Johnny Thunders

Reviews

Johnny Thunders Live From Zürich 1985 LP

Exhumed and remastered from a tape that had been stored in a private stash box that JOHNNY simply labeled “Thunders Tapes,” Live From Zürich 1985 captures a live Swiss radio session recorded six years before his passing. Thanks to a sharp remastering job, the sound is super-crisp, and THUNDERS’ usual disaffected and snotty charm is on full display throughout. The fourteen songs here are a bit of mixed bag, ranging from highlights like the opening rocker “Blame It On Mom” and the Jerry “Needles” Nolan co-written “Countdown Love,” to obligatory DOLLS and HEARTBREAKERS covers, to duds like the ill-advised dub of “Cool Operator.” Die-hard fans will dig it, and this is the first of a series of these “forgotten” recordings to come, so they can look forward to digging more.

Johnny Thunders Stations of the Cross cassette

A must for those NY DOLLS/HEARTBREAKERS fans, 21 live songs of fantastic sound quality, recorded in NYC in 1983 featuring other ex-DOLLS Lure and Nolan. This rocks! Anyone got a spoon?

Johnny Thunders Que Sera, Sera LP

Whereas I just had written JOHNNY THUNDERS off as poopoo on toast last issue, I’m now glad to report that he’s now just plain poopoo. Lots of songs about all the girls throwing themselves on the boy, done in his traditional R’n’R style. Would’ve been happy, though, if he at least rocked out, but most tracks are fairly tame, with very clean playing. Miss that nasty guitar. OK at best.

Johnny Thunders / Patti Palladin Crawfish 12″

The first original-sounding thing from JOHNNY THUNDERS in ages, with singing back-up by ex-SNATCH Patti and instrumental help from ex-HEARTBREAKERS Jerry Nolan and Billy Rath. Sounds promising? Nope, you get a countryish slick R’n’B tune, and two versions of the title tune, a sultry bluesy number that’s pretty unmoving. Oh, well, you can’t put your arm around a memory.