Personality crisis, you got it while it was hot
March 6, 2012 5:07 AM   Subscribe

The New York Dolls play 6 songs live on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert TV show in 1975.

Song list:

1. (There’s Gonna Be a) Showdown
2. Stranded in the Jungle
3. Trash
4. Chatterbox
5. Don’t You Start Me Talking
6. Personality Crisis

Run time is about 20 minutes. (via Dangerous Minds)
posted by BoringPostcards (18 comments total) 23 users marked this as a favorite
 
It's a good morning when you can get ready for work with the New York Dolls and whoawhoawhoa thank you for posting!
posted by oh posey at 5:26 AM on March 6, 2012


Way to take me back to my youth. The Dolls were making some pretty respectable music in spite of being trapped in those 70s clothes... Thanks for posting.

And wow, Paul Shaffer's Kirshner imitation was more spot on than I remembered.
posted by kinnakeet at 5:27 AM on March 6, 2012


Good Morning! and thank you.
posted by readery at 5:30 AM on March 6, 2012


Nice! Here's my favorite song by them: "Jetboy"
posted by Renoroc at 5:33 AM on March 6, 2012


Man, Johnny Thunders had such a cool sounding guitar and such a unique style.


.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 5:48 AM on March 6, 2012


I was listening to the Dolls walking to work this morning. Excellent!
posted by OmieWise at 5:52 AM on March 6, 2012


OK: I saw the New York Dolls in 1973 at a club in Queens, NY on PROM NIGHT. I had never seen anything like it: David Johansen in drag, complete with banana hammock thingy and gigantic platforms, 36 inches from my 17 year-old, previously-sheltered eyes. I actually think of that as a personal tipping point, for better or worse. Thanks for this.
posted by thinkpiece at 7:44 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


OK: I saw the New York Dolls in 1973 at a club in Queens, NY on PROM NIGHT. I had never seen anything like it.

I *almost* saw them the same year. They were playing support at the Liverpool Stadium to Lou Reed, but Reed refused to go on stage after them.

Consequently, the Dolls stuck a £10 cassette player on a stool, pointed a mic at it, and played that.

The first act's van got broken into that night, and significant amounts of their gear got stolen. Due to Lou's badmouthing them, the Dolls got blamed for the theft.

They didn't do it though.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 8:35 AM on March 6, 2012


My favorite New York Dolls story was told by David Johansen while being interviewed on WNYC. He was asked about Todd Rundgren producing their first album and said that Rundgren only came in for a day. While listening to them record vocal tracks, he had this interchange with Johansen:

TR: What about putting a harmony in with that tracK?

DJ: To have a harmony, don't you need a melody?

TR: Yes.

DJ: Well then......
posted by lumpenprole at 8:41 AM on March 6, 2012


Uh, how do you call your loverboy?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 8:47 AM on March 6, 2012


Holy mackeral, I love the internet, sheesh. I certainly could not for the life of me remember that it was of course a dive-y club called The Coventry and it was 2 Nights Only, May 11 and 12. I haven't thought about it in soo long, thanks again, fun!
posted by thinkpiece at 9:22 AM on March 6, 2012


I saw this very show on the TV! I was 11 and it rocked my world.

Say what you like about Don Kirshner, but that show opened my eyes to a lot of cool music. The Dons Kirshner and Cornelius were my window out of my tiny farm town.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:35 AM on March 6, 2012


I remember lurking in doorways on the Lower East Side with David Johansen back in the sixties when we were teenagers.
posted by mareli at 9:44 AM on March 6, 2012


I remember working in the hospital when David Johansen was born. Such an adorable little baby!
posted by anazgnos at 9:49 AM on March 6, 2012


Nothing remarkable, as we got a lot of alter egos in there at the time

How many times did Tony Clifton come in as a fresh cadaver, only to several hours later throw off the sheet, light a cigar, and walk out as though nothing happened?
posted by Strange Interlude at 10:06 AM on March 6, 2012 [1 favorite]


That was Rock and Roll. Most of my life I’ve been nostalgic for a time that I was too young for.

I love how Johnny Thunders doesn’t play and sing at the same time. I saw him in the 80’s with a band consisting of a drummer and bass player, he still didn’t sing and play at the same time.
posted by bongo_x at 12:37 PM on March 6, 2012


I'm pretty sure the Les Paul Sylvan Sylvan is playing is the same one Steve Jones ended up with in the Sex Pistols.
posted by cropshy at 2:57 PM on March 6, 2012


I’m pretty sure Sylvain Sylvain lives in the Atlanta suburbs out by me. Who’d have guessed?
posted by bongo_x at 5:15 PM on March 6, 2012


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