Sylvain Sylvain’s New York Dolls

Legendary US punk rockers Sylvain Sylvain’s New York Dolls have confirmed a Belfast date on their summer European Tour. ‘The Dolls’ plus Special Guests more details to follow!





Sylvain Sylvain was one of the creative member’s of the truly trend setting inspirational band of the seventies, The New York Dolls. Their visual style influenced the sound and the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they were at pinnacle the local New York scene that later spawned The Ramones, Blondie, Television and Talking Heads.





The band was influenced by vintage rhythm and blues the early Rolling Stones, classic American girl group songs, and protopunk bands such as the MC5 and The Stooges, as well as glam rockers such as Marc Bolan. In synthesizing this wide variety of influences they created something which critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote “doesn’t really sound like anything that came before it. It’s hard rock with a self-conscious wit, a celebration of camp and kitsch that retains a menacing, malevolent edge.”



The New York Dolls had a big influence on the UK punk scene of the late seventies, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols was heavily influenced by the Dolls so much so he would emulate Johnny Thunders stage style Malcolm Mclaren also worked with the New York Dolls near the end of his career. Morrissey (The Smiths) and Michael Stipe (REM) are also huge fans of the New York Dolls, Morrissey was the president of the Dolls’ UK fan club as a teenager, wrote a book about them, and produced their comeback show; Stipe was a guest on One Day….



After splitting in 1975 Sylvain went onto record solo albums and writing songs for/on David Johanson solo albums. Songs like “Funky But Chic” “Frenchette” to name a few. Then in 2004 Morrissey asked them to play Meltdown Festival in London and the band reformed for more shows including the O2 Wireless Festival in and Lounge on the Farm In the Uk in 2008. They also brought out a new album in “Dancing Backwards in High Heels” in 2011.



Now Sylvain Sylvain is going back out on the road with His version of the New York Dolls. They will be playing classic Dolls tunes as well as his own new material including the latest single “Leaving New York“ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypAvjbRs3uA