Johnny Thunders, born
John Anthony Genzale, Jr. (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), was an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
protopunkProtopunk is a term used retrospectively to describe a number of musicians who were important precursors of punk rock in the late 1960s to mid-1970s, or who have been cited by early punk musicians as influential...
guitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist, singer and
songwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
.
He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the
New York DollsThe 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...
. He later played with
The HeartbreakersJohnny 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:...
and as a solo artist.
Early life and career
John Genzale was born in Queens, NY, where he first lived in
East ElmhurstEast Elmhurst is a culturally diverse area in New York City, in the northwest of the borough of Queens. It is located north of Jackson Heights and Corona and is bounded on the east and north by Flushing Bay. Residents are mostly moderate-income families, but there are also low-income areas. It...
and then
Jackson HeightsJackson Heights is a neighborhood in the Northwestern portion of the borough of Queens in New York, New York, United States. The neighborhood is part of Queens Community Board 3...
. As a boy he played
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
but could not join the Little League, as league rules required the presence of a player's father. He also refused to cut his hair short.
His first musical performance in the winter of 1967 was with The Reign, and after that, with "Johnny and the Jaywalkers," under the name Johnny Volume while a student at Quintano's School for Young Professionals.
In 1968 he started going to the
Fillmore EastThe Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the East Village neighborhood of the Manhattan borough of New York City. It was open from 1968 to 1971, and featured some of the biggest acts in rock music at the time...
on weekends with his girlfriend, Janice. In late 1969, he got a job as a sales clerk at D'Nazz leather shop, on
Bleecker StreetBleecker Street is a street in New York City's Manhattan borough. It is perhaps most famous today as a Greenwich Village nightclub district. The street is a spine that connects a neighborhood today popular for music venues and comedy, but which was once a major center for American bohemia.Bleecker...
in the West Village. In the summer of 1970, he went to England for the
Isle of Wight FestivalThe Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
. In London he hung out at the
Speakeasy ClubThe Speakeasy Club, 48 Margaret Street, London, England, was a late-night haunt for the music industry from 1966 to the late 1970s. The club was first managed Roy Flynn, who then became the manager of Yes. Tony Howard then became manager, having previously been the main artist booker from The Bryan...
and bought new clothes on
Carnaby StreetCarnaby Street is a pedestrianised shopping street in London, United Kingdom, located in the Soho district, near Oxford Street and Regent Street. It is home to numerous fashion and lifestyle retailers, including a large number of independent fashion boutiques...
. Toward the end of 1970 he started hanging out at Nobodys' Club on Bleecker Street, in the West Village. It was near there that he met future Dolls, Arthur Kane and Rick Rivets. He joined their band, "Actress", which became the
New York DollsThe 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...
with
David 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...
,
Sylvain SylvainSylvain Sylvain is an American rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls.-Early years:...
and
Billy MurciaBilly Murcia, born in Bogotá, Colombia and raised in Jackson Heights, New York, was the original drummer for the New York Dolls.Billy Murcia and Sylvain Sylvain both attended Quintano's School for Young Professionals, in the late sixties. It was at Quintano's that they met Johnny Thunders, also a...
. At this time John Genzale renamed himself Johnny Thunders, after the DC comic book hero.
John and the Dolls were signed to
Mercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
due to the enthusiasm of A and R man, Paul Nelson. John recorded two albums with the band,
New York Dolls and
Too Much Too SoonToo Much Too Soon, also known as New York Dolls in Too Much Too Soon, is the second album by New York Dolls and the last studio album by the original recording line-up. The album was produced by Shadow Morton, a songwriter and record producer closely associated with the Shangri-Las...
. They were managed by Marty Thau. Subsequently they worked with
Malcolm McLarenMalcolm Robert Andrew McLaren was an English performer, impresario, self-publicist and manager of the Sex Pistols and the New York Dolls...
for several months, and were an inspiration for the
Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
.
In 1975 Thunders and Nolan left the band, though Johansen and Sylvain continued playing as the New York Dolls until 1977. Their early recordings are still in print and continue to influence young musicians.
Post-New York Dolls
He formed
The HeartbreakersJohnny 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:...
with Dolls drummer
Jerry NolanJerry Nolan was an American rock drummer, best known for his work with The New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers.-Career:...
, and
TelevisionTelevision was an American rock band, formed in New York City in 1973. They are best known for the album Marquee Moon and widely regarded as one of the founders of "punk" and New Wave music. Television was part of the early 1970s New York underground rock scene, along with bands like the Patti...
bassist
Richard HellRichard Hell is a singer, songwriter, bass guitarist, and writer.Richard Hell was an innovator of punk music and fashion. He was one of the first to spike his hair and wear torn, cut and drawn-on shirts, often held together with safety pins...
. Ex-Demons guitarist Walter Lure was soon added. After Hell unsuccessfully tried to usurp Johnny's place as lead singer, he left to form
Richard Hell and the VoidoidsThe Voidoids, also known as Richard Hell & The Voidoids, were an American rock band from the first wave of punk rock, fronted by Richard Hell, a former member of the Neon Boys, Television and the Heartbreakers...
. Hell was replaced by Billy Rath.
With Thunders leading the band, the Heartbreakers toured America before coming to Britain to join the Sex Pistols, Clash and the Damned on the now legendary Anarchy Tour. The group stayed in the UK throughout 1977, where their popularity was significantly greater than in the U.S., particularly among punk bands. While in Britain they signed to Track Records and released their only official studio album LAMF. Since remixed and now regarded as one of the great punk albums, at the time critics generally favourable to the band expressed disappointment with its 'muddy sound'. Displeased with the production the band themselves were soon at loggerheads with each other culminating in drummer Jerry Nolan quitting in November 1977. Shortly after, the Heartbreakers were officially over as a unit.
Thunders stayed in London and recorded the first in a number of solo albums beginning with
So AloneSo Alone is a 1978 album by Johnny Thunders, then leader of The Heartbreakers and formerly lead guitarist for the New York Dolls.After recording L.A.M.F. with the Heartbreakers, Thunders returned to the studio and recorded his first true solo album, So Alone...
in 1978. The notoriously drug-fuelled recording sessions featured a core band of Thunders, bassist
Phil LynottPhilip Parris "Phil" Lynott was an Irish musician who first came to prominence as a founding member, principal songwriter, and frontman of the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy....
, drummer
Paul CookPaul Thomas Cook is an English drummer and member of the punk rock band Sex Pistols.-Early life and career:...
, and guitarist
Steve JonesStephen Philip "Steve" Jones is an English rock guitarist, singer and actor, best known as guitarist and founding member of the punk rock band the Sex Pistols.-Childhood:...
, with guest appearances from
Chrissie HyndeChristine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
,
Steve MarriottStephen Peter Marriott , popularly known as Steve Marriott, was an English musician, songwriter, and frontman of several notable rock and roll bands, spanning over two decades...
, Walter Lure, Billy Rath, and
Peter PerrettPeter Perrett is an English singer-songwriter. He fronts the recently re-formed 1970s English band, The Only Ones. Perrett lives in Forest Hill, South East London. The Only Ones often described as New Wave were noted for their musicianship during the Punk period...
of
The Only OnesThe Only Ones are an English rock band. They were initially active in the late 1970s and were associated with punk rock, yet straddled the musical territory in between punk, power pop and hard rock, with noticeable influences from psychedelia...
. The CD version of the album contains four bonus tracks, including the single "Dead or Alive". After its release, Thunders and
Sex PistolsThe Sex Pistols were an English punk rock band that formed in London in 1975. They were responsible for initiating the punk movement in the United Kingdom and inspiring many later punk and alternative rock musicians...
bassist
Sid ViciousSid Vicious was an English musician best known as the bassist of the influential punk rock group Sex Pistols...
played in the Living Dead for a short time before moving back to the US and joining Heartbreaker buddies Walter Lure, Billy Rath and sometimes Jerry Nolan for gigs at Max's Kansas City.
In late 1979 Thunders moved to Detroit with his wife Julie and began performing in a band called Gang War. Other members included John Morgan, Ron Cooke, Philippe Marcade and former
MC5The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
guitarist
Wayne KramerWayne Kramer is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and film and television scorer....
. They recorded several demos and performed live several times before disbanding, with
Zodiac RecordsZodiac Records has been the name of at least six different record labels*Zodiac Records , from New Zealand, owned by Stebbing Recording and Sound, LTD, headquartered in Auckland...
releasing an EP in 1987. Bootlegs of their demos and live performances are circulating; One semi-official live/studio vinyl only LP was released on Zodiac in 1990, credited to Thunders and Kramer and titled
Gang War.
During the early 1980s, Thunders re-formed The Heartbreakers for various tours; the group recorded their final album- Live at the Lyceum in 1984.
In 1985, he released
Que Sera Sera, a collection of new songs that showed he could still perform convincingly. Three years later he teamed up with ex-Snatch vocalist Patti Palladin and former Only Ones guitarist John Perry to record 'Copy Cats', a covers album inspired by John Lennon's Rock N Roll .
From August 1988, until his death in April 1991, Thunders performed with a band known as the Oddballs: Jamie Heath, saxophone; Alison Gordy, vocals; Chris Musto, drums; Stevie Klasson, guitar; and Jill Wisoff, bass, who left after a year.
His final recording was a version of "Born Too Lose", with German punk rock band
Die Toten HosenDie Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
, recorded 36 hours before his death in New Orleans.
Death
Many rumors surround Thunders' death at the St. Peter House in New Orleans,
LouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in April 1991. He apparently died of drug-related causes, but it has been speculated that it was the result of foul play. According to the autobiography
Lobotomy: Surviving The Ramones,
Dee Dee RamoneDee Dee Ramone was an American songwriter and musician, best known as founding member, bassist and main songwriter of the punk rock band the Ramones....
took a call in
New YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
the next day from Stevie Klasson, Johnny's rhythm guitar player. "They told me that Johnny had gotten mixed up with some bastards... who ripped him off for his
methadoneMethadone is a synthetic opioid, used medically as an analgesic and a maintenance anti-addictive for use in patients with opioid dependency. It was developed in Germany in 1937...
supply. They had given him LSD and then murdered him. He had gotten a pretty large supply of methadone in England, so he could travel and stay away from those creeps - the drug dealers, Thunders imitators, and losers like that."
What is known for certain is that Johnny's room (no. 37) was ransacked and most of his possessions were missing (passport, makeup, clothes).
Rigor mortisRigor mortis is one of the recognizable signs of death that is caused by a chemical change in the muscles after death, causing the limbs of the corpse to become stiff and difficult to move or manipulate...
had set in with his body positioned in an unnatural state, described by eyewitnesses as "like a pretzel", underneath a coffee table. Friends and acquaintances acknowledge he had not been using heroin for some time, relying on his methadone prescriptions. The police did not open a criminal investigation.
Singer
Willy DeVilleWilly DeVille was an American singer and songwriter. During his thirty-five year career, first with his band Mink DeVille and later on his own, Deville created original songs rooted in traditional American musical styles. He worked with collaborators from across the spectrum of contemporary...
, who lived next door to the hotel in which Thunders died, described his death this way:
- I don't know how the word got out that I lived next door, but all of a sudden the phone started ringing and ringing. Rolling Stone was calling, the Village Voice called, his family called, and then his guitar player called. I felt bad for all of them. It was a tragic end, and I mean, he went out in a blaze of glory, ha ha ha, so I thought I might as well make it look real good, you know, out of respect, so I just told everybody that when Johnny died he was laying down on the floor with his guitar in his hands. I made that up. When he came out of the St. Peter's Guest House, rigor mortis had set in to such an extent that his body was in a U shape. When you're laying on the floor in a fetal position, doubled over - well, when the body bag came out, it was in a U. It was pretty awful."
An autopsy was conducted by the New Orleans coroner, but served only to compound the mysteries. According to Thunders' biographer
Nina AntoniaNina Antonia is an English music journalist and author. She has written articles and books about punk-rock era recording artists, including Johnny Thunders and Peter Perrett and has contributed to Mojo and Spiral Scratch magazines, written liner notes for The Stooges live recording Studio Sessions...
as posted on the
Jungle RecordsJungle Records is a British-based record label formed in 1982, specializing in classic punk rock, post punk, gothic and alternative releases.They recorded albums by Johnny Thunders such as 'Copy Cats' and 'Que Sera Sera' and are licensors of the classic Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers tape...
web site, the level of drugs found in his system was not fatal. And according to the book "Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon" by
Pamela Des BarresPamela Des Barres aka Miss Pamela is a former rock 'n' roll groupie, author, and magazine writer.- Early life :...
who interviewed Thunders' sister Marion, the autopsy confirmed evidence of advanced
leukemiaLeukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, which would explain the decline in Thunders' appearance in the final year of his life. This also sheds light on the interview in
Lech KowalskiLech Kowalski is an American film director of Polish origins. His most notable film is thedocumentary, D.O.A. subtitled "A Rite of Passage", which chronicled the burgeoning UK punk scene at the tail-end of the 70's, and included footage of the Sex Pistols' abortive 1978 American Tour...
's documentary "Born To Lose: The Last Rock and Roll Movie", where Thunders' sister Mary-Ann's husband says, "Only Johnny knew how sick he really was."
In a 1994
Melody MakerMelody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
interview Thunders' manager Mick Webster described the efforts of his family, "We keep asking the New Orleans police to re-investigate, but they haven’t been particularly friendly. They seemed to think that this was just another
junkieThe section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
who had wandered into town and died. They simply weren’t interested." Marion claims that the original police report is largely missing and Webster further explains that the Coroner who conducted the autopsy was fired for falsifying a report in another case.
Thunders was survived by his ex-wife Julie and four children:sons John, Vito, and Dino; and daughter Jamie Genzale.
Discography
Studio albums
- So Alone
So Alone is a 1978 album by Johnny Thunders, then leader of The Heartbreakers and formerly lead guitarist for the New York Dolls.After recording L.A.M.F. with the Heartbreakers, Thunders returned to the studio and recorded his first true solo album, So Alone...
– (1978)
- In Cold Blood
In Cold Blood is a 1983 double album by Johnny Thunders. The first album was recorded in the studio and the second has live recordings-Side A:#"In Cold Blood"#"Just Another Girl"Recorded at Downtown Studios, Boston, October 1982.-Side B:...
– (1983)
- Diary of a Lover
Diary of a Lover is a Johnny Thunders album recorded throughout 1982. "Green Onions", "Look In My Eyes" and "Diary of a Lover" were recorded at Euphoria Sound Studios, Revere, Massachusetts...
– (1983)
- Hurt Me
Hurt Me is a 1983 album by Johnny Thunders-Side A:All tracks composed by Johnny Thunders; except where indicated#"Sad Vacation"#"Eve of Destruction" Hurt Me is a 1983 album by Johnny Thunders-Side A:All tracks composed by Johnny Thunders; except where indicated#"Sad Vacation"#"Eve of Destruction"...
– (1983)
- Que Sera Sera
Que Sera Sera is a 1985 album by Johnny Thunders. Johnny Thunders shot some New Yawk scoff into songs like the punk mission statement "Little Bit of Whore," "Short Lives", "Billy Boy", and "Endless Party" a searing instrumental ode to fallen original New York Dolls drummer Billy Murcia.-Track...
– (1985)
- Copy Cats
Copy Cats is a 1988 album by Johnny Thunders and Patti Palladin. It is a set of rock and roll oldies, originally recorded from 1954 to 1969.-Side one:#"Can't Seem To Make You Mine"...
– (1988)
Official live albums and compilations
- The New Too Much Junkie Business – (1983)
- Stations of the Cross – (1987)
- Bootlegging
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
the Bootleggers – (1990)
- Live in Japan – (1991)
- Have Faith – (1992)
- Saddest Vacation Act. 1 – (1993)
- Saddest Vacation Act. 2 – (1993)
- Chinese Rocks: The Ultimate Thunders Live Collection – (1993)
- Add Water & Stir – (1994)
- Stations of the Cross (Revisited) – (1994)
- The Studio Bootlegs – (1996)
- Belfast Rocks – (1997)
- Born Too Lose: The Best of Johnny Thunders – (1999)
- Live at Leeds – (1999)
- Play with Fire – (2000)
- Endless Party – (2000)
- Panic on the Sunset Strip – (2000)
- Live & Wasted: Unplugged 1990 – (2001)
- Eve of Destruction – (2005)
Official singles and EPs
- "Dead or Alive" 7" – (1978)
- "You 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...
" 7" & 12" – (1978)
- " Twist And Shout/Boys" 7" live at Max's with Jimi LaLumia & The Psychotic Frogs-(1981)
- "In Cold Blood" 7" – (1983)
- "Hurt Me" 7" – (1984)
- "Crawfish 7" & 12" – (1985)
- "Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be)" 7" & 12" – (1988)
Unofficial/bootleg albums
- Hey Man Where Is My Guitar – (1983)
- Pipeline – (1983)
- So All Alone – (1983)
- Wanted: Dead or Alive Reward $10 – (1983)
- Cosa Nostra Never Sleeps – (1984) – recorded on June, 1983 at Folkets Park, Södertälje
Södertälje is a city and the seat of Södertälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 86,069 inhabitants in 2010.The industrial city, about south of Stockholm, is the home to truck maker Scania AB and a top 10 pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca....
, Sweden.
- Play with Fire – (1984)
- There's a Little Bit of Whore in Every Girl – (1984)
- Schneckentaenze – (1985)
- Lucky Strikes Back – (1987) – recorded at Nihon Seinenkan, Tokyo, Japan on July 8, 1986.
- Diary of a Gypsy Lover – (1996) – contains material from 4 different sources: alternate takes from the In Cold Blood studio session (tracks 1-6); tracks that were originally released as a Japanese 7" single called Critics Choice (7-9); material from "Live at The Rat", Boston, 1983 (10-15); and material from a radio show done in 1991 (16-23).
- Johnny on the Rocks – (1996)
- Live Crisis – (1996)
- Fuck Off Marquee – (1997)
- Countdown Love (Demos & Unreleased Live) – (1999)
- The Party Ain't Over Yet – (2005)
Unofficial/bootleg singles and EPs
- Proud to Be Pirate EP – (1983)
- Ain't Superstitious 7" – (1987)
- Critic's Choice 7" – (1992)
- Daddy Rollin' Stone 7" – (1996)
- Life Goes On 7" – (1996)
- Countdown Love 7" – (1997)
- The Fireball EP – (1999)
- The Thunderbolt EP – (1999)
- It's Great When You're Straight, Yeah EP – (2000)
- The Reign 7" Zippered up heart (rec. 1967) – (Norton Records 2000)
Musical tributes
Thunders has had numerous bands paying tribute or mentioning him in their songs, while he was alive and after his death.
- The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
mentioned Thunders in the lyric from their song "City Of The DeadSuper Black Market Clash is a compilation album released by The Clash in 1993 that contains B-sides and rare tracks not available on their other albums. It is a repackaging of the original 1980 Black Market Clash, which was a single 10" EP, containing only 9 songs...
", singing "'Don't you know where to cop?'/That's what New York Johnny said/'You should get to know your town/Just like I know mine'" and on the song "Safe European HomeGive 'Em Enough Rope is the second studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released on 10 November 1978 through CBS Records. It was their first album released in the United States, preceding the US version of The Clash...
", where they sing "'How many local dollars for a local anaesthetic?/The Johnny on the corner was a very sympathetic'."
- Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks covered "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" on his first solo LP called Nights Are So Long.
- Alison Gordy of Blonde and Blue (and former backup singer for Johnny) recorded "You Can't Put Your Arms Around A Memory" on their CD Mad As Hell.
- Giant Sand
Giant Sand is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The name is shortened from the original Giant Sandworms, a reference to the creatures in the Dune books. Overseen by singer-songwriter Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years—at times with each album...
covered "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" on their 1986 album Ballad Of A Thin Line Man.
- Recently, Gibson.com ranked Thunders #2 on its "Punk Rock's 10 Mightiest Guitar Gods" list.
- Then-Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
bassist Duff McKaganMichael Andrew "Duff" McKagan is an American musician and writer. He is best known for his twelve-year tenure as the bassist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
wrote the song "So Fine", which was dedicated to Thunders. The song appears on the album Use Your Illusion IIUse Your Illusion II is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Guns N' Roses. It was one of two albums released in conjunction with the Use Your Illusion Tour, and as a result the two albums are sometimes considered a double album...
. Also, in 1993, Guns N' Roses covered Thunders' song "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" on their cover album, "The Spaghetti Incident?""The Spaghetti Incident?" is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Guns N' Roses. The album is unique for the band, consisting entirely of cover versions, mostly of punk and glam rock songs of the late 1970s and early 1980s....
, with McKagan performing vocals and playing all instruments.
- Willy DeVille
Willy DeVille was an American singer and songwriter. During his thirty-five year career, first with his band Mink DeVille and later on his own, Deville created original songs rooted in traditional American musical styles. He worked with collaborators from across the spectrum of contemporary...
wrote a song called "Chemical Warfare" which appeared on his 1992 album Backstreets of DesireBackstreets of Desire is an album by Willy DeVille. It was recorded in various Los Angeles recording studios in 1992. To make the album, DeVille was joined by many prominent musicians, including Dr...
. "Chemical Warfare" was dedicated to Johnny Thunders with whom DeVille shared a long-time friendship. DeVille was first to arrive at the hotel the day of Johnny's death.
- At their reunion shows, the New York Dolls have been performing "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory", with member Sylvain Sylvain
Sylvain Sylvain is an American rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls.-Early years:...
singing the lead vocal and sometimes changing the title lyric to "I can't put my arms around you, Johnny."
- On the Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
double album, Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of OrpheusAbattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus is the 13th studio album released by Australian alternative rock band, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It is a double CD with 17 tracks – 9 on Abattoir Blues and 8 on The Lyre of Orpheus – which was released on 20 September 2004...
, Johnny Thunders is mentioned in the song "There She Goes my Beautiful World", singing "...And Johnny Thunders was half alive when he wrote 'Chinese Rocks'"(although Johnny performed and recorded 'Chinese Rocks' it was written by his friend and fellow punk rocker Dee Dee Ramone).
- English rock band the Dogs D'Amour
The Dogs D'Amour were a rock and roll band formed in 1983 in London, England. Over the years the band has had various line-ups, the only constant being vocalist Tyla....
released a song about Thunders titled "Johnny Silvers" on their ...More Unchartered Heights of Disgrace album.
- The Replacements included a song about Johnny Thunders, "Johnny's Gonna Die", on their first album. The Mats also had a song called "Dose of Thunder" on their "Tim" album.
- Alex Chilton
William Alexander "Alex" Chilton was an American songwriter, guitarist, singer and producer, best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star...
in his song "Bangkok" sings the lines "I'm not living on Chinese rocks, I'm in Bangkok." A small tribute and allusion to Johnny Thunders.
- Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
paid tribute to Johnny Thunders by including the line "So lange Johnny Thunders lebt, so lang bleib ich ein Punk" ("As long as Johnny Thunders lives I'll stay a punk") in their song "Wort zum Sonntag". After his death Die Toten Hosen changed the lyrics to "Hey, Johnny kannst du uns grad' seh'n, wir vergessen dich nicht - wir werden überall von dir erzählen damit dein Name ewig weiterlebt." ("Hey, Johnny can you see us right now, we won't forget you - we'll tell everywhere about you for your name 'll live on eternally.")
- The Murder City Devils
-History:The band's original lineup, consisting of Spencer Moody, Dann Gallucci, Derek Fudesco, Coady Willis, and Nate Manny formed in Seattle, Washington in 1996. Gabe Kerbrat was their permanent roadie, and considered a member...
named a song "Johnny Thunders" on their album Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts.
- Iggy Pop wrote a tribute song for Johnny entitled "Look Away" on the album Naughty Little Doggie
Naughty Little Doggie is a 1996 album by Iggy Pop. The last track, "Look Away", features Iggy's tribute to Johnny Thunders and Sabel Starr...
. It also involves his love affair with Sable StarrSabel Starr was a noted groupie, often described as "queen of the groupie scene" in Los Angeles during the early 1970s...
.
- "Everything I Wanted" by Australian band Wallspace features the line "Don't you wish you had a name like Johnny Thunder".
- Spanish label Munster Records released Again ... This One's For Johnny in 2001, a tribute record which includes bands as Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
, Ronnie SpectorVeronica Yvette "Ronnie" Spector is an American rock and roll and popular music vocalist, and was the lead singer of the 1960s hit-making girl group, The Ronettes, who were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. She is known as the "original bad girl of rock and roll."-Personal...
, Nikki SuddenNikki Sudden was a prolific English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He co-founded the post-punk band Swell Maps with his brother Epic Soundtracks while attending Solihull School in Solihull.-Career:...
or Atom RhumbaAtom Rhumba is a Basque band formed in Bilbao in 1996.Their sound may be described as a mix of late 70's New York rock and 50's Rock'n'Roll fuelled by a strong and primitive rhythm section definitely influenced by James Brown....
- Vic Godard & the Subway Sect had a single titled "Johnny Thunders" which was released in September 1992 by Rough Trade records.
- Napalm Beach
Napalm Beach is an American punk rock band from Portland, Oregon. One of the longest-running punk bands in the U.S., they are credited by some as being early innovators of the grunge sound. Napalm Beach shared the stage with bands such as X, Public Image Ltd., Joan Jett, Johnny Thunders, Gun Club,...
played on at least two bills in the 1980s with the Heartbreakers in Portland in Seattle. Three days before Thunders passed away, the band had breakfast with Thunders in a Berlin hotel, where Thunders autographed bandleader Chris Newman's passport "all my love and admiration." In 1993 Napalm Beach released a cover of "Chatterbox" for a Johnny Thunders Tribute compilation put together by Tim Kerr Records. The single featured a photo of the autograph next to a photo of a guitar Napalm Beach bassist Otis P. Otis had gotten from Thunders in an earlier trade. The last meeting with Thunders was alluded to in the Napalm Beach song "Longtime Johnny" on their 1993 album, Curiosities.
- Slaughter & the Dogs had a track titled "Johnny T" allegedly about Thunders which was the b-side to their single "Dame to Blame".
- In the "Call of the Yeti" episode of "The Mighty Boosh" Naboo tells Vince "Vince, you're a punk, stay punk! Think of Johnny Thunders, Mick and Keith!" when they are threatened to be raped by Hippy yetis.
- Paul Westerberg
Paul Westerberg is an American musician, best known as the former lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter of The Replacements, one of the seminal alternative rock bands of the 1980s. He launched a solo career after the dissolution of that band...
released an album in August 2008 entitled "49:00" which contains a track about Johnny entitled "Devil Raised A Good Boy".
- Anarcho punk band Kronstadt Uprising
This article is about the band Kronstadt Uprising. For information about the historical event see Kronstadt UprisingKrondstadt Uprising were an anarcho-punk band from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK during the 1980s.-History:...
became more influenced by Johnny Thunders (and glam rockGlam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
generally) later in their existence.
- Chinese punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
band Joyside's "Neptune Child" is in tribute of Stiv Bators and Johnny Thunders.
- When doing their cover of The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
song Dead Flowers. JB Beverley and The Wayward Drifters substitute the line, "and another girl to take my pain away", with, "with my Johnny Thunders records taking all this pain away".
- American label Skykrebs Records Limited http://skykrebsrecordslimited.com released Born To Lose: A Tribute To Johnny Thunders in 2009, a 3CD Boxed Set of various artists featuring 51 songs and a 36 page full color booklet. Guest stars include Richie Cannata
Richie Cannata is an American music producer, multi-instrumentalist and studio owner. He is most notable for playing saxophone in the Billy Joel band alongside Doug Stegmeyer and Liberty DeVitto. After leaving the band in 1981, he opened Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove, New York...
(saxophone player from Billy Joel), Steve Holley (drummer from Wings), Buddy Bowzer (saxophone player from The New York Dolls), Andy ShernoffAndy Shernoff is a musician, songwriter, record producer and oenophile.He is a founding member of The Dictators, one of the original New York punk bands, in which he wrote nearly all of the songs, played bass guitar and keyboards, and sang backing vocals and occasional leads...
(bass player from The Dictators) and Jeff Magnum (bass player from The Dead Boys).
- John Waite
John Charles Waite is an English rock singer and musician. He was lead vocalist for The Babys and Bad English. As a solo artist, he scored several international hits, including 1984's "Missing You", a top ten hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, reaching #1 in the...
references Johnny in his song "Downtown" from his Temple Bar CD. In the song, the lyric "Johnny Thunders on the Radio, ah You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory".
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