Pissing off Scenesters Since 1995
“New York Dolls Photographs”
by Bob Gruen
Abrams Image
Bob Gruen scored a dream job when he happened upon a New York Dolls gig at the Mercer Arts Center in New York way back in 1972. Every rock & roll photographer dreams of discovering an amazing band early in their career and then following them to greatness, chronicling their every move. For the New York Dolls, Gruen was that man.
Sandwiched between interviews by Lenny Kaye and an afterward by Morrissey are hundreds of images documenting the life of the Dolls. From punks, to sluts, to cabaret disasters – The New York Dolls are fleshed out for the world to see in stark black and white images and a handful of color live photos. Gruen does an amazing job capturing just how fabulously ugly these dudes were. With the exception of Johnny Thunder (a true NYC hipster before the word was invented), these guys needed way more than just lipstick and six-inch heels to make them attractive, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t hot.
Singer David Johansen looks like he’s ready to take on the world in every single photo, while Arthur “Killer” Kane looks like he could pound the crap out of you, even in day-glo spandex. Photos of the band recording and carousing with fellow musicians are the best part of the book. Those images show the inner sanctum of the Dolls, wiping away the make-up and costumes and giving the viewer a look into what made these legends tick.
Sadly, those photos are few and far between. A good chunk of the book features publicity photos and live shots of the band mugging for the camera. Johansen appears to be posing in almost every photograph, and it’s easy to get tired of seeing the band in the same pose, albeit with different outfits.
That said, Gruen captures a legendary band at a real turning point in rock music. Between his book, and the recent documentaries about the band, Dolls fans finally have the opportunity to see the men behind the glam and get a true understanding of the real New York Dolls.