BEST OF THE '00S: DAVID JOHANSEN

I was never really a big New York Dolls fan. I didn't have any big objection to them, and I knew that they influenced a lot of bands that I like, including KISS, Aerosmith and a lot of punk groups. I didn't know much of their music, and I was more familiar with singer David Johansen's solo work (mainly his Animals covers), his hit singles as Buster Poindexter and his scene-stealing role in Scrooged.

Then I went to Little Steven's Underground Garage Rock Festival in August of 2004. The New York Dolls, who had reunited a few weeks earlier at the behest of former fan club president Morrissey, were one of the headliners. It was their first New York show in three decades. Somehow, they were beneath The Strokes on the bill, and the final band was The Stooges. A publicist took me onstage for the Dolls, and they really knocked me out. I couldn't believe I'd never really listened to them before. I bought their 1973 self-titled album and really dug it.

About a year later, I found myself working at SIRIUS Satellite Radio, and David Johansen, as it turned out, hosted a weekly show on SIRIUS Disorder. (These days, it is on The Loft). I don't always like what he plays - it is true free form radio, veering from punk rock to opera to country to film music to soft rock bands like Toto or Bread to instrumental film music. But I like a lot of it, and he takes curating a radio show and makes it an artform, just as much as Little Steven or Bob Dylan. You've really got to hear it.

Around this time, word came that the Dolls' gigs had gone so well that they were going to record a reunion album. That sounded dicey. But as it tured out, 2006's One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This is probably one of the best comeback albums I've ever heard, and the follow up, this year's 'Cause I Sez So, proved it to be no fluke. Even though there are only two surviving members - Johansen and guitarist Sylvain Sylvain - they made it work, and work well.

I had the chance to film Johansen being interviewed by John Varvatos for his SIRIUSXM show (which is on Faction) and David Johansen was really cool. Soon after, I filmed The New York Dolls' performance at Varvatos' store at the former location of CBGB, and the band were on fire. Johansen definitely looks his age, but he carries it in the most cool way.

More Best Of The '00s: Bob Dylan
Willie Nelson
Aimee Mann
Jeff Tweedy

THE NEW YORK DOLLS AT THE VARVATOS BOUTIQUE

I almost forgot to write about this! On Tuesday night, I filmed (along with a more experienced cameraguy) The New York Dolls' record release party; they released their latest, 'Cause I Sez So, that day. It was at John Varvatos' boutique - yes, the site of the former CBGB, and I wrote about my opinion about that recently. It was also the launch for John's radio show, Born In Detroit, which will air on SIRIUS XM's Faction on the first Sunday of every month. I filmed John interviewing head Doll David Johansen last week (both the interview and the performance will be on SIRIUS.com and the SIRIUS XM YouTube page soon) and he won me over. He's a rock fan who made it, big time, and is using his success to preserve and represent the music that he loves.

Anyway, The Dolls were incredible. They are one of those bands, like The Stooges, who belong on classic rock radio by all rights, instead of some of the hack bands that the format plays. I can't understand why more people don't love this band, it's not like they are hard to "get" like Kraftwerk or something. Anyway, they played mostly new songs, and it sounds like the new album is really rocking, so check it out.

MY THOUGHTS ON CBGB

Tonight I met John Varvatos. Until a few years ago, I hadn't heard of him. He's a fashion designer. He bought the former location of CBGB and made it into a boutique. Obviously pretty controversial.

For the last few years of its existence, CBGB seemed like a shadow of what it used to be. It wasn't just that famous bands stopped playing the joint - although they had - it also wasn't a stop for up-and-coming-red-hot type bands any more. I think it was great that lots of young local bands without industry connections were tearing it up on the same stage that The Ramones and Television had played back in the day. But the place wasn't what it used to be. Lots of people complaining that it was closing probably hadn't been there in years. By the way, I'm not trying to claim that I was a CB's die-hard. I went there a bunch of times, saw some cool shows there, period.

I think it's lame the city didn't preserve it as a landmark: regardless of whatever the club was doing at that point, it was at the very least an important historical landmark, culture-wise. But what happened, happened. They couldn't pay their rent, or come close, and in the grown up world, you don't get to keep your place if that happens (unless you're a banker or stock broker who has lost millions of dollars).

This past weekend, I was in Asbury Park, New Jersey: it was similarly a bummer to note the loss of "Tillie." I do think cities should preserve certain reminders of thier past, but that's just my opinion.

Anyway, the ex-CBGB was pretty much abandoned when Varvatos happened upon it and came up with the idea to turn it into a boutique. I went there last week. Yes, it is unnerving to see someone selling jeans for like $500 at a place that used to stand for punk rock and used to have hardcore matinees. But the place could have become a bank or something. It was dead and gone. Varvatos appropriated some of the artifacts of the place, and now it is what it is. Some would rather it be a bank, at least then it is a clearer "enemy," instead of a millionarie using rock and roll to draw people in. Personally, I'm not mad at Varvatos. As I mentioned, I met him tonight, I filmed him interviewing the great David Johansen of The New York Dolls (it will be posted at SIRIUS.com soon) and I felt his interest in the place, and in music, was genuine.

But I'm not paying more than $50 (maybe $60, not more than $70) for jeans. (I did, however, buy Handsome Dick Manitoba's Book of Punk Rock Lists when I was there for $15).