Sylvain Sylvain, legendary guitarist of the New York Dolls, dies

Sylvain Sylvain (image, left at the 2008 concert at the Apolo hall in Barcelona) died on January 13 from cancer at the age of 69. The guitarist was part of the glam group New York Dolls from 1971 until its second dissolution in 2012. The musician battled cancer since 2018 but has finally lost the battle.

Real name Sylvain Mizrahi, he was born in Cairo on February 14, 1951. When he was very young he moved first to France and then to New York, where he would be one of the founders of the New York Dolls. This group debuted with 'New York Dolls' (1973), which was followed by 'Too Much Too Soon' (1974).

The group suddenly disbanded in 1975 when it was at the highest point of its fame and on the glam rock podium. However, the group wildest rock was one of punk rock's main influences, Malcom McLaren founded the Sex Pistols in London after seeing one of the last performances of the New York Dolls.

Sylvain began a solo career from the late '70s to the' 90s. When the New York Dolls met again, after the new century, he participated in the albums 'One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This' (2006), 'Cause I Sez So' (2009) and 'Dancing backward in High Heels' (2011).

Right now only Kevin Johansen, singer, remains alive from the original line-up of the New York Dolls. In 1971 Billy Murcia, drummer, died of accidental asphyxiation when a groupie tried to revive him after fainting from a drunkenness forcing him to drink coffee; the next drummer, Jerry Nolan, died of a stroke in 1992; Bassist Arthur Kane died on July 13, 2004, 22 days after the group's reunion, and legendary guitarist Johnny Thunders died of a methadone overdose in 1991 at a New Orleans hotel.