would be foolish to fake sloppiness, instead retrofitting Johansen's foghorn bray and Syl's anarchic guitar with chromium rhythm tracks that recall his work with the young Aerosmith. And if the 3rd Dolls album has as much in common with "Toys In The Attic" as with "Too Much Too Soon", well, that's not such a bad thing - Aerosmith wish they could still rock out like the Dolls Mk II." (MY NOTE: And I suspect the Dolls wish they could sell records like Aerosmith!!!) Scoppa's last great comment - "The first band I ever worked with, at Mercury in '72, has a brand new record - in 2006! - and it kicks ass. Excuse me while I kiss the sky."Now....if this bunch can still do it after 34 years and the deaths of 4 band members......(hint to Eric, Wally, Dave & Jim)....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Nivan Posted July 23, 2006 Share Posted July 23, 2006 This is all very good news."K" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 Well today's the day. Awooooooo...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 25, 2006 Author Share Posted July 25, 2006 I'm curious if any of the officially released copies of this CD share the affliction that mu promo copy has - no extra track......(On the sleeve of the promo, an extra track, "Seventeen," featuring Bo Diddley, and a DVD of the making of the album are advertised...while I got the DVD (and it's great!), no bonus cut anywhere to be found....I figured it might be tacked onto the end of the 13rd cut, "Take a Good Look at My Good Looks," but no dice.....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 25, 2006 Share Posted July 25, 2006 I saw the import version on amazon of the cd includes the dvd but it's a lot more money. Now you have me hungry for the dvd. Thanks JohnO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnO Posted July 26, 2006 Author Share Posted July 26, 2006 Tommy - My local Tower has the version with the DVD and extra cut, for $13.99.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOMMY TUNES Posted July 26, 2006 Share Posted July 26, 2006 Tommy - My local Tower has the version with the DVD and extra cut, for $13.99.... JohnO, Thanks a lot. I will try to check it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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