New tricks
‘TAKE AWAY THE LIPSTICK AND THE NEW YORK DOLLS ARE A BLUES BAND'
, The legendary New York Dolls have reformed and recorded a new album after a , 31-year hiatus. Miles Fielder catches up with the pioneering glam-punks
H aving burned brightly forjust a few short years
in the early l‘)7()s. seminal glam-punk band
the New York Dolls reformed 27 years later for i what was supposedly a one-off gig at the Morrissey- curated 2004 Meltdown festival. A rapturous i reception from the fans. however. ensured the London show became a string of gigs. and an album of new
material followed in 2006. Only two of the original Dolls are still alive. singer David Johanssen and
: guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, but the co-founders have
been enjoying a new lease of life with a new studio album. ‘Cause 1 Sex So'. The record reunites the Dolls with Todd Rundgren. who produced the band’s eponymous debut way back in 1973 and who has
helped lohnassen and Sylvain recapture the raw
power that defined the Dolls.
In advance of the band’s Scottish date on the UK tour to promote the new record, Sylvain is on horn from his home in Georgia. ‘We’ve always been pretty
basic in our rccording.’ he says in his native New
York drawl, ‘like a live band. The great thing with Todd is. as with the first album and now this last, he let’s us go, just be as we are. You know, our stuff is all about the blues. Take away the lipstick and the New York Dolls are a blues band. The new record strips the sound back to that.’
Stripped down and back-to-basic the new record might be, but fans may be surprised to hear a new and radical reworking of the Dolls’ classic Trash, which has now been retooled as laid—back reggae tune. It’s odd to hear that rocking number recorded this way. but it works. and given ‘(‘ausv I Se: So was
recorded at Rundgren’s studio home in Hawaii it makes complete sense. ‘We turned up at Todd’s place not having written any songs,’ Sylvain laughs. ‘So Todd says. “Go away and write some.“ So me and David spent a week on that lovely island writing and then three weeks recording them. and I think the vibe of the place came through on that track. Besides. I always thought Trash was a love song, anyway.‘
From the blistering eponymous opening track. however, the rest of the album gets back to the Dolls’ sound of the 70s. Sylvain says the proof positive is how they’re able to mix the new material seamlessly with the old when playing live. “Our show is everything we feel has made the grade and is important to our audience.‘ he says. ‘So there’s stuff from the new album mixed in with all the old stuff. It all sounds great to us.’
Things have come full circle for Sylvain in another way. The old doll hospital in Manhattan. which famously inspired the guitarist to come up with the band’s name. recently closed down after its owner passed away. 'I got a call a couple of weeks ago from a friend who told me it’s going to be torn down,‘ says Sylvain, ‘and that he got a call from the daughter of the owner, who’s a fan of the hand. She donated the neon sign to me. I’m in the midst of getting it boxed up and sent to my home. I hope one day I‘ll have it on stage. It‘s a beautiful thing.’
New York Dolls play the Garage, Glasgow, Mon 20 Jul.
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as Joyriders Not content with the NYD support below and a trip to Japan for a mini tour, Edinburgh’s freshly reformed grunge pioneers get sweaty all over again at the Cab. Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Tue 21 Jul. (Rock 8. Pop)
a: The Wilder: They've won hearts with repeated visits to the Spiegeltent at festival time and these Kansas hillbilly pickers make a welcome return visit. Eastgate Theatre, Peebles, Thu 9 Jul; Howden Park Centre, Livingston, Fri 10 Jul; To/lbooth, Stirling, Sat 11 Jul; Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sun 12 Jul; Classic Grand, Glasgow Tue 14 Jul. (Folk)
as T in the Park Three days of rock, dance and pop acts in a big field fuelled by fizzy lager. It’ll never catch on. See previews page 24 and running order, page 24. Balado, Kinross-shire, Fri 10—Sun 12 Jul. (Rock & Pop)
2: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street band The 8083' first Scottish visit in over a decade. See preview, page 16. Hampden Park, Glasgow, Tue 14 Jul. (Rock & Pop)
as St Vincent Understated pop oddness from former Polyphonic Spree guitarist Annie Clark, now in solo guise. See preview, page 64.
Nice 'n 'Sleazy, Glasgow, Tue 14 Jul. (Rock 8. Pop)
:3: Duran Duran and Florence and the Machine More hits that you can shake a rather worn copy of Seven and the Ragged Tiger at. with flame haired indie histrionics as support. Edinburgh Castle, Thu 16 Jul. (Rock 8. Pop)
:3: Simple Minds Word is they’re doing New Gold Dream in its entirety as part of this massive show, which is fine by us. See you down the front for ‘Promised you a Miracle’. Edinburgh Castle, Sat 18 Jul. (Rock 8. Pop)
a: New York Dolls and Joyriders See preview, left. The Garage, Glasgow, Mon 20 Jul. (Rock & Pop)
9-23 Jul 2009 THE LIST 83