David Johansen, New York Dolls Frontman, Dies at 75
David Johansen, best known for fronting the influential punk band New York Dolls, has died. He was 75 and the last surviving original member of the band.
Johansen’s death comes weeks after he revealed he was battling Stage 4 cancer, following being diagnosed in 2020 with a brain tumor. Mara and Leah Hennessey, Johansen’s wife and stepdaughter, confirmed his death in a statement to Rolling Stone.
Their statement read, “David Johansen died at home in NYC on Friday afternoon (Feb. 28) holding hands with his wife Mara Hennessey and daughter Leah, surrounded by music, flowers, and love. He was 75 years old and died of natural causes after nearly a decade of illness.”
Similar to other early punk icons, the New York Dolls lacked commercial success but went on to inspire countless bands in the generations that followed. Produced by Todd Rundgren, the band’s July 1973 self-titled debut album is a classic and has been featured on countless “greatest albums of all time” lists. The album boasts a number of iconic tracks, including “Trash,” “Looking for a Kiss,” and “Personality Crisis.”
Ten months after the release of their debut, the Dolls released their sophomore album, Too Much Too Soon, in May 1974. However, much like the album’s title would suggest, tensions and substance abuse began to rip the band apart, and they broke up in 1976.
Johansen went on to release four solo studio albums from 1978 to 1984. However, he would achieve commercial success via his alter ego, Buster Poindexter. From 1987 to 1997, Johansen released four albums as Poindexter, with his biggest hit coming in 1987 from a cover of “Hot Hot Hot.”
Johansen also dabbled in acting and racked up several film and television credits. One of his biggest roles came in the 1988 film Scrooged, which starred Bill Murray and featured Johansen as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
In 2004, the New York Dolls would reunite. At this time, only three of the five members from the band’s original lineup were still alive. (Guitarist Johnny Thunders died in April 1991 at age 38, while drummer Jerry Nolan died in January 1992 at age 45.) The band’s June 2004 reunion concert, famously organized by longtime fan Morrissey, took place at London’s Meltdown Festival. Sadly, the following month saw the sudden death of bassist Arthur Kane at age 55.
After reuniting, Johansen guitarist Sylvain Sylvain, who died in January 2021 at age 69, kept the band active until 2011. In that time, they released three studio albums: 2006’s One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This; 2009’s Cause I Sez So; and 2011’s Dancing Backward in High Heels.
New York Dolls have been eligible for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame since 1999. They were nominated in 2001, 2021, and 2022, but failed to be inducted. Due to their influence, it is likely the band will be honored by the Rock Hall in the future via their Award for Musical Excellence or another honor.
