David Johansen, New York Dolls Frontman And Buster Poindexter Hitmaker, Dead At 75

David Johansen, the frontman for the pioneering punk band New York Dolls, died on Friday (February 28) at the age of 75. He had battled Stage Four cancer and a brain tumor, and had been bedridden following a recent fall. “David Johansen died at home in NYC on Friday afternoon holding hands with his wife Mara Hennessey and daughter Leah, surrounded by music, flowers, and love,” his family shared in a statement. Johansen co-wrote many of the Dolls’ influential glam punk hits along with guitarist Johnny Thunders, including classics like “Personality Crisis,” “Looking For a Kiss,” and “Jet Boy,” which helped play a vital role in kickstarting England’s punk movement. After the band’s breakup in 1975, Johansen pursued a successful solo career and ventured into acting, and scored a surprise hit with “Hot Hot Hot” as his swing music alter ego Buster Poindexter.  A reunion of the New York Dolls took place in 2004, leading to three more albums. In 2022, directors Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi released the documentary, Personality Crisis: One Night Only, which traced Johansen’s colorful life and groundbreaking career. (Rolling Stone)