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.

1989

January:
20th - 30th: Seven gigs for £7,000 are booked in Spain, but it's too soon after the October visit, so they get cancelled at quite short notice.
February:
2nd - 9th: Another UK tour, but poor attendances mean they don't get paid.
11th: A one-off in Greece, at Athens Rodan Club, before returning to France.
22nd: In Paris, at Le Palace.
March:
30th & 31st: Back in New York, Johnny supports The Replacements (who've earlier written about him in the song 'Johnny's Going To Die') at the Beacon Theatre, New York. They also offer the support for the whole tour, but the money available is not enough to pay the band.
April:
5th: At the New York New Ritz, there's a plan for Johnny to do 3 numbers alongside Iggy Pop, Debbie Harry and The Ramones... later collector tapes surface of Johnny joining Debbie Harry on stage.
May:
10th: A visit to London for just two days to see his doctor.
July:
The film by Patrick Grandperret is being finalised as 'Mona Et Moi', and we discuss the possibilities of a soundtrack album. Johnny, who's in Philadelphia, instead proposes the 'Bootlegging The Bootleggers' album.
August:
10th: Johnny arrives in London, to see his doctor again and confirm the 'Bootlegging...' deal. He plays us numerous live tapes with lots of new numbers, but doesn't want any of those included, he'll keep them for later. He gets £5,000, half the advance for the album. A booking agent, Kip Elbaum, has met up with and got on with Johnny. He books a US mid-west tour starting with 3 nights in Winnipeg from the 28th.
September:
1st - 8th: The short tour continues through Minneapolis, Madison Wis, Milwaukee, Chicago, Ann Arbor and Detroit.
1st: Jerry Nolan arrives in London from Stockholm to get his methadone prescription filled. On his way out to New York, he gets busted at Gatwick carrying 840 5mg. tablets of methadone, and thrown in Lewes Prison without them, although he's been prescribed them at 60mg. a day. Customs officers charge him with illegally exporting a controlled drug.
He misses a gig with Sylvain (& The Ugly Americans), though NME review it complementing Jerry's (stand-in) drumming! The Ugly Americans are also televised for an MTV show, now to be found on Youtube, also crediting Jerry despite him being absent.
6th: Jerry appears at Horsham Court, after six days of cold turkey. The magistrates hear his repentant pleas, see the state he's in, and release him. He's elated at this, and also that he's got through the cold turkey barrier, and vows to cut his huge methadone dosage down.
15th: Johnny's in London to get his methadone prescription filled, and gets another instalment of his advance.
25th: Johnny back in Philadelphia staying with a friend and sifting through live tapes. A studio is booked with John Dunmore for compiling the album and recording introductions.
October:
2nd: The final track-list comes together. Some that nearly make it include 'It's Not Enough' and 'Frankenstein' from New Orleans.
13th - 25th: A West-Coast tour of USA travels around California: Los Angeles, Capastrano, San Diego, Long Beach, San Jose, Berkeley, San Francisco, Hollywood.
31st: Johnny is staying at the Celebrity Hotel, Los Angeles.
November:
8th: Johnny arrives at London's Gatwick for his regular Harley Street methadone visit. More cash against his advance.

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

another great recording is the 4 March 1989 at LE TRUCK ( Lyon-venissieux) soundboard mix from 24tracks Jhonny with the ODDBALLS, recording made available truh internet by the original recorder soundman on DIMEADOZEN

Anonymous said...

who's the dickhead leaving the advert links?

Anonymous said...

i was at the Wolverhampton gig on February 4th 1989 and i can say it was very well attended. And would say they were paid on this night. Johnny was in great form there was queue of fans wanting to meet him after the show and he played the loudest guitar i had heard in 30 years of punk gigs. He skinned up a joint on stage with one hand something ive never seen done before or since!

Anonymous said...

on the 3 March 1989 , Johnny s played at the "ZONE INTERDITE" in Fontaine, near Grenoble (FRANCE).
That was for the opening day of this small rock n roll Club ' s called "zone interdite".
I was closed to get 18...
If you have any remenbers , photos or recording of this show please contact me here:lnl_dd@hotmail.com
Thank you

Anonymous said...

Hello ,

here a link which locate JT on the 3rd march 1989 live at the Zone Interdite FRANCE /FONTAINE.could you add it?
i was there!

http://lecoq.phpnet.org/rock/upload/file/Lieux/Zone%20interdite/pressbook.pdf

lIONEL

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Unknown said...

What was johnny doing halloween 1988

Unknown said...

I read he was in europe but he left suzanne in87 i think so I'm curious again

Unknown said...

Nice to know, do you know what he was doing halloween 1988?

Unknown said...

I may have got a call from johnny the night he died, if you're intrested in the story get ahold of me, especially if you're rior records or jungle, you've been good to me.

Unknown said...

When i sent a letter and picture in 1993 you sent me a letter saying johnathon genzale was deceased.

Unknown said...

I'm not saying because your someone with bucks but if i was hymotized whoever called me my number would even be on the police records cause authority called me later and this guy if he was johnny, said a name of who was at the door and started screaming "there gonna kull me, no lie that's why I've been wondering if it's even possible he was in america halloween 1988, cause that's the night i met that guy.

Unknown said...

He said his name was Ed Gilette, but i didn't believe him and said no way dude whats your real name, thinking oh yea probley johnny as much as i love you, but he insisted and we left it at that.

Unknown said...

He offered to pay all or part of my hospital stay while i was pregnant, it wasn't his, i already had morning sickness, Halloween, but i accepted to say yea love you too. Andrea nichole is my daughters name. She goes to Gonzaga university she's almost a nurse practitioner.

Unknown said...

I'd like to know if this guy was johnny or his twin.

Unknown said...

I would be hypmotized for you if you thougjt it was possible it was johnny as the dates match FOR SURE as my 21st birthday was april3 1991.

Unknown said...

I was sitting on my couch reading plato on my 21st birthday and my parked car got hit by a drunk driver, also May 11 1991 i took my daughter, andrea to live with my sister cause i was a fuckin emotional wreck. Somewhere between these dates i got tbis call.

Unknown said...

The night i met this guy was in Quincy Washi gton at the little convienient store, it was closed, and i had just walked 10 milesinto town to see if my friend was really at home. It was probley1 or 2 in the morning.