Sylvain Sylvain, the punk icon and guitarist of the New York Dolls whose riffs bridge the gap between punk and glam, died Wednesday. He was 69. The musician, who also contributed bass, piano and songwriting to the pioneer’s first two albums, was battling cancer.
“As most of you know, Sylvain has been battling cancer for the past two and a half years,” his wife, Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi, wrote in a statement on his Facebook page. ‘Although he fought bravely against it, he died of this disease yesterday. While we are saddened by his loss, we know that he is finally at peace and in pain. Please turn on his music, light a candle, pray and let us send this beautiful doll on its way. ”
The debut album of 1973, which the title itself mentioned, remains a beacon in rock music Rolling clip and call it the 500 greatest album of all time. “Leaked punks ripped the New York Dolls riffs from Chuck Berry and Fats Domino and fattened them up with a lot of attitude and reverberation,” we wrote at the time. “Produced by Todd Rundgren, songs like ‘Personality Crisis’ and ‘Bad Girl’ drip from silence and style … It’s hard to imagine the Ramones or the Replacements or a thousand other garbage-junky bands without it. ‘
His family, born Sylvain Mizrahi in Cairo, Egypt, moved to France before settling in New York. He was a member of the group of actresses with Arthur Kane, Johnny Thunders and Billy Murcia before founding the New York Dolls in 1971. While serving as the band’s guitarist, their first two albums were – New York Dolls and 1974s Too much too soon – contains his contributions for bass, piano and songwriting.
As the band’s orchestra shifted over the years, Sylvain and singer David Johansen remained until it disbanded in 1977.
“His role in the band was as a lynchpin, which held the spinning satellites of his band members exactly,” Lenny Kaye wrote in a letter accompanying the announcement of Sylvain’s death. “Although he bravely tried to keep the band going, the Dolls’ moral fable eventually overwhelmed them, not before they had an influence that would cause many more rock generations.”
After breaking up with the group, Sylvain worked on various solo projects, collaborated with other artists, and launched the Criminals with Bobby Blain, Michael Page, and Tony Machine. His solo work included his debut in 1981, with the title of 1979. Syl Sylvain and the Teardrops and 1998s Sleeping baby doll.
Sylvain reunited with the New York Dolls in 2004 and was part of their last three albums, One day we will please remember that too, Because I see so and Dance backwards in high heels. He was also a member of the Batusis, which released an EP in 2010, and in 2016 he performed in South at Southwest.
“The New York Dolls announced the future and made it easy to dance on,” Kaye continued. ‘From the time I first saw their poster appear on the wall of Village Oldies in 1972, advertising a residence at the Mercer Hotel across the street, throughout their meteoric climb and shooting star, was the New York Dolls the heated core of this music that greets us, the band that makes you want to form a band.
“Syl never stopped. In his solo lifeline, he was welcomed all over the world, from England to Japan, but especially the rocks of New York City, this is where I caught up with him at the Bowery Electric a few years ago. Steeds Syl. His corkscrew curls, tireless bounce, cheering to live out his dream, asking the crowd to sing along, and so will we. His twin names, reflect, become us.
” A group consists of people starting out there in some basement, ” Mizrahi told the Quietus in 2018. “They are bored with what life is like, and suddenly someone says, ‘Let’s have a show! “What are we going to do for a stage curtain?” “I will use my mother’s sheets.” “What are we going to do for makeup?” “I’ll take it out of my girlfriend’s suitcase.” I think it comes down to performance. All of these musicians are all about performance. ”
Wanda O’Kelley Mizrahi tells Rolling clip that Mizrahi, who lived in Nashville, would be buried in New York. “Thank you Sylvain x 2, for your heart, faith and the way you slapped the E-chord,” Kaye concluded. “Sleep baby doll.”
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