Morrissey Reforms New York Dolls
In his role as creative director of the Meltdown Festival, Morrissey has convinced legendary proto punk outfit the New York Dolls into reforming for a one-off gig, and has roped in members of Guns N' Roses and The Libertines to help out.
The ex-Smiths frontman was once president of the UK New York Dolls fan club as a kid and was an obsessive follower of the group, who despite (or maybe because of) their self destructive behaviour and legendary lack of musical prowess, are largely held responsible for kick-starting the punk movement.
According to MTV, Morrissey contacted the former Dolls singer David Johansen to personally ask him to reform the group for the event in June.
"That was the last thing on my mind," Johansen explained, "But I thought about it for a couple of days and thought, ‘That could be a hoot’."
"He called and said that he was the president of his local New York Dolls fan club as a kid," Johansen's manager Darren Hill continued. "They have not been in the same room for years. There has been absolutely no animosity in our discussions."
The band’s original guitarist Johnny Thunders died from a heroin overdoes in 1991 and is being replaced at the festival by former Guns n' Roses guitarist Izzy Stradlin, while Libertines drummer Gary Powell will be filling in for the late Doll’s drummer Jerry Nolan.
Hill went on to hint that the group may even be joined by members of Primal Scream and The Pretenders’ Chrissy Hynde.
The New York Dolls formed in 1971, and absorbed glam rock’s look but pre-empted punk’s attitude with a handful of shambolic yet intense records that are often credited with inspiring the Sex Pistols – in fact, Malcolm McLaren managed the band before assembling the Pistols.
The Meltdown Festival takes place at the South Bank Centre, London from June 11 until 27.
The Libertines and Franz Ferdinand are also rumoured to be appearing.
For all the latest festival news and rumours go to the Xfm Online Festival Guide
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