New York Doll (2005) - full transcript
A recovering alcoholic and recently converted Mormon, Arthur "Killer" Kane, of the rock band The New York Dolls, is given a chance at reuniting with his band after 30 years.
it took me over an hour to get I get
them the Santa Monica bus from over here
on Santa Monica and wheelchair took me
over an hour to get into Hollywood she
waited we should get to for the next one
that's coming this doesn't stop at the
young
I'm still just at this point I'm
I'm not married
I was about to go out on dates
for that type of stuff but because I
work in I work in the temple I have to
go very easy on these relationships and
it's not you know instant section wham
bam thank you ma'am
stuff you know I just it's not you know
what it once was
if we don't even live in a world
everyone that world doesn't exist
anymore and some I'm spoiled from the
past and it's hard to talk to put those
those memories kind of get it it's hard
to put them away they might find this
memories
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people that get into bands and people
that are musicians whether they are
conscious of it or not they're usually
looking for something up there and
they're usually looking for the truth
doctor told me I want to select just ban
a really wild rockin old man and I wanna
call it the dolls she that's a great
name like bent down don't dolls this is
a group he was in love the song is
playing stage he moved a bit robotic he
kind of like a giant Frankenstein he
doesn't look like he would be that
active author couldn't breathe and play
bass at the same time they would take
like a deep breath and then like by how
to put your notes and then stop and take
a deep breath and then they had a bunch
of notes and that was the uniqueness you
don't kind of mix a tutu with engineer
boots but all the way taking engineer
who's gonna paint them yellow or
something and so on the one and he
seemed kind of a bit effeminate but on
the other hand he was a very big solid
macho guy
down
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well also was struggling with alcohol
Johnny and Jerry was struggling with
heroin are there was too drunk to play
and because Johnny and Jerry were too
stoned to play the drugs became more
important to them than the band driving
around in limousines and playing in the
Olympia theater and living some type of
you know truly magnificent to living the
life that most people don't get a chance
to live on earth to having that and then
losing that losing that because of our
bad behavior and our use of drugs and
all that stuff we we have lost we lost
in New York towns just a few years into
into the golfing
yeah
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demoted from a guitar to show up on the
bus
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how did you get the name killer Kane
okay first the article written about the
New York Dolls mentioned killer
basslines sure as a descriptive
adjective talking about my base blame
killer base lines but one of the
adversaries of Buck Rogers was someone
they called the leader Kane or killer
Kane killer
I became Joel Jamie thank you were ya
killer Kane that's Arthur you wouldn't
know it because he's very quiet he's
very quiet and but he's he's that's
that's true he still he still got the
playing in him
you never forget that I guess because my
name is author the guitars nickname is
Excalibur and we want to get the
collective legend straight Excalibur is
not to get to it's not the name of the
sword that authored you from the stone
Excalibur is the name of the sword given
to Arthur by the Lady of the lake
I am the anchorman are you don't use
them okay even and then even if they um
I don't actually count off the song I'm
responsible for keeping the tempo I have
to serve maintaining that everything's
flowing smoothly and that all the
beginnings and ends of the songs I can
float to you I started working with him
every day and he works like three days a
week he keeps two copiers with loaded
with paper all the different stations
that we have here in the library and he
does all of that he's a terrific game no
no it's a frigates about two years and I
remember he said he had a band and I had
no idea there was popular as they were
in New York and he was in a such an
important part of their group can't
believe I know a rock star he had
extreme humility he really did yet
hearing hearing is connected to one of
the most raucous notorious rock-and-roll
bands and news
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because it was such fantastic pop music
it just seemed to me like the absolute
answer to everything the mc5 and the
Stooges are good but it was the dolls
that are really excited came out of a
New York City that was broken on the
rocks and therefore and wide openings
for rock and roll to emerge like like
weeds and cracked cement the New York
Dolls impact on London was there was a
bomb going on they assimilated all this
music into their sound and you know at
the time it was it was too much for most
people to be able to handle
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you must remember that from the point of
view of anyone who loved music music was
dead people forget how absolutely dank
things were how dank life was and pop
art was jus either it's stupid my
opinion heavy metal
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these nonsensical a prog-rock rubbish
there was no sense of danger with in pop
music at all well they're all wearing
Afghans hope they all play 25 minutes
drum solos and it was boring
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well what can I say growing up in the
New York City area and being a teenager
when the dolls were at their peak they
were God's to me the New York Dolls were
like they were kind of like a pinhole of
light in the early 70s you know their
image was somewhat disturbing to a lot
of people so here were boys who were
calling themselves dolls and they looked
like prostitutes male prostitutes and it
was extraordinary
I loved the Osmonds and and David
Cassidy and everything I thought they
were cute and they were sweet and they
were easy to photograph then they were
easy to work with but suddenly I'm
looking at this bunch and I thought oh
okay fasten your seat belts we're in for
a good time now
you best be at the dam down 14 eg you
hear
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the list is astonishing at The
Pretenders The Sex Pistols The Clash the
damned
Generation X the list is absolutely and
we took a lot from the New York Dolls
we took a lot you know they were like
really really raw rock-and-roll really
high-energy great songs and they look
like they came from Mars or somewhere it
was it was like a telegram from out of
space
just like this fantastic comet suddenly
lands and it's multicolored and it's
gorgeous and and it makes the most
fabulous sound most important thing was
style to them and that made such a
massive impression the world wasn't
ready it seems to take the it seems to
take the pop world thirty years to
understand anybody to really understand
a group or an artist and often it takes
deaths within the group and then people
say ah yes we do like those people know
that we're not here and there's no
reason on earth why it shouldn't have
happened but for some strange reason
this group has always been cursed
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johnny and jerry formed the
heartbreakers david and SIL for a while
continued on being the New York Dolls
Arthur I think then at that time pretty
much went off on his own he was in
several other bands even for one cell he
will get Los Angeles he formed a band
called killer came with a form of guitar
player - that didn't work out and form
another band with Jerry Nolan of the
dolls called idols and they were around
for about a year or two and then he
returned to New York and he formed
another band called the quartz grinders
and then he moved back to Los Angeles
and with his wife Barbara well I had
unique experience being a rock stars
wife that had no money I was not the
pampered pet that some of these women
are living in beautiful mansions driving
nice cars etc etc he was dining out for
a long time he was very very sad I'm
very very embittered about his the way
his life had turned out he had never
earned money from the Dolls yet anybody
who remotely imitated the dolls were
having millions of dollars thrown at
them I think that was very difficult for
him to live with especially when you
know seeing how successful Johnny had
become and Jerry and then David with his
alter ego what's the point Dexter it was
hard enough it is very hard enough there
was so much pain in his eyes and I don't
think he really enjoyed his life
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because Arthur was a rock artist he
didn't have much many skills we both
were doing actually some extra film work
a lot of sci-fi and action adventure I
was in critters we were in space balls
in her space I had no money we had no
friends I would just I couldn't get off
the booze I was smoking also he had seen
one of the dolls I won't say who on TV
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flipped him out so much and hurt him so
much that he went out and drank a quart
of peppermint schnapps he ripped all my
clothes off he started to beat me with a
cat furniture I left him and that's when
he jumped out the kitchen window I went
out the window thinking that I could do
it I didn't he jumped out of the third
storey the planter box broke his fall I
landed on my head I shattered my kneecap
and they also shattered my left elbow
and to this day I have a couple of
metals who was hanging out of here it
took me a year to teach myself how to
walk again in in a a this is called
being at rock-bottom they were sitting
in bed and I had a pie I had a Bible but
they also had a TV Guide nevers watching
for a mother one web TV and it was
happened to those in the TV Guide was an
ad for a church and the church is
calling Church of Jesus Christ of
latter-day saints
they say sits in for the Book of Mormon
it's free I thought well I'll make a
phone call and they'll mail me a book
and then maybe I'll read the bulk of
maybe I won't you know we'll see what
they got said you know maybe it's job as
witnesses or whatever it might be I
don't know what design so he called the
Book of Mormon people well they don't
send it they bring it I'm too beautiful
our young blonde missionaries came to my
door Mormon missionaries came to my
doing this sister sister missionaries
Jenny said hello we're here to teach you
your seven basic gospel principle
classes I think was one late afternoon I
decided to give it a whirl and sincerely
prayed to find out
sure until truth I received an answer
pretty much right away and the only
thing I could liken it to from my
experiences from my experiences was that
there's a bit like a trip and LSD trip
from the Lord I think it happens a
little differently to everyone a lot of
people describe it as a burning that
they feel a burning sensation in their
chest they sense it in a way that is
very difficult to describe it was like a
drug experience but I do one no drugs
and vomits what he told me said you
never gonna believe this but I've
converted to Mormonism joining the
Mormon Church changed things for him the
Mormon thing I think gave him some kind
of a purpose because he did have
something to do he had to go to these he
went to his job there you know and he
would go to the services and so and he
was really you know into doing it oh you
know where's Arthur tonight and he's
like oh you know he couldn't make it out
tonight he's got Church in the morning
and I'm like Church wait you know what
are you talking about cuz you know not a
lot of people go to church very
paradoxical when you think of this guy
in lipstick and fish and it tights and
you know creating a chaos around the
world becoming a Mormon you know just
kind of if you like Donny Osmond
becoming a New York doll nothing to
believe in but nothing what a heroine
lot of drugs nothing I'm always happy
when someone finds something they can
believe it
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it became a bit lonely for me for the
first couple years in the church rust
tippet was assigned as Arthur's home
teacher in theory at least every member
of the church is assigned a home teacher
expected to make at least one visit a
month to the home sometimes more
depending on how things are and
depending on their level of friendship I
mean he on many times when we were
driving to and from church expressed to
me frustrations with the church okay
turning point a big turning point even
in the more mature for me wasn't just
even recently although I joined him 1989
was Mac McGregor saying hey got a job
for you and the Family History Center he
says it's a calling if you'd like I
think it was a little bit of a shock to
him than he he had his way of showing
his surprise well Arthur Kane might be a
good candidate for working in the family
history library it might be something
I'm interested and that he would like to
do intelligent and that was perfect
until truth work working for Jesus
Christ
and working for the Church of Jesus
Christ we know the difference
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he works with with people here that come
in and are looking for their
great-great-great grandmother a
great-great grandfather and that's
really a difficult difficult thing two
weeks after I started working in the
family history library I was going
through the Social Security death
records I found out that my dad had
passed away my own dad I said I have no
brothers and sisters that my mom and dad
my mom passed away when I was 17 about a
year so later my dad got married to
someone of course I didn't want to ever
he talked to him and that was younger my
family life he discovered that his dad
had died and he never found out about it
in the other way except he read it there
and that was I was just shocked him to
realize that here his own father he had
to learn about by reading it in the
family history center
Arthur was always short on finances his
route was paid by Social Security
disability you know he would run low
even on grocery money he tasted success
at a young age and had his expectations
raised very high and of course he never
met those expectations or came anywhere
close to meeting those expectations me
and then we'd go out to see bands a lot
you know we should be up there plan
which was fish stuff man well you know
because why are we standing here looking
at these guys they don't yeah so he'd
get pissed off and that was he wasn't
even drunk so if he was drunk forget
about it
that's all he talked about was the dolls
and getting back together that's totally
out of his mind is getting the dolls
back together I was thought is his life
he was always wanting it to happen but
there was no real solid way of going
about it there was a scripture read to
Arthur and a home teaching lesson and
it's in Mormon 921 in the Book of Mormon
behold I say unto you that whosoever in
cry
doubting nothing whatsoever he shall ask
the Father in the name of Christ it
shall be granted him and this promise is
unto all even unto the ends of the earth
well the meltdown festival is an annual
festival in England and it's one person
is appointed if you like the caretaker
of the event and this year it was me and
I got an email from a friend I hadn't
heard of in 30 years he says Oh Arthur I
understand you're in town to play you'll
be in town playing Marcy's meltdown and
at the Royal Festival this summer I
didn't know who to call I got a I got
several emails and I got some emails
from some girls in France who each have
Johnny Thunders and they know their own
yield on websites but I figured listen I
wouldn't find out about this let me call
the guy who's mainly responsible marzia
so I had a number for him that I had to
call in five years
just his favorite number because I know
he has a place to stay here in LA so I
called her number and I was shocked to
get him on the phone he was shocked that
I was calling him also he said please
tell me what's going on he was so full
of doubts could it possibly be David
really wants to do it play those songs
were going to be together we're going to
rehearse I'm gonna go to New York and
rehearse with him I said Arthur people
loved the dolls and they wanted to
happen and it's going to be absolutely
wonderful probably right across the
street from the houses of parliament you
know and the River Thames and Big Ben
nose would be around the corner and
hoping his head was so full of Dreams he
just started talking about you know
stories from 30 years ago with the dolls
his hopes of you know what his future
career would be like how much he was
looking forward to getting back together
with David Johansen and so Sylvain
and you know he was just he was just so
happy it was it was a beautiful sight to
behold
it's something that's meant to be and
and say all of the cards are being you
know laid out on the table just you know
for for this for this event to take
place
this is stomach musical event to take
place how can I go from Family History
Center to the Royal Albert just came
from well we just came from the pawn
shop well I had got no loan on this
guitar I was in jeopardy of losing some
of my guitars and into the pawn shop
because I didn't have the money to even
to pay the interest on the lawn for
several years he had been paying the
pawnshop $175 a year so that they could
keep his guitars when all he had to do
was pay them two hundred and sixty two
dollars to get the guitars out of the
pawn shop well he just looked at me
quizzically as if it never really
occurred to him that he could do that in
retrospect perhaps the reason it never
occurred to him was because he never had
two hundred and sixty-two dollars at any
one time that would have enabled him to
do that
everybody
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sure
that's right son
snow at Marcy's meltdown
London to play the Sun it was very
nervous he was excited but he was
nervous too he was really nervous
playing the gig
I mean he's gonna play Festival he
hasn't played and you know with these
guys in 30-something years and he's
gonna go to London and play a festival
in front of a hundred thousand people
pretty scary for a guy like him okay
doesn't sound like much at the moment
you know but I think I asked him Arthur
are you nervous about getting together
for the first time after 30 years and
his response was I'm not nervous about
anything the only thing I'm nervous
about is this guy they're getting to
replace Johnny Thunders you know I'm
nervous that he's not gonna be able to
keep up with the rest of us in the
beginning no one was sure how Arthur was
gonna be because he hadn't I mean still
veins been playing David's been playing
I guess Arthur had been out of music for
a while off there's always they're
always asking can also play can offer
play I'm not worried about like I'm not
worried
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because I play bass guitar which is a
large guitar I'm not running around on
stage doing power slides and you know
setting the guitar on fire and playing
it with my teeth upside down this stuff
you know it's just not something bass
players do lose bass players she just
give to giving the groove and stay there
and keep it together I mean you guys may
become Arthur King groupies I'm a little
bit old but then I can still be a
groupie I guess I am worried about the
fans partying are gonna view the dolls
as being the same party guys we wore
when we were 19 years old where you come
out in the hallway of the hotel and
through people sleeping there in the
hallway after the show but not just one
or two there were 30 or 40
and so when you go in tour and do that
type of stuff
are you worried aren't you all over the
place that could happen again well I
told you that should happen again
just as something you get again used to
it if you're not used to it
first up to 30 years I've been too
ignored and been living in obscurity and
been told and I'm just as a loser and
now what we want to get back to the 10th
excitement well I have to get used to it
because there's something I haven't
dealt with in 40 years
okay everybody ready this is the campy
song is everybody ready okay rolling
okay Lonely Planet boy one two three
four
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well
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we came that first day to rehearsal even
that first day I was still like I wasn't
quite sure what was gonna happen cuz you
know they even didn't show up it was
sort of like you know it was frustrating
in a way because you know we were you
know we knew what we stood me and author
and almost sudden we have like new guys
that we really never knew or even met
before you know and they're telling us
you know like sort of our music better
than they know how music better not
something let's go
the dolls had played together and with
almost 30 years so you know nobody knew
if it was gonna gel if it was gonna be a
disaster this is a very well known jazz
studio it's probably the best rehearsal
studio in New York City and today we
have been privileged to be graced by the
New York Dolls this is probably the
coolest band that's ever come here
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first time I got to meet these guys in
the dolls I've heard about him but no
it's pretty exciting to be working with
so many original guys some things are in
different keys which I guess is maybe
not so easy to do after you've played a
song or written a song in a certain key
like author has Arthur had been out of
music for a while maybe played a gig
once every couple of years maybe the
first few minutes or something he might
have been a little bit flustered and
said hey what am I doing here but you
know after a couple times through I'm
still
[Music]
so David Johansen wasn't there today no
feel about that I took the first rule
for being there today in that sense over
the years he he came to look at David
Johansen is something of an adversary
rather than a friend and I think that
seeing him on on TV and as the alter-ego
of Buster Poindexter I think it bothered
him and felt that that he was taking a
part of a life that that he that Arthur
should have been sharing it by the time
they got to New York for the rehearsals
that Arthur was expecting a very chilly
reception from David because he had this
thing in his head about David you know
and him David had this thing going I
don't know why and David didn't want to
talk to him because he heard all the
stuff that Arthur was saying about him
and Arthur was saying all these bad
things saying all these guys are making
money they're in cahoots I talked to the
bishop the other day about these
anxieties especially about David
Johansen you know maybe playing tricks
on people or making it you know
mm difficult but till choose it after I
explained to David you're handsome was
and about you know all of this stuff and
the bishop just told me he said author I
said be a good latter-day Saint do your
job and everything will be fine
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I didn't know what they were thinking
but I didn't even I just felt like I'm
gonna go in and enjoy these guys company
because you know I I loved that himself
well I saw Arthur he seemed genuinely
happy that he and David were as he put
it friends again I didn't see any
tension you know maybe individually they
were a little nervous or something they
certainly didn't show it and it just
seemed like old pals just getting
together again yeah we kind of picked up
where we left off right which is the way
it should be well my impression was you
left off in a trailer court in Florida
screaming at each other yeah you came
back in a much better spot
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Oh how are they gonna do in London well
we can see I don't really know I think
the band sounds great
in a lot of cases I think it sounds I
mean better than the records I don't
know if that's a good thing or a bad
thing you know the newspapers over there
if they can't say something nasty about
you they can't say anything at all I
don't know I don't even think about go
out there give the best you got and
that's what that's all you are you know
and why try to be something you're not
you know so we'll see how the show's
gonna go but I I'm going in there I like
it's gonna be great but these guys sound
great he is absolutely convinced that he
is going to go out there and perform
perfectly he is going to do everything
just exactly right if there is a weak
link it is not going to be him
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if I
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slays me okay forget it I get a phone
here we got a phone here I get into you
know connections for to a couple
computers or something like that but
there's another phone in the bathroom
and I'm just saying they have more stuff
in this room than I have been my
apartment as far as living comfortably
yeah I don't have a boy three phones and
the computer plug-in system you know no
no do I have a beautiful you know
mahogany desk or anything so stuff you
know and it's nice stuff so till truth
I'd be just as happy to him stay here
look at the Thames for the rest of my
life
you know the millennium wheel and
watching people go by and then that's a
furniture in here don't I please call in
a bunch of junk my place look like
rinky-dink we'd like this mahogany and
and then the big chairs and the official
looking desk and over Stefan
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it was very lucky in the first time that
I ever discovered the dolls they
appeared very famously on the Old Grey
Whistle death which in those very dark
days of 73 it was a fantastic vision
it's because the Old Grey Whistle test
was predominantly a really boring really
serious rock show that I hardly ever
watched and then all the sudden the New
York Dolls were honor and their
appearance on the Old Grey Whistle test
had a huge effect on the up-and-coming
punk generation which was my age group I
kind of grew my hair like Johnny
Thunders as much as possible I used to
go around and very high-heeled shoes was
13 and it was the right time and for
everybody there's an artist that catches
you just at the right time an artist or
a group and you never let them go and
they can never disappoint you and the
dolls were that for me after the Ziggy
Stardust probably the most influential
group on my life he was this wild
totally tumultuous band just making this
glorious racket and and they didn't care
about 25 minute drum solos and they
upset the presenter of the show who said
who called it Mont Rock
the New York dollars or in old far a
whispering Bob Harris they caught him
it's kind of taken up in his like he
called it mock rock but when he said
that what he didn't realize is the
thousands of kind of alienated kids were
like yeah this is our band you know
you're trying to put him down but in
fact he went like this with him well
when they came to London that first time
with Billy Murcia they really were a
hearse breath away from stardom of
achieving everything they'd wanted of
getting a great record deal there's a
good record deal on the table for them
it was being set up the night that Billy
died and everybody was expecting the
doll to walk on the stage and of course
they didn't there was just suddenly an
announcement that Billy had died and
everybody know just collapsed there were
two english groupies and they said oh
yes we remember we took billy back to
our apartment and he was very stoned on
Mandrax and alcohol and he passed out so
we put him in a bathtub of cold water
and we poured hot coffee down his throat
basically what these two dumb groupies
did was suffocate Billy is it it changes
from being this this really cute little
glam fairy story to becoming much more
hardcore as they go along and I'm
building up this rep this dangerous
reputation since then the replacement
drama Gerry Nolan has died Johnny
Thunders obviously has died this this is
this is a blighted band it really is
it's not strange after all these years
of writing and talking about it it's
had it not been for heroin Johnny and
Jerry would have been at the show
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to go to this banquet like such a
punishing banquet I mean in my opinion
Arthur was just having the time of his
life I looked over at one point and said
isn't this delicious
this is the most delicious luncheon I've
ever had he was just he was having a
blast he loved it
with very very cool
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it gives me great pleasure who after he
gets this award is going to go straight
to the hospital and stand calmly Tunes
to cheer up the kids
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I'd like to say to the dolls the only
reason why I'm really
[Applause]
let's take a look at this photo
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Johnny Thunders mostly sometimes Jerry
Noland will be with him sometimes
Sylvain Sylvain it's the first time the
actual instance underscore again
they became a legend because they burned
themselves because you know this rockin
world way of life to explain fast this
make the legend my mind is positive for
the show because it's it's like you're
going to meet our friend you know from a
long time so what's happening I mean if
the if your friend is a it is more or
more fart or this is not a problem we we
are for the music there is the story
around the music but basically it's the
music if the play good it's okay for me
you know we mentioned
I thought instead I thought you could
miss him Maxim in LA or something after
the riots do you guess better be nice to
watch this time when I come back for
another 30 years are you worried at all
about tonight no how come we saw no
homework we've done our homework we put
into time we learned the songs we're and
now and there's a tremendous spirit that
at the bottom of the New York Dolls and
it's got to do with me still and even
and there are three living new adults in
here three dead New York dancing and
some the people who are dead they are
with us all song in spirit somehow this
is not this is like me being in the
Family History Center we're playing for
our fans they want us to sound good they
they were encouraging us to sound good
and they were there I hope their hopes
and dreams are with us you know and so
to me that's at the board is to be
that's 90 but that's not an audience you
know it's just about your friends I may
be a dreamer but the dream become true
you know so these guys I'm gonna do ask
the people at the marriage that six
ounces where'd you get this long jacket
thing pretty well I know a bellhop or
whatever but then someone hears that
there's someone that staff is working as
a you know kind of a formal long jacket
with little gold epaulettes it's not the
society called the Golden Key there's
any rocks never ever ask for your coat
before no first time first time it is
requested the concierge gave up his
jacket for you well I guess we don't
have any buttons on your back
like that
this isn't it you wear what you wanna
wear yeah what you look cool do you want
somebody to go get your leather pants
Arthur Neha Sonia just today that he's
bought some boots and he wants to find a
long coat that goes down to his knees he
wants to convey a Joseph Smith kind of
image you said I have kind of a white
roughly shirt and black leather pants
Joseph Smith Brigham Young you know pick
your prophet that's who Arthur wants to
be when he's on stage
I may be in time but rock and roll is
not a time yeah gopher really I didn't
find you for the bones
hey guys run station 20 minute
and you know the power of the whole
pirate thing about swashbuckling
is very vocal
Johnny Depp Johnny Depp now through the
Bible
[Applause]
[Music]
food is doing your vouchers that
everybody walking on oh we're getting
cool but you don't get your cut you're
just gonna give it to the church it's
hurt your copy
I mean you are lovely John Smith and is
wonderful bringing me honor people they
will tie the Arthur Lipscomb you say 10%
of my earnings on my game
I'm gonna take the Mormon tobacco
assessment blessing program okay yeah
then in smoke when Moses went up on that
hill it's very sensible yeah cuz you
know caffeine turns into a spirit yeah
nicotine is the most different drug
there is you have to be the temperament
you have to what no I don't drink
[Music]
[Applause]
David I'm saying deeper thing yeah I
will come to gracious Heavenly Father as
we bow our heads before the disdain we
wish to thank tea it is with gratitude
nos that we wish to thank thee for the
many multiple blessings that you bring
to into our lives all of our lives and
your every father if there was any band
that is wishes to thank you for this
great blessing it's New York Dolls we
ask that the spirits of Johnny Billy and
Jerry be with us this evening also and
dear every father we ask that we play
well W we have fun the audience has fun
and that everyone will have a great time
and dear Heavenly Father for these
things we pray in the name of thy
beloved son and has to Jesus Christ
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
well I was worried that the reality
would destroy the myth my kids listen to
the dolls cuz you know typically they've
gone through dad's collection and I said
I've got tickets for the dolls that they
got out of school and they said we don't
want to go and I said excuse me
yet the New York Dolls you know and and
they said now cuz it won't be like the
poster on the wall and hope you like the
retin as I left tonight they refused to
come they were playing the record and
looking at the poster but they were
afraid kind of like me that I was just
reliving my you because you fear that
you fear the absolute worst in these
events and you you you're convinced that
it can only be disappointing and the
past is the past and it's a long time
ago and whoever made that great music is
now gonna look silly
[Music]
but that wasn't the case the guys
delivered a hundred percent they did it
absolutely right and everybody was just
a gas
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
I don't think he ever really believed
that he would ever be standing on a
stage playing those songs again with
David and Sylvain and I just watching
him throughout the night I could just
see a sense of bewilderment sadness and
joy everything was in his face and I
think he was just praying throughout the
night praying with thanks to somebody
whom he now believed him
[Music]
and the dolls broke up I kind of like
took a look at myself you know and said
you know you'd sit at home and I started
changing you know Arthur is such a
beautiful brilliant draw but like
sensitive cat you know it's inner core
is strong that he can you know stand for
him stand up for himself David I noticed
that Arthur didn't move around a lot on
stage the vibes of bass actually makes
you after that I gotta stand still here
because I'm getting such severe
vibrations coming through and it's like
all down there you know it's in the loin
I don't think it's really about their
personality I think it's about how is
God playing through it so if he loves
God he'd be a great bass player David
Johansen still a fantastic showman
Sylvain is the heart and soul and also
truly remains the only living statue in
rock and roll
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
a rock'n'roll band nice to make people
happy
it's part of it it's really that's what
my own job is to make people dance but
to get excited like Showtime we make
excitement you know I can remember
telling I'm hey gosh congratulations you
played again after 30 years and what a
great success story and he quickly
corrected me and said no this success is
that I was able to go back with my good
friends and and go back and mend fences
with with David that's that's what was
so important about getting back together
again
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
and I went to him late when I said
absolutely fantastic playing and his
eyes were welling he looks just at home
you know that's the truth he looks like
you know totally easy on the stage I
could do without the leather pants a bit
of a mistake you know and the diamante
tie look you know but that's Prelude the
Mormon influence he shouldn't go back to
that library he was he was telling me
that he was a bit sad that your Monday
morning he'd put on a suit and he'd put
on the tie and shirt and get on the bus
and you know I think he should put on
his diamante tie and getting the band
bus
[Music]
a modern-day limousine
my concern was that he would come back
from London he just come back to his
apartment here in Los Angeles and his
life would be the same as it was before
and it occurred to me that that could be
very painful for
she's so much noise out here okay this
is a song I would normally play for my
inspirational message inside the County
History Center for my fellow workers in
the Family History Center this song is
called love winning novel
[Music]
he seemed to have jetlag for several
days which wasn't surprising he did say
he was tired and felt like she had
picked up the cold wow he was over there
he didn't know he was sick on on July
13th he said he needed to go to the
emergency room
[Music]
and pioneering glam rock bass player
Arthur Kane of the New York Dolls died
in Los Angeles Tuesday night according
to Billboard com
the group's manager says Kane had
leukemia he was 55 Kane is the fourth
New York doll to pass away including
guitarist Johnny Thunder who died of a
drug overdose in 1991
the tragedy because we lost a really
sweet man and a good friend and I'm very
good friend and but it was a blessing
that he passed so rapidly without having
to suffer without losing all of his hair
and going through all of the treatments
and that tremendous amount of medical
bills and things yeah it was a blessing
as well if a life must end as Arthur's
did it was a beautiful way for him to go
people who have really been in the war
but thinking about the other end does
you know for lack of a better word
spiritual beatings that's the greatest
kind of person in the world to me you
don't know that big tall guy to call on
when you need help... We're trying to carry
on without him.
[Music] Good times for a change
see the look I've hi
can make a good man turn back
so please please please
let me
guess what I want this time
[Music]
I haven't had a dream
in a long time
see the life I've had can make a good
man
[Music]
so for once in my life
guess what I want
it would be the first time
[Music]
it would be the first time
[Music]
the miracle of God's creation Arthur
killer Cain
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
he poor wayfaring man of greek hath
often passed me on my way suit so home
before me that I could never answer knee
I had not power to ask his name
where to he went or when she came there
was something in his eye that one
[Music]
once with my scan Tamir was where he and
did not a word was just
I gave him I didn't break
[Music]
[Music]
the crust was mad
[Music]
and I saw him digs condemned to me day
traders do make more the tidal lion
tones are still in honored him mid
shaming scarred my friend chips hurt see
you to try he is divine for he was weak
my blood ran chilled
[Music]
you
[Music]
the stranger started from the sky the
tokens in his hands I knew the savior
stood before my eyes he spake in my poor
name in aid of me thou has not been
ashamed these deeds shall die memorial
be fear not teach them all to me
[Music]
Post-traitement : Yann & OggiWan
them the Santa Monica bus from over here
on Santa Monica and wheelchair took me
over an hour to get into Hollywood she
waited we should get to for the next one
that's coming this doesn't stop at the
young
I'm still just at this point I'm
I'm not married
I was about to go out on dates
for that type of stuff but because I
work in I work in the temple I have to
go very easy on these relationships and
it's not you know instant section wham
bam thank you ma'am
stuff you know I just it's not you know
what it once was
if we don't even live in a world
everyone that world doesn't exist
anymore and some I'm spoiled from the
past and it's hard to talk to put those
those memories kind of get it it's hard
to put them away they might find this
memories
[Music]
[Music]
people that get into bands and people
that are musicians whether they are
conscious of it or not they're usually
looking for something up there and
they're usually looking for the truth
doctor told me I want to select just ban
a really wild rockin old man and I wanna
call it the dolls she that's a great
name like bent down don't dolls this is
a group he was in love the song is
playing stage he moved a bit robotic he
kind of like a giant Frankenstein he
doesn't look like he would be that
active author couldn't breathe and play
bass at the same time they would take
like a deep breath and then like by how
to put your notes and then stop and take
a deep breath and then they had a bunch
of notes and that was the uniqueness you
don't kind of mix a tutu with engineer
boots but all the way taking engineer
who's gonna paint them yellow or
something and so on the one and he
seemed kind of a bit effeminate but on
the other hand he was a very big solid
macho guy
down
[Music]
well also was struggling with alcohol
Johnny and Jerry was struggling with
heroin are there was too drunk to play
and because Johnny and Jerry were too
stoned to play the drugs became more
important to them than the band driving
around in limousines and playing in the
Olympia theater and living some type of
you know truly magnificent to living the
life that most people don't get a chance
to live on earth to having that and then
losing that losing that because of our
bad behavior and our use of drugs and
all that stuff we we have lost we lost
in New York towns just a few years into
into the golfing
yeah
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
demoted from a guitar to show up on the
bus
[Music]
how did you get the name killer Kane
okay first the article written about the
New York Dolls mentioned killer
basslines sure as a descriptive
adjective talking about my base blame
killer base lines but one of the
adversaries of Buck Rogers was someone
they called the leader Kane or killer
Kane killer
I became Joel Jamie thank you were ya
killer Kane that's Arthur you wouldn't
know it because he's very quiet he's
very quiet and but he's he's that's
that's true he still he still got the
playing in him
you never forget that I guess because my
name is author the guitars nickname is
Excalibur and we want to get the
collective legend straight Excalibur is
not to get to it's not the name of the
sword that authored you from the stone
Excalibur is the name of the sword given
to Arthur by the Lady of the lake
I am the anchorman are you don't use
them okay even and then even if they um
I don't actually count off the song I'm
responsible for keeping the tempo I have
to serve maintaining that everything's
flowing smoothly and that all the
beginnings and ends of the songs I can
float to you I started working with him
every day and he works like three days a
week he keeps two copiers with loaded
with paper all the different stations
that we have here in the library and he
does all of that he's a terrific game no
no it's a frigates about two years and I
remember he said he had a band and I had
no idea there was popular as they were
in New York and he was in a such an
important part of their group can't
believe I know a rock star he had
extreme humility he really did yet
hearing hearing is connected to one of
the most raucous notorious rock-and-roll
bands and news
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
because it was such fantastic pop music
it just seemed to me like the absolute
answer to everything the mc5 and the
Stooges are good but it was the dolls
that are really excited came out of a
New York City that was broken on the
rocks and therefore and wide openings
for rock and roll to emerge like like
weeds and cracked cement the New York
Dolls impact on London was there was a
bomb going on they assimilated all this
music into their sound and you know at
the time it was it was too much for most
people to be able to handle
[Music]
[Music]
you must remember that from the point of
view of anyone who loved music music was
dead people forget how absolutely dank
things were how dank life was and pop
art was jus either it's stupid my
opinion heavy metal
[Music]
these nonsensical a prog-rock rubbish
there was no sense of danger with in pop
music at all well they're all wearing
Afghans hope they all play 25 minutes
drum solos and it was boring
[Music]
well what can I say growing up in the
New York City area and being a teenager
when the dolls were at their peak they
were God's to me the New York Dolls were
like they were kind of like a pinhole of
light in the early 70s you know their
image was somewhat disturbing to a lot
of people so here were boys who were
calling themselves dolls and they looked
like prostitutes male prostitutes and it
was extraordinary
I loved the Osmonds and and David
Cassidy and everything I thought they
were cute and they were sweet and they
were easy to photograph then they were
easy to work with but suddenly I'm
looking at this bunch and I thought oh
okay fasten your seat belts we're in for
a good time now
you best be at the dam down 14 eg you
hear
[Music]
[Music]
the list is astonishing at The
Pretenders The Sex Pistols The Clash the
damned
Generation X the list is absolutely and
we took a lot from the New York Dolls
we took a lot you know they were like
really really raw rock-and-roll really
high-energy great songs and they look
like they came from Mars or somewhere it
was it was like a telegram from out of
space
just like this fantastic comet suddenly
lands and it's multicolored and it's
gorgeous and and it makes the most
fabulous sound most important thing was
style to them and that made such a
massive impression the world wasn't
ready it seems to take the it seems to
take the pop world thirty years to
understand anybody to really understand
a group or an artist and often it takes
deaths within the group and then people
say ah yes we do like those people know
that we're not here and there's no
reason on earth why it shouldn't have
happened but for some strange reason
this group has always been cursed
[Music]
johnny and jerry formed the
heartbreakers david and SIL for a while
continued on being the New York Dolls
Arthur I think then at that time pretty
much went off on his own he was in
several other bands even for one cell he
will get Los Angeles he formed a band
called killer came with a form of guitar
player - that didn't work out and form
another band with Jerry Nolan of the
dolls called idols and they were around
for about a year or two and then he
returned to New York and he formed
another band called the quartz grinders
and then he moved back to Los Angeles
and with his wife Barbara well I had
unique experience being a rock stars
wife that had no money I was not the
pampered pet that some of these women
are living in beautiful mansions driving
nice cars etc etc he was dining out for
a long time he was very very sad I'm
very very embittered about his the way
his life had turned out he had never
earned money from the Dolls yet anybody
who remotely imitated the dolls were
having millions of dollars thrown at
them I think that was very difficult for
him to live with especially when you
know seeing how successful Johnny had
become and Jerry and then David with his
alter ego what's the point Dexter it was
hard enough it is very hard enough there
was so much pain in his eyes and I don't
think he really enjoyed his life
[Music]
because Arthur was a rock artist he
didn't have much many skills we both
were doing actually some extra film work
a lot of sci-fi and action adventure I
was in critters we were in space balls
in her space I had no money we had no
friends I would just I couldn't get off
the booze I was smoking also he had seen
one of the dolls I won't say who on TV
[Music]
flipped him out so much and hurt him so
much that he went out and drank a quart
of peppermint schnapps he ripped all my
clothes off he started to beat me with a
cat furniture I left him and that's when
he jumped out the kitchen window I went
out the window thinking that I could do
it I didn't he jumped out of the third
storey the planter box broke his fall I
landed on my head I shattered my kneecap
and they also shattered my left elbow
and to this day I have a couple of
metals who was hanging out of here it
took me a year to teach myself how to
walk again in in a a this is called
being at rock-bottom they were sitting
in bed and I had a pie I had a Bible but
they also had a TV Guide nevers watching
for a mother one web TV and it was
happened to those in the TV Guide was an
ad for a church and the church is
calling Church of Jesus Christ of
latter-day saints
they say sits in for the Book of Mormon
it's free I thought well I'll make a
phone call and they'll mail me a book
and then maybe I'll read the bulk of
maybe I won't you know we'll see what
they got said you know maybe it's job as
witnesses or whatever it might be I
don't know what design so he called the
Book of Mormon people well they don't
send it they bring it I'm too beautiful
our young blonde missionaries came to my
door Mormon missionaries came to my
doing this sister sister missionaries
Jenny said hello we're here to teach you
your seven basic gospel principle
classes I think was one late afternoon I
decided to give it a whirl and sincerely
prayed to find out
sure until truth I received an answer
pretty much right away and the only
thing I could liken it to from my
experiences from my experiences was that
there's a bit like a trip and LSD trip
from the Lord I think it happens a
little differently to everyone a lot of
people describe it as a burning that
they feel a burning sensation in their
chest they sense it in a way that is
very difficult to describe it was like a
drug experience but I do one no drugs
and vomits what he told me said you
never gonna believe this but I've
converted to Mormonism joining the
Mormon Church changed things for him the
Mormon thing I think gave him some kind
of a purpose because he did have
something to do he had to go to these he
went to his job there you know and he
would go to the services and so and he
was really you know into doing it oh you
know where's Arthur tonight and he's
like oh you know he couldn't make it out
tonight he's got Church in the morning
and I'm like Church wait you know what
are you talking about cuz you know not a
lot of people go to church very
paradoxical when you think of this guy
in lipstick and fish and it tights and
you know creating a chaos around the
world becoming a Mormon you know just
kind of if you like Donny Osmond
becoming a New York doll nothing to
believe in but nothing what a heroine
lot of drugs nothing I'm always happy
when someone finds something they can
believe it
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
it became a bit lonely for me for the
first couple years in the church rust
tippet was assigned as Arthur's home
teacher in theory at least every member
of the church is assigned a home teacher
expected to make at least one visit a
month to the home sometimes more
depending on how things are and
depending on their level of friendship I
mean he on many times when we were
driving to and from church expressed to
me frustrations with the church okay
turning point a big turning point even
in the more mature for me wasn't just
even recently although I joined him 1989
was Mac McGregor saying hey got a job
for you and the Family History Center he
says it's a calling if you'd like I
think it was a little bit of a shock to
him than he he had his way of showing
his surprise well Arthur Kane might be a
good candidate for working in the family
history library it might be something
I'm interested and that he would like to
do intelligent and that was perfect
until truth work working for Jesus
Christ
and working for the Church of Jesus
Christ we know the difference
[Music]
he works with with people here that come
in and are looking for their
great-great-great grandmother a
great-great grandfather and that's
really a difficult difficult thing two
weeks after I started working in the
family history library I was going
through the Social Security death
records I found out that my dad had
passed away my own dad I said I have no
brothers and sisters that my mom and dad
my mom passed away when I was 17 about a
year so later my dad got married to
someone of course I didn't want to ever
he talked to him and that was younger my
family life he discovered that his dad
had died and he never found out about it
in the other way except he read it there
and that was I was just shocked him to
realize that here his own father he had
to learn about by reading it in the
family history center
Arthur was always short on finances his
route was paid by Social Security
disability you know he would run low
even on grocery money he tasted success
at a young age and had his expectations
raised very high and of course he never
met those expectations or came anywhere
close to meeting those expectations me
and then we'd go out to see bands a lot
you know we should be up there plan
which was fish stuff man well you know
because why are we standing here looking
at these guys they don't yeah so he'd
get pissed off and that was he wasn't
even drunk so if he was drunk forget
about it
that's all he talked about was the dolls
and getting back together that's totally
out of his mind is getting the dolls
back together I was thought is his life
he was always wanting it to happen but
there was no real solid way of going
about it there was a scripture read to
Arthur and a home teaching lesson and
it's in Mormon 921 in the Book of Mormon
behold I say unto you that whosoever in
cry
doubting nothing whatsoever he shall ask
the Father in the name of Christ it
shall be granted him and this promise is
unto all even unto the ends of the earth
well the meltdown festival is an annual
festival in England and it's one person
is appointed if you like the caretaker
of the event and this year it was me and
I got an email from a friend I hadn't
heard of in 30 years he says Oh Arthur I
understand you're in town to play you'll
be in town playing Marcy's meltdown and
at the Royal Festival this summer I
didn't know who to call I got a I got
several emails and I got some emails
from some girls in France who each have
Johnny Thunders and they know their own
yield on websites but I figured listen I
wouldn't find out about this let me call
the guy who's mainly responsible marzia
so I had a number for him that I had to
call in five years
just his favorite number because I know
he has a place to stay here in LA so I
called her number and I was shocked to
get him on the phone he was shocked that
I was calling him also he said please
tell me what's going on he was so full
of doubts could it possibly be David
really wants to do it play those songs
were going to be together we're going to
rehearse I'm gonna go to New York and
rehearse with him I said Arthur people
loved the dolls and they wanted to
happen and it's going to be absolutely
wonderful probably right across the
street from the houses of parliament you
know and the River Thames and Big Ben
nose would be around the corner and
hoping his head was so full of Dreams he
just started talking about you know
stories from 30 years ago with the dolls
his hopes of you know what his future
career would be like how much he was
looking forward to getting back together
with David Johansen and so Sylvain
and you know he was just he was just so
happy it was it was a beautiful sight to
behold
it's something that's meant to be and
and say all of the cards are being you
know laid out on the table just you know
for for this for this event to take
place
this is stomach musical event to take
place how can I go from Family History
Center to the Royal Albert just came
from well we just came from the pawn
shop well I had got no loan on this
guitar I was in jeopardy of losing some
of my guitars and into the pawn shop
because I didn't have the money to even
to pay the interest on the lawn for
several years he had been paying the
pawnshop $175 a year so that they could
keep his guitars when all he had to do
was pay them two hundred and sixty two
dollars to get the guitars out of the
pawn shop well he just looked at me
quizzically as if it never really
occurred to him that he could do that in
retrospect perhaps the reason it never
occurred to him was because he never had
two hundred and sixty-two dollars at any
one time that would have enabled him to
do that
everybody
[Music]
sure
that's right son
snow at Marcy's meltdown
London to play the Sun it was very
nervous he was excited but he was
nervous too he was really nervous
playing the gig
I mean he's gonna play Festival he
hasn't played and you know with these
guys in 30-something years and he's
gonna go to London and play a festival
in front of a hundred thousand people
pretty scary for a guy like him okay
doesn't sound like much at the moment
you know but I think I asked him Arthur
are you nervous about getting together
for the first time after 30 years and
his response was I'm not nervous about
anything the only thing I'm nervous
about is this guy they're getting to
replace Johnny Thunders you know I'm
nervous that he's not gonna be able to
keep up with the rest of us in the
beginning no one was sure how Arthur was
gonna be because he hadn't I mean still
veins been playing David's been playing
I guess Arthur had been out of music for
a while off there's always they're
always asking can also play can offer
play I'm not worried about like I'm not
worried
[Music]
because I play bass guitar which is a
large guitar I'm not running around on
stage doing power slides and you know
setting the guitar on fire and playing
it with my teeth upside down this stuff
you know it's just not something bass
players do lose bass players she just
give to giving the groove and stay there
and keep it together I mean you guys may
become Arthur King groupies I'm a little
bit old but then I can still be a
groupie I guess I am worried about the
fans partying are gonna view the dolls
as being the same party guys we wore
when we were 19 years old where you come
out in the hallway of the hotel and
through people sleeping there in the
hallway after the show but not just one
or two there were 30 or 40
and so when you go in tour and do that
type of stuff
are you worried aren't you all over the
place that could happen again well I
told you that should happen again
just as something you get again used to
it if you're not used to it
first up to 30 years I've been too
ignored and been living in obscurity and
been told and I'm just as a loser and
now what we want to get back to the 10th
excitement well I have to get used to it
because there's something I haven't
dealt with in 40 years
okay everybody ready this is the campy
song is everybody ready okay rolling
okay Lonely Planet boy one two three
four
[Music]
well
[Music]
[Music]
we came that first day to rehearsal even
that first day I was still like I wasn't
quite sure what was gonna happen cuz you
know they even didn't show up it was
sort of like you know it was frustrating
in a way because you know we were you
know we knew what we stood me and author
and almost sudden we have like new guys
that we really never knew or even met
before you know and they're telling us
you know like sort of our music better
than they know how music better not
something let's go
the dolls had played together and with
almost 30 years so you know nobody knew
if it was gonna gel if it was gonna be a
disaster this is a very well known jazz
studio it's probably the best rehearsal
studio in New York City and today we
have been privileged to be graced by the
New York Dolls this is probably the
coolest band that's ever come here
[Music]
first time I got to meet these guys in
the dolls I've heard about him but no
it's pretty exciting to be working with
so many original guys some things are in
different keys which I guess is maybe
not so easy to do after you've played a
song or written a song in a certain key
like author has Arthur had been out of
music for a while maybe played a gig
once every couple of years maybe the
first few minutes or something he might
have been a little bit flustered and
said hey what am I doing here but you
know after a couple times through I'm
still
[Music]
so David Johansen wasn't there today no
feel about that I took the first rule
for being there today in that sense over
the years he he came to look at David
Johansen is something of an adversary
rather than a friend and I think that
seeing him on on TV and as the alter-ego
of Buster Poindexter I think it bothered
him and felt that that he was taking a
part of a life that that he that Arthur
should have been sharing it by the time
they got to New York for the rehearsals
that Arthur was expecting a very chilly
reception from David because he had this
thing in his head about David you know
and him David had this thing going I
don't know why and David didn't want to
talk to him because he heard all the
stuff that Arthur was saying about him
and Arthur was saying all these bad
things saying all these guys are making
money they're in cahoots I talked to the
bishop the other day about these
anxieties especially about David
Johansen you know maybe playing tricks
on people or making it you know
mm difficult but till choose it after I
explained to David you're handsome was
and about you know all of this stuff and
the bishop just told me he said author I
said be a good latter-day Saint do your
job and everything will be fine
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
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I didn't know what they were thinking
but I didn't even I just felt like I'm
gonna go in and enjoy these guys company
because you know I I loved that himself
well I saw Arthur he seemed genuinely
happy that he and David were as he put
it friends again I didn't see any
tension you know maybe individually they
were a little nervous or something they
certainly didn't show it and it just
seemed like old pals just getting
together again yeah we kind of picked up
where we left off right which is the way
it should be well my impression was you
left off in a trailer court in Florida
screaming at each other yeah you came
back in a much better spot
[Music]
[Music]
Oh how are they gonna do in London well
we can see I don't really know I think
the band sounds great
in a lot of cases I think it sounds I
mean better than the records I don't
know if that's a good thing or a bad
thing you know the newspapers over there
if they can't say something nasty about
you they can't say anything at all I
don't know I don't even think about go
out there give the best you got and
that's what that's all you are you know
and why try to be something you're not
you know so we'll see how the show's
gonna go but I I'm going in there I like
it's gonna be great but these guys sound
great he is absolutely convinced that he
is going to go out there and perform
perfectly he is going to do everything
just exactly right if there is a weak
link it is not going to be him
[Music]
[Music]
if I
[Music]
slays me okay forget it I get a phone
here we got a phone here I get into you
know connections for to a couple
computers or something like that but
there's another phone in the bathroom
and I'm just saying they have more stuff
in this room than I have been my
apartment as far as living comfortably
yeah I don't have a boy three phones and
the computer plug-in system you know no
no do I have a beautiful you know
mahogany desk or anything so stuff you
know and it's nice stuff so till truth
I'd be just as happy to him stay here
look at the Thames for the rest of my
life
you know the millennium wheel and
watching people go by and then that's a
furniture in here don't I please call in
a bunch of junk my place look like
rinky-dink we'd like this mahogany and
and then the big chairs and the official
looking desk and over Stefan
[Music]
it was very lucky in the first time that
I ever discovered the dolls they
appeared very famously on the Old Grey
Whistle death which in those very dark
days of 73 it was a fantastic vision
it's because the Old Grey Whistle test
was predominantly a really boring really
serious rock show that I hardly ever
watched and then all the sudden the New
York Dolls were honor and their
appearance on the Old Grey Whistle test
had a huge effect on the up-and-coming
punk generation which was my age group I
kind of grew my hair like Johnny
Thunders as much as possible I used to
go around and very high-heeled shoes was
13 and it was the right time and for
everybody there's an artist that catches
you just at the right time an artist or
a group and you never let them go and
they can never disappoint you and the
dolls were that for me after the Ziggy
Stardust probably the most influential
group on my life he was this wild
totally tumultuous band just making this
glorious racket and and they didn't care
about 25 minute drum solos and they
upset the presenter of the show who said
who called it Mont Rock
the New York dollars or in old far a
whispering Bob Harris they caught him
it's kind of taken up in his like he
called it mock rock but when he said
that what he didn't realize is the
thousands of kind of alienated kids were
like yeah this is our band you know
you're trying to put him down but in
fact he went like this with him well
when they came to London that first time
with Billy Murcia they really were a
hearse breath away from stardom of
achieving everything they'd wanted of
getting a great record deal there's a
good record deal on the table for them
it was being set up the night that Billy
died and everybody was expecting the
doll to walk on the stage and of course
they didn't there was just suddenly an
announcement that Billy had died and
everybody know just collapsed there were
two english groupies and they said oh
yes we remember we took billy back to
our apartment and he was very stoned on
Mandrax and alcohol and he passed out so
we put him in a bathtub of cold water
and we poured hot coffee down his throat
basically what these two dumb groupies
did was suffocate Billy is it it changes
from being this this really cute little
glam fairy story to becoming much more
hardcore as they go along and I'm
building up this rep this dangerous
reputation since then the replacement
drama Gerry Nolan has died Johnny
Thunders obviously has died this this is
this is a blighted band it really is
it's not strange after all these years
of writing and talking about it it's
had it not been for heroin Johnny and
Jerry would have been at the show
[Music]
to go to this banquet like such a
punishing banquet I mean in my opinion
Arthur was just having the time of his
life I looked over at one point and said
isn't this delicious
this is the most delicious luncheon I've
ever had he was just he was having a
blast he loved it
with very very cool
[Music]
it gives me great pleasure who after he
gets this award is going to go straight
to the hospital and stand calmly Tunes
to cheer up the kids
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
I'd like to say to the dolls the only
reason why I'm really
[Applause]
let's take a look at this photo
[Music]
[Music]
Johnny Thunders mostly sometimes Jerry
Noland will be with him sometimes
Sylvain Sylvain it's the first time the
actual instance underscore again
they became a legend because they burned
themselves because you know this rockin
world way of life to explain fast this
make the legend my mind is positive for
the show because it's it's like you're
going to meet our friend you know from a
long time so what's happening I mean if
the if your friend is a it is more or
more fart or this is not a problem we we
are for the music there is the story
around the music but basically it's the
music if the play good it's okay for me
you know we mentioned
I thought instead I thought you could
miss him Maxim in LA or something after
the riots do you guess better be nice to
watch this time when I come back for
another 30 years are you worried at all
about tonight no how come we saw no
homework we've done our homework we put
into time we learned the songs we're and
now and there's a tremendous spirit that
at the bottom of the New York Dolls and
it's got to do with me still and even
and there are three living new adults in
here three dead New York dancing and
some the people who are dead they are
with us all song in spirit somehow this
is not this is like me being in the
Family History Center we're playing for
our fans they want us to sound good they
they were encouraging us to sound good
and they were there I hope their hopes
and dreams are with us you know and so
to me that's at the board is to be
that's 90 but that's not an audience you
know it's just about your friends I may
be a dreamer but the dream become true
you know so these guys I'm gonna do ask
the people at the marriage that six
ounces where'd you get this long jacket
thing pretty well I know a bellhop or
whatever but then someone hears that
there's someone that staff is working as
a you know kind of a formal long jacket
with little gold epaulettes it's not the
society called the Golden Key there's
any rocks never ever ask for your coat
before no first time first time it is
requested the concierge gave up his
jacket for you well I guess we don't
have any buttons on your back
like that
this isn't it you wear what you wanna
wear yeah what you look cool do you want
somebody to go get your leather pants
Arthur Neha Sonia just today that he's
bought some boots and he wants to find a
long coat that goes down to his knees he
wants to convey a Joseph Smith kind of
image you said I have kind of a white
roughly shirt and black leather pants
Joseph Smith Brigham Young you know pick
your prophet that's who Arthur wants to
be when he's on stage
I may be in time but rock and roll is
not a time yeah gopher really I didn't
find you for the bones
hey guys run station 20 minute
and you know the power of the whole
pirate thing about swashbuckling
is very vocal
Johnny Depp Johnny Depp now through the
Bible
[Applause]
[Music]
food is doing your vouchers that
everybody walking on oh we're getting
cool but you don't get your cut you're
just gonna give it to the church it's
hurt your copy
I mean you are lovely John Smith and is
wonderful bringing me honor people they
will tie the Arthur Lipscomb you say 10%
of my earnings on my game
I'm gonna take the Mormon tobacco
assessment blessing program okay yeah
then in smoke when Moses went up on that
hill it's very sensible yeah cuz you
know caffeine turns into a spirit yeah
nicotine is the most different drug
there is you have to be the temperament
you have to what no I don't drink
[Music]
[Applause]
David I'm saying deeper thing yeah I
will come to gracious Heavenly Father as
we bow our heads before the disdain we
wish to thank tea it is with gratitude
nos that we wish to thank thee for the
many multiple blessings that you bring
to into our lives all of our lives and
your every father if there was any band
that is wishes to thank you for this
great blessing it's New York Dolls we
ask that the spirits of Johnny Billy and
Jerry be with us this evening also and
dear every father we ask that we play
well W we have fun the audience has fun
and that everyone will have a great time
and dear Heavenly Father for these
things we pray in the name of thy
beloved son and has to Jesus Christ
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
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[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
well I was worried that the reality
would destroy the myth my kids listen to
the dolls cuz you know typically they've
gone through dad's collection and I said
I've got tickets for the dolls that they
got out of school and they said we don't
want to go and I said excuse me
yet the New York Dolls you know and and
they said now cuz it won't be like the
poster on the wall and hope you like the
retin as I left tonight they refused to
come they were playing the record and
looking at the poster but they were
afraid kind of like me that I was just
reliving my you because you fear that
you fear the absolute worst in these
events and you you you're convinced that
it can only be disappointing and the
past is the past and it's a long time
ago and whoever made that great music is
now gonna look silly
[Music]
but that wasn't the case the guys
delivered a hundred percent they did it
absolutely right and everybody was just
a gas
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
I don't think he ever really believed
that he would ever be standing on a
stage playing those songs again with
David and Sylvain and I just watching
him throughout the night I could just
see a sense of bewilderment sadness and
joy everything was in his face and I
think he was just praying throughout the
night praying with thanks to somebody
whom he now believed him
[Music]
and the dolls broke up I kind of like
took a look at myself you know and said
you know you'd sit at home and I started
changing you know Arthur is such a
beautiful brilliant draw but like
sensitive cat you know it's inner core
is strong that he can you know stand for
him stand up for himself David I noticed
that Arthur didn't move around a lot on
stage the vibes of bass actually makes
you after that I gotta stand still here
because I'm getting such severe
vibrations coming through and it's like
all down there you know it's in the loin
I don't think it's really about their
personality I think it's about how is
God playing through it so if he loves
God he'd be a great bass player David
Johansen still a fantastic showman
Sylvain is the heart and soul and also
truly remains the only living statue in
rock and roll
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
a rock'n'roll band nice to make people
happy
it's part of it it's really that's what
my own job is to make people dance but
to get excited like Showtime we make
excitement you know I can remember
telling I'm hey gosh congratulations you
played again after 30 years and what a
great success story and he quickly
corrected me and said no this success is
that I was able to go back with my good
friends and and go back and mend fences
with with David that's that's what was
so important about getting back together
again
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
and I went to him late when I said
absolutely fantastic playing and his
eyes were welling he looks just at home
you know that's the truth he looks like
you know totally easy on the stage I
could do without the leather pants a bit
of a mistake you know and the diamante
tie look you know but that's Prelude the
Mormon influence he shouldn't go back to
that library he was he was telling me
that he was a bit sad that your Monday
morning he'd put on a suit and he'd put
on the tie and shirt and get on the bus
and you know I think he should put on
his diamante tie and getting the band
bus
[Music]
a modern-day limousine
my concern was that he would come back
from London he just come back to his
apartment here in Los Angeles and his
life would be the same as it was before
and it occurred to me that that could be
very painful for
she's so much noise out here okay this
is a song I would normally play for my
inspirational message inside the County
History Center for my fellow workers in
the Family History Center this song is
called love winning novel
[Music]
he seemed to have jetlag for several
days which wasn't surprising he did say
he was tired and felt like she had
picked up the cold wow he was over there
he didn't know he was sick on on July
13th he said he needed to go to the
emergency room
[Music]
and pioneering glam rock bass player
Arthur Kane of the New York Dolls died
in Los Angeles Tuesday night according
to Billboard com
the group's manager says Kane had
leukemia he was 55 Kane is the fourth
New York doll to pass away including
guitarist Johnny Thunder who died of a
drug overdose in 1991
the tragedy because we lost a really
sweet man and a good friend and I'm very
good friend and but it was a blessing
that he passed so rapidly without having
to suffer without losing all of his hair
and going through all of the treatments
and that tremendous amount of medical
bills and things yeah it was a blessing
as well if a life must end as Arthur's
did it was a beautiful way for him to go
people who have really been in the war
but thinking about the other end does
you know for lack of a better word
spiritual beatings that's the greatest
kind of person in the world to me you
don't know that big tall guy to call on
when you need help... We're trying to carry
on without him.
[Music] Good times for a change
see the look I've hi
can make a good man turn back
so please please please
let me
guess what I want this time
[Music]
I haven't had a dream
in a long time
see the life I've had can make a good
man
[Music]
so for once in my life
guess what I want
it would be the first time
[Music]
it would be the first time
[Music]
the miracle of God's creation Arthur
killer Cain
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
[Music]
he poor wayfaring man of greek hath
often passed me on my way suit so home
before me that I could never answer knee
I had not power to ask his name
where to he went or when she came there
was something in his eye that one
[Music]
once with my scan Tamir was where he and
did not a word was just
I gave him I didn't break
[Music]
[Music]
the crust was mad
[Music]
and I saw him digs condemned to me day
traders do make more the tidal lion
tones are still in honored him mid
shaming scarred my friend chips hurt see
you to try he is divine for he was weak
my blood ran chilled
[Music]
you
[Music]
the stranger started from the sky the
tokens in his hands I knew the savior
stood before my eyes he spake in my poor
name in aid of me thou has not been
ashamed these deeds shall die memorial
be fear not teach them all to me
[Music]
Post-traitement : Yann & OggiWan