Like the proverbial Phoenix, Arthur "Killer" Kane rose from the ashes of a mid-life spent in obscurity, held down by years of alcohol addiction and depression, to again take his place as a preeminent figure in the history of Punk music. His rise, fall and brief return, too incredible for words, is masterfully retold in the 2005 documentary "New York Doll".
Arthur Kane was born in New York on February 3rd, 1949. His mother died while Kane was still a teen and his relationship with his father, always troubling, collapsed following his mothers death. Shortly after graduating from high school he played bass in several bands in the area. Ultimately he
joined the group Actress with future Dolls drummer Billy Murcia and guitarists Johnny Thunders and Rick Rivets. After the break-up of Actress, Rivets would leave and the remaining pair would add David Johansen as lead singer and Sylvain Sylvain, who replaced Rivets on guitar. The new group adopted the name New York Dolls after a doll repair shop they passed in the city. The bands musical tastes drew heavily from early R&B and the early recordings of the Rolling Stones coupled with the power and raw energy of the MC5 and Stooges. They wrote songs that hearkened back to the wit exhibited by early American girl groups like the Shangri-La's. Early on the group tried to establish a following in an early 70's New York music scene that was devoid of any identity. They played homeless shelters or anywhere else that would offer them a stage. As their over-the-top appearance and stage shows began to get noticed, they received their first break when Rod Stewart, attempting to take advantage of the exploding glam-music scene, invited them to open for him in London. Following this and several other London area appearances the music world began to take note. Tragically, Murcia would die as a result of an overdose. Enter Jerry Nolan, who would take Murcia's place behind the drum kit, having been an old friend of Johansen and several other band members.
New York Dolls (l-r Johansen, Nolan, Sylvain, Kane, Thunders) On stage the band would be known for attire that had them looking like a cross between drag queens and prostitutes. For all of the energy Johansen and Thunders put into their on-stage antics the reverse was true for Kane. Standing nearly motionless throughout each show, it was said he could not play bass and breath at the same time. Instead he would take in and hold deep breaths while performing each song. While their stage appearance would become the bands signature, it was the music that drew in their small, but ever growing, fan base. The rhythm section of Kane, Thunders and Nolan were as ragged as any in recorded music at the time and finally Mercury Records took notice, signing the band to their first recording contract in 1972. Their first release, New York Dolls, was produced by Todd Rundgren and met with mainly positive reviews from the musical establishment. The buying public, however, stayed away in droves. The average consumer could not get past their appearance and the music was never given it's due (Creem Magazine readers voted the band the best and worst new group in a 1973 readers poll). Subsequent appearances on British television shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test further polarized the masses, people either loved the Dolls or hated them. The television appearance, however, would inspire many of the English youth who witnessed it to form bands with names like The Smiths, Sex Pistols, Generation X and The Damned.
New York Dolls, 1974
Believing Rundgren had exhibited too heavy a hand in the mastering of their first recording, the Dolls hired producer George Morton for their second studio effort, the aptly titled "Too Much Too Soon" in 1974. Despite a sound that was more stripped down, the song writing was not as sharp as on t
heir first release. Heavy on covers and older songs written by the group, the release again sold poorly, despite containing several songs that would be revered as punk classics in the years to come (notably "Chatterbox and "Babylon"). Poor sales and indifference again greeted the band as they toured in support of the release. Mercury abandoned the group shortly thereafter. A failed attempt at having a pre-Sex Pistols Malcolm McLaren manage the band coupled with Thunders and Nolan's escalating use of heroin finally saw the band implode during a tour in 1975. Despite soldering on for two more years with replacements for the now-departed Thunders and Nolan (who, along with Richard Hell, would form The Heartbreakers) the Dolls officially called it quits in 1977. After four odd-years and a cloud of dust, having inspired fellow New York bands like the Ramones, Television, Blondie and Talking Heads plus countless overseas, the New York Dolls were now but a footnote in the history of Punk.
sentially out of options, the band he loved was long gone and everything else he tried turned to shit. He retreated to Los Angeles in hopes the change of scenery would jump start his career. Instead, Los Angeles met him with a cold indifference. He would watch a new wave of groups, obviously inspired by the music and style of the Dolls, explode all around him. Bands like Hanoi Rocks, Motley Crue, Ratt and Twisted Sister reigned on the sales charts and were in constant rotation on MTV. While his own failures ate at him, so too did the success that he saw from bands the Dolls had inspired. About this same time David Johansen reinvented himself, becoming lounge lizard Buster Poindexter (right) and releasing a top ten single "Hot, Hot, Hot". This only fueled Kane's drinking and erratic behavior. He finally hit rock bottom when, in short succession, his marriage failed, he was severely injured after falling from a second story window and he was attacked by a homeless person in West Hollywood. The attack left him in a coma for several days.
Reading a magazine one day in 1989, Kane came across an advertisement for The Church Of Latter-day Saints that offered a free copy of the book of Mormon. After responding to the ad, two Mormon missionaries appeared at Kane's door several days later and he, after listening to their testament, became a Mormon. While working at the library of the Mormon temple in Los Angeles (at right, with co-workers), Kane became acquainted with Greg Whitely, a film student and fellow Morm
on. Whitley would later recount that in the 4 years he knew Kane there wasn't a conversation that went by without Kane describing the longing he had to again work with his fellow band mates and reunite the Dolls. After hearing the numerous stories Kane had about his days as a Doll and his strong desire to reform the group, Whitely decided to film a documentary about Kane and his life. In 2003 Kane heard, through several people that maintained New York Doll fan websites, that there was rumor that the Dolls were being reformed. Unbeknown to Kane, Morrissey was responsible to procure the band lineup for the 2004 version of the Meltdown Festival, a yearly music festival held at Royal Albert Hall that employed various British musical celebrities to act as organizers. Morrissey, a lifelong Dolls fan and one-time president of their UK fan club, immediately sought to reform the Dolls for that year's festival. Kane called Morrissey and the wheels were set in motion to reform the band for a one time show. Amazingly, Johansen, for years dismissing any notion of a reunion, was immediately on board with the plan. But before Kane could become a Doll again he had to retrieve his bass, which he had long since pawned. With the financial aid of his fellow church members, Kane bought back his bass from the pawn shop.
The Reunion Show, 2004
Sylvain, Kane and Johansen (along with several handpicked studio musicians) met in London shortly thereafter to begin rehearsals for their show at the Meltdown Festival. On June 16, 2004 the New York Dolls performed again for the first time in over 30 years. The performance was so well received talks of a new album and a tour started immediately. 22 days after the performance Kane complained of flu-like symptoms and was checked into a Los Angeles area hospital. He was diagnosed with leukemia and, within two hours of being admitted to the hospital, died. He was 55 years old.
Related Links:
New York Doll Movie Site: http://www.onepotatoproductions.com/NewYorkDoll/
New York Dolls Site: http://www.nydolls.org/ http://www.nyrock.com/misc/nydolls.htm http://www.punk77.co.uk/punkhistory/newyorkdolls.htm
Meltdown Festival: http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/meltdown/
David Johansen Fansite: http://www.geocities.com/davidjohansenonline/
Morrissey Site: http://www.morrisseymusic.com/
