Sylvain Sylvain and the Sylvains

As a founding member of the legendary New York Dolls, guitarist Sylvain Sylvain helped invent the garage-punk sound and outlandish look of puckered-up, glam-rock decadence. Disbanded in 1975 after only two now-classic albums, the Dolls’ music and theatrics nonetheless influenced countless bands and artists from the Sex Pistols, KISS and Motley Crue to Morrissey and Lady Gaga. Not surprisingly, Martin Scorsese’s HBO series, “Vinyl,” prominently features the Dolls’ music and personas as definitive models of glam-rock excess. Today, Sylvain Sylvain is backed by a crack troop of Austin musicians lovingly billed as – what else? – The Sylvains. Guitarist Ginchy and drummer Chris Alaniz are full-time members of the Bulemics, winners of the Austin Chronicle’s 2013 Best Punk Band. Bassist Gabriel Von Asher plays in Profane Anything Band. When the guys aren’t being Dolls or playing in one of their myriad other bands, the Sylvains also back Sylvain’s former Batusis band mate Cheetah Chrome, late of iconic snot-punks, the Dead Boys. As one of only two surviving New York Dolls, the affable and always energetic Sylvain Sylvain is still blowing kisses to appreciative crowds who love and understand the primal perfection of “Jetboy,” “Personality Crisis,” “Trash” and “Pills”. It’s a long way from 1973, but the true originality of Sylvain Sylvain always proves fashionably timeless.