See rare live footage of the New York Dolls from 1973
1973 was the best year for The New York Dolls. After two years of building up their sound and profile around New York City, the band had signed a record contract and managed to nab Todd Rundgren as their producer. While their debut, The New York Dolls, sold poorly outside their home city, the Dolls were building their reputation as kings of a rawer and more dangerous version of glam rock.
That reputation followed them across the country as they scandalised scores of crowds on tour. Supporting Mott the Hoople, the Dolls gained a mixed reception: for every fan they converted to their unique brand of music, another would walk out of the hall or boo as they waited for Mott the Hoople. Along the way, the band occasionally headlined their own shows, especially in markets where their cast of “freaks” could support them.
One of those markets was Los Angeles, where the glam rock revolution had been embraced. The Dolls arrived at the legendary rock club, the Whisky A Go Go, ready to kick ass and take names. The California crowd is clearly rearing for the band to take the stage, as calls of “We want the Dolls!” can be heard as the gang of rockers starts their set.
The Dolls’ classic lineup was in place for the show, with one major exception. Bassist Arthur Kane had broken his arm in the previous weeks, necessitating a fill-in. The band’s roadie Peter Jordan substituted for Kane, even donning his iconic dress in order to fit in with the band’s outlandish stage outfits.
As the band kicks into their first set with ‘Personality Crisis’, David Johansen unleashes a mighty scream that stirs the crowd into a frenzy. Jerry Nolan pounds behind the drum kit as guitarists Sylvain Sylvain and Johnny Thunders produce distorted squeals through their amps. Thunders, in particular, is in fine form, showing none of the weariness or raggedness that would become part of his signature on-stage demeanour in later years.
The Dolls burn through a number of classics from their debut, including ‘Trash’, ‘Looking For a Kiss’, ‘Jet Boy’ and the Bo Diddley cover ‘Pills’. A version of Muddy Waters’ ‘Hootchie Coochie Man’ is also trotted out, along with a version of the song ‘Who Are The Mystery Girls’ that would later appear on the band’s sophomore album, Too Much Too Soon. A couple of songs from the band’s later set that night are included in the footage as well, although they are all tracks that the band played in their earlier set as well.
Check out footage of The New York Dolls played at the Whiskey A Go Go in 1973 down below.
