Johnny Thunders - So Alone (1978)

I like the early New York Dolls, but I wasn't a massive fan, they were just a decent band imo. On the other hand i was a huge fan of The Heartbreakers and Johnny Thunders; this is his first solo release and something he never managed to better, again imo. The line up who played on this record is just a who's who of artists I love: -

• Steve Jones and Paul Cook of the Pistols.
• Paul Gray and Steve Nicol - Eddie and the Hot Rods
• Chrissie Hynde - The Pretenders
• Phil Lynott - Thin Lizzy (yep....I love them)
• Steve Marriott -Small Faces 
• Patti Palladin - Snatch
• Walter Lure and Billy Rath - The Heartbreakers
• Peter Perrett and Mike Kellie - The Only Ones
• Steve Lillywhite - producer extraordinaire

This was recorded after the Heartbreakers split due to pressures from recording LAMF. I'd be hard pushed to pick between the two albums; LAMF is straight ahead punk/rock album, while this is Thunders in a more relaxed mode. It's a great, great album.

I got to see Thunders quite a few times, and the Heartbreakers, and he was mostly good to great, but the last time I saw him playing has left a bad memory as he was completely wasted, missing chords, forgetting lyrics and playing for far too short a time. Sad really.

It's 20 years this month since he died/was murdered...who knows, I guess we never will.

RIP Mr Genzale and many thanks for the great music.

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