Guest columnist Mark Ashby interviews Sylvain Sylvain of The New York Dolls
There is no doubt about it - The New York Dolls are one of THE seminal bands who helped to influence not one, not two but several generations of rock ‘n’ rollers.
Since they swaggered out of the back alleys of the city from which they take their name in the early ‘70s - fusing the sound of vintage rhythm and blues, protopunk and glam rock in a way which the renowned contemporary critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described as “hard rock with a self-conscious wit, a celebration of camp and kitsch that retains a menacing, malevolent edge” - they have been credited with shaping the face of not just both the punk and glam/sleaze rock movements, influencing bands as diverse as The Ramones, The Cramps, The Sex Pistols (Steve Jones modelled his stage style on Johnny Thunders), Kiss, Motley Crüe, Guns ‘N Roses, Hanoi Rocks, Blondie, Television and legions of others.
After the band split in 1975, founder member Sylvain Sylvain went on to pursue a solo career, as well as collaborate with fellow Doll David Johanson on a number of albums. Almost 30 years later, Smiths frontman Morrissey – a lifelong fan, so much so that as a teenager he was president of the band’s UK fan club, and later wrote a book about them – persuaded the Dolls to re-unite for 2004’s Meltdown Festival (at which another fan, REM’s Michael Stipe guested on ‘One Day’).
This Saturday (July 13th), Sylvain Sylvain returns to Belfast to play a ‘solo’ show, at the Empire Music Hall. I tracked down the man born in Cairo as Sylvain Mizrahi to fire a few questions his way – and then spent several sleepless nights deciphering, translating and getting my head around his answers… and I still don’t have a clue what he’s on about half the time!
So first off was he looking forward to returning to Belfast for the first time since the Dolls supported The White Stripes in Botanic Gardens back in 2004?
Yes and I just wish that it wouldn't have taken this long because I love Ireland… I'm married to an O’Kelly…
Who else is in the band for this visit?
This time, Gary Powell is going be playing the drums. Gary played with The Libertines - and he also played for [re-united] New York Dolls at the [Morrissey-curated] Meltdown Festival in London in 2004. Kenny Aaronson [formerly of Dust, Stories, HSAS and Blue Oyster Cult, among many others] is on bass: an incredible musician… and he's a New Yorker - we hung out together when we were kids and grew up out of the whole music scene in New York. Also, Aaron Lee Tasjan [ex-Semi Precious Weapons and Alberta Cross] is playing the guitar. I'm so happy to be playing with these incredible musicians: we've already done it in New York and other places, and stuff, and [been] very, very well received - and we’re having such a great time thank you…
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the Dolls’ first album: looking back to those heady days of the early 70s, did you ever think that you’d be celebrating such a significant landmark in your career?
Well, it's always great to be loved for what you've done and what you're about to do! It's great, yes: I never thought [I’d still be doing this] 40 years [later], but the time keeps on clickin’ in – [but] the stopwatch hasn't stopped yet, so thank God for that! Hence the reason why I'm coming over to play for you crazy kids - I love you…
Are there any plans for something special to mark the anniversary (which actually falls exactly two weeks after your Belfast show)?
Unfortunately no…
If the Sylvain Sylvain I’m talking to now could travel back to the formative years of his career, is there any advice you would give to your younger self, or anything you would change?
The only good advice I think I can give anybody at this point my career is… always depend on the blues: learn the blues, play the blues, have fun with the blues: you can travel musically anywhere once you master that...
The influence of the New York Dolls has crossed multiple genres, with the band being regarded as one of the seminal punk bands, but also cited as a major influence on the ‘hair metal’ movement of the 1980s (which many would regard as the antithesis of punk): does it surprise you that the band’s influence has stretched, and continues to stretch across such a broad musical spectrum?
[It] doesn't surprise me at all, because, again, I rely on the blues and the blues is forever. I'm still enjoying having brand new people discovering the New York Dolls today, and [doesn’t seem to] stop… thank God for that…
One band on whom you were a big influence was Hanoi Rocks (still a favourite band of mine), and in 2005 their former bassist, Sam Yaffa, joined the Dolls: was it a strange experience to have a member of a band who at one time were seen as successors to the Dolls, and someone who had even paid his own tribute to the band by naming one his projects Jet Boy, as an integral member of the group?
Actually, I was the one who had suggested his name to David in 2004, after we lost Porot 13 [founding bassist Arthur Kane, who died of leukaemia that year] - the reason [was because] his influences were all New York Dolls; he also has that quality [about him]… when you see the guy walking across the street, he's a manic, cabin easy, New York doll…
As we mentioned, the Dolls have influenced not one, but two, maybe even three generations of bands: do you pay much attention to bands who cite you as an influence, and if so are there any acts that make you think “mmm, they’ve maybe got it right…”?
Yes. I love to be loved and to be appreciated for what I do: [music is] what I think I do best in my life - and, yes I think some of the [the bands that have been influenced by that music are] really, really great actually. I love that I've influenced almost three generations. [With the internet] now, even more people keep finding something about the New York Dolls that speaks to them in a profound way - and [hopefully that will] last forever… it's beautiful: you can never plan anything like that - it's always something that will only happen naturally…
Are there any plans for a new Dolls album?
No, there are no plans for New York Dolls album, but I have a new [solo] album that's coming out, hopefully by the end of this year. It's called ‘The Monkey Never Dies’, and I have a new single out that's called ‘Leaving New York’ that's available on iTunes and all your favourite downloads stores. I hope [the album will be available] on all the other formats, including vinyl, so look out for that…
Finally, as we talked about earlier, the first New York Dolls album is 40 years old, and you yourself recently turned 62: are you “never too old to rock ‘n’ roll” or do you see a time when you’ll hang up your guitar?
I know I don't see any kind of retirement as far as rock 'n roll is concerned - especially now that I'm coughing up such a fever for the love of rock 'n roll… and that's all I could ever do: that's all I do! I just try to stay as creative as possible, and then I hope as long as people want to come out, check it out, and see me and hear my new songs on recordings and stuff… But, I'll do it forever - to my last drop…
Sylvain Sylvain plays the Empire Music Hall on Saturday July 13. Support comes from Million $ Reload and The Sabrejets. Tickets are on sale now, priced £17.50 plus booking fee, from www.ticketmaster.ie and all usual outlets – and also be available at the door.
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