CFNN Reporter Dana Murray

On Friday, February 28th, 2025, the world of punk lost an icon. David Johansen was the lead singer and last surviving member of the proto-punk glam rock band New York Dolls. While the Dolls weren’t commercially successful, they had an extremely loyal following and were impactful on the scene. They inspired Mötley Crüe and KISS, paved the way for punk, and challenged societal norms of the day. 

As a huge fan of the Dolls, I felt the loss deeply. Johansen’s voice lends such a unique sound to the band. While he wasn’t the greatest singer technique wise, his voice fit the trashy glam vibe they were going for. I hadn’t heard anyone who sings like him before or since. He’s become one of my favorite performers for his style and attitude on stage.

In addition to his work with New York Dolls, Johansen had a solo career which wasn’t all that successful, but it had some gems. My favorite song from his solo work is “Justine”. It’s a melancholy love song that is a really nice change of pace from both the Dolls and the other songs on that album. He also created a character, Buster Pointdexter, with which he had a novelty hit in the 80’s: “Hot Hot Hot”.  

Another reason I fell in love with the Dolls, and why I think Johansen’s voice fit so well with it, was the way they challenged societal norms of the day. They wore makeup, womens clothing, and high heels way before Mötley Crüe and Poison. In fact, the Dolls are the reason why they dressed that way. They were up there with David Bowie and Marc Bolan in terms of fashion, but they never got the same recognition as them. Johansen’s “I don’t care” sort of attitude when it comes to singing fit their unconventional look. They dressed like that to both make a statement and look good while doing it. 

New York Dolls were influential on the punk scene as well. Shortly after the Dolls came onto the scene, New York City became a hotbed for the punk movement in America. Patti Smith Group, Ramones, and Misfits all came to be within five years after the Dolls. They influenced the Pistols as well. Their music is pretty similar sounding guitar wise. Another connection they have is that Nancy Spungen toured with the Dolls and followed them to England, where she met Sid Vicious. For all of that influence, they never became as well known as The Pistols or Ramones.

It’s sad to think that they never reached the heights of success when they had such an impact on the scene. They deserved that success, even if their music didn’t sound professional. That’s what made them work. It was fun; it was music for the sake of music. That’s how I think music should be, not a competition to outdo each other on guitar and get into debates about “my favorite band is better than yours”. It should be there for the sheer love of the craft, no matter how sloppy or unprofessional it sounds. That’s what the Dolls are for me. They’re a place to escape from the technicality and just enjoy the ride.

David Johansen is one of those performers that will live on forever. He made such an impact on the scene and his music will continue to inspire. Maybe now that the band is gone, New York Dolls will start to be recognized for their short-lived, but still important, career.