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Too Much Too Soon: The New York Dolls
Too Much Too Soon is the definitive story of the most outrageous glam rock bands of them all – The New York Dolls. From punk to grunge, practically every new sensation in the contemporary rock scene has been a delayed reaction to the New York Dolls.
219 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 8, 2017
Let me just say thank Bob for Youtube so I can finally see old footage of the Dolls live because I wasn't lucky enough to have seen them during their initial run. I was born the same years the Dolls exploded on the scene looking like crazed transvestites. They were original at a time when rock music needed it and they gave rock fans something no one had ever seen before. You can see their influence all over popular music. Let's be honest and say that if it weren't for the Dolls those hairbands from the 80's would've never existed, and it's a known fact that KISS was hugely influenced by the band as well. With that being said, the book tells the Dolls story as it slowly unravels. The Dolls it seemed were poised to be the new face of rock 'n' roll, but instead they became a casualty.
The books doesn't hold anything back and as far as bios go this one is really good because it doesn't try and lay blame on why The Dolls fell apart. You can see the cracks begin to form but no one was able, or even smart enough to stop it. If anything Too Much, Too Soon is a cautionary tale of what happens when the gimmick stops working. The Dolls were victims of a lot of things and at times the worst enemy of the band were themselves. It's informative, but at times I felt that there should have been more. More insight on the band, and maybe a few more pictures. Just having the story is good but what made the band so unique was their look. It's talked about in great length but the pictures that the author provide don't really do a casual fan any good.
While the Dolls were inventive and groundbreaking it's what also did them in. There were a lot of mistakes made, and you can feel a bit of sadness as you realize that The Dolls are falling apart. There would be no third record and the chemistry that the band had was all but destroyed and drugs and ego took hold. For anyone looking to read a book about the Dolls this is a decent read that gives you the history of the band and their slow tumble and eventual demise. I didn't know a lot about the band before reading the book and I'm glad that I read it. As a fan it gives me a better understanding of what made the band so good and what eventually caused their breakup. The band would reunite but it's just not the same. Most of the band is no longer with us, but we do have the records and the small amount of video footage to remind us just how great they were.
The book is well researched so you get a fair and balanced read and there are interviews with each band member sprinkled throughout. This is their story after all and Nina clearly wanted to write a book that would appeal to fans as well as non fans. This is the story of the Dolls and their brief run in rock excess and into the history books. Now all we need is to get the band into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Shame where they belong.
The books doesn't hold anything back and as far as bios go this one is really good because it doesn't try and lay blame on why The Dolls fell apart. You can see the cracks begin to form but no one was able, or even smart enough to stop it. If anything Too Much, Too Soon is a cautionary tale of what happens when the gimmick stops working. The Dolls were victims of a lot of things and at times the worst enemy of the band were themselves. It's informative, but at times I felt that there should have been more. More insight on the band, and maybe a few more pictures. Just having the story is good but what made the band so unique was their look. It's talked about in great length but the pictures that the author provide don't really do a casual fan any good.
While the Dolls were inventive and groundbreaking it's what also did them in. There were a lot of mistakes made, and you can feel a bit of sadness as you realize that The Dolls are falling apart. There would be no third record and the chemistry that the band had was all but destroyed and drugs and ego took hold. For anyone looking to read a book about the Dolls this is a decent read that gives you the history of the band and their slow tumble and eventual demise. I didn't know a lot about the band before reading the book and I'm glad that I read it. As a fan it gives me a better understanding of what made the band so good and what eventually caused their breakup. The band would reunite but it's just not the same. Most of the band is no longer with us, but we do have the records and the small amount of video footage to remind us just how great they were.
The book is well researched so you get a fair and balanced read and there are interviews with each band member sprinkled throughout. This is their story after all and Nina clearly wanted to write a book that would appeal to fans as well as non fans. This is the story of the Dolls and their brief run in rock excess and into the history books. Now all we need is to get the band into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Shame where they belong.
March 2, 2021
Considered one of the definitive books about the Dolls. It's definitely a good place to start and then you could eventually go deeper.
I also highly recommend the documentary about the sweetest Doll, Arthur Kane, called "New York Doll", for a nice taste of what happened to the Dolls. And the documentary about the tragic mess that was Johnny Thunders, "Looking for Johnny".
Syl was the heart and soul - he wrote a book called "There’s No Bones in Ice Cream" that I hear is worth reading.
Johansen in any form is worth your time, also... in my opinion.
Jerry Nolan also has a book out there.
Truly a great band.
And don't fear their final 3 albums, after the comeback in '04...
Nina wrote a nice book, however. So... yes.
I also highly recommend the documentary about the sweetest Doll, Arthur Kane, called "New York Doll", for a nice taste of what happened to the Dolls. And the documentary about the tragic mess that was Johnny Thunders, "Looking for Johnny".
Syl was the heart and soul - he wrote a book called "There’s No Bones in Ice Cream" that I hear is worth reading.
Johansen in any form is worth your time, also... in my opinion.
Jerry Nolan also has a book out there.
Truly a great band.
And don't fear their final 3 albums, after the comeback in '04...
Nina wrote a nice book, however. So... yes.
May 26, 2020
The New York Dolls was a 70s band whose influence, then and now, far exceeds its commercial success. The Velvet Underground, The Stooges and Big Star fall into this group, but the story of The Dolls is the sorriest on many levels. The impacts of drugs, drink, death, personality clashes and a music industry that failed to realise just how mould-breaking they really were aren't unique to The Dolls, but the consequences were more heinous and tragic nevertheless. Nina Antonia does a great job of breaking down their short, chaotic and misundertood career into a moving and enlightening narrative that never misses a beat. Highly recommended.
October 29, 2024
What a great book about the rise and fall of the New York Dolls.
Starting with how they met as young ones up to the demise of the band and the death of a few of them.
It really digs deep into all of the problems that they had with egos, getting gigs, getting signed, touring and such.
Lots of insight about the drug and alcohol abuse of the entire band. Not just Johnny's heroin use but everyone has a vice that really shattered the relationship of the members.
Very insightful. A great read for any Dolls fans.....
Starting with how they met as young ones up to the demise of the band and the death of a few of them.
It really digs deep into all of the problems that they had with egos, getting gigs, getting signed, touring and such.
Lots of insight about the drug and alcohol abuse of the entire band. Not just Johnny's heroin use but everyone has a vice that really shattered the relationship of the members.
Very insightful. A great read for any Dolls fans.....
December 1, 2018
A sad and tragic history of a 70's punk band that never reached it's potential, due to drugs and other issues. I saw them in 1974 at the Allen Theater in Cleveland. We went to see the opening act, Kiss, and I got hooked on the Dolls by accident. They had two great albums, but I had no idea how horrific their back story was. Reading this book got me listening to their music again and reliving some of my teenage memories.
February 20, 2019
I was vaguely aware of the New York Dolls vividly recalling the BOF Bob Harris dismissing them on the Old Grey Whistle Test. On discovering punk in early 77 part of my record purchasing was earmarked for the Dolls' albums. Very much the missing link between glam and punk. Very much a famous part of the New York music scene. Nostalgia mixed with sadness is the story of Too Much Too Soon.
Ray Smillie
Ray Smillie
July 27, 2018
Two of the best bands to get a behind the music feel are The Doors and The Dolls. I love that I am reading The Good Fairies of New York and Johnny Thunders and Billy Murcia make cameos from heaven as they hear someone playing his solos on his lost '55 Gibson Stratocaster. Sometimes life has some great surprises.
January 3, 2013
I really dig The new York Dolls and received Too Much, Too Soon as a Christmas gift this year. I'd read Kris Needs' rather decent Dolls bio and enjoyed it quite a bit. Nina Antonia's Dolls bio is equally enjoyable. While both are a bit light on the facts and details, they tell the story of the Dolls in an engaging fashion that conveys some of the spirit of the era and of the band themselves.
Antonia relates the Dolls' career in a light, easy manner that is a good read but sometimes skimps on details. Let it be known, I like lengthy, thoroughly researched music bios and almost always feel like there could have been more packed into the music bios I read, so it stands to reason I would find Too Much, Too Soon to be a little too little for my taste. Areas where more information might have made for a better bio abound, but I can't say anything is left out. It's all here, all the struggles and successes and failures and deaths. The Dolls did not have an easy career and they didn't do themselves too many favors. It's tragic, really, considering the influence they had on so, so, so many bands who came after them, from Aerosmith to the punks to 80's glamsters like Hanoi Rocks. Their first two albums were cursed with what I hear as weak production and the material on those LPs included too much filler but, considering when they happened and how they happened, they were real pioneers in the world of rock.
Also, it was a treat to listen to New York Dolls, Too Much, Too Soon and The Heartbreakers' L.A.M.F. while reading this book!
Occasionally, I ran into things that struck me as a bit off. Antonia made sure to include a footnote on page 170 explaining that "jonesing" is "Old American slang for drug withdrawal." I have to assume that, as of the initial 1998 publishing of this book, 99.9% of people knew what "jonesing" means. Antonia consistently misspells movie maker Ralph Bakshi's name as "Bashki," which leads me to question what other errors might have been made. The worst, for me, is the statement, "Even [Richard] Hell's take on youthful nihilism, which he summarized in the song 'Blank Generation', inspired the Pistols' inferior 'Pretty Vacant'." I realize music is all a matter of opinion but to say "Pretty Vacant" is inferior to "Blank Generation" is taking things a bit far. "Blank Generation" is a clever, marginally catchy cabaret like number that I can take or leave each time I hear it. "Pretty Vacant" is the sound of an entire generation exploding into effect, a clarion call to the disaffected youth of the 70's, a great roar of frustration and outrage. Inferior my arse.
All of that aside, Antonia has written a fascinating book about a fabulous band, one that will educate any Dolls fan about the strange, twisted fairytale that was the life of The New York Dolls. Often as much fun to read as the band is to listen to, Too Much, Too Soon is a good read.
Antonia relates the Dolls' career in a light, easy manner that is a good read but sometimes skimps on details. Let it be known, I like lengthy, thoroughly researched music bios and almost always feel like there could have been more packed into the music bios I read, so it stands to reason I would find Too Much, Too Soon to be a little too little for my taste. Areas where more information might have made for a better bio abound, but I can't say anything is left out. It's all here, all the struggles and successes and failures and deaths. The Dolls did not have an easy career and they didn't do themselves too many favors. It's tragic, really, considering the influence they had on so, so, so many bands who came after them, from Aerosmith to the punks to 80's glamsters like Hanoi Rocks. Their first two albums were cursed with what I hear as weak production and the material on those LPs included too much filler but, considering when they happened and how they happened, they were real pioneers in the world of rock.
Also, it was a treat to listen to New York Dolls, Too Much, Too Soon and The Heartbreakers' L.A.M.F. while reading this book!
Occasionally, I ran into things that struck me as a bit off. Antonia made sure to include a footnote on page 170 explaining that "jonesing" is "Old American slang for drug withdrawal." I have to assume that, as of the initial 1998 publishing of this book, 99.9% of people knew what "jonesing" means. Antonia consistently misspells movie maker Ralph Bakshi's name as "Bashki," which leads me to question what other errors might have been made. The worst, for me, is the statement, "Even [Richard] Hell's take on youthful nihilism, which he summarized in the song 'Blank Generation', inspired the Pistols' inferior 'Pretty Vacant'." I realize music is all a matter of opinion but to say "Pretty Vacant" is inferior to "Blank Generation" is taking things a bit far. "Blank Generation" is a clever, marginally catchy cabaret like number that I can take or leave each time I hear it. "Pretty Vacant" is the sound of an entire generation exploding into effect, a clarion call to the disaffected youth of the 70's, a great roar of frustration and outrage. Inferior my arse.
All of that aside, Antonia has written a fascinating book about a fabulous band, one that will educate any Dolls fan about the strange, twisted fairytale that was the life of The New York Dolls. Often as much fun to read as the band is to listen to, Too Much, Too Soon is a good read.
April 23, 2023
The NY Dolls are more interesting to read about than listen to. The first record has its charms for sure but it’s easy to lose interest (at least I did) once you get to the second album. It seems that a lot of the rawness, not to mention clever lyrics, are missing. Reading the book, you know why that is.
The title says it all. Their story is the typical struggle, rise, and very quick fall that a lot of rock bands have continued to follow to this day. Too much attention, money, egos, bad/shady management, drugs, etc., etc. that ultimately led to their downfall.
The title says it all. Their story is the typical struggle, rise, and very quick fall that a lot of rock bands have continued to follow to this day. Too much attention, money, egos, bad/shady management, drugs, etc., etc. that ultimately led to their downfall.
November 16, 2007
Not as great as "Please Kill Me," which covers the same ground with respect to the great New York Dolls,but nevertheless essential biography on the band. For one thing it is such a tragic sad story - due to Thunder and Nolan's heroin use, Art Kane's recent sudden death. The one thing that gives hope is the Doll's music -- which of course is superb. David Johnansen is a great figure. A witty writer up there with Cole Porter and Ray Davies.
April 14, 2012
Why Everything You Think You Know About Punk Is Completely Wrong:
http://generation-add.blogspot.com/20...
http://generation-add.blogspot.com/20...
May 16, 2013
Like a lot of music bios, you'll like it about as much as you like the band. Well researched, but the author comes across as too much of a fan sometimes (which is common, and I guess if you're going to write an entire book about something you kind of have to be). I'm not really a fan of the Dolls; I know they're important, but I'm more interested in some of the artists they influenced. And there's nothing in the book that really convinced me otherwise.
June 13, 2021
If you're a fan of the original New York Dolls, then this is the book for you. It has all the sordid details and all the shenanigans you've imagined. Drugs and debauchery galore. If you know anything about the 'Dolls, you'll know how this story ends. What a wild ride. Some candles burn more like fire cracker fuses.
July 26, 2011
so, "who are the mystery girls?" if you've ever wondered, this is a good place to start. no- (or very few, anyway) holds-barred look at the forefathers of punk. this is a true trash-and-burn tragedy, with far too many instances of "if only."
January 10, 2014
I will admit I'm not a huge Dolls fan, but I like the time & the writer. However, this book fell a little short for me. Great pictures, just not juicy enough for my liking. Please Kill Me is a much better read.
May 5, 2011
NINA KNOWS HER SOME DOLLS , LIKE NANKER PHELGE KNEW HIM SOME STONES.
April 15, 2008
5 guys in drag and trying to play their instruments, overall a good history of the band.
Read
March 27, 2009it's a great book, but the binding is a real problem -- you can't open it up! It tries to close again, like a spring-trap!
March 6, 2016
good, trashy rock n roll book
June 20, 2014
I actually own this book. The New York Dolls are my favorite band and this is an indispensable resource.
June 17, 2016
Poorly written, but very engaging.
April 24, 2017
As a fan of that time/place/band -- I learned from Nina -- A great gift. Presently reading Arthur Killer Kane's "I Doll" as a comparative Doll's narrative.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews