Although gross sales have been lackluster, Too A lot Too Quickly captured the band’s spirit. Lower than a yr after its launch, the Dolls broke up in a mixture of economic failure and private misbehavior.
TONYA MOSLEY, HOST:
That is FRESH AIR. And as a part of the summer time sequence on albums celebrating their fiftieth anniversary, rock critic Ken Tucker is reviewing the New York Dolls’ 1974 file “In Too A lot Too Quickly.” It was the second album by the band, fronted by lead singer David Johansen. The New York Dolls are actually thought of to be one of many forerunners of punk rock. However as Ken explains, in ’74, it was typically a lonely scenario to be a Dolls fan.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “BABYLON”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) Effectively, once I awakened this morning, boys, I used to be gone. My girlfriend requested me, the place do I come from? Put my face up within the mirror simply to clock my wares. Very first thing, I do know I obtained to get out of right here, oh, again to Babylon. I obtained to get away to Babylon. I am unable to keep ‘trigger in Babylon – having an excessive amount of enjoyable in Babylon. I obtained to run. I am unable to look again. I’ve obtained to get again. I’ve obtained to get all the way down to Babylon.
KEN TUCKER, BYLINE: Of all of the albums I’ve talked about throughout this fiftieth anniversary album sequence so far, the New York Dolls’ “In Too A lot Too Quickly” is the least identified and least appreciated. I do know this partly from expertise. The vinyl copy of it that I possess was given to me 50 years in the past by my good friend, the novelist Tom De Haven – not as a present, however as one thing he needed out of his home. Take it, he informed me, holding it at arm’s size. I hate it, he mentioned.
On the time, this second album by the Dolls was receiving rapturous opinions, minimal gross sales and viewers indifference bordering on hostility. The album thrilled me, and I nonetheless grin upon listening to the opening goofiness of the Dolls’ model of Archie Bell & The Drells’ “(There’s Gonna Be A) Showdown.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “(THERE’S GONNA BE A) SHOWDOWN”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) Say, man, they inform me you are fairly good. Do not you realize you are in my neighborhood? They inform me you are fairly quick on them feets. You greatest be on the dance corridor down on 14th Road, you hear? Yeah, there’s going to be a showdown. Yeah, there’s going to be a showdown. Yeah, there’s going to be a showdown. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, there’s going to be a showdown.
TUCKER: It isn’t onerous to listen to why many individuals didn’t dig the New York Dolls. To start with, there’s David Johansen’s taxicab honk of a voice – as New York because the band’s identify. Whereas he later went solo as a witty crooner beneath the stage identify Buster Poindexter, as a Doll, Johansen was all about singing to compete with – or complement – the clattering chaos of Johnny Thunders’ garish lead guitar.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “PUSS ‘N’ BOOTS”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) And now you are strolling similar to you are 10 foot tall. Effectively, go forward. Lickity cut up, higher transfer fast. Higher not slip, higher get hip. I do not assume they’re going to match. Gunning for a hoot, I’ll shout, the place’d you get them boots? Similar to Puss in Boots, I hope you aren’t getting shot for making an attempt. Oh, child, shot for making an attempt.
TUCKER: In New York Metropolis, the Dolls have been the bridge between the atonal moodiness of the Velvet Underground that preceded them and the terse noise of The Ramones, who would comply with them. Conceited, sloppy and affected by substance abuse, the band was a slap within the face – nobody’s thought of a smash hit, at a time when John Denver and the Eagles topped the charts. Paul Nelson, the pioneering rock critic turned A&R man, needed to spend months convincing his bosses at Mercury Data to signal the band. Ellen Willis, one other inventor of rock criticism, wrote in The New Yorker about being blown away by the band within the Decrease Manhattan house that turned their launchpad, the Mercer Arts Heart, describing Johansen as a, quote, “19-year-old bizarro in his rumpled Prince Valiant coiffure, lipstick, high-heeled boots and leather-based pants, radiating a sulky sexuality.”
The excessive level of this album is its closing tune, “Human Being.” It is poignant that the Dolls would really feel they needed to inform us that they weren’t freaks or superheroes, however plain outdated people, wrapping the sentiment of their fiercest rock music.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HUMAN BEING”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) Oh, yeah. Effectively, I might imagine that this complete scene is simply a-too appalling for me, or I would be the kind who’s simply a-mad about each little factor that I see, however I can coloration that with historical past or make it simply what I need it to be, whereas I am blowing my change on the fan magazines with all of the Hollywood refugees, screaming, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, yeah. And if I am performing like a king, I mentioned, effectively, I am a human being, and if I need too many issues, do not you realize, effectively, I am a human being. If I’ve obtained to dream, child, child, child, I am a human being, and when it will get a bit obscene, woo, woo, woo, I am a human being.
TUCKER: The Dolls’ first self-titled album had been produced by Todd Rundgren, in hopes of giving it some pop music flare. For the second album, the band made a stunning alternative – Shadow Morton, greatest identified for his work writing and producing ’60s hits like “Chief Of The Pack” for The Shangri-Las. He turned out to be nice for the group, taking part in up their hard-rock swagger, whereas additionally highlighting the humorousness that might get misplaced within the noise, steering them towards materials like Sonny Boy Williamson’s Nineteen Fifties blues hit “Do not Begin Me Talkin’.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “DON’T START ME TALKIN'”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) Happening to Rosie’s, going to speak to Fannie Could. I obtained to inform her what I heard her boyfriend say, however do not you begin me speaking. I will inform every thing I do know. I am breaking this, signifying, as a result of any individual’s obtained to go. Jackie’s spouse, $2.
TUCKER: Lower than a yr after this album, the Dolls broke up, in a mixture of economic failure and private misbehavior. One of the best summation might have been provided by the late Paul Nelson when requested why he labored so onerous to get the Dolls a file contract. It was a wondrous factor, he mentioned, to see a bunch play rock ‘n’ roll with the keenness of 5 individuals who felt and acted as if that they had simply invented it.
MOSLEY: Rock critic Ken Tucker revisited the 1974 album “In Too A lot Too Quickly,” by the New York Dolls. Tomorrow on FRESH AIR – Brittany Howard. She turned often called the powerhouse singer and guitarist fronting the band Alabama Shakes. Now she has a solo profession and a brand new album referred to as “What Now.” We’ll speak along with her about her new album, writing and singing breakup songs and the way her life has modified. I hope you may be a part of us.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CHATTERBOX”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: One, two, three 4.
MOSLEY: Our interviews and opinions are produced and edited by Phyllis Myers, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Ann Marie Baldonado, Therese Madden, Monique Nazareth, Thea Chaloner, Susan Nyakundi and Joel Wolfram. With Terry Gross, I am Tonya Mosley.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “CHATTERBOX”)
NEW YORK DOLLS: (Singing) I mentioned, chatterbox. I mentioned, you squawk lots. Come on, give me some lips.
Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This textual content will not be in its closing type and could also be up to date or revised sooner or later. Accuracy and availability might fluctuate. The authoritative file of NPR’s programming is the audio file.
