Lipstick Killers (Mercer St. Sessions)

Performer: New York Dolls
Producer: Marty Thau
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: New York Dolls: David Johansen (vocals, harmonica); Johnny Thunders (guitar, background vocals); Sylvain Sylvain (guitar); Arthur "Killer" Kane (bass); Billy Murcia (drums). Recorded in New York, New York in 1972. Includes liner notes by Roy Trakin. Digitally remastered (Pomeroy Audio). ROIR's CD reissue of its 1981 Lipstick Killers cassette is for scholars only. The New York Dolls' 1972 Mercer Street session demos are highly interesting, since it's the earlier lineup with Billy Murcia on drums, before the original stickman passed out and died at a party in London at the end of a legendary British tour. But what Lipstick really shows is that Murcia was half the drummer of his eventual successor, Nolan. Still, for big fans, the band sounds so different (even more primal!), it's still good to hear more primitive, well-recorded versions of "Looking for a Kiss," "Bad Girl," Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talking," and so on. You can see why everyone was already so damn excited by this band during its early Mercer St. Arts Center residency days. ~ Jack Rabid

With inspiration from British glam and US proto-punks like the Stooges, the New York Dolls were the originators of the NYC trash aesthetic that inspired subsequent generations of punk bands. Churning out garage riffs that tipped their hat to 1960s R&B, they were the Stones of the first punk generation. Their outrageous image and brash sound gained them attention, but failed to make them stars, and David Johansen, Johnny Thunders, and Syl Sylvain all went on to solo careers after just two Dolls albums. In 2004, the Dolls reunited, with surviving members Sylvain, Johansen, and Arthur Kane making a triumphant festival appearance. Sadly, Kane died shortly after, but Johansen and Sylvain played another show dedicated to the memory of all the deceased dolls (Kane, Thunders, Jerry Nolan, Billy Murcia). In 2006, the remaining band members recorded their third official studio album to almost universal acclaim.

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