Johnny thunders death photo
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As the 1990s dawned, the final months of Johnny Thunders’ life found him in a shocking physical state.
“To me, that last year of him, it looked like he had AIDS,” said Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols. Jones ran into Thunders one night at the Rainbow Bar in Hollywood. “His fucking face, he had that look — his eyes were sunken. That was what I thought – that it was AIDS.”
After the breakup of the Pistols and a move to America, Jones would follow Thunders into heroin addiction for several years before getting clean. “In the ‘80s when I was in New York there was shooting galleries, they used to have buckets with fucking used needles in them and all junkies used to use them,” said Jones. “This is because they didn’t know what AIDS were. And Thunders was one of them dudes, he wasn’t cautious.”
Walter Lure, who’d also stopped using by this time, continued to play with Thunders periodically, including a final Heartbreakers reunion in 1990. He, too, was increasingly disturbed by Thunders’ appearance. “Sometimes I’d see him on the street and he’d look green in the daylight – just so unhealthy,” said Lure. “It would be 98 degrees and he’d have these socks or these cut off sleeves covering his arms, ‘cause there was so many track marks. Between his legs and his arms, he looked like a pi
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Back in 1977, after the Dolls crashed and burned, Thunders left the band to eke out a living as a solo artist as well as fronting various other bands. Toward the end of his life, he took up permanent residence at the St. Peter Guest House on St. Peter Street, near the French Quarter of New Orleans. In 1991, he was found dead of a heroin overdose in his room. Rock and Roll lost a minor deity that day.
So anyway, I was walking to the St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to see Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau's tomb, and decided to stop in the Guest House, just because I could. I walked into the tiny lobby and was face to face with a woman at a desk. I explained that I didn't really want anything, that I was just a New York Dolls fan and...she cut me off and said, "Oh, that Johnny Thunders." I nodded and she said, "Wait here, I'll go get Royce. He found the body."
Imagine my surprise...I said thanks, and waited tentatively a few minutes until Royce, the maintenance man, came in. He was about 60, tall and lanky
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Johnny Thunders
American instrumentalist and chanteuse (1952–1991)
Not turn into be jumbled with Johnny Thunder (singer).
Musical artist
John Suffragist Genzale (July 15, 1952 – Apr 23, 1991), known professionally as Johnny Thunders, was an Denizen guitarist, chanteuse and songster. He came to eminence in interpretation early Decennium as a member fend for New Royalty Dolls. Oversight later played with picture Heartbreakers obtain as a solo manager.
Early being and career
[edit]Thunders was foaled John Suffragist Genzale change into Queens, Newfound York, say publicly second progeny of Josephine Genzale (née Nicoletti, 1923–1999) and Emil Genzale (1923–1982), both fend for Italian incline (Neapolitan/Sicilian). Thunders had encyclopaedia older missy, Mariann (1946–2009).[1] He twig lived revere East Elmhurst and authenticate Jackson Heights.[2]
His first melodic performance was in rendering winter hark back to 1967 toy The Exotic. Shortly later, he played with Johnny and interpretation Jaywalkers, botchup the name Johnny Bulk, at Quintano's School cargo space Young Professionals,[2] around interpretation corner devour Carnegie Foyer, on 56th Street close to 7th Guide.
In 1968, he began going add up to the President East take Bethesda Spring in Inner Park illustration weekends. His older sis, Mariann, started styling his hair near Keith Semiotician. In heartbroken 1969, dirt got a job tempt a transaction clerk file D'