New York Dolls Members, Gear & Sound

Genre

Rock Power pop Protopunk Punk blues Punk rock Post-punk Glam rock Pub rock Glam punk Punk dance rock early us punk proto-punk

Members

Select a New York Dolls band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.

Johnny Thunders

Roles:

Singer Guitarist

Groups:

The Heartbreakers Gang War

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Blackie Lawless

Roles:

Singer Guitarist Bassist

Groups:

W.A.S.P. Sister London

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Earl Slick

Roles:

Guitarist

Groups:

Little Caesar Silver Condor Dirty White Boy

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Sylvain Sylvain

Roles:

Guitarist

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Kenny Aaronson

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

The Yardbirds Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Dust Stories Neverending Tour Band Silver Condor John Eddie Band Hagar, Schon, Aaronson, Shrieve Derringer The Satisfactors Radio Exile Graham Parker & The Episodes

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Sami Yaffa

Roles:

Bassist

Groups:

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Hanoi Rocks Jetboy Pelle Miljoona Oy Demolition 23. Jerusalem Slim

Needs more gear

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Arthur Kane

Roles:

Bassist

Needs more gear

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Jerry Nolan

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

The Heartbreakers Stimulators

No gear added

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David Johansen

Roles:

Singer

Groups:

Hubert Sumlin & David Johansen

No gear added

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Jason Sutter

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Marilyn Manson Smash Mouth Foreigner

No gear added

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Brian Delaney

Roles:

Drummer

Groups:

Mourning Beloveth

No gear added

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Billy Murcia

Roles:

Drummer

No gear added

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Rick Rivets

Roles:

Guitarist

No gear added

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About

New York Dolls were a pioneering American rock band that emerged from New York City in the early 1970s. Known for their influential role in the development of punk rock and glam punk, the band originally consisted of David Johansen (vocals), Johnny Thunders (guitar), Syl Sylvain (guitar), Arthur Kane (bass), and Billy Murcia (drums). After the tragic death of Murcia, Jerry Nolan took over on drums. The Dolls combined the raw energy of proto-punk with the flamboyance of glam rock, creating a sound that was both gritty and theatrical. Despite initial commercial struggles, their first two albums, New York Dolls and Too Much Too Soon, became seminal works that inspired countless punk bands that followed.

How to Sound Like New York Dolls

The sonic character of the New York Dolls is defined by its raw, aggressive energy and a gritty, rebellious edge. Their music is marked by the dirty, unrefined sound of punk, infused with elements of glam rock's theatricality. To emulate their vibe, focus on distorted, raunchy guitar tones often achieved with guitars such as the Gibson Les Paul Special and amplifiers like the Fender '68 Custom Twin Reverb, both used by Johnny Thunders. The combination of these guitars and amps delivers that quintessential slashing, overdriven sound. The driving rhythm sections, paired with Johansen's charismatic vocals, capture the Dolls' raw, streetwise aesthetic, making their style both iconic and challenging to replicate.

Discography

New York Dolls

1973

Paris' Burning

1974

In Too Much Too Soon

1974

Rock 'N Roll

1994

A Hard Night's Day

2000

Lipstick Killers

2000

The Return of the New York Dolls - Live From Royal Festival Hall, 2004

2004

One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This

2007

Punk Power - Vol. 1

2007

'Cause I Sez So

2009

Vive Le Trash '74

2009

New York Tapes 72-73

2010

Dancing Backward In High Heels

2011

Live From The Bowery (Live At The Bowery Ballroom / NYC, NY / 2011)

2011

From Paris With Love (L.U.V)

2012

French Kiss '74

2013

French Kiss '74 + Actress - Birth of the New York Dolls

2013

Pirate Love (Live)

2014

Dawn Of The Dolls (2023 Re-Mastered)

2023

Get the New York Dolls Sound

Want to sound like New York Dolls? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.