Discounting the proto-punk '60s work of groups like the Stooges and the MC5, the New York Dolls are probably the first punk band. Visually they flirted with glam, but that's just because they were emulating their main influence, the Stones, whose one-time penchant for wearing ladies' clothes the Dolls aped. Like the Stones, the Dolls had a flamboyant singer (David Johansen) full of sexy swagger and soul, and a strung-out-looking guitarist (Johnny Thunders) who'd chewed up and spit out the Chuck Berry catalogue. The Dolls revved up that rootsy sound, combining a hard edge with a respect for the rock & roll verities. Songs such as "Who are the Mystery Girls?" and "It's Too Late" meld punk abandon with soulful rock & roll, with Thunders's slashing guitar slicing the '50s and '60s aesthetics into little pieces. The iconoclastic Dolls had an undeniable respect for tradition, shown by their cocky covers of the soul classic "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" and the '50s novelty hit "Stranded in the Jungle". Despite all these nods to the past, though, TOO MUCH TOO SOON burst onto the 1974 rock scene sounding like exactly what it was--the dawning of a new day.
Recorded at A&R Studios, New York, New York
Produced by Shadow Morton
Engineered by Dixon Van Winkle with Dennis Drake
• Johnny Thunders - vocals, guitar
• Sylvain Sylvain - vocals, guitar, piano
• Killer Kane - bass
• Jerry Nolan - drums, percussion
• David Johansen - vocals, gongs