• 1971-1976, 2004-

  David JohansenVocals, harmonica

  Sylvain SylvainGuitar, vocals

  Johnny ThundersGuitar, vocals1971-1975

  Arthur "Killer" KaneBass1971-1975, 2004

  Billy MurciaDrums1971-1972

  Jerry NolanDrums1973-1975

  Brian DelaneyDrums2006-

  Kenny AaronsonBass2011-

  Earl SlickGuitar2011-
• The New York Dolls' second drummer, Jerry Nolan, served as eventual Kiss drummer Peter Criss' best man at Criss' wedding on January 31, 1970 (to Lydia Di Leonardo).
• Before scoring a record deal, the New York Dolls created a buzz by playing regularly in the Oscar Wilde Room at the Mercer Arts Center, located in Greenwich Village. The Mercer Arts Center would eventually collapse on August 3, 1973.
• Original drummer Billy Murcia died under mysterious circumstances during the Dolls' first-ever British tour, on November 6, 1972, when he passed out from an overdose. In an attempt to revive him, Murcia was forced to drink coffee, which led to asphyxiation. David Bowie made reference to Murcia's death in his 1973 song, "Time," where he sings, "Time, In Quaaludes and red wine, Demanding Billy Dolls and other friends of mine, Take your time."
• The same year that Todd Rundgren produced the Dolls' self-titled debut album (1973), he also produced two other albums, Grand Funk's We're An American Band and Fanny's Mother's Pride.
• After Johnny Thunders, Arthur Kane, and Jerry Nolan left the Dolls in 1975, David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain soldiered on for a spell with replacement members - and embarked on the group's first-ever tour of Japan. The Dolls would eventually break up a year later.
• Johnny Thunders and Jerry Nolan would form the Heartbreakers in 1975, and play off and on for the remainder of both musicians' careers (Thunders would die on April 23, 1991, while Nolan would die on January 14, 1992).
• The New York Dolls reunited in 2004, with original members David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain, and Arthur Kane joined by guitarist Steve Conte, keyboardist Brian Koonin, and drummer Gary Powell. One-time president of the Dolls' UK fan club, Morrissey, produced the band's comeback live album/DVD, Morrissey Presents The Return of the New York Dolls: Live From The Royal Festival Hall.
• Arthur Kane died from leukemia on July 13, 2004. Both a documentary (New York Doll) and a book (I, Doll: Life and Death with the New York Dolls) would surface after his passing.
• With their glam look and punk sound, the New York Dolls helped create both punk rock and glam metal. As photographer Bob Gruen explained to Rolling Stone, "Everyone from Joe Strummer, Gene Simmons to Bret Michaels all said they were influenced by the New York Dolls. They each found their own thing about the Dolls. Some people it was the music, some people it was the look, some people it was the attitude. The Dolls had it all."
• Two members of the British band Japan, who had some UK hits in the early '80s, named themselves after members of the New York Dolls. Frontman David Sylvian (born David Batt) is named for Sylvian Sylvian; drummer Steve Jansen (born Steve Batt - David's brother) is named for David Johansen.

Comments: 2

• Mike from Las Vegas, Nv.I can't believe SongFacts only has 1 NY Dolls song ? And no Hanoi Rocks or Lords Of The New Church at all ?
• Mike from Las Vegas, Nv.I saw Johnny Thunders at Fenders in Long Beach, Ca. in 1986. He was good, he did a set of Heartbreakers/Dolls songs. But he was blown away by the opening act, a band not known outside of the L.A. scene yet, they were called Guns n Roses.

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