The New York Dolls will be playing the Henry Fonda theater tonight, and when discussing the Dolls one must ask: Has any band been besieged by more tragedy than glam-punk pioneers the New York Dolls? Let’s review: Before the band even recorded their 1973 debut, original drummer Billy Murcia died from an overdose. After two classic albums, they were dropped by their label and went separate ways. Guitarist Johnny Thunders died of a heroin overdose in 1991, and drummer Jerry Nolan died the next year of bacterial meningitis.

Despite these losses, the band reformed in 2004 to play the Meltdown Festival in England to rave reviews. Then bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane died of cancer. (The last couple years of his life, in which he lived as a Los Angeles Mormon and dreamed of reconciling with his bandmates, was chronicled in the compelling documentary New York Doll.)

At this point you’d think surviving members David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain would get as far away from their cursed band as possible, but they’re still at it. In 2006 the New York Dolls released the decent and modestly titled reunion album One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This, and Johansen and Sylvain, along with their new recruits, have been on the road ever since.

While David Johansen may be vying with Mick Jagger for the title of most wrinkled rock-n-roll front man, he also shares Jagger’s boundless enthusiasm and will likely exude stage charisma well into his 80s. And when the band launches into classics like “Trash,” “Personality Crisis,” and “Looking for a Kiss,” it’s always a shock to hear how vibrant and modern these songs still sound.

Maybe it’s taken 30-plus years for the rest of the world to catch up with the Dolls. Here’s your chance to see why everyone from the Sex Pistols to Morrissey has named them as essential influences. With the Dolls’ luck, let’s just hope Sylvain and Johansen are careful up there.

The New York Dolls will perform at the Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater tonight at 8 pm.
Located at:
6126 Hollywood Blvd. (Map)
Doors open at 7.
For tickets, go here.

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