RIP: David Johansen, New York Dolls singer and charismatic actor, dies

Niagara Falls, Frankie… David Johansen, a vital figure in the punk scene of the 1970s, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He had also been suffering from a brain tumor and a broken back, all revelations Johansen made just weeks ago. He was 75.

While we could rattle off dozens of key names in the world of punk during that time, it would be absolutely incomplete without mentioning David Johansen, who fronted seminal proto-punk band the New York Dolls. The prime run of the New York Dolls was only two albums (released within a year of each other: the self-titled in 1973, Too Much Too Soon in 1974) and half of the original lineup had left in 1975, but their impact in that short-lived time period is undeniable. (The New York Dolls would reunite in 2004, releasing three albums before ultimately disbanding once again in 2011.) Johansen was the last surviving original member.

But to say that David Johansen was known only for his contributions to punk would be to grossly shortchange his career. Johansen dabbled in various genres, showing an interest in everything from rock to blues to calypso. The latter was most famously utilized by Johansen in his single “Hot Hot Hot”, which he performed under his alter ego Buster Poindexter, which let him branch out and avoid only being tied to the New York Dolls and that scene. David Johansen, too, gave a number of notable performances on the screen both big and small, including playing the Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged, a co-lead in the TV adaptation of  Car 54, Where Are You? and alongside Richard Dreyfuss in 1989’s Let It Ride.

Sadly, just last month, David Johansen and his family were asking for help in their mission to see that Johansen could financially handle the burden of his illnesses. 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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