mINtSOUTH.com

Following the release of their critically acclaimed Todd Rundgren produced studio album ‘Cause I Sez So, their TV appearance on Later with Jools Holland, and a rapturously reviewed London 100 Club show which sold out in 4 minutes, the New York Dolls have announced three more concerts to their forthcoming UK visit in December 2009.

They play Talking Heads in Southampton on 6th December 2009.
National Ticket Hotline: 08700 603 777 or  Book Online: www.seetickets.com.

The New York Dolls consist of David Johansen (vocals); Sylvain Sylvain (guitar); Steve Conte (guitar); Brian Delaney (drums); and former Hanoi Rocks bass guitarist Sami Yaffa.

The New York Dolls originally swaggered onto the New York music scene in the early ’70s, influencing a generation with its subversive mix of high-decibel rock and high-heeled androgyny. The original band recorded two seminal albums – the eponymous debut New York Dolls (1973) and Too Much Too Soon (1974), before calling it a day in 1977.

The surviving members reformed the group in 2004 to much acclaim, but soon lost bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane to leukemia. In 2006, Johansen and Sylvain reunited again and recorded the NY Dolls’ third studio album, “One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This”, which featured the single Dance Like A Monkey. This year saw the release of their newest album “Cause I Sez So” and now mINtSOUTH were lucky enough to catch up with New York Dolls guitarist Steve Conte for a quick interview about his time with The New York Dolls and what we can expect when they hit the U.K. in December...

First of all thank you for taking the time to do this interview with mINtSOUTH.com, first question is about the new album “Cause I Sez So”. What was it like to be in the studio with the band and having Todd Rundgren back as producer for the New York Dolls?

I never worked w/ him before, that was David & Syl. I didn't even have pubic hair yet when Todd produced the original Dolls album.  Todd was pretty hands-off for the most part, he seemed to be kind of half paying attention. At first I thought “Isn’t he gonna PRODUCE us?” but then I got it - he was letting the Dolls be the Dolls. Genius.

Any favourite memories whilst recording the album?

We were going to record at Todd’s house in Kauai , Hawaii that had one wall open to the elements. I asked Todd "What happens when it rains?" and he said "It never rains in the house"... but the next day it rained right into the part of the house where we were going to record. All our gear got soaked so we rented another house a few miles away to do pre-production & tracking. We found out later Kauai has a rain forest that is officially "the wettest spot on earth".

What tracks stand out for you on the album?

Exorcism of Despair, Better Than You, Temptation To Exist, Lonely So Long, This Is Ridiculous

How do you think “Cause I Sez So” stands up against previous albums?

It's more raw than "One Day It Will Please Us..." but not as raw as the first album or "Too Much Too Soon.”   Records are a moment in time and this one captured that moment w/ these people as opposed to what the other records captured.

How did your induction into the New York Dolls come about in 2004?

David Johansen asked a bunch of respected musicians in NYC who should he call and they all said, "Get in touch with Conte.”  We met for lunch (so he could check me out I guess) and after an hour he offered me the gig.

Had you met David, Sylvain, and Arthur previously? Were they what you expected, as the band had earned a certain reputation over the years!?

I hadn't met any of them before - though David did sit in w/ my blues band as "Buster Poindexter" back in the 80s. I didn't have a preconceived idea about them but Arthur Kane & Syl Sylvain were sweeter than I expected. Syl seemed like a combination of three different guys I went to high school with.

The whole events surrounding the Meltdown Festival in 2004 must have been quite overwhelming, especially with the later tragic passing of Arthur “Killer” Kane. Did you get to know him well?

I knew Arthur for only one month but I really loved that guy. Such a warm soul. I was heartbroken when he died because I thought I was really gonna get to know and spend time with him and make music together.

Following that you guys hit the studio and recorded “One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This”. Did you ever think you would be recording with The New York Dolls or were you just expecting a few live gigs initially?

Nobody expected we'd write or record, we all thought it was just for a gig or two. But when the calls started coming in for more shows we gladly accepted.

How was it the first day in the studio? How much input did you have with the band?

At first there were some "vibes" about song ideas that weren't liked but in the end the cream floated to the top.

It’s a "band" but there's still a pecking order...and it is first, David - because he won't put words to just any music, then Syl - because he's the musical heart and soul of the Dolls, then myself and Sami  Yaffa (bass) because we write/produce our own bands and records and have strong opinions. Brian Delaney (drums)  I save for last only because he's the mellow/easygoing Doll who can make whatever madness the 4 of us fight about sound amazing!!

We all make up our own parts though, nobody tells anybody else what to play. So I had as much input as I wanted to have.

It's hard not to mention Johnny Thunders and you filling his role..(but I imagine you much get asked about him all the time!)...so I will just ask you what you think as a guitarist you bring to the sound and swagger of The New York Dolls?

I think I'm Ronnie Wood to Syl's Keith. I bring a bit of sophistication - but not too much. As David said, "You can only be amateur once".  I think to have mature men still playing like the beginners they were at 19 years old would be pretty sad.

How does playing with the Dolls fit in with your other work, as you have quite a reputation soundtracking various Anime series/films like “Cowboy Bebop” and “Wolf’s Rain”?

It doesn't have to fit in. I'm a mutli-faceted musician. I use part of my brain to do one and a different part for the other.

You also have an album coming out with your band “The Crazy Truth” at the end of October. What can we expect from that?

Raw, garagey, bluesy, lo-fi indie rock & roll. I started making it after the Dolls "One Day..." Album as a reaction to how I thought that album could and should have sounded to a Dolls fan's ears.

Do you ever take a day off?

Nope. Today I met with a video director, arranged rehearsals, emails/phone calls, updated websites, booked a show, picked up gear from my studio, did an interview ....and THAT was a slow day!

QWith the current climate of old bands getting back together for the sake of money, how do you think the Dolls are doing compared to their rivals?

We have rivals?

You have already released two albums of new material over the last couple of years, can we expect more from the New York Dolls in the future?

God willing...

Do you and the band get annoyed by the fact that guys like you are still out there putting out new stuff when the music press are too busy tripping over the current five minute wonderwho will be forgotten about in a month?

That's the way of the music biz--whaddayagonnado?

For those people reading this who may have not heard of the New York Dolls before, or for those fans who might be unfamiliar with the recent albums, could you please describe what kind of show you guys will be bringing in December.

The kind of rock and roll show you thought you'd never see! Tough, loose, soulful, witty, sexy, dangerous, arty, charming, - should I go on?

You're involved in other projects too, aren't you?  Can you tell us about those, and any plans to tour over here?

Right now its just the dolls and my band-  steveconteandthecrazytruth.com!

I'd love to tour the UK ...I'm working on getting my record released there...I think people will love it...here's what a famous Brit said about it just the other day:

"There is very little genuine rock and roll out there at the moment - but Steve Conte has hit the nail on the head with this one!"
-- Steve Lillywhite, Producer  (U2, Rolling Stones, Johnny Thunders, The Pogues, XTC, Morrissey, Peter Gabriel)

Don’t just take mINtSOUTH’s word for it...

What the critics said about the Dolls’ sold out 100 Club Show -

“Kicking off with an ear-splitting rendition of ‘Babylon’ – a song which comes across like a funnier, filthier ‘Brown Sugar’ – it’s immediately apparent quite how well the band is aging. The Dolls are quick to slip in material from their new album ‘Cause I Sez So, its title track a glorious slice of cartoonish swagger and sleaze that made the band’s name all those years ago.”
John Matthew Hall, The Independent (4 Stars)

“Lead singer David Johansen has retained the body of a teenage boy and the swagger of a man born to be a star.  Songs from the current album ‘Cause I Sez So and its 2006 predecessor – notably the former’s title track and the latter’s ‘We’re All in Love and ‘Dance Like a Monkey – went down as well as the oldies, ‘Babylon’, a fabulous ‘Frankenstein’ and ‘Stranded in the Jungle’.”
Lisa Verrico, The Times (4 Stars)

“The real meat was in pulsating versions of ‘Trash’, ‘Jet Boy’, ‘Personality Crisis’ and their version of Bo Diddley’s ‘Pills’, the collective howl of energy which was punk’s tinderbox and the Dolls’ ticket to immortality.”
John Aizlewood, London Evening Standard (3 Stars)