Arthur "Killer" Kane

October 28, 2005 10:01 PM

Arthur Kane used to play in a band
While working in a Mormon genealogy library, Arthur asked a member of his congregation if he could get a ride to the pawn shop to get his guitars out of hock. Apparently, the former president of his band's fan club, someone named "Morrissey" had called and wanted Arthur to play a reunion concert with his old band. His friend made a documentary about it.
posted by mecran01 (29 comments total)

Pepsi Blue Disclaimer: I realize this is essentially a link to a movie, but the story behind it is weird and fascinating.

disclaimer II: I didn't even know who the dolls were until I started reading about this documentary.
posted by mecran01 at 10:06 PM on October 28, 2005

Here's a better site for the band: http://www.new-york-dolls.com/
posted by mecran01 at 10:12 PM on October 28, 2005

Fantastic.
posted by Samuel Farrow at 10:19 PM on October 28, 2005

I like the New York Dolls, but I had no idea one of them went on to be a Mormon. Crazy. I've been hearing about the documentary, but after reading this I definitely want to check it out. Thanks!
posted by brundlefly at 10:20 PM on October 28, 2005

Sorta reminds me of Hoop Dreams--someone stumbles across a great story and turns the camera on.
posted by mecran01 at 10:31 PM on October 28, 2005

He redeems his guitars from a pawnshop

Am I to believe that there is a pawnshop that will keep shit in hock for a decade or more?
posted by sourwookie at 12:05 AM on October 29, 2005

I saw this on preview on Tuesday . It is a great music doc..
No , Morrissey did not call.. as you will see if you actually watch the movie .. it is a bit ambiguous , as the director said after the showing, as to whether they actually intended for Arthur to be there or not.
He found out from an email from the French NYD fan club that they were having a reunion.
sourwookies.. Yes ... go see the movie and understand what was actually involved. He did not have the money to get them out only to pay the annual fee. Which was only about 60 bucks less than the redemption fee !!!!
This is a great documentary despite the ultimate ending, which surprisingly few people knew when i saw it.
posted by stuartmm at 12:33 AM on October 29, 2005

In case anybody is curious, given Killer Kane's affiliation with the Mormon church, here's a list of Mormon musicians. The Killers and Maroon 5 both have Mormon members. Look at the small print and you will also find that Jimmy Eat World, Low, and the Jets have a predominantly Mormon membership.
posted by jonp72 at 12:51 AM on October 29, 2005

I had no idea one of them went on to be a Mormon

Me neither. I'm reeling.
posted by jack_mo at 3:18 AM on October 29, 2005

Buster Poindexter? "Hot, Hot, Hot" Buster Poindexter? Whoa.
posted by emelenjr at 6:11 AM on October 29, 2005

Buster Poindexter? "Hot, Hot, Hot" Buster Poindexter? Whoa.

Yep; I have to laugh a little every time I hear that song in an ad; the same goes for "Real Wild Child" and "Lust for Life", Both sung by this guy.
posted by TedW at 6:22 AM on October 29, 2005

Well, I think it's kind of sweet. Better then succumbing to overdoses like all those other New York Dolls.
posted by ITheCosmos at 6:59 AM on October 29, 2005

Why isn't Bachman-Turner Overdrive on that list of Mormon bands? I'm pretty sure they were all Mormons.
posted by jonmc at 7:00 AM on October 29, 2005

Randy Bachman's on it.
posted by tetsuo at 7:06 AM on October 29, 2005

I was just watching some BBC documentary on Punk Rock last night.... and the NYD were one of the featured bands. Of course.

It's kinda neat to see what's happened to those folks -- the o.g. pioneers, I guess -- as they've gotten older.

Kinda along the same lines, there's a good This American Life with David Philp of the Automatics. Apparently, he went off and became a Beverly Hills real estate guy.
posted by ph00dz at 7:08 AM on October 29, 2005

I think Bachman has left the fold, according to my vast mormon underground network.
posted by mecran01 at 7:34 AM on October 29, 2005

Better then succumbing to overdoses like all those other New York Dolls.

True, Billy Murcia died mixing pills and alcohol and Johnny Thunders, heroin addict for I think all of his adult life, died of an overdose. Jerry Nolan, died of a stroke brought on by bacterial meningitis.

I once saw David Johansen in the title role of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" off off Broadway and he became one of my all time heroes.
posted by psmealey at 7:49 AM on October 29, 2005

jonp72, that list of Mormon musicians did not include Ziggy's guitarist.

About this thread, I was amazed to find The Tubes are still together. As I've said before, I think rock stars ought to at least quit playing rock before they get old; I recall a Mick Jagger interview from the mid-1970s where he made this very point. "I can't imagine playing 'Satisfaction' after I'm 40", something like that. (Those damn Boomers.)
posted by davy at 9:57 AM on October 29, 2005

there's a dolls reunion tour making the rounds. given that it's only got johansen from the original band and he has roundly dissed the dolls over the years, what's they point?

that questioned, the first dolls album was one of my faves from my high school days.
posted by 3.2.3 at 12:16 PM on October 29, 2005

I think Syl Sylvain is in the reunion lineup, but in general, I agree 3.2.3. Johnny Thunders sloppy, addled playing was every bit elemental to the sound that Johansen's swaggering, pouty vocals were.

I'm pretty sure that Thunders was the progenitor of the "power stance" mentioned in "School of Rock". At least Steve Jones (who idolized him) copied it, and generations of post punk, neo punk and phony punk guitarists copied from Jones.

On the subject of old punkers turning to the looor-duh Billy Zoom isn't a Mormon, but he's been an evangelical Christian for a long time. Not sure if that happened when he was in X.
posted by psmealey at 2:31 PM on October 29, 2005

Just wanted to report that I saw the movie tonight because of this thread. I'm going to tell all my friends to see it. It was unexptectedly good -- Kane's personality and humility is pretty profound, and the filmmakers do a good job of capturing an amazing story.

This is not a documentary about the New York Dolls.
posted by swift at 7:28 PM on October 29, 2005

jonp72, that list of Mormon musicians did not include Ziggy's guitarist.

Impressive of you to notice. I was just dumbfounded that the Stone Roses had a Mormon in it. By the way, I think the list might have ignored the fact that Sky Saxon, lead singer of the Seeds, was raised a Mormon. But either way, it's still damn close to comprehensive. I mean, the Aquabats are almost all ex-Mormon missionaries? Who'd a thunk it?
posted by jonp72 at 9:02 PM on October 29, 2005

Metafilter: The vast Mormon underground network.
posted by jonp72 at 9:02 PM on October 29, 2005

jonp72: Shhhh.....
posted by mecran01 at 7:19 AM on October 30, 2005

Zevon a Mormon? WTF?!
posted by GoodJob! at 8:12 AM on October 30, 2005

Zevon a Mormon? WTF?!

Zevon's mother was Mormon, his Dad was a Russian Jew, and a professional gambler. Warren was the unlikely result.
posted by jonmc at 9:54 AM on October 30, 2005

Sorry to rant, but unless someone affirmatively does something to follow a faith, it's a stretch to call them Jewish, Mormonish, Catholicish, or whatever. IMHO.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:17 PM on October 30, 2005

In the LA shots, Kane had the same haircut as the (also Mormon, deeply closeted) guy who used to run the Silent Movie theatre. Mr. Austin was no angel; after he was murdered it turned out that he had been an embezzler and had taken over the theater by illegal means.
posted by brujita at 8:37 AM on October 31, 2005

I saw it tonight, followed by the director answering questions. It's not really a rockumentary, it's the story of a guy who fell from grace (fame, drugs, etc.), lost his family (the dolls) and tries to overcome his anger and hurt and go home again. It was touching, well done, and pretty moving. If you're a hardcore historical punkophile, it will probably annoy you on some level.
posted by mecran01 at 10:28 PM on November 4, 2005