Sylvain Sylvain
Encyclopedia
Sylvain Sylvain is an American rock
guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls
.
, Egypt to a Jewish family, with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte. He was raised in New York City
, United States where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York
, while he was still a child. Prior to joining the New York Dolls, Sylvain ran a clothing company called "Truth and Soul" with Billy Murcia
, which helped define his fashion sense and would play a role in the band's groundbreaking look.
in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the band Actress, which also featured Arthur Kane
, Johnny Thunders
and former fashion partner, Billy Murcia
. He played rhythm guitar
for the Dolls from 1971 until the group's final dissolution in 1977. Sylvain and singer David Johansen
were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up. After the dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen on some of his solo records. He started his own band, The Criminals, with another ex-Doll, Tony Machine, and continued to play the New York club scene. He landed a solo recording contract with RCA, and released one album with Lee Crystal (drums; later of Joan Jett
's Blackhearts) and Johnny Rao (guitar).
He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record, Sleep Baby Doll for Fishead Records. His band mates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums, John Carlucci, bass, and Olivier LeBaron' on lead guitar, with guest appearances by Frank Infante
of Blondie
& Derwood Andrews
of Generation X
. This record was re-released as "New York's Au Go Go". In 2004 he reunited with the surviving members of the New York Dolls, along with Steve Conte, Brian Koonin and Brian Delaney. Arthur Kane, who died in 2004, was replaced by Sami Yaffa. They've released two records; "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This" and "'Cause I Sez So". The reunion was filmed as part of a documentary on former band member Kane and was released in 2005 as New York Doll
.
On March 18, 2010, at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Sylvain and Cheetah Chrome
of The Dead Boys
and Rocket from the Tombs
debuted their new band, The Batusis. Their EP is on Smog Veil Records
.
'78 Criminals (Fr. Fan Club) 1985
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls
New York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
.
Early years
Sylvain was born in CairoCairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
, Egypt to a Jewish family, with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte. He was raised in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, United States where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, while he was still a child. Prior to joining the New York Dolls, Sylvain ran a clothing company called "Truth and Soul" with Billy Murcia
Billy Murcia
Billy Murcia, born in Bogotá, Colombia and raised in Jackson Heights, New York, was the original drummer for the New York Dolls.Billy Murcia and Sylvain Sylvain both attended Quintano's School for Young Professionals, in the late sixties. It was at Quintano's that they met Johnny Thunders, also a...
, which helped define his fashion sense and would play a role in the band's groundbreaking look.
Career
Before joining the New York DollsNew York Dolls
The New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the band Actress, which also featured Arthur Kane
Arthur Kane
Arthur Kane was a musician best known as the bassist for the pioneering glam rock band the New York Dolls. He stated in the 2004 documentary film New York Doll that his nickname, Arthur "Killer" Kane, was inspired by an early New York Dolls concert newspaper review in which the journalist...
, Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders
Johnny Thunders, born John Anthony Genzale, Jr. , was an American protopunk guitarist, singer and songwriter.He came to prominence in the early '70s as a member of the New York Dolls...
and former fashion partner, Billy Murcia
Billy Murcia
Billy Murcia, born in Bogotá, Colombia and raised in Jackson Heights, New York, was the original drummer for the New York Dolls.Billy Murcia and Sylvain Sylvain both attended Quintano's School for Young Professionals, in the late sixties. It was at Quintano's that they met Johnny Thunders, also a...
. He played rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
for the Dolls from 1971 until the group's final dissolution in 1977. Sylvain and singer David Johansen
David Johansen
David Roger Johansen is an American rock, protopunk, blues, and pop singer, as well as a songwriter and actor. He is best known as a member of the seminal protopunk band The New York Dolls and also achieved commercial success under the pseudonym Buster Poindexter.-Early life:Johansen was born in...
were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up. After the dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen on some of his solo records. He started his own band, The Criminals, with another ex-Doll, Tony Machine, and continued to play the New York club scene. He landed a solo recording contract with RCA, and released one album with Lee Crystal (drums; later of Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
's Blackhearts) and Johnny Rao (guitar).
He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record, Sleep Baby Doll for Fishead Records. His band mates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums, John Carlucci, bass, and Olivier LeBaron' on lead guitar, with guest appearances by Frank Infante
Frank Infante
Frank Infante is an American guitarist and bassist best known as a former member of the punk/new wave band, Blondie.Prior to Blondie, he established himself playing guitar in heavy, electric blues groups such as The Elegant End and World War III. In 1975, he joined Sniper, an early, American glam...
of Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...
& Derwood Andrews
Bob Andrews (Generation X)
Bob "Derwood" Andrews is an English guitarist, and former member of the punk rock band, Generation X....
of Generation X
Generation X (band)
Generation X was a British punk rock band, formed on 21 November 1976 by Billy Idol, Tony James and John Towe.-History:...
. This record was re-released as "New York's Au Go Go". In 2004 he reunited with the surviving members of the New York Dolls, along with Steve Conte, Brian Koonin and Brian Delaney. Arthur Kane, who died in 2004, was replaced by Sami Yaffa. They've released two records; "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This" and "'Cause I Sez So". The reunion was filmed as part of a documentary on former band member Kane and was released in 2005 as New York Doll
New York Doll
New York Doll is a documentary film based on the life of former New York Dolls member Arthur Kane. The film was nominated for both a Satellite Award and a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, where it premiered in 2005...
.
On March 18, 2010, at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Sylvain and Cheetah Chrome
Cheetah Chrome
Cheetah Chrome is an American musician who achieved fame as a guitarist for Rocket From the Tombs and the punk rock band, The Dead Boys....
of The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys
The Dead Boys were an American punk rock band from Cleveland, Ohio. Among the first wave of early punk bands, the Dead Boys were initially active from 1976 to 1979, briefly reuniting in 1987, 2004 and 2005.-Formation and 1970s punk rock era:...
and Rocket from the Tombs
Rocket From The Tombs
Rocket From the Tombs is an American rock music band originally active from mid-1974 to mid-1975 in Cleveland, Ohio.Heralded as an important protopunk group, they were little known during their lifetime, though various members later achieved renown in Pere Ubu and the Dead Boys...
debuted their new band, The Batusis. Their EP is on Smog Veil Records
Smog Veil Records
Smog Veil Records is a Chicago, IL based independent record label. In addition to standard CD, DVD, and vinyl distribution, Smog Veil all distributes its media via the digital channels, including Napster and iTunes.-Label Information:...
.
with New York Dolls
- New York DollsNew York Dolls (album)New York Dolls is the first album released by the American rock band the New York Dolls. The album's protopunk sound is mixed with influences of glam rock and rock & roll. It was produced by ex-Nazz guitarist Todd Rundgren....
(1973, Mercury RecordsMercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
) - Too Much Too SoonToo Much Too Soon (album)Too Much Too Soon, also known as New York Dolls in Too Much Too Soon, is the second album by New York Dolls and the last studio album by the original recording line-up. The album was produced by Shadow Morton, a songwriter and record producer closely associated with the Shangri-Las...
(1974, Mercury Records) - One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This (2006, Roadrunner RecordsRoadrunner RecordsRoadrunner Records is an American record label that concentrates primarily on heavy metal bands. It is currently a subsidiary of Warner Music Group.-History:...
) - Cause I Sez So (2009, Atco RecordsAtco RecordsATCO Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, currently operating through WMG's Rhino Entertainment.-Beginnings:Atco Records was founded in 1955 as a division of Atlantic Records. It was devised as an outlet for productions by one of Atlantic's founders, Herb Abramson, who...
) - Tokyo Dolls Live (credited to `David and Sylvain`) - a live album by the Dolls line-up of Johansen & Sylvain with Peter Jordan/Chris Robison/Tony Machine. French Fan Club/New Rose.
- New York DollsNew York DollsThe New York Dolls is an American rock band, formed in New York in 1971. The band's protopunk sound prefigured much of what was to come in the punk rock era; their visual style influenced the look of many new wave and 1980s-era glam metal groups, and they began the local New York scene that later...
Red Patent LeatherRed Patent LeatherRed Patent Leather is a 1984 live album by the earlier disbanded New York Dolls. It was recorded in New York a decade earlier, in March 1975, just a month before the group broke up while on tour in Florida....
- live album of McLaren-era Dolls allegedly produced by Sylvain, with original manager Marty ThauMarty ThauMarty Thau is an American rock 'n' roll entrepreneur and music producer. He is best known as the founder of Red Star Records in 1977, arguably America's first full - fledged post '60s indie punk punk - new wave label and for being the manager of the New York Dolls and co-producer of Suicide's...
credited as Executive Producer
with Sylvian Sylvian & The Criminal$
- Bowery Butterflies (2000)
'78 Criminals (Fr. Fan Club) 1985
External links
- [ Sylvain Sylvain] on Allmusic