Guitarist Johnny Thunders left the New York Dolls in 1975 and formed the Heartbreakers,
sometimes billed as Johnny Thunders
& the Heartbreakers to distinguish the band from Tom Petty's band. The classic line-up of Thunder's Heartbreakers
was completed by guitarist Walter Lure,
bassist Billy Rath and drummer Jerry Nolan. Together, they recorded
the band's sole studio album, 1977's L.A.M.F.
The Heartbreakers ruled the Manhattan club scene much as the New York Dolls had
previously, but both bands suffered the same fate; they could not really break
to a national level. The Heartbreakers ended shortly after the release of the
album, although Thunders briefly reunited the band numerous times until his
death in 1991. Nolan died in 1992 and Rath died in 2014, leaving Lure as the
only surviving member of the album's lineup. Since 1984, Lure has continued to
play many Heartbreakers songs with his band the Waldos.
In 2016, Jesse Malin
assembled an all-star band to commemorate 25 years since the passing of
Thunders. That band consisted of Lure, former MC5 guitarist Wayne Kramer (who had played with
Thunders in the short-lived Gang War),
Replacements/Guns ‘N’ Roses bassist Tommy
Stinson, Blondie drummer Clem Burke, and several guest vocalists.
This year's concert commemorated the 40th anniversary of L.A.M.F., and the band consisted of Lure, Burke, Social Distortion guitarist Mike Ness, and Sex Pistols bassist Glen
Matlock; Malin joined on vocals for three songs. The band performed the
album except for "Baby Talk" (Lure told this reporter that nobody
wanted to sing it), and then added a few more Thunders songs. The late show tonight
at the Bowery Electric saw the band
perform tightly, with the musicians contributing improvements to the
arrangements in order to enhance all the songs with a contemporary rock and
roll edge. This was more tribute than revival, a salute that attests to one
major fact - solid rock and roll songs will never die.
Setlist:
- Born to Lose
- (The Heartbreakers cover) (Mike Ness - lead vocal)
- All by Myself (The Heartbreakers cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)
- I Wanna Be Loved (The Heartbreakers cover) (Glen Matlock - lead vocal)
- It's Not Enough (The Heartbreakers cover) (Jesse Malin - lead vocal)
- Chinese Rocks (The Heartbreakers cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)
- Get Off the Phone (The Heartbreakers cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)
- Pirate Love (The Heartbreakers cover) (Jesse Malin - lead vocal)
- One Track Mind (The Heartbreakers cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)
- I Love You (The Heartbreakers cover) (Mike Ness and Walter Lure - lead vocals)
- Goin' Steady (The Heartbreakers cover) (Mike Ness - lead vocal)
- Let Go (The Heartbreakers cover) (Mike Ness - lead vocal)
- Can't Keep My Eyes on You (The Heartbreakers cover) (Clem Burke - lead vocal)
- Do You Love Me? (The Contours cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)
Encore:
- You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory (Johnny Thunders cover) (Jesse Malin - lead vocal)
- So Alone (Johnny Thunders cover) (Mike Ness - lead vocal)
- (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (Paul Revere and The Raiders cover) (Glen Matlock - lead vocal)
- Too Much Junkie Business (Johnny Thunders cover) (Walter Lure - lead vocal)