Punk Guitar Heroes - Johnny Thunders

Johnny Thunders is another punk rock legend, a New York legend. New York Dolls and his own Heartbreakers are the foundation of many a punk rocker's record collection, and if you're in a band, the basis for so much of your own songwriting and source of cover material.

Above is a photo of the Heartbreakers, and Walter Lure, looking good and rocking hard, is also featured. The two of them - Thunders and Lure, were the dirty side of the NY guitar duo coin (Tom Verlaine and Richard Lloyd of Television would be the virtuoso side of that coin.)



Everyone who ever crossed paths with Johnny Thunders has a story to tell, and I have my fair share. There were the times on the road where I found myself in a van with both Thunders and Stiv Bators, and couldn't decide if it was punk rock heaven, or a sure bet we'd get pulled over by cops and end up in Rikers Island. I've seen Johnny Thunders living in his car, and I've seen him flush. I've seen him on NYC's Lower East Side, Hollywood, London and Paris, France.

But mostly, I've seen Thunders play some great music with an elan and finesse, making it all look so easy. I think Johnny's greatest contribution to music, not just punk music, but music over all, in lyrics and melody is his "You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory."

No, Johnny, you can't. But you can look.






today, we send birthday greetings to Tom Potter bad ass punk ass musician from Michigan... he of Bantam Rooster, Seger Liberation Army, Dirtbombs, Detroit City Council and Chrome Spiders notoreity... happy birthday Tom!