Cuppy's Music Curios S1 E7: The New York Dolls' Disastrous New Image and Florida Tour

By 1975 the New York Dolls were in total dysfunction. Three of the members were dealing with addiction issues and they were abandoned by their manager Marty Thau along with their label Mercury Records. In come Malcolm McLaren who was visiting New York City to sell some of his life partner and fashion collaborator Vivienne Westwood's new designs and outfits from their shop "Sex" out in London and to see his friends in the New York Dolls

Upon seeing the state the band was in, Malcolm makes it his goal in life (well up to that point) to save the New York Dolls. So he puts the three strung out members into rehab, rents them a rehearsal space and decides to create a new gimmick for them. Inspired by the art and pageantry of Red China, he creates his own Red Guard in America. With their new look, new outfits designed and created by Vivienne and new attitude, he sets the Dolls on a tour of the south with disastrous results. Listen to Cuppy talk about the New York Dolls Disastrous New Image and Tour of Florida!

Special thanks to the From the Archives.org website for providing me with dates and links and the book "The Wicked Ways of Malcolm McLaren" by Craig Bromberg for the information need for the creation of this video along with the wonderful photography of Bob Gruen who documented the band.