He Paid A Heavy Price
Johnny Thunders took the New York club scene by storm with his gender-bending band the New York Dolls. But with the fame, there was a heavy price to pay. He fell into the traps of many rock stars, but then his addictions went even deeper. His reputation got so bad that record companies wouldn’t touch him. When Thunders finally got control of his life, there was another, even more lethal, obstacle standing in his way.
And then one fateful night in New Orleans, it all ended in a way that no one saw coming.
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1. He Was A Queen’s Boy
Johnny Thunders wasn’t always Johnny Thunders. He was born John Anthony Genzale in Queens, New York on July 15, 1952. His parents were both Italian, and he and his older sister Mariann grew up in East Elmhurst, followed by Jackson Heights.
Sadly, it was not always a happy household.
Thomas Good, Wikimedia Commons
2. He Lost His Dad
Thunders’ father, Emil Genzale, had a reputation as a womanizer. He later took his show on the road, so to speak, and left the family. Mom and big sister spoiled little Johnny, but he continued to feel the sting of his father’s rejection. He poured his emotions into music.
For his first taste of show business, Thunders would head to Carnegie Hall.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
3. He Put His Name First
Well, Johnny Thunders’ first gig wasn’t actually at Carnegie Hall, but it was just around the corner. Quintano’s School for Young Professionals boasts graduates like Tony Award-winner Bernadette Peters. Thunders played at the school as Johnny Volume, and his band was called Johnny and the Jaywalkers.
Thunders wanted people to know his name, and he’d do anything to make that happen.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
4. He Borrowed A Look
By this time, Johnny Thunders was making regular trips to Manhattan, and he certainly wanted to stand out in the crowd. Luckily, his sister was handy with the back comb. Before he ventured out, Thunders’ sister would style his hair just like the Rolling Stones’ Keith Richards.
Around the same time, one of Thunders’ favorite Manhattan haunts was becoming infamous.
Machocarioca, Wikimedia Commons
5. He Explored The City
When Thunders was just 16 years old, he started going to the Fillmore East. It was a popular music venue that featured acts like Chuck Berry, Cream, and Tina Turner. He also started hanging around Central Park, more specifically at the Bethesda Fountain, which was a place infamous for being a meeting place for local dealers.
Thunders was growing up fast—and putting himself in danger.
Philip Spittle, Wikimedia Commons
6. He Found Someone
To further sink his life into the cool places in New York, Johnny Thunders got a job at a leather store on Bleecker Street, and a girlfriend named Janis Cafasso whom he met at the Fillmore East. One day Thunders and Cafasso made it to Madison Square Garden and took in a Rolling Stones show.
And then, he got a little bit closer to the iconic band.
7. He Appeared With The Stones
Next, Thunders would make his first film appearance. Gimme Shelter is a 1970 documentary following the Rolling Stones US tour in 1969. If you want to see an early image of Thunders, just wait for Mick Jagger to say, “Let’s have a look at you New Yor”! The camera swings around, and there’s Thunders, sitting on a guy’s shoulders, noticeable for his long black hair.
The Rolling Stones had a cool rock and roll look—but Thunders wanted to take it one step further.
Bert Verhoeff for Anefo, Wikimedia Commons
8. He Raided Her Closet
Johnny Thunders tended to stand out in most crowds he was in. He wore his hair long and spiky, and then there were the clothes. Instead of borrowing clothes from his buddies, Thunders raided his girlfriend's closet. He saw no reason why he couldn’t wear clothes made for a woman.
Thunders wouldn’t stop until everyone in New York knew his name.
9. He Was More Than Just A Hipster
While getting his name out there, Thunders was also honing his skills as a guitar player. People in the scene knew that Thunders was a charismatic person, but he wanted them to know he could play in a band as well. Guitarist Arthur Kane became interested in Thunders and invited him to a jam session.
Kane was about to hear something he’d never heard before.
Jim Summaria, Wikimedia Commons
10. He Blew Him Away
When Kane arrived at the jam session, Thunders was already there and playing on his guitar. Thunders’ playing sent Kane for a loop. He later said that he’d never heard anything like it before. It sounded like a voice. Kane offered to switch to bass and hire Thunders. With Billy Murcia, David Johansen, and Rick Rivets added to the team, the New York Dolls was born.
But these founding members would not be together for long.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
11. They Got A Break
In 1972, the New York Dolls got a great opportunity. They would open for The Faces at Wembley Empire Pool. This was a huge opportunity for Thunders and the boys, who were very excited to be playing a big gig in the UK. Sadly, this would end in a tragedy that would shake Thunders to his core.
12. They Lost One
New York Dolls lost one of its founding members in a horrifying way. While in England, drummer Murcia started experimenting with a medication similar to a Quaalude while at a party. When Murcia started to overdose, many of the people at the gathering departed—and those who stayed tried to deal with it by putting Murcia in a bathtub, where he tragically drowned.
This early incident would serve as an omen for even worse things to come.
13. He Lost One And Gained Another
The tragic loss of his friend Billy Murcia devastated Johnny Thunders. Murcia’s replacement was Jerry Nolan, and a distraught Thunders immediately looked up to the slightly older man. Thunders had never had a brother or much of a father, so Nolan sort of stepped into both of those roles for Thunders.
But there was something even deeper than this going on.
14. They Were More Than Friends
Thunders’ relationship with Nolan was not only like father and son, it was also a little more intimate than that. One friend described it like the two were lovers. When they would fight, Nolan would often storm out. This left Thunders crying for Nolan, lamenting that he “can’t live without him”.
Sadly, Nolan wasn't the best influence.
15. He Introduced Him
Johnny Thunders may have looked up to Nolan as a parental figure, but Nolan wasn’t quite up to the task of parenting. The story goes that Nolan introduced Thunders to much more serious subtance use. They were injecting together, and at first Thunders was having the time of his life.
But it couldn't go on like this for very long.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
16. He Needed It
The thing was, Thunders was using for a reason. By nature, he was excessively shy, and his substance misuse helped combat that. But the downside was that it turned him into a monster. He became aggressive for no reason at all. The sad thing was, Thunders believed he couldn’t be Johnny Thunders if he wasn’t high.
Ironically, with an addiction this bad, he could never get famous.
17. No One Wanted To Sign Them
New York Dolls certainly had their share of fans, and it seemed time for an album. But there was a problem. Johnny Thunders and his bandmates had a reputation for being vulgar and dressing in gender fluid clothing. Some record companies assumed that the guys were gay and hesitated to sign them to a deal. However, there was one exception.
Mercury Records wasn’t afraid and took a chance. Their first album would be a little hit…and a lot of miss.
18. He Started Something New
While some saw the first album, New York Dolls, as a bit of a joke, others saw it as the start of something new. Thunders and his band were something completely different. Some say that this album laid the foundation for punk rock. One thing is for sure: They
were starting something big.
He also had no idea that this band was not in it for the long haul.
19. He Wore Red Patent Leather
The New York Dolls eventually broke up in 1976—and Johnny Thunders had his own theory about why. About a year before, they had taken on Malcolm McLaren as a manager, and he’d gotten them all dressed up in red patent leather. That was fine. It was the controversial imagery that McLaren insisted on that really was the end of the band.
20. He Blamed Him
McLaren’s suggestion for the New York Dolls was to use a controversial backdrop to their shows. He wanted them to put up a communist flag. Thunders later blamed the breakup of New York Dolls squarely on McLaren's shoulders. He called him one of “the greatest con men that I have ever met”.
But there were other things going on.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
21. There Were Other Problems
Before McLaren came on board as manager, the venues offering to host New York Dolls were actually getting smaller. Of course, most rock bands prefer it to go the other way. Some blamed the band’s different artistic visions, others blamed the typical rock and roll problems: substance use and booze.
The New York Dolls was slowly fading away, but Johnny Thunders was primed for a dramatic exit.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
22. He Walked Away
In March of 1975, Johnny Thunders joined the New York Dolls on a tour of South Carolina and Florida. It was a tour that McLaren had arranged soon after he’d come on board. Sometime during the tour, a huge argument erupted and Thunders was ready to call it quits. It was bad enough that Thunders walked away in the middle of the tour, but he also took his friend—and drummer—Jerry Nolan with him.
The reason for this surprise departure may have been something besides artistic differences.
23. He Was Hooked
Many speculated that while in Florida, Thunders couldn’t get his usual supply for his growing addiction. Not having access to what he needed to survive put him on edge and was probably the source of the fighting on tour. When Thunders and Nolan left the tour, they may have just been rushing home to meet with their dealer.
The New York Dolls was no more, and Thunders had to find something new.
24. He Formed A New One
Once Thunders and Nolan were away from McLaren–and near their dealer—they were ready for something new. They picked up a few new members and created The Heartbreakers. This band got immediate attention and played gigs at CBGB and Max’s Kansas City. Once again, Thunders was ready to record.
And then an old problem arose.
25. It Was Obvious
When looking for a record company to sign them, Johnny Thunders ran into an old problem. Some labels were afraid of Thunders and Nolan. This time it wasn’t because of their outrageous style, but because of their substance use. Everyone knew that Thunders and Nolan were using opiates. The thing is, they weren't exactly hiding it. Their most popular song, “Chinese Rocks,” was all about using.
Well, if they couldn’t record, they could at least go on performing.
26. He Was Broke
The Heartbreakers continued to play very successful shows, but the dismal recording contracts on offer were not ones that would show them a profit. Thunders’ substance use was out of control, and it was hindering his ascent into fame. Not only that, he was broke. Remember, both Thunders and Nolan had rather expensive habits.
That’s when an offer came forward that he could not afford to refuse.
27. He Got An Offer
Thunders certainly was no friend of Malcolm McLaren’s. Remember he blamed McLaren for breaking up the New York Dolls. But McLaren had an offer for The Heartbreakers. He wanted them to open up for his new band, the Sex Pistols. It didn’t take long to decide. Thunders was off to the UK for more fun and adventures.
But it didn’t quite go as planned.
28. He Got Canceled
When Thunders joined the tour, the Sex Pistols had just come off their infamous appearance on Bill Grundy’s Today Show. The bad publicity for the Pistols’ behavior on that show meant promoters started canceling many of their concerts. So basically it was the Heartbreakers, the Sex Pistols, and the Clash all on a freezing cold bus, circling the country in search of a concert.
This wasn’t helping with Thunders’ money troubles.
29. He Was Broke Again
After the tour that wasn’t, Johnny Thunders was again broke. He took the Heartbreakers to London and started playing shows to make money. He couldn't help but notice a young man in the audience studying him closely. One thing about the man's appearance startled Thunders.
30. He Paid It Forward
The young man in the audience was 17-year-old Steve Dior. He managed to get backstage after the show and ingratiate himself to Thunders. The weird thing was that the two looked very much alike, and soon Thunders was seeing him as a sort of protege. But it wasn’t just music that Thunders was teaching Dior about. He introduced him to substance misuse.
Dior continued to hang out with Thunders, but he could see that his mentor was quickly spiraling out of control.
31. He Had A Problem
Even with his nearly constant substance use, Johnny Thunders was still performing. Tour manager Leee Black Childers said that they had to keep a bucket backstage. This way, Thunders could quickly get off stage to vomit and then continue playing. Clearly, Thunders needed help.
But even when he got it, there was more trouble.
32. He Was Sneaky
At one point, Thunders tried to quit his addiction using a synthetic replacement. Childers remembers doling out the replacement to Thunders. Later, Childers found out the awful truth. Thunders was sneakily hiding the dose in his cheeks, spitting it into a cup and saving it for a big high at the end of the week.
This kind of behavior was sure to alienate his band members.
33. They Betrayed Him
At some point, Nolan had had enough of The Heartbreakers and walked away from the band. But he didn’t walk away empty-handed. He took Thunders’ protege Dior with him. It was a double betrayal as far as Thunders could see. The man who had mentored him and his own mentee. Both were gone in a flash.
Thunders would struggle to survive on his own.
34. He Went Solo
With Nolan gone, Johnny Thunders did his best to eke out a solo career. He began by playing with other notorious stars of the punk world—most of whom quickly decided one thing about Thunders. He was only doing it for the money, not the art. And the money was always spent on the same thing. It paid for his substance use.
If Thunder needed a cautionary tale, there was one coming his way.
Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images
35. He Lost Another
On February 2, 1979, fellow punk rocker Sid Vicious of the Sex Pistols passed on after an overdose. This had a devastating effect on Thunders. Vicious had been a fan of Thunders’ and Thunder may well have felt guilty of being a bad influence on him. Thunders was miserable and tiring of the UK. He wanted to be home, and he wanted his family near him.
Wait a minute. Did he have a family?
Chicago Art Department c/o: L. Schorr, Wikimedia Commons
36. He Set Up Home
Back in 1977, Johnny Thunders had married Julie Jordan. At the time, Thunders’ best bud Nolan was AWOL from the wedding because he thought the groom was making a huge mistake. Jordan had a child from a previous relationship and a baby with Thunder. After the wedding, Thunders decided to set up home in Dexter, Michigan.
It was time to turn his life around.
37. She Left Him
After losing his friend Sid Vicious, Johnny Thunders had another baby with Jordan and started a band called Gang War. Sadly, Thunders’ substance use made that effort—not to mention being a father—impossible. As a result of his addiction, the band not only broke up, but Jordan also packed up and left with the kids.
Thunders had no band and no family. He was left to his own devices—a situation that rarely ends well.
38. He Hit Rock Bottom
With no band and no family, Johnny Thunders spent time on the streets of New York. He was doing anything he could to make money to feed his addiction. Around this time, he met German entrepreneur Christopher Giercke. Giercke wanted to help, and he had a plan to change everything for Thunder.
But time was running out.
39. He Got His Life Together
Through Giercke, Thunders had traded his out-of-control addiction for a more manageable reliance on prescription medication. He also started performing again and even got a new girlfriend—Swedish hairstylist Susanne Blomqvist, who was just 20 years old.
But Thunders soon encountered a problem with performing.
40. He Faked It
The old Johnny Thunders was a fictional creation based on his addiction. If Thunders wanted to perform as Thunders, he had to think of something new. What happened on stage was astonishing. He found himself acting like the old Thunders, but without the need to use. He gave the fans what they wanted—an addled rock star—without doing all the damage to himself.
Thunders had found the solution, and now he needed to share it.
41. He Became a Spokesperson
Thunders had survived his addiction ordeal, and he wanted to help others get over theirs. He told one musician that he was wasting his talent by using. When another friend asked him for some smack, he gave her smack across the face instead. His life was going so well, he decided it was time to try fatherhood again.
Unfortunately, old habits die hard.
42. He Had A Secret
Johnny Thunders had a child—a baby girl named Jamie—with Blomqvist. But he soon walked away from the relationship. You see, Thunders was carrying around a secret. He’d found out he had leukemia and not long to live. He left his wife and one-year-old child and decided to give rock and roll one last chance.
He only had a little time left.
43. He Had A Bucket List
With his leukemia diagnosis hanging over his head, Thunders began touring as if his life depended on it. In 1991, after some gigs in Japan, Thunders realized there was something he had to do before he passed. He wanted to make a New Orleans record. He started making a plan in his head of who would be on it. Of course, Nolan was high on the list.
But sadly, he’d never get to finish his dream project.
44. They Found Him
While making preparations for his New Orleans album, Thunders ran into trouble. It’s unclear exactly what happened, but the result was that on April 23, 1991, they found his lifeless body in room 37 at St Peter House. He was only 38 years old. What actually happened to Thunders depends on who you ask.
45. He Got Robbed
According to Dee Dee Ramone, Thunder had met up with some not-so-nice guys in New Orleans. Thunders traveled with a fair amount of methadone to treat his addiction. These guys wanted it, and they were not afraid to kill Thunder to get it.
But there’s another theory.
Einar Einarsson Kvaran, Wikimedia Commons
46. He Was Using
The New Orleans coroner’s office said they found some illicit substances in Thunders’ body. To them, he was just another junkie reaching a sad and pitiful end. But some people who had access to the report swear that the level of substance in Thunders’ body was not enough to be fatal. Thunders’ family put pressure on New Orleans authorities to pursue the case as a murder. It fell on deaf ears.
Of course, there had to be a funeral—and it was a sad one.
47. He Said Goodbye
At the internment, it was Nolan who was front and center as the most bereaved. Someone handed him a rose. He kissed it and placed it on the coffin. Sadly, Nolan missed the actual burial. He was off finding a washroom, because he’d been drinking his sorrows away.
Nolan didn’t have much time to get over the tragic loss of someone who was so much more than a friend.
48. He Wanted To Be At His Side
Of course, Nolan was hit hard when he lost his friend. Just a few months after Thunders’ passing, Nolan was in the hospital with meningitis, pneumonia, and HIV. While under hospital care, Nolan had a stroke, went into a coma and passed. He only outlived Thunders by a few months. Nolan had one request. He wanted to have his body buried next to Thunders.
49. He Passed It On
Of course, Johnny Thunders’ left an incredible legacy on the world of music. Sadly, his familial legacy is not so great. Thunders’ son, Vito Genzale, grew up not knowing who his father was. When he found out, he started following in his father’s footsteps. Sadly, it wasn't the musical ones. He spent over four years in Sing Sing for selling a controlled substance.
It’s hard to say what went wrong with Thunders, but one song gives a clue.
50. He Made One More Recording
Just 36 hours before passing, Johnny Thunders made his final recording. It was with the German punk band Die Toten Hosen. They recorded a version of The Heartbreakers’ song “Born to Lose”. Considering Thunders’ life and passing, one line is ominous. “Living in the city. It will eat out, eat out your heart”.
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Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
