David Johansen, a pivotal determine in Seventies punk rock and “Hot Hot Hot” singer, has handed away on the age of 75.
Niagara Falls, Frankie… David Johansen, a significant determine within the punk scene of the Seventies, has handed away after a battle with most cancers. He had additionally been affected by a mind tumor and a damaged again, all revelations Johansen made simply weeks in the past. He was 75.
Whereas we may rattle off dozens of key names on the earth of punk throughout that point, it might be completely incomplete with out mentioning David Johansen, who fronted seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. The prime run of the New York Dolls was solely two albums (launched inside a 12 months of one another: the self-titled in 1973, Too A lot Too Quickly in 1974) and half of the unique lineup had left in 1975, however their influence in that short-lived time interval is plain. (The New York Dolls would reunite in 2004, releasing three albums earlier than finally disbanding as soon as once more in 2011.) Johansen was the final surviving authentic member.
However to say that David Johansen was recognized just for his contributions to punk can be to grossly shortchange his profession. Johansen dabbled in varied genres, exhibiting an curiosity in every little thing from rock to blues to calypso. The latter was most famously utilized by Johansen in his single “Hot Hot Hot”, which he carried out below his alter ego Buster Poindexter, which let him department out and keep away from solely being tied to the New York Dolls and that scene. David Johansen, too, gave a variety of notable performances on the display each massive and small, together with taking part in the Ghost of Christmas Previous in Scrooged, a co-lead within the TV adaptation of Automotive 54, The place Are You? and alongside Richard Dreyfuss in 1989’s Let It Trip.
Sadly, simply final month, David Johansen and his household have been asking for assist in their mission to see that Johansen may financially deal with the burden of his diseases. As he wrote, “We’ve been living with my illness for a long time, still having fun, seeing friends and family, carrying on, but this tumble the day after Thanksgiving really brought us to a whole new level of debilitation. This is the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my entire life. I’ve never been one to ask for help, but this is an emergency. Thank you.”
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