10 Great Rock Music Acts Who Were Too Far Ahead Of Their Time
7. New York Dolls
Although the Ramones are generally (and rightfully) viewed as the Godfathers of punk, they were not the original punk band as many believe. The Ramones pioneered and popularised the genre in every country from the US to the UK, but they weren’t even the first ‘true’ punk band from their native city of New York, let alone the entire world. That title likely belongs to the fleeting and ill-fated New York Dolls.
The problems the band faced were endless, and a constant grey cloud seemed to loom over them from the very outset of their short-lived career. Forming in 1971, New York Dolls managed to get through 12 members in the space of just five years. Some of these members would go on to have great careers elsewhere, including Blackie Lawless, later of W.A.S.P. Besides constant line-up changes, the band famously struggled with substance abuse, highlighted by the untimely heroin-induced death of original drummer, Billy Murcia, in 1972.
Despite their flaws, New York Dolls managed to release their debut album in 1973 and followed it with the aptly named ‘Too Much Too Soon’ the following year. By 1975, the band found their crowds dwindling and they were forced to play in progressively smaller venues. They hired Malcolm McLaren as their manager but it was all in vain as they disbanded in 1976. Just months later, the Ramones, The Clash, and Sex Pistols caused the punk rock revolution to explode into life.