In the Flesh (Johnny Thunders album)
Encyclopedia
In the Flesh is a posthumous live CD by legendary punk rock guitarist/singer/songwriter Johnny Thunders
. It consists of the full live set featuring a reunion of Thunders with fellow ex-New York Dolls
and Heartbreakers
drummer Jerry Nolan
and ex-Dolls bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane
, recorded at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, California
on January 4, 1987. Given Thunders' notoriety for performing in a smacked-out or alcoholic
haze, this more sober and professional Thunders performance led one reviewer to declare the CD to contain "an ample track selection, generally superb performances, and surprisingly good fidelity all in one package -- a Triple Crown rarely achieved in the world of J.T. live recordings." []
It would be the last time Kane would ever play with Thunders and Nolan, as the two musicians would pass away within a year of each other (Kane died of leukemia a month after playing a formal New York Dolls show with surviving members David Johansen
and Sylvain Sylvain
). The show was also filmed with a single VHS video camera and would become a popular bootleg amongst Thunders' fans; the footage was officially released, with the consent of Thunders' and Kane's estates, in November 2004 as the DVD Thunders, Nolan and Kane: You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory.
This recording has also been released legitimately by Shakedown/Secret/MVD as part of the box set Eve of Destruction
.
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
. It consists of the full live set featuring a reunion of Thunders with fellow ex-New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
and Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers
Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers, also known as The Heartbreakers, were an American rock & roll band formed in New York in May 1975. The band was part of the first wave of punk rock.-History:...
drummer Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan
Jerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
and ex-Dolls bassist Arthur "Killer" Kane
Arthur Kane
Arthur Kane was a musician best known as the bassist for the pioneering glam rock band the New York Dolls. He stated in the 2004 documentary film New York Doll that his nickname, Arthur "Killer" Kane, was inspired by an early New York Dolls concert newspaper review in which the journalist...
, recorded at the Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
on January 4, 1987. Given Thunders' notoriety for performing in a smacked-out or alcoholic
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
haze, this more sober and professional Thunders performance led one reviewer to declare the CD to contain "an ample track selection, generally superb performances, and surprisingly good fidelity all in one package -- a Triple Crown rarely achieved in the world of J.T. live recordings." []
It would be the last time Kane would ever play with Thunders and Nolan, as the two musicians would pass away within a year of each other (Kane died of leukemia a month after playing a formal New York Dolls show with surviving members David Johansen
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
and Sylvain Sylvain
Sylvain Sylvain
Sylvain Sylvain is an American rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls.-Early years:...
). The show was also filmed with a single VHS video camera and would become a popular bootleg amongst Thunders' fans; the footage was officially released, with the consent of Thunders' and Kane's estates, in November 2004 as the DVD Thunders, Nolan and Kane: You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory.
This recording has also been released legitimately by Shakedown/Secret/MVD as part of the box set Eve of Destruction
Eve of Destruction (Johnny Thunders album)
Eve of Destruction is a 2-CD/1-DVD boxed set by punk rock guitarist/singer/songwriter Johnny Thunders. The set consists of three different live recordings from various points in Thunders' life and career....
.
Track listing
All tracks composed by Johnny Thunders; except where indicated- "PipelinePipeline (song)"Pipeline" is a surf rock tune by The Chantays which was recorded in 1963.The tune, originally called "Liberty's Whip," was renamed after the band members saw a surfing movie showing scenes of the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii. The tune, fitting in with the popular surfing craze of the time, swiftly...
" (Spickard, Carmen) - "Blame It On Mom"
- "Personality Crisis" (Johnny ThundersJohnny ThundersJohnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
, David JohansenDavid JohansenDavid Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
) - "I Can Tell" (Ellas McDanielBo DiddleyEllas Otha Bates , known by his stage name Bo Diddley, was an American rhythm and blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter , and inventor...
, Smith) - "Dead Or Alive"
- "Can't Keep My Eyes On You" (Walter Lure, Jerry NolanJerry NolanJerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
) - "I Ain't SuperstitiousI Ain't Superstitious"I Ain't Superstitious" is a song written by bluesman Willie Dixon and first recorded by Howlin' Wolf in 1961. It recounts various superstitions, including that of a black cat crossing the pathway...
" (Willie DixonWillie DixonWilliam James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
) - Medley: "Too Much Junkie Business/Pills" (Walter Lure) / (Ellas McDaniel)
- "Pills" is not listed on the album
- "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a MemoryYou Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory"You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory" is a song released in 1978 by ex-New York Dolls member Johnny Thunders. The title was taken from a line in the "Better Living Through TV" episode of the sitcom The Honeymooners, and was written for his close friend Fabienne Shine.Considered by many his...
" - "Eve of Destruction" (P.F. Sloan)
- "It's Not Enough"
- "Lonely Planet Boy" (David Johansen)
- "The Wizard" (Marc BolanMarc BolanMarc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
) - "Play with FirePlay with Fire (The Rolling Stones song)"Play with Fire" is a song by English rock and roll band The Rolling Stones, originally released as B-side to the song "The Last Time". It was later included on the American release of their 1965 album Out of Our Heads....
" (Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
, Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
) - "Green OnionsGreen OnionsGreen Onions is the debut album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, released on Stax Records in October of 1962. It reached number 33 on the Pop Albums chart in the month of its release...
" (Jones, Cropper, Steinburg, Jackson) - "In the Midnight HourIn the Midnight Hour"In the Midnight Hour" is a song originally performed by Wilson Pickett in 1965 and released on the 1966 album The Exciting Wilson Pickett. It was composed by Pickett and Steve Cropper at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis where Martin Luther King, Jr. would later be murdered in April 1968...
" (Wilson PickettWilson PickettWilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, Steve CropperSteve CropperSteve Cropper , also known as Steve "The Colonel" Cropper, is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T...
) - "Sad Vacation"
- "Little Queenie" (Chuck BerryChuck BerryCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
) - "Born To Lose"
Personnel
- Johnny Thunders - guitar, vocals
- Barry Jones - guitar
- Arthur KaneArthur KaneArthur Kane was a musician best known as the bassist for the pioneering glam rock band the New York Dolls. He stated in the 2004 documentary film New York Doll that his nickname, Arthur "Killer" Kane, was inspired by an early New York Dolls concert newspaper review in which the journalist...
- bass - Jerry NolanJerry NolanJerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
- drums