Johnny Thunders--Dead Or Alive (DVD)
Cherry Red 2001
Johnny Thunders is one of the hardest rocking and hardest living individuals that ever walked the planet. The DVD, Dead Or Alive, focuses primarily on a London performance of Johnny along with The Heartbreakers from '84. It serves as a document which vividly captures both the powerful grace and ugly sadness which permeated every pore of his music.
From the very second these guys kick into "Pipeline," it's obvious Thunders is a king. His presence and charisma are enveloping. As much as he overpowers you with the rock, when he slips into his acoustic material, it breaks your heart through its sheer beauty. There is no question watching Dead Or Alive that this man was the rock star of rock stars.
This being said, at the same time, the wheels are definitely coming off by this point for Johnny Thunders and The Heartbreakers. Dead Or Alive is heavily overdubbed and it's a good thing because these guys were a mess. It is devastating to see this man who is still great in spite of his problems being spat on and having his amazing acoustic material cast off by a very stupid audience. The most unsettling moment of Dead Or Alive comes when Thunders relates a tale of sexual abuse from youth during "So Alone." The look on Walter Lure's face tells the story during this episode--it's an expression of helplessness mixed with the obliviousness that comes from knowing you have too many problems surrounding you to really help. As great as Dead Or Alive is, it's also often very sad and draining.
In the end, you might never get rock and roll this real--these guys play and look like it's the only thing they had left to live for. It's unfortunate that amazing music wasn't enough to save Thunders or Heartbreaker Jerry Nolan. Dead Or Alive shows how you can rock better than everyone else and still have your life destroyed. Triumphant and tragic, all at once.
Get more info on this DVD directly from CHERRY RED
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