Sylvain Sylvain, Jewish co-founder of legendary New York Dolls, dead at 69

• Author: LARRY MCSHANE
• Published date: 17 January 2021
• Date: 17 January 2021

Sylvain was diagnosed with cancer two-and-a-half years ago and died Wednesday, according to a Facebook post from spouse, Wendy Mizrahi. He was one of the five original members when the Dolls launched in 1971, joined by singer David Johansen, fellow guitarist Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane and drummer Billy Murcia.

The quintet quickly became one of the most prominent and influential bands in the city's nascent punk movement before imploding in 1976.

"My best friend for so many years," wrote Johansen on Instagram. "I can still remember the first time I saw him bop into the rehearsal space/bicycle shop with his carpetbag and guitar straight from the plane after having been deported from Amsterdam. I instantly loved him. I'm gonna miss you old pal. I'll keep the home fires burning."

The self-titled debut album by the Dolls, with the band in drag on its cover, included the classic "Personality Crisis" and the pop-rock track "Trash." Rolling Stone magazine cited the LP as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

Though the band never managed a hit and disappeared after five tumultuous years, the influence of the Dolls was undeniable. Bands such as Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses, The Smiths and Kiss were among the groups reflecting the sound and style of the Lower East Side quintet.

Sylvain and Johansen reformed the band in 2004, subsequently releasing three new albums and touring. Johansen now remains the sole surviving member of the legendary group.

Sylvain was born Sylvain Mizrahi to a Syrian Jewish family in Cairo in 1951. His family left during the Suez Crisis, which triggered a renewed wave of antisemitism across the Middle East after Israel attempted to help British and French forces take over the Suez Canal in 1956.

"My daddy had a great job at the National Bank of Egypt. But in the mid- '50s, they fired him, then they confiscated all our belongings and kicked us out," Sylvain told The Jerusalem Post during a conversation ahead of the Dolls' first appearance in Israel in 2008...