Track listing
Show track credits
- A1 Red Patent Leather 3:30
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A2 On Fire 3:30
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A3 Something Else 2:15
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A4 Daddy Rolling Stone 3:15
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songwriter
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- A5 Girls 3:55
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- A6 Ain't Got No Home 2:05
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songwriter
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- A7 Dizzy Miss Lizzy 2:07
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songwriter
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- B1 Down, Down Downtown 4:05
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- B2 Pirate, Love 3:40
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songwriter
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- B3 Pills 2:47
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songwriter
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- B4 Teenage News 2:51
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songwriter
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- B5 Personality Crisis 3:05
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songwriter
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songwriter
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- B6 Looking for a Kiss 2:32
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songwriter
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- Total length: 39:37
Rate/Catalog
Catalog
Set listening
Review
To rate, slide your finger across the stars from left to right.
8 Issues
- Release view [combined information for all issues]
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Red Patent Leather [p] 33 rpm, Live
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Red Patent Leather [blue vinyl] Colored Vinyl
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Red Patent Leather [red vinyl] Colored Vinyl
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Live in NYC - 1975: Red Patent Leather Bonus Tracks, Live
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Red Patent Leather Bonus Tracks
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Red Patent Leather Collector's Edition, Colored Vinyl, Limited Edition
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Red Patent Leather CD Sized Album Replica, Limited Edition
7 Reviews
OK. I just don't get the New York Dolls. They may have been an important inspiration to the NY punk scene; they may have taken drugs and whatnot (as if that's anything to admire); they may have dressed in funny clothes to make themselves interesting; they may even had a member called Johnny Thunders. Still, I don't care.
It all sounds like second-grade blues rock. It's not especially tight, it's not especially unhinged, it's OK at best, but mostly boring. It all sounds the same. And as on their album, the singing just sucks and gets on my nerves, even if this site says it's not some guy called Sylvain, but another guy called Johansen. I won't look that up. I really don't care.
Whatever. I don't hate the Dolls as long as I don't have to listen to their shit. I just don't care.
There are some bonus tracks on my edition that are kinda fun, apparently recorded 1973 in Paris. Maybe I'll check that one out. I don't care.
It all sounds like second-grade blues rock. It's not especially tight, it's not especially unhinged, it's OK at best, but mostly boring. It all sounds the same. And as on their album, the singing just sucks and gets on my nerves, even if this site says it's not some guy called Sylvain, but another guy called Johansen. I won't look that up. I really don't care.
Whatever. I don't hate the Dolls as long as I don't have to listen to their shit. I just don't care.
There are some bonus tracks on my edition that are kinda fun, apparently recorded 1973 in Paris. Maybe I'll check that one out. I don't care.
Published
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Horrible sound quality, half-assed originals, inferior covers. But you can still hear a great band.
Published
Well, the Dolls... I didn't like their debut too much, but I thought, they may very well be fun live. I know a few terrific live concerts of Thunders, so I was quite expectant of this... (I recently listened to the Dictators' "New York New York", which is a a truly explosive blast of dumb, fun hog-rock, while their album is okay, but not more.)
However, this was worse than I expected. It's just quite mediocre glam-punk/hard blues-rock -- it tries hard to be evil and provocant, but it all seems quite made up and fake. One thing that really pissed me off was the cover versions. I usually like cover versions, and a look at the tracklist really made me think hey, nice selection... But the way the interpreted these true classics is just plain bad; everything is done in the same manner. I mean, compare Diddley's sublime, plaintive "Pills" to the dumb bluesrock mess they did here... Ugh.
The CD release contains some bonus tracks from a 1973 concert in Paris. The sound quality is pretty bad, but the music seems to be a little more authentic and committed -- so I'm nice and 1/2 bonus star for this edition. Still, I conclude that the Dolls were not much more than a novelty act. Johnny Thunders really did well to leave shortly after this concert...
However, this was worse than I expected. It's just quite mediocre glam-punk/hard blues-rock -- it tries hard to be evil and provocant, but it all seems quite made up and fake. One thing that really pissed me off was the cover versions. I usually like cover versions, and a look at the tracklist really made me think hey, nice selection... But the way the interpreted these true classics is just plain bad; everything is done in the same manner. I mean, compare Diddley's sublime, plaintive "Pills" to the dumb bluesrock mess they did here... Ugh.
The CD release contains some bonus tracks from a 1973 concert in Paris. The sound quality is pretty bad, but the music seems to be a little more authentic and committed -- so I'm nice and 1/2 bonus star for this edition. Still, I conclude that the Dolls were not much more than a novelty act. Johnny Thunders really did well to leave shortly after this concert...
Published
7 72596-2 CD (1993)
Red Patent Leather: 1993 CD Reissue
The three bonus tracks included on Receiver Records Limited CD reissue of Red Patent Leather were recorded in Paris on December 23, 1973. The ‘Paris Concert’ has been issued in its entirely a couple thousand times.
The three bonus tracks included on Receiver Records Limited CD reissue of Red Patent Leather were recorded in Paris on December 23, 1973. The ‘Paris Concert’ has been issued in its entirely a couple thousand times.
Published
7 72596-2 CD (1993)
Taken from a mono, single microphone feed into a 70's video camera, this is nothing more than a bootleg.
The only really notable thing about it is the setlist which gives us versions of many of the songs which would have made up the 3rd Dolls album if they hadn't split.
'Downtown', 'Pirate Love', and the cover of 'Daddy Rolling Stone' all ended up in Johnny Thunders post Dolls repertoire, while a vastly poppier version of 'Teenage News' kicked off Syl Sylvain's debut album.
This album showed the Dolls still had the songs and the attitude, but god - the sound is awful!
The only really notable thing about it is the setlist which gives us versions of many of the songs which would have made up the 3rd Dolls album if they hadn't split.
'Downtown', 'Pirate Love', and the cover of 'Daddy Rolling Stone' all ended up in Johnny Thunders post Dolls repertoire, while a vastly poppier version of 'Teenage News' kicked off Syl Sylvain's debut album.
This album showed the Dolls still had the songs and the attitude, but god - the sound is awful!
Published
Don’t get me wrong. I’d love to tell you Red Patent Leather is the greatest live album on the planet. But this lo-fi recording of the New York Dolls performing live sounds as if it was recorded through the far end of a garbage shoot. Video footage of this show – recorded at The Little Hippodrome, NYC on March 2, 1975 – appears in Bob Gruen’s excellent New York Dolls documentary, All Dolled Up. The audio on the film was recorded using a single boom microphone. The reason I bring this up is because Bob’s audio recording of this show is just as terrible as the mix that ended up on the album. Could it have really sounded that horrible in person? Was the sound man really that ecstatic about his delay unit? Did they really use the same PA that The Doors did in Live in Europe 1968? Unless you were there you’ll never know.
In spite of its horrendous mix, us hardcore dollies will still find Red Patent Leather of interest. Firstly because, this, and the few minutes of footage from All Dolled Up, is the only known recordings of The Dolls performing material that they had intended to record for a third album (ten songs no less). Secondly, it is one of very few documents of the Dolls during the short period they were under the direction of future Sex Pistols manager, Malcolm McLaren. And last but certainly not least; this performance marked the end of the New York Dolls initial career. Interpersonal tension brought on by their fading popularity was further aggravated by differences over McLaren’s direction. Although they did play well the energy of the band once predominant is somewhat stifled. Then again, this was a matinee performance.
Surviving members David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain, Arthur Kane, later regrouped in 2004. Nearly thirty years later.
In spite of its horrendous mix, us hardcore dollies will still find Red Patent Leather of interest. Firstly because, this, and the few minutes of footage from All Dolled Up, is the only known recordings of The Dolls performing material that they had intended to record for a third album (ten songs no less). Secondly, it is one of very few documents of the Dolls during the short period they were under the direction of future Sex Pistols manager, Malcolm McLaren. And last but certainly not least; this performance marked the end of the New York Dolls initial career. Interpersonal tension brought on by their fading popularity was further aggravated by differences over McLaren’s direction. Although they did play well the energy of the band once predominant is somewhat stifled. Then again, this was a matinee performance.
Surviving members David Johansen, Sylvain Sylvain, Arthur Kane, later regrouped in 2004. Nearly thirty years later.
Published
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