Warning: Listening to this song may be hazardous and/or helpful to your health.
281. Johnny Thunders "Too Much Junkie Business"
A very simplified history of rock and roll could quite accurately say that Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and assorted other New York street detritus formed a band called the New York Dolls, and attempted to sound like the Rolling Stones, but by being too loaded to approximate the Stones sound accurately, they accidentally helped create a new genre: punk rock.
After the Dolls imploded, Johnny kept playing his Keith Richards2 role to the hilt. How much so? Well, a guy I knew in college grew up in Stuyvesant Town, the same Lower Manhattan housing development Thunders came up in, and he said 'We didn't think of him as a rock star. He was just another neighborhood junkie.'
On this number, the bristly guitar and thundering beat conjure up way more energy than you'd expect a heroin addict to be capable of. And the Chuck Berry allusion of the chorus and the clear eyed observation of the rest of the lyrics show both a functioning wit and a sense that the life he was leading was a dead end.
Sadly he either was too far gone to listen to his own advice or he was too enamored of his own mythology, since he wound up dead in a New Orleans hotel room from his own vices. And it's a shame, since a clear-headed, older and wiser Johnny Thunders would be welcome presence in music. RIP.
A very simplified history of rock and roll could quite accurately say that Johnny Thunders, David Johansen and assorted other New York street detritus formed a band called the New York Dolls, and attempted to sound like the Rolling Stones, but by being too loaded to approximate the Stones sound accurately, they accidentally helped create a new genre: punk rock.
After the Dolls imploded, Johnny kept playing his Keith Richards2 role to the hilt. How much so? Well, a guy I knew in college grew up in Stuyvesant Town, the same Lower Manhattan housing development Thunders came up in, and he said 'We didn't think of him as a rock star. He was just another neighborhood junkie.'
On this number, the bristly guitar and thundering beat conjure up way more energy than you'd expect a heroin addict to be capable of. And the Chuck Berry allusion of the chorus and the clear eyed observation of the rest of the lyrics show both a functioning wit and a sense that the life he was leading was a dead end.
Sadly he either was too far gone to listen to his own advice or he was too enamored of his own mythology, since he wound up dead in a New Orleans hotel room from his own vices. And it's a shame, since a clear-headed, older and wiser Johnny Thunders would be welcome presence in music. RIP.
Comments
I bet my Mom had fun back in the mid-70s trying to explain this album cover to me when I was about 8 years old. I recall asking her why those women were so scary looking...
Your mom dug the Dolls? You had hep parents.
As far as the Dolls sartorial sense goes: they discovered the odd fact that a lot of women seem to dig guys who can strategically deploy women's clothing. Johansen and Thunders were notorious ladykillers.
I had friggen' dirty hippies for parents, probably why I have an Alex P. Keaton complex and I live in my preppy world of tan chinos, pink twin sweater sets and penny loafers. Let's see if I can remember some of the albums I can recall hearing in my house... I heard Manu Dibango, Ritchie Havens, Quicksilver Messenger Service, The Who, My lullaby was PF's set the controls for the heart of the sun, Savoy Brown, Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars. I'll never forget one day riding around in the car and Bowie came on the radio and I was singing along and I'll never forget my parents turning around to look at me as I belt out the lyrics: Wam Bam Thank you ma'am. Of course, I had NO IDEA what that meant at that age... I think I might pee myself just typing it now that I do...There was also Uriah Heap, Procol Harum, King Crimson, Blondie, the Cars, Ian Anderson. Ok, that's a funny story - I'll tell you that one. I really like Ian and I am over at my Uncle's house hanging around and his friend asks him who that is on the stereo and Glen says Jethro Tull and Bob says something like what album? I, of course trying to impress the older kids with my musical knowledge pipes up with "Oh, you mean RUBBER LUNG"? Seriously, I was going to say AQUA, but RUBBER LUNG just came out like a freudian slip. Glen sprayed beer out his nose. I think that's one of those you had to be there stories.
I am really enjoying your blogging jonmc. It is bringing me a lot of GREAT & CHERISHED memories of my past, my friends growing up and my parents and I thank you for it. Just because I don't often comment doesn't mean I don't read each story and check out the tunes when you post 'em up. BTW, I don't like Monday's hit me like a ton of bricks - in a good way...
Afterthoughts: This is the album cover I remember best out of the whole collection. No idea who they are, but I remember it. This one always scared the shit out me and Don McLean's American Pie was the first song I ever learned all the words to.