Johnny Thunders' 20-year career - a chronological timeline of his life.

From the New York Dolls, to The Heartbreakers in NY and London. Then 'So Alone', 'Gang War', 'Que Sera Sera', 'Copy Cats', etc; reunions and gypsy times in Paris, Stockholm, London & L.A. Compiled from various sources including Nina Antonia's biography 'Johnny Thunders- In Cold Blood' and my own recollections working with Johnny 82-91.

Please add dates, correct mistakes and leave comments.

1988

January:
22nd: A tour of Japan starts in Nagoya, followed by Osaka and 2 nights in Tokyo.
29th - 3rd: After the band leave, Johnny does some acoustic gigs in Hakata, Kobe, Kyoto, Sapporo and Tokyo.
February:
7th: A Tokyo TV show, joining some Japanese musicians.
8th: Johnny goes to Bangkok until the 13th.
March:
3rd - 12th: A tour of Sweden and Norway.
24th: Johnny arrives in London, to rehearse with new musicians at Nomis on the 31st.
April:
11th: Johnny needs a doctor. A letter from the flat agency we've used for Johnny documents holes made in walls, carved up dining-room tables, wilful destruction and a complete unsanitary mess. Plus a bill for a good few hundred pounds.
May:
The album 'Copy Cats' is finally released in the UK and Europe by Jungle, in USA by Restless (annoyingly with 2 tracks deleted to cut down on publishing royalties), and local releases also in France, Japan and Australia.
20th: A one-off gig in Dusseldorf is recorded for 'Rock In The Night' on WDR Radio.
July:
10th: Johnny goes to Canada for gigs at the El Mocombo on the 15th, returning to New York on the 18th.
20th & 24th: The New York Limelight Club traditionally gave Johnny a gig during the New Music Seminar, typically Johnny went back for a second one.
August:
8th: Johnny confirms his new band as: Jamie Heath (sax, USA), Alison Gordy (vocals, USA), Jill Wisoff (bass, USA), Chris Musto (drums, UK) and Stevie Klasson (guitar, Sweden, replacing Quinn Patterson who lasted a couple of weeks). This line-up was to stay with him (bar Jill who left after a year) until his death, a longevity not seen since the New York Dolls - despite being a six-piece and scattered over Europe and USA, making touring logistics more difficult and expensive. With Alison sharing live lead vocals shortly after the 'Copy Cats' release, she was often mistaken for Patti, to the amusement and slight annoyance of both. (Please note: Alison is an Amazonian peroxide blonde; Patti is a petite brunette.)
23rd: Johnny arrives back in London for preparation for a two-month European tour.
30th & 31st: The tour kicks off with two nights at The Marquee, London.
September:
1st: An acoustic gig at the London Limelight. 4th: Festival in Lausanne, with Siouxsie & The Banshees and Mink De Ville.
6th: Italy; followed by
8th - 16th Germany;
18th - 26th Denmark, Finland, Norway & Sweden.
October:
6th - 8th: The tour continues to Holland, then on to Spain 11th - 16th for four dates, and back to the UK for eight dates 20th - 29th, including two more at the Marquee.
November:
The tour is scheduled to end in France with dates in Paris and Lyon. 'Born To Cry' is the second single released from 'Copy Cats'; so an impromptu mimed video promo is made for a French TV show.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was the lucky guy who replaced Jill in the Oddballs. I played the Dusseldorf gig and was part of the band from then until the end.
Great memories.

Stuart Kennedy

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