Dead-End Kid Nina Antonia on her Johnny Thunders bio by Chris Parcellin
The early 1970s were an abysmal time for rock'n'roll. The radio airwaves were dominated by limp folkies like James Taylor and progressive rock phoneys like Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Yes. With only The Rolling Stones and a few cult groups like The Stooges and The MC5 pumping-out great hard rock sounds the stage was set for a revolution.

It came in the form of The New York Dolls. Blasting out of the gutters of NYC with more attitude and snarling aggression than had been seen before, the Dolls personified rock'n'roll decadence. Unfortunately, due to industry indifference, bad management and a lack of promotion--the Dolls went over like a stinkbomb at the senior prom.

But their charismatic lead guitarist, Johnny Thunders, stood out in a band that included snot-voiced lead singer David Johansen and talented songwriter Sylvain Sylvain. When Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan quit the band due to drugs and ego problems, Thunders was free to front The Heartbreakers and record solo albums like the stunning "So Alone" (1978).

Author Nina Antonia has written an updated version of her book "In Cold Blood" (Cherry Red Books/Jungle Books)--originally published in the '80s--that includes the story of the last few years of the guitarist's life.

Filled with excellent photographs and the candid remembrances of family, friends and bandmates--"In Cold Blood" is a fascinating look at the public and private sides of one of rock'n'roll's greatest heroes and biggest tragedies.

Were you a big New York Dolls/Johnny Thunders fan from early-on?
NINA ANTONIA: Oh yeah, ever since 1973 when I saw a picture of The Dolls in the wonderful 16 magazine, which prompted me to get a copy of their debut album. I was really young, still at school and at that tender age when whatever music you like is really crucial to your identity. I think the Doll’s particularly appealed to alienated teens, and I was so alienated I felt like I came from another planet. Most of the girls that I knew were into the teeny bop thing--soppy little love songs sung by the likes of Donny Osmond or David Cassidy. I can proudly say I was the only one in my school who had a picture of Johnny Thunders stuck inside her desk. Needless to say, Johnny was always my fave Doll.

What prompted you, initially, when you wrote the first version of ‘In Cold Blood’?
NA:Basically I wanted to read a book about Johnny Thunders and there was none to be found, so I decided I would do it! I began thinking about writing it in the early 1980’s which was a particularly lean time for Thunder’s aficionado’s. Johnny was getting less and less press, The Heartbreakers had run aground and Gang War had burned out. Aside from death rumours and the odd album release, Johnny seemed to have gone M.I.A. so I started to do a little investigating. I couldn’t have timed it better, ‘cos I’d more or less just put pen to paper when Johnny surfaced in London, with a new manager, Christopher Giercke, and did a couple of gigs, then Jungle Records released some Heartbreakers material dating back to 1977.

How did you meet Johnny Thunders?
NA: Through Jungle Records, initially. The first time I met Johnny, I was so nervous I could hardly speak and he was pretty shy, but I showed him and Christopher some preliminary notes for the book, and they liked what I’d done. At that point, Johnny relocated from the States to Europe, he was living in Paris, but was spending a lot of time in London. There was nothing formal in the way that we went about getting the book done, it was up to me to get on with the writing, but whenever Johnny was in town, I’d hang out with him. He didn’t like interview situations all that much, so it was a good way of learning what he was really all about, in a more relaxed way. Eventually I got over being nervous, and he stopped being shy!


Who gave you the greatest insights into Johnny?
NA: Nearly every single person I interviewed came up with something that was valuable. It may only have been one sentence or a throwaway line, but somehow it resonated as the core of the truth. I sometimes have a problem with biographies that have been written by an author who has never met the person they are writing about. How can you truly get to the essence of your subject without knowing them? It was of course Johnny himself who gave me the greatest insights, and sometimes he was pretty enigmatic about it! There is now quite a big difference between the original 1987 edition of In Cold Blood and the updated version which has just come out. In between, I wrote a biog of The New York Dolls entitled Too Much Too Soon (Omnibus Press) and until I did that, I hadn’t quite understood the impact of Billy Murcia’s (original Dolls drummer) death on Johnny, nor the whole story of the band, so I was able to use that additional material in the new In Cold Blood. Sylvain Sylvain was particularly great in regards to the Doll’s story, and Sabel Starr (former girlfriend of Thunders) was also extremely enlightening as to how Johnny was affected by what went down. After Johnny died, I met up with Jerry Nolan again, and he gave me an incredible interview. Mariann Bracken, Thunder’s sister was also very helpful regarding her little brother’s early years. The extensive level of interviews from everyone involved helped to create a kind of collective collage through the different stages of Johnny’s life.


What was the greatest stumbling block you encountered in getting the book done?
NA: I had no real problems in getting the book done, but getting a publishing deal for it was a different matter. In much the same way that the mainstream music business ostracised Thunders, I couldn’t get a book deal through any of the major book companies. Finally Jungle stepped in to the breach and published it. For the updated version, Cherry Red--who are primarily an indie label--approached Jungle to license it. If it wasn’t for Jungle and Cherry Red, you wouldn’t have your hot little mitts on a copy today!

Was it difficult hunting down all those great old photographs that are in the book?
NA: Johnny’s idea of a good biography was one that had lots of great photographs in it, so we created quite a rogue’s gallery! It wasn’t particularly hard hunting down the pictures as he was very well documented by some excellent photographers over the years, including New York’s finest, Bob Gruen and Marcia Resnick. Johnny made a great subject because he had such visual flair. For the updated version, we kept in the best of the original selection, as well as more candid shots, which people like Alison Gordy from the Oddballs line-up, were kind enough to contribute to the cause.


The last part of the book is very sad. Why is there so much mystery surrounding Johnny’s death? Do you think the whole truth will ever be discovered?
NA: I wish it could have had a different ending. There is no mystery concerning why Johnny died, he was sick--as a quote from the coroner’s report testifies. However, the circumstances surrounding Johnny’s demise is pretty suspect. He was in a weakened state, exhausted and ill, easy prey for any passing opportunist. Thunders arrival in New Orleans triggered a surge of activity in the drug dealing community, but who out of them is about to come forward and be counted as having spent time with Johnny on his last night? Johnny’s possessions were stolen, and I can’t imagine the culprits confessing to ransacking the hotel room. To complicate matters further, the police weren’t exactly thorough in their investigations. To them, Johnny Thunders was just another junkie John Doe. I don’t think the whole truth will ever be discovered, because too many people have something to hide.

Did you find there was much of a difference between the public myth of Johnny Thunders and the actual person?
NA: There was definitely two characters going on. First there was arch-guitarist Johnny Thunders, the sleepy eyed gutterpunk who gave as good as he got, and epitomised the dark heart of rock ‘n’ roll. Then there was Johnny Genzale, the shy sweetheart who could be as sentimental as a valentine, and longed for a secure homelife.


Do you think Johnny realised how much he meant to his fans?
NA: Yes I do, I saw him so many times I’ve lost count, and on those nights when he really soared, it was definitely a two way process between him and the audience. Johnny Thunders wanted to put on a good show, and he toured long and hard. Towards the end of his life, I think he made a conscious effort to be less erratic on stage and that had a lot to do with his regard for the fans.

What do you think it was that Johnny brought to rock ‘n’ roll that was so special that we’re still listening to his records and talking about him?
NA: To quote from the introduction of In Cold Blood..."A legion of musicians have attempted to emulate his stance and attitude but haven’t come close and never will. It’s not too hard to play the way that Johnny did and guitarists have tried and will go on trying but they can’t make it sound the same: a pact between persona, warmth and power that built to an extraordinary crescendo. When Johnny was on form, he could charm a snakepit of a crowd, snapping out of drugged lethargy to deliver all that rock ‘n’ roll ever promised to be: Freedom, Subversion, Style and Release. Johnny Thunders was the last embodiment of a broken perfection that was true rebel culture before commerce married creativity and stifled the bride." That’s why we're still talking and listening.

Copies of In Cold Blood can be ordered through Jungle Records and Tim@Cherryred.co.uk
("Hollywood High" photo by Bob Gruen)
Special thanks to Chris Ridpath @ The Johnny Thunders Cyber Lounge for putting me in-touch with Nina Antonia.
© 2001 Chris Parcellin, All rights reserved.