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How David Johansen Changed Me as a Music Fan
New York Dolls, Guns N' Roses, curiosity and covers albums (and Rock Hall snubs).
Jason Brow
February 14, 2025
Welcome to Open Up and Read, the newsletter from music journalist Jason Brow.
Alterna2, CC BY 2.0. via Wikimedia Commons
David Johansen of the New York Dolls has gone public with stage 4 cancer and a brain tumor, which was diagnosed in 2020. Sweet Relief has launched the David Johansen Fund. You can donate here.
(Author’s Note: An unpolished draft of this piece went out yesterday. Thanks to all who read it. Here’s the correct version.)
The first time I heard a New York Dolls song, it came out of Axl Rose’s mouth.
In late ’93, Guns N’ Roses put out The Spaghetti Incident. A covers album. Sometimes, when a group tries to sell you a slab of rock ‘n roll karaoke, there’s something afoot: is this the last bit of juice in the creative battery? Are they desperate to fulfill the final obligation of a shitty record deal? Does everyone in the band just fucking hates each other, and a breakup is imminent?
GNR’s original lineup was on its last legs around that time, as was my half-assed allegiance—which was just baby’s first steps as a music fan. As friends around me began picking their Favorite BandsTM, I scrambled so as not to be left out. GNR was still active. And I liked a few of their songs. I guess they’re my band. They weren’t.