Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
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About Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers were a punk rock group formed in New York in May 1975 by Johnny Thunders (vocals/guitar) and Jerry Nolan (drums) who had just quit the New York Dolls and Richard Hell and the Voidoids (vocals/bass)/ the man, not the group/ who left Television the same week. After a few shows they added Walter Lure (vocals/guitar) who had played with a group called the Demons. In 1976 Hell was kicked out (for trying to persuade Jerry Nolan and Walter Lure to kick Johnny Thunders out, but Jerry Nolan was too good of friends with Johnny and kicked Richard Hell out of the group) and was replaced by Billy Rath who according to legend was a gigolo. Hell went on to form his own band Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
Arriving just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, they developed a following playing in and around London. Sex Pistols invited them to open for them on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed up with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band, because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several of the members of the band left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix filling in for Nolan. The result was a live album: Live at Max's Kansas City '79 is considered a Punk Rock classic.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs (and for a sold at show at The Lyceum in London, England in 1984) until the death of Johnny Thunders in 1991 of a supposed methadone overdose (the facts remain unclear since Johnny's passport and all his money were missing, also in the coroner's report they said that no alcohol was in the bloodstream at the time of death although many witnesses say that Johnny was drinking the night before with people that he had just met) Johnny Thunders was 38 years old. Jerry Nolan died a few months later in 1992 of a stroke. Jerry Nolan was 40 years old. Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Johnny Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos performing mostly Heartbreakers songs. The influence of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers work is still noticeable today in many punk rock bands. Johnny Thunders solo work is mainly made up of live albums, although he recorded the critical success So Alone in 1978 and Que Sera Sera in 1985. Johnny Thunders often worked with Patti Paladin of the band Snatch and they recorded an album of covers, Copycats in 1987.
Arriving just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, they developed a following playing in and around London. Sex Pistols invited them to open for them on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed up with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band, because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several of the members of the band left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix filling in for Nolan. The result was a live album: Live at Max's Kansas City '79 is considered a Punk Rock classic.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs (and for a sold at show at The Lyceum in London, England in 1984) until the death of Johnny Thunders in 1991 of a supposed methadone overdose (the facts remain unclear since Johnny's passport and all his money were missing, also in the coroner's report they said that no alcohol was in the bloodstream at the time of death although many witnesses say that Johnny was drinking the night before with people that he had just met) Johnny Thunders was 38 years old. Jerry Nolan died a few months later in 1992 of a stroke. Jerry Nolan was 40 years old. Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Johnny Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos performing mostly Heartbreakers songs. The influence of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers work is still noticeable today in many punk rock bands. Johnny Thunders solo work is mainly made up of live albums, although he recorded the critical success So Alone in 1978 and Que Sera Sera in 1985. Johnny Thunders often worked with Patti Paladin of the band Snatch and they recorded an album of covers, Copycats in 1987.
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Similar Artists On Tour
concerts and tour dates
About Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers
The Heartbreakers were a punk rock group formed in New York in May 1975 by Johnny Thunders (vocals/guitar) and Jerry Nolan (drums) who had just quit the New York Dolls and Richard Hell and the Voidoids (vocals/bass)/ the man, not the group/ who left Television the same week. After a few shows they added Walter Lure (vocals/guitar) who had played with a group called the Demons. In 1976 Hell was kicked out (for trying to persuade Jerry Nolan and Walter Lure to kick Johnny Thunders out, but Jerry Nolan was too good of friends with Johnny and kicked Richard Hell out of the group) and was replaced by Billy Rath who according to legend was a gigolo. Hell went on to form his own band Richard Hell and the Voidoids.
Arriving just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, they developed a following playing in and around London. Sex Pistols invited them to open for them on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed up with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band, because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several of the members of the band left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix filling in for Nolan. The result was a live album: Live at Max's Kansas City '79 is considered a Punk Rock classic.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs (and for a sold at show at The Lyceum in London, England in 1984) until the death of Johnny Thunders in 1991 of a supposed methadone overdose (the facts remain unclear since Johnny's passport and all his money were missing, also in the coroner's report they said that no alcohol was in the bloodstream at the time of death although many witnesses say that Johnny was drinking the night before with people that he had just met) Johnny Thunders was 38 years old. Jerry Nolan died a few months later in 1992 of a stroke. Jerry Nolan was 40 years old. Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Johnny Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos performing mostly Heartbreakers songs. The influence of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers work is still noticeable today in many punk rock bands. Johnny Thunders solo work is mainly made up of live albums, although he recorded the critical success So Alone in 1978 and Que Sera Sera in 1985. Johnny Thunders often worked with Patti Paladin of the band Snatch and they recorded an album of covers, Copycats in 1987.
Arriving just as the UK punk scene was building momentum, they developed a following playing in and around London. Sex Pistols invited them to open for them on the ill fated Anarchy Tour. They shortly signed up with Track Records. Their debut--and only--studio album, L.A.M.F., featured all the Heartbreakers' popular live songs. The release of the album put a huge strain on the band, because of anger among some band members over the poor quality of the mix. Several of the members of the band left at this point. The band reformed in 1979 for a few farewell shows at Max’s Kansas City with drummer Ty Stix filling in for Nolan. The result was a live album: Live at Max's Kansas City '79 is considered a Punk Rock classic.
The band re-formed occasionally to play at New York clubs (and for a sold at show at The Lyceum in London, England in 1984) until the death of Johnny Thunders in 1991 of a supposed methadone overdose (the facts remain unclear since Johnny's passport and all his money were missing, also in the coroner's report they said that no alcohol was in the bloodstream at the time of death although many witnesses say that Johnny was drinking the night before with people that he had just met) Johnny Thunders was 38 years old. Jerry Nolan died a few months later in 1992 of a stroke. Jerry Nolan was 40 years old. Live shows often consisted of songs performed with the New York Dolls or taken from Johnny Thunders' solo career. Richard Hell rarely plays music live, concentrating instead on writing and spoken word performances. Billy Rath's whereabouts are currently unknown leading to various rumors such as that he died or became a priest. Walter Lure still performs about once a month with his band the Waldos performing mostly Heartbreakers songs. The influence of Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers work is still noticeable today in many punk rock bands. Johnny Thunders solo work is mainly made up of live albums, although he recorded the critical success So Alone in 1978 and Que Sera Sera in 1985. Johnny Thunders often worked with Patti Paladin of the band Snatch and they recorded an album of covers, Copycats in 1987.
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