There is no ‘real’ article here, just a reminder that David Johansen (also known as Buster Poindexter) of the New York Dolls and The Harry Smiths has lived one of the most remarkable lives in-and-out of the music industry, and we are lucky to have been witness to all of it.
The black-and-white image was taken for us at a Dolls concert at The Meadowbrook in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, in 1972 by Cathy Miller. The above photo was taken by our Manhattan Beat correspondent Everynight Charley Crespo at City Winery NYC in 2019.
The Aquarian has been in Johansen and Co.’s corner from the start, and in regard to the latter performance at City Winery, we wrote this: “Johansen/Poindexter embodied thoughtful lyrics in dark, slightly mysterious tones, backed by piano, guitar, bass, and drums. The net result was that Johansen was primarily a charismatic performer, and secondly a compelling stylist whose husky, gritty vocals just as easily jolted or entranced a listener.”)
With that said, we would be remiss to not share the Sweet Relief Fund that went live today that also publicized his personal battles over recent years, including a legitimately back-breaking fall and a Stage 4 cancer diagnosis. His family started the Sweet Relief Fund as a way to manage and benefit health expenses for the legendary rock artist.
“As hilarious and wise as David continues to be, he is physically debilitated and his care exceeds what we are capable of providing without specialized professional help,” Leah Hennessey, David Johansen’s daughter, candidly wrote on the donation page.
She also shared this hopeful plea and note of appreciation: “My mother’s favorite acronym for God is ‘Grace Over Drama.’ Together we have endured crisis after crisis, but with the support of our community we hope to carry on laughing and loving our way through this most trying of times. Thank you for embracing our family, and for your love and generosity.”
Click here to learn more about what David Johansen has endured in recent years and how you can help him and his family. At that link you can also donate directly to the family of the influential Big Apple musician.
“When we started, we were singing about a neighborhood, and now we are singing about the world, but it’s still our impression of it. It’s filtered through the same person, just now we have been around the world a couple of times and you have a bigger neighborhood to sing about,” Johansen told us in a 2007 interview upon the 30th anniversary of the New York Dolls. As the principal lyricist for the memorably defiant and eccentric band he fronted and originated, his perspective and voice maintained a through-line over those decades.
