Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan's Wild Ride: A Tale of Drugs, Fashion, the New York Dolls and Punk Rock

by Curt Weiss

Here is the story of an often overlooked, one-of-a-kind rock 'n' roll musician and the historic times he lived in. In spite of numerous opportunities for success, he became a tragedy.

Jerry Nolan came out of New York in the 1970s as part of two of the most influential and infamous bands of the time, the proto-punk New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers. Jerry had what it took to be a star, but his battles with heroin continually stymied his career and ultimately ended his life. Despite this, he is remembered as a cross between a Martin Scorsese film character and jazz legend Gene Krupa: a stylish, urban, wisecracking, trendsetting raconteur, who was also a powerhouse drummer.

Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan's Wild Ride - A Tale of Drugs, Fashion, the New York Dolls, and Punk Rock tells Jerry's story through extensive research and interviews with those closest to him: bandmates, friends, lovers, and family members, including new interviews with members of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bands the Sex Pistols, the Ramones, Talking Heads, and Blondie. It gives firsthand accounts of not only Jerry's life and struggles but the earliest history of punk rock in both New York and London, highlighting his notorious and incendiary musical partner, Johnny Thunders.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction

280 pages, ebook

Published September 1, 2017

Reviews

[Janellyn51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't often read bios, particularly bios about people I have any sort of connection with. When I was 22 I had a boyfriend whose band opened for Sam Andrew of Big Brother and The Holding Company.....twice, as I was going along minding my own business, he pulled me into a broom closet and started kissing me. I was flattered, and so I bought Buried Alive, the bio of Janis Joplin, to find out what I could about Sam....all I found out was how many times he'd gotten the clap. It really grossed me out!

I really am amazed at the amount of research Curt Weiss put into this biography of Jerry. It's well written, in depth, and myth shattering.

I didn't know Jerry personally. I did see the Dolls in 1973, and it rocked my world to say the least. I've been a "rock chic" since I saw the Barbarians open for the Animals in 64. My world has always revolved around musicians, it's my comfort zone. I'm well aware of the ins and outs. I always knew that dressing better than anyone else is the way to get noticed, and thoroughly enjoyed reading about Jerry's penchant for teaching other players how important dressing is. I think, having been around so many people who got caught up in junk, that I can't believe I never thought about Jerry, beyond what a style maven, streetwise talker and incredible drummer he was. He was a drummers drummer. Even though I've always been aware of Johnny et al being into junk, I didn't ever take it the steps further......why would I have thought Jerry was a gentleman's junkie?

I loved Danny Garcia's film, Looking For Johnny.....it's honest....but it's still a sanitized version of JT. This isn't a sanitized version of Jerry by any means. It's honest, and in your face. It's not like I don't know junkies lie cheat and steal for Christ's sake, I was married to One! Still, I think I was grossly disappointed to know how easily Jerry duped and got over on people. And, I'll tell you something else....I'm really glad I always told my twins, that I could keep a roof over their heads, and the lights and phone on, but if they wanted things.....they were going to have to work and get them for themselves. Charlotte loved Jerry to distraction, but I don't think she did him any favors. Jerry was way slick, but still you have to wonder how girls could continually be used by him and go back for more. Go figure.

Most of my knowledge of Jerry came from my guy Simon who played some with Johnny and Jerry. While he was privy to all sorts of stuff, he's only ever been worshipful of Jerry's playing and style. I get that, Jerry never ripped him off, and drums are his first instrument, so what an opportunity for him. . For myself, I worked at Trash and Vaudeville on St. Marks, some might call that the epicenter at least during the daytime. While I was not entirely prepared for all the revelations in Stranded In The Jungle....I'm no chump Either! It is what it is

If you are into the Dolls, Heartbreakers, New York music scene at it's, we'll in my estimation height of creativity.....you get it all in this book. Curt Weiss did a great job here.

[John Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched, well-written, and a story that will ruin your day. Although he was among the finest drummers in rock and roll Nolan was, simply, an absolute shit of a human being. A user and abuser of women, in the end he has nothing and no-one. Once things start sliding downhill - which is surprisingly early on - they just keep getting worse until the end from AIDS complications. Which he refused to acknowledge to his partners ....

You'll want to bleach your hands after reading it.

[Robert Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ain't gonna trade with the pain of the New York Dolls
In "Stranded in the Jungle," Curt Weiss tells a solid story that will keep you hooked. Weiss reveals Jerry Nolan through the lives of those who knew him, loved him, hated him, and worked with him. And many of those people can check off each one of those boxes, which makes for a rich description of a very flawed character.
Weiss also describes what it's like to be in a band, when being in a band is all that matters in the world, as well as provides insight into the very (New York) beginnings of what would become punk rock.

[Nestor Rychtyckyj · Rating 4 out of 5]

The New York Dolls, along with Detroit’s MC5 and Stooges, were the inspiration for all of those great early punk bands whose influence still resonates today. Unfortunately, the Dolls, like their Detroit partners, had limited commercial success and collapsed in a sea of missed opportunities, bad decisions and timing mixed in with a generous heaping of drug abuse.

Jerry Nolan was the drummer of those New Your Dolls and this is his life. Curt Weiss artfully weaves the story of this talented and driven rock star who could never achieve the success that he craved. From an early age he focused on being a musician and played drums with his childhood friend Peter Criscuola who later was much better known as Pete Criss of Kiss. Jerry climbed the rock & roll ladder playing with Cradle for a while before ultimately winding up as the drummer of the NY Dolls when Billy Murcia dies of a drug overdose. The Dolls burst on the scene in NYC, but their success does not extend anywhere else. After two albums the band disintegrates and Jerry and Johnny Thunders begin a drug-induced partnership/competition that continues for the rest of their lives. The Dolls eventually re-unite and get the acclaim that they deserve, but Jerry Nolan and Johnny Thunders are both gone long before that.

The author does an excellent job of presenting both sides of Jerry Nolan – he does not shy away from showing the manipulative junkie who takes advantage of the many women who try to help him. Drugs are the overriding theme of the book – rarely do a few pages go by without a discussion of drug use. There’s even a sad and ironic section where people try to decide if it was Johnny or Jerry who brought heroin into the NY Dolls. Everybody from Debbie Harry to Sid Vicious appears in the book and Jerry continues to play in band after band knowing full well that his reputation as a junkie will never give him an opportunity for success.

The Jerry Nolan story is not unique – dozens of other rock stars followed the same trajectory in life, but it is a fascinating look into the early days of punk rock where success was possible for many, but not for Jerry Nolan.

[rosewenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

(enfin fini ce bouquin interminable) (c'était très demandant à lire car exhaustif de chez exhaustif)

alors si on oublie la cover absolument laide et la quantité astronomique de détails, c'était très bien. (3.80/5)

j'en ai appris tout plein sur jerry et sur johnny thunders et sur toutes les bonnes choses qui s'y rattrachent (l'héroine et le sida). on dirais que je sais pas quoi dire, peut être parce que je l'ai lu sur je ne sais trop combien de temps (plus d'un an) et que pour la majeure partie de lisait autre chose en simultané. ca me reviendra sous formes d'anecdotes non-pertinentes, préparez-vous.

j'ai sincèrement rien d'autre à dire à part que c'est exhaustif. exclusivement recommandé pour les fanatiques de cette clique. (j'ai été souvent énervée par le côté biographie pas auto-biographie mais le afterword de la fin m'a réconcilié, monsieur croit savoir tout, mais en fait monsieur sait tout)

merci papa de m'avoir donné le devoir de connaitre mieux cet homme que j'aurais absolument oublié sinon (comme tous les autres drummer de ce monde)

[Jeffrey Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a solid story about legendary drummer Jerry Nolan that will keep you hooked from page one. Well-researched and well-written, Curt Weiss delivers an insightful, and oftentimes depressing rise and fall of one of rock’s more prominent and colorful drummers.

Weiss takes the reader along for a wild and exhilarating journey through the early days of punk and shows how The New York Dolls and later the Heartbreakers changed rock and roll. But the book is not without its downside as he peels back the veneer of the rock star lifestyle and reveals the dark, tragic underbelly of the times with Nolan’s, Johnny Thunders’ and other’s heroin addiction that is painful to read.

I especially enjoyed Weiss’s writing style which brings alive this period of rock history. Having been a drummer himself, he astutely examines Nolan’s drumming style which helps us understand Nolan’s drive for perfection even when his drug addiction got the best of him.

This is a superb bio. Top shelf stuff for anyone any rock and roll fan.

[Hugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suspect some of the detail revealed within might cause mixed reactions among those close to JN, but it seldom skimps in its admiration of the man's titanic drumming prowess (tellingly, Gene Krupa was an idol and mentor or sorts to Nolan in early life). Rather a cautionary narrative as far as the drug aspect goes - the 7AM methadone run doesn't sound like a good time to me, at all. Zipped through this one in a prolonged sitting.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of drug addiction and music filled in some various holes in my knowledge of NYC punk and its British counterpart.

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan’s Wild Ride’ is an excellent biography on New York Dolls (and later, Heartbreakers) drummer Jerry Nolan. The book, written by Curt Weiss (formerly Lewis King, drummer for Beat Rodeo and the Rockats), provides an in-depth account of Nolan’s life, from his early days as an army brat, to playing drums in Wayne (Jayne) County’s band “Queen Elizabeth”, and eventually in 1972, replacing Billy Murcia as drummer for the New York Dolls. With reminiscent stories told by a cast of characters, the book gives us a glimpse into the life of the ill-fated drummer, and in doing so, captures the essence of the New York City glam scene in the early seventies.

“According to Syl, another deciding factor was what Billy told him: “If anything happens to me, Jerry should be the guy.” So I took that into consideration and shared that with the rest of the boys and they said, “Okay, let’s get Jerry.” I called him up…and I said, “Jerry, welcome to the New York Dolls.” I could tell his tits got hard.” (Excerpt from ‘Stranded in the Jungle: Jerry Nolan’s Wild Ride’’ by Curt Weiss)

[Daniel C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic!

[Curt Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of course I love it. I wrote it!