Having disbanded in Florida in March 1975 in a muddle of drugs and disarray, the New York Dolls seemed consigned to the history books, despite being credited with planting the seed that spawned punk and becoming one of the most influential bands of their day. But their sorry and ill-fated story has given birth to a new a happy ending.
After reforming for two triumphant appearances at Morrissey’s Meltdown Festival at London’s Royal Festival Hall in 2004 and a subsequent successful string of dates including Manchester’s Move Festival and the Carling Reading and Leeds weekends, the surviving New York Dolls – David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain (original bassist Arthur ‘Killer’ Kane died shortly after the Meltdown appearance and his poignant life story has been told in the current ‘New York Doll’ movie/DVD release) decided to write a brand new record.
‘One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This’ is it. Johansen wrote lyrics and Sylvain enlisted the help of new boys Sami Yaffa (bass) and Steve Conte (guitar) to work with him on the music for the project. With old friend Jack Douglas behind the production desk (Jack engineered the band’s first studio album), the band have delivered a real blend of potent and evocative songs; some ballads, some rockers, but everything with a true rock n’ roll feel. Just like the old ‘Dolls, but better. Sylvain and Johansen seem genuinely excited and exhilarated to be back as the ‘new’ New York Dolls. “I’m so fucking happy!” declares Sylvain. “That’s all we really wanted to do, make something that’s important. I don’t want to be forgotten or just remembered as that old band that didn’t make it. We’ve make a rock n’ roll album. Something that’s timeless! Who makes that today?!”
The album will be issued on CD and a special limited edition version, complete with a DVD of behind the scenes footage of the band making the album in the studio.
