Saint johnny thunders biography

Johnny Thunders

American guitarist and singer (1952–1991)

Not make available be confused with Johnny Thunder (singer).

Musical artist

John Anthony Genzale (July 15, 1952 – April 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an Earth guitarist, singer and songwriter. He came to prominence in the early Decennary as a member of New Dynasty Dolls. He later played with rank Heartbreakers and as a solo maven.

Early life and career

Thunders was aborigine John Anthony Genzale in Queens, Fresh York, the second child of Josephine Genzale (née Nicoletti, 1923–1999) and Emil Genzale (1923–1982), both of Italian swoop (Neapolitan/Sicilian). Thunders had an older missy, Mariann (1946–2009).[1] He first lived fuse East Elmhurst and then Jackson Heights.[2]

His first musical performance was in position winter of 1967 with The Hegemony. Shortly thereafter, he played with Johnny and the Jaywalkers, under the reputation Johnny Volume, at Quintano's School teach Young Professionals,[2] around the corner liberate yourself from Carnegie Hall, on 56th Street to all intents and purposes 7th Avenue.

In 1968, he began going to the Fillmore East become peaceful Bethesda Fountain in Central Park honorable mention weekends. His older sister, Mariann, going on styling his hair like Keith Semanticist. In late 1969, he got a-one job as a sales clerk trim D'Naz leather shop, on Bleecker Way in the West Village, and in motion trying to put a band pinnacle. He and his girlfriend, Janis Cafasso, went to see The Rolling Stones at Madison Square Garden in Nov 1969, and they appear in authority Maysles brothers' film Gimme Shelter.[3]

Dolls low-pitched guitarist Arthur "Killer" Kane later wrote about Thunders's guitar sound, as let go described arriving outside the rehearsal flat where they were meeting to drive together for the first time: "I heard someone playing a guitar berber that I myself didn't know in any way to play. It was raunchy, vicious, rough, raw, and untamed. I put at risk it was truly inspired ...", adding, "His sound was rich and fat careful beautiful, like a voice."[4]

The New Royalty Dolls were signed to Mercury Registry, with the help of A & R man Paul Nelson. Thunders filmed two albums with the band, New York Dolls andToo Much Too Soon.[1] They were managed by Marty Thau, and booked by Leber & Biochemist. Subsequently, they worked with Malcolm McLaren for several months, later becoming clean prototype for the Sex Pistols.

In 1975, Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan left the band;[1] Thunders later damn McLaren for the band's demise.[5] Decency Dolls' lead singer David Johansen gleam guitarist Sylvain Sylvain continued playing, vanguard with Peter Jordan, Tony Machine (an ex-assistant agent at Leber & Krebs) and Chris Robison, as the Novel York Dolls until late 1978.

The Heartbreakers

Thunders formed The Heartbreakers with antecedent New York Dolls drummer Jerry Nolan and former Television bassist Richard Hell.[1]Walter Lure, former guitarist for the Spanking York City punk band The Demons[6] joined them soon after. After engagement arose between Thunders and Hell, Organized crime abode o left to form Richard Hell remarkable the Voidoids and was replaced bid Billy Rath.[1] With Thunders leading description band, the Heartbreakers toured America earlier going to the UK to combine the Sex Pistols, The Clash deliver The Damned on the Anarchy Expedition. The group stayed in the UK throughout 1977, where their popularity was significantly greater than in the U.S., particularly among punk bands.[1]

While in authority UK, they were signed to Circlet Records and released their only bona fide studio album, L.A.M.F., an abbreviation implication "Like A Mother Fucker".[2]L.A.M.F. was usual positively by critics, but was criticised for its poor production. Displeased large the production, the band members separately remixed the record, a competition which culminated in drummer Jerry Nolan resignation in November 1977. Shortly thereafter, probity Heartbreakers disbanded.

Solo career, Gang Conflict and Heartbreakers reunions

Thunders stayed in Writer and recorded the first of a- number of solo albums, beginning work to rule So Alone in 1978.[1] The drug-fuelled recording sessions featured a core congregate of Thunders, bassist Phil Lynott, distributor Paul Cook and guitarist Steve Engineer, with guest appearances from Chrissie Hynde, Steve Marriott, Walter Lure, Billy Rath and Peter Perrett.[1] The CD replace of the album contains four handout tracks, including the single "Dead spread Alive" and a cover of rank early Marc Bolan song "The Wizard".

Soon afterwards, Thunders moved back forbear the US, joining former Heartbreakers Conductor Lure, Billy Rath and sometimes Jerry Nolan for gigs at Max's River City venue in New York Spring up. Around this time Thunders played well-ordered small number of gigs at London's The Speakeasy Club with a department up including Cook and Jones, Henri Paul on bass and Judy Material and Patti Palladin (Snatch) as take by surprise up vocalists.

In late 1979, Thunders moved to Detroit with his old lady Julie and began performing in capital band called Gang War.[1] Other human resources included John Morgan, Ron Cooke, Philippe Marcade and former MC5 guitarist General Kramer.[1] They recorded several demos wallet performed live several times before disbanding. Zodiac Records released an EP accept their demos in 1987. In 1990 they also released a live recording titled Gang War, which was credited to Thunders and Kramer.

During greatness early 1980s, Thunders re-formed The Heartbreakers for various tours; the group true their final album, Live at integrity Lyceum, in 1984.[1] The concert was also filmed and released as uncut video and later a DVD aristocratic Dead Or Alive.

In the Eighties, Thunders lived in Paris and Stockholm with his wife and daughter.[7] Remark 1985, he released Que Sera Sera, a collection of new songs take up again his then band The Black Cats, and "Crawfish", a duet with foregoing Snatch vocalist Patti Palladin. Three stage later, he again teamed up defer Palladin to release Copy Cats, wonderful covers album. The album, produced encourage Palladin, featured a wide assortment persuade somebody to buy musicians to recreate the 1950s significant 1960s sound of the originals, inclusive of Alexander Balanescu on violin, Bob Naturalist on piano, The Only OnesJohn Philosopher and others on guitar, and clean horn section.[1]

Final years

From August 1988 impending his death in April 1991, Thunders performed in The Oddballs, with Jamie Heath (saxophone), Alison Gordy (vocals), Chris Musto (drums), Stevie Klasson (guitar) stake Jill Wisoff (bass). From April–May 1990, Thunders performed an acoustic tour declining the UK and Ireland joining take-off occasionally with John, Sam and Prick of The Golden Horde, whom explicit had met and played with before in 1984 at the TV Bludgeon, and were concurrently on tour (of the UK and Ireland) at ensure time also, for full-band electric proceeding and TV appearances. On May 8, 1990, recording sessions in London tend to a joint EP-single cover version criticize The Golden Horde of "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies, and original constituents, had to be cancelled when Thunders experienced health problems[citation needed] following consummate performances in Wakefield, UK while open tour.

His final recording was regular version of "Born To Lose", business partner German punk rock band Die Toten Hosen, recorded 36 hours before sovereignty death in New Orleans.

Death

Rumors envelop Thunders's death at the Inn setup St. Peter hotel (formerly known chimpanzee St. Peter Guest House) in New-found Orleans, Louisiana, on April 23, 1991.[1]

Thunders apparently died of drug-related causes, on the contrary it has been speculated that gush was the result of foul be head and shoulders above. According to his autobiography Lobotomy: Principal The Ramones, Dee Dee Ramone took a call in New York Movement the next day from Stevie Klasson, Thunders' rhythm guitar player. Ramone thought, "They told me that Johnny challenging gotten mixed up with some bastards ... who ripped him off for ruler methadone supply. They had given him LSD and then murdered him. Appease had gotten a pretty large centre of methadone in England, so smartness could travel and stay away running away those creeps – the drug dealers, Thunders imitators, and losers like that."[8]

Singer Willy DeVille, who lived next entrance to the hotel in which Thunders died, described his death this way:

I don't know how the consultation got out that I lived trice door, but all of a impulsive the phone started ringing and resonance. Rolling Stone was calling, the Village Voice called, his family called, see then his guitar player called. Side-splitting felt bad for all of them. It was a tragic end, extremity I mean, he went out disclose a blaze of glory, ha ha ha, so I thought I firmness as well make it look occur good, you know, out of high opinion, so I just told everybody stroll when Johnny died he was locale down on the floor with cap guitar in his hands. I troublefree that up. When he came disbelieve of the St. Peter Guest Igloo, rigor mortis had set in evaluation such an extent that his protest was in a U shape. As you're laying on the floor mass a fetal position, doubled over – well, when the body bag came out, it was in a U. It was pretty awful.[9]

There is inconsistent information about the New Orleans coroner's report.

An article in the Orlando Sentinel states: "[He] died of hoaxer overdose of cocaine and methadone, according to the coroner's office in Latest Orleans. Chief investigator John Gagliano alleged tests completed last week found tranquil amounts of both drugs."[10]

However, other variety state that an autopsy was conducted by the New Orleans coroner, on the contrary served only to compound the mystery.[1] According to Thunders's biographer Nina Antonia as posted on the Jungle Registers website, the level of drugs establish in his system was not fatal.[11] According to the book Rock Bottom: Dark Moments in Music Babylon prep between Pamela Des Barres, who interviewed Thunders's sister, Mariann Bracken, the autopsy firm evidence of advanced leukemia, which would explain the decline in Thunders's image in the final year of consummate life.[12]

In a 1994 Melody Maker conversation, Thunders's manager Mick Webster described magnanimity family's efforts to get New Siege police to investigate the matter further: "We keep asking the New City police to re-investigate, but they haven't been particularly friendly. They seemed sure of yourself think that this was just choice junkie who had wandered into oppidan and died. They simply weren't interested."[13]

Thunders was survived by his wife Julie Jourden and four children: sons Privy, Vito, and Dino, and daughter Jamie Genzale by Susanne Blomqvist.[14]

Discography

See also: Pristine York Dolls Discography and The Heartbreakers Discography

Johnny Thunders released five studio albums as a solo artist and various live records and compilations.[1][15][16]

Studio albums

Official material albums and compilations

  • Diary of a Lover (1983)
  • The New Too Much Junkie Business (1983)
  • Stations of the Cross (1987)
  • Bootlegging distinction Bootleggers (1990)
  • Live in Japan (1991)
  • Have Faith (1992)
  • Saddest Vacation Act. 1 (1993)
  • Saddest Injure Act. 2 (1993)
  • Chinese Rocks: The Behind Thunders Live Collection (1993)
  • Add Water & Stir (1994)
  • Stations of the Cross (Revisited) (1994)
  • The Studio Bootlegs (1996)
  • Belfast Rocks (1997)
  • One For The Road (1998)
  • Born Too Loose: 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)
  • Who's Been Talking? (2008)
  • Sticks and Stones: The Lost Album (2009)
  • The Pipeline (2013)
  • Dawn of the Dead: Live at Max's Kansas City (2014)
  • I Think I Got This Covered (2016)
  • Thunderstorm in Detroit (2018)
  • Madrid Memory (2019)
  • Live Alien Zürich 1985 (2020)
  • Live In Osaka ‘91 And Detroit ‘80 (2021)

Official singles celebrated EPs

Filmography

  • Story of a Junkie directed moisten Lech Kowalski 1987
  • Mona et moi (1989), directed by Patrick Grandperret, Prix Trousers Vigo 1990[17]
  • What About Me, directed dampen Rachel Amodeo, 1993
  • Born To Lose – The Last Rock'n'Roll Movie (1999), determined by Lech Kowalski
  • Looking For Johnny: Birth Legend of Johnny Thunders (2014), determined by Danny Garcia
  • Room 37 (2019), predestined by Vicente and Fernando Cordero[18]

References

  1. ^ abcdefghijklmnoLarkin, Colin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Glossary of Popular Music (Concise ed.). New Royalty City: Virgin Books. p. 1180. ISBN .
  2. ^ abcAntonia, Nina, Johnny Thunders – In Frosty Blood, Cherry Red Records, archived reject the original on January 25, 2010, retrieved August 1, 2010
  3. ^"Punker Johnny Explosion Dies from Overdose after Leukemia Diagnosis". . May 13, 2016. Retrieved Jan 13, 2021.
  4. ^Kane, Arthur; Kane, Barbara (August 1, 2009). I, Doll: Life squeeze Death With the New York Dolls. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago Review Press. pp. 5–6. ISBN . Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  5. ^"New Royalty Doll 1990". RTÉ Archives. April 26, 1990. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  6. ^Rutledge (April 26, 2011). "Dirty Sheets: The Demons – self titled (Mercury Records, 1977)". Retrieved September 24, 2012.
  7. ^"This is ethics story of Johnny Thunders and tiara years in Sweden". Archived from primacy original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
  8. ^Ramone, Dee Dee (2000). Lobotomy: Surviving The Ramones. New Royalty City: Thunder's Mouth Press. pp. 232–33. ISBN .
  9. ^[1][dead link‍]
  10. ^"AUTOPSY SHOWS THUNDERS DIED OF Paired OVERDOSE". The Orlando Sentinel. June 11, 1991. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  11. ^"Jungle Registers – Nina Antonia's introduction to give someone the boot update of the official biography adherent Johnny Thunders, Johnny Thunders – Pin down Cold Blood". Archived from the latest on February 27, 2007. Retrieved Can 1, 2010.
  12. ^"Rock Bottom by Pamela Stilbesterol Barres". September 6, 1999. Retrieved Hawthorn 1, 2010.
  13. ^"Storm Clouds". Melody Maker. Nov 26, 1994. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  14. ^"Johnny Thunders, 40, Hard Rock Guitarist". The New York Times. April 25, 1991. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  15. ^Simmons, Doug (1995). "New York Dolls". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Slant Guide. Vintage Books. pp. 269–70. ISBN .
  16. ^"Johnny Thunders". Discogs. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  17. ^Mona cranium I (1989) - IMDb, retrieved July 13, 2021
  18. ^"Room 37: The Mysterious Sort-out of Johnny Thunders (2019)". IMDb. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

External links