New York Dolls Return To UK

But they're not a fan of Ricky Gervais

Seminal punk pioneers New York Dolls have spoken about their upcoming UK tour, revealing that they are not fans of Ricky Gervais.

The trans-Atlantic divide can be a difficult one to travel. A huge number of bands have found fame in Britain only to falter on the difficult plains of the United States, while many American acts have enjoyed only localised success.

For punk pioneers New York Dolls, however, fame was to elude them in their homeland. Becoming the inspiration for an entire musical movement, the band’s brutal blues-rock found a more natural home in the UK.

Reforming in 2004 New York Dolls played their first show together again, naturally enough, in Britain. The band released their new album ‘Cause I Sez So’ earlier this year, and are due to return to the UK next month for a series of shows.

ClashMusic caught up with iconic singer David Johansen, who told us about the early inspiration the group took from British music.

“I think that in Britain they had bands, you know what I’m saying? Up until that time in America they didn’t have so many bands” he explained. “I mean there were singing groups and then there were solo singers. Of course all those people actually had bands but they weren’t promoted as such at the time. I think that idea of bands was really kind of appealing to us as kids, who were in cahoots with other kids in a certain situation so it appealed to us”.

Continuing, the singer revealed the differences between the two nations.

“When we first started out, and I think it continues to this day, we noticed that the UK just got us. How about Larry David, does the UK get Larry David? Well America has certainly taken that Ricky Gervais to heart.”

Asked if he had seen any of Gervais’ films the singer simply stated: “I can’t say I’d go out and buy a ticket.”

Click HERE to read the whole of our interview with New York Dolls!

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