“It was a nightmare”: Johnny Thunders’ ridiculous pre-gig rider
There is an adage that you should never meet your heroes because it is bound to be disappointing. That sentiment is particularly truthful when it comes to the figures of the punk generation. Unsurprisingly, for a scene dominated by a desire to shock and appal, in addition to the unavoidable prevalence of drugs like heroin, many punk heroes were – by all accounts – not very nice people to be around. Even the punk progenitor, Johnny Thunders, harboured some pretty strange behaviours.
As the guitarist for the New York Dolls, Thunders was utterly instrumental in establishing the punk sound that would soon be adopted by local music scenes around the world. As a result of their pioneering proto-punk, the Dolls were afforded something of a legendary reputation both in New York and further afield. However, Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan severed ties with the New York Dolls in 1975, before the punk movement had fully established itself on the East Coast.
After forming The Heartbreakers, Thunders continued his quest to break down the boundaries of rock and pop music. With the group, the Queens native penned some of the most iconic and enduring tracks of the era. That quest soon took the guitarist to the United Kingdom, where he found a natural affinity with the blossoming punk scene in London. During his time across the pond, Thunders formed bonds with future punk legends like The Slits’ Viv Albertine and Clash frontman Joe Strummer.
However, Thunders did not endear himself towards everyone he met during that period. Doreen Allen, for instance, was left less than impressed with the heroin addict’s pre-gig rider. Allen was an essential figure in the punk scene of Liverpool, organising a wide variety of gigs in the city that helped to establish the musical revolution in Merseyside. One of the gigs that she helped to organise was Johnny Thunders’ visit to the iconic Liverpudlian venue Planet X.
During an interview in 2018, Allen remembered, “Well, probably the worst gig I was ever involved with was Johnny Thunders at Planet X.”
Seemingly, the issues with the concert first arose when Allen was tasked with acquiring Thunders’ rider. “It was such a shame,” she recalled, “And it was probably my fault because I gave him his rider when he came to do the soundcheck, and it was a bottle of brandy and a bottle of Baileys. He asked for a pint glass and poured it all in, and then he did his soundcheck and went back to the hotel.”
Even if you are used to the ‘live fast, die young’ lifestyle, which Thunders certainly subscribed to, an entire bottle of brandy coupled with Baileys Irish Cream is enough to wipe anybody out – particularly if coupled with heroin, which was likely the case for Thunders. “He was supposed to be back in Planet X for half past seven,” Allen shared, “But he didn’t make it until half past ten, and he was completely drunk.”
“It was a nightmare,” Allen continued, “Even though I really wanted to love him. He wouldn’t go off stage, and I had all the night-time crowd wanting to come downstairs and dance, and there was Johnny Thunders on stage comatose.” It seems as though, in the case of Johnny Thunders, the idea of a punk icon is a lot more endearing than the reality.
