Trouser Press, September 1982
David Johansen
Personality Crisis
The New York Dolls were one of my gateways to punk rock.
I started listening at 16, and it was then a short line to the Clash, the Sex Pistols, X, etc.
Soon enough, I was 17 and red spray painting “Kill someone, kill yourself!” on the mustard brick walls of JFK HS.
(I believe it was Howie who then added “DWI:” as a prefix to my handiwork, thus turning a perfectly good act of nihilistic teenage vandalism into a Public Service Announcement with the stroke of a can.)
Former Dolls lead singer David Johansen released Live it Up that same summer, and an Animals medley from the album was all over the radio and MTV. It earned him a spot along with the Clash opening for the Who at Shea Stadium, where I watched from a distant blue loge seat as he belted out Personality Crisis to a largely disinterested crowd...
