Rock Legend David Johansen of New York Dolls Dies at 75 After Inspirational Cancer Battle

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David Johansen, the charismatic frontman known for his gravelly voice, played a significant role in kick-starting the punk rock scene as the singer of the New York Dolls. Later, he became the lounge lizard Buster Poindexter, recording “Hot Hot Hot,” and acted in the movie “Scrooged.” Sadly, Johansen passed away at the age of 75.

Johansen passed away on a sunny day, enveloped by melodies and blossoms, at his residence on Staten Island, according to his family’s statement.

For approximately ten years, Johansen’s stepdaughter, Leah Hennessy, disclosed on February 10 that he had been fighting Stage 4 cancer. Additionally, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and suffered a fracture in his spine after falling shortly following Thanksgiving. The family humbly requested contributions to assist with their mounting medical bills.

David and his relatives expressed heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming love and encouragement they’ve received since revealing their struggles. They shared that David was grateful to connect with numerous friends and kin before his passing, knowing he was deeply cherished.

In a more casual and straightforward style:

The New York Dolls, known for their outrageous and gritty style that included vulgarity and cross-dressing, consisted of members David Johansen, guitarists Sylvain Sylvain and Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane, and drummer Jerry Nolan. In just eight days, they recorded their self-titled debut album, which became a breakthrough, produced by Todd Rundgren for Mercury Records in 1973.

In a 2013 interview with Esquire, he stated that they simply entered a room and captured the moment, unlike those who carefully plan and design. Instead, it was a reflection of what was happening in that instant.

On the initial side of the debut album, the opening track was “Personality Crisis,” a collaboration between Johansen and Thunders. This was followed by tunes like “Looking for a Kiss,” “Vietnamese Baby,” “Frankenstein,” and a cover of Bo Diddley’s “Pills.”

Or, more casually:
The first album had “Personality Crisis” as its kick-off track, penned by Johansen and Thunders. This was followed by tunes like “Looking for a Kiss,” “Vietnamese Baby,” “Frankenstein,” and a cover of Bo Diddley’s “Pills.

Although their initial album, often regarded as a counterpoint to progressive rock and not particularly successful in terms of sales, has since found its place on numerous best-of lists throughout the years. It significantly impacted groups like the Ramones, Kiss, the Sex Pistols, and Morrissey.

After their follow-up album, titled “Too Much Too Soon,” released in 1974 and produced by Shadow Morton, did not find commercial success, the record label Mercury decided to part ways with The Dolls. This decision came following a tumultuous nationwide tour. Subsequently, they played their final show at Max’s Kansas City, a club close to their neighborhood in the East Village, in December 1976.

In an interview last year, he shared that they had grown tired of spending so much time together and traveling extensively.”

This version conveys the same idea as the original sentence while using simpler language and a more conversational tone.

In my opinion, as a die-hard fan, I’d say the New York Dolls embodied the raw essence of rock ‘n’ roll like no other. They had an electric energy that, while incredible, is often unsustainable without causing harm and almost impossible to bottle up for widespread enjoyment, as Nina Antonia pointed out in her 1998 book, Too Much Too Soon, about the band.

Between 1984 and 1987, Johanson produced six solo albums, the last one being Sweet Revenge. After this, he reinvented himself, grew a pompadour hairstyle, and started singing classic tunes for his 1987 album Buster Poindexter. The catchy “Hot Hot Hot” reached number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was frequently played on MTV. Despite its popularity, Johanson often referred to it as a source of annoyance in his life.

Everything culminated in a career as an actor for the jovial Johansen. In the 1988 movie “Scrooged,” directed by Richard Donner, he took on the role of the Ghost of Christmas Past, portraying a chain-smoking taxi driver. Later, in the horse-racing comedy “Let It Ride” (1989), he appeared as Looney, the friend of Richard Dreyfuss’ gambler and another cab driver.

Johansen took on the roles of Officer Gunther Toody in the 1994 movie adaptation of “Car 54, Where Are You”, a character previously portrayed by Joe E. Ross in the original 1960s NBC sitcom; and that of the sociopathic Jewish inmate Eli Zabitz across three episodes of HBO’s “Oz” in 2000.

He once remarked that any good singer is essentially an actor as well. Each song presents a unique character for them to portray. At times, they embody the romantic lead, and at others, they become the lively party reveler with a wild spirit. They explore all facets of emotion through these roles.

Born on Staten Island, New York, on January 9, 1950, David Roger Johansen was one of six siblings. His mom, Helen, worked as a librarian, while his dad, John, was an insurance salesman with a passion for singing opera in the family home.

Before being invited by Kane and the initial Dolls drummer, Billy Murcia, Johansen had previously played in local bands and performed in plays at Charles Ludlum’s Ridiculous Theater, located on East 6th Street.

In the bustling neighborhood of lower Manhattan, The Dolls gained a passionate fanbase, performing R&B music with wild freedom and adorning themselves in makeup, high heels, and satin. Some people speculated they were gay. Notably, they had the opportunity to open for Rod Stewart in London. Tragically, during that tour, Johnny Murcia passed away due to an unintentional drug overdose.

Following their signing with Mercury Records in March 1973, The Dolls embarked on touring. In an interview with NPR’s Terry Gross in 2004, Johansen admitted that he was arrested while performing in Memphis and spent a night behind bars for stirring up a crowd and inciting a riot. He recollected, “At the time I was dressed like Liza Minnelli, and it wasn’t a very comfortable night I must say.

During the 1986-87 season, Poindexter showcased his talents on six episodes of Saturday Night Live, and for a decade following, he put out four albums under his fictitious persona, having secured a record deal with RCA.

David Johansen and his group, known as The Harry Smiths (named after the influential anthologist Harry Smith who compiled the 1952 ‘Anthology of American Folk Music’), released country blues albums in 2000 and 2002. After this, he joined a reunion of The Dolls, which started in 2004 at Morrissey’s behest, resulting in the critically acclaimed 2006 album ‘One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This’. This iteration of the band continued for roughly eight years.

In 1985, Johansen made appearances on Miami Vice and in 1987 on The Equalizer. He also starred in the 1987 film Candy Mountain, which featured musicians like Tom Waits, Leon Redbone, Dr. John, Joe Strummer, and Arto Lindsay. Following this, he appeared in Married to the Mob (1988), Freejack (1992), The Tic Code (1998), and 200 Cigarettes (1999).

Apart from his stepdaughter, survivors also consist of his third wife, Mara Hennessey, whom he married in November 2013, along with his siblings Michael, Christopher, Elizabeth, Mary Ellen, and Karen. He was previously wed to actress Cyrinda Foxe and photographer Kate Simon as well.

Over the past five years or so, due to health challenges, he hasn’t been able to take part in performances. However, there are going to be numerous events honoring his life and artistic talents, as stated by his family.

Just the other day, I found myself in the spotlight, hosting my own radio program titled “Mansion of Fun” on SiriusXM. Not too long ago, I was also the focus of a 2023 documentary called “Personality Crisis: One Night Only,” jointly directed by the legendary Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi. This film revolved around a spectacular performance at Café Carlyle, and interestingly enough, I’ve had the privilege of contributing my musical talents to some of Scorsese’s masterpieces like “Boardwalk Empire” and “Vinyl” on HBO.

He mentioned in a recent conversation that many reviews [of the document] have been extremely positive. However, after going through several of them, he finds himself thinking, “That’s enough!” What he’s really seeking is someone who has criticisms or issues with him, so he can engage in a thorough discussion.

Hilary Lewis contributed to this report.

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2025-03-01 21:00