Sylvain Sylvain

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Sylvain Sylvain (born Sylvain Mizrahi, February 14, 1951 ) is a rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls.

He was born in, Cairo, Egypt to a Jewish family with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte, but raised in New York City, where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York while he was still a child. When asked if he was related to American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) he responded, "No. Only in spirit." Before joining the New York Dolls in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the band Actress, also featuring Dolls Arthur Kane, Johnny Thunders and Billy Murcia. He played guitar in the proto-punk group the New York Dolls (replacing Rick Rivets), from 1971 until the group's final dissolution in 1975. Sylvain and singer David Johansen were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up. After the dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen in his solo project. He started his own solo project, "The Criminals" with another ex-Doll, Tony Machine and continued to play the New York club scene. He landed a solo recording contract with RCA, and released one album with Lee Crystal (drums; later of Joan Jett's Blackhearts) and Johnny Rao (guitar) as his backing band. For a period, he also drove a cab in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record, Sleep Baby Doll for Fishead Records. His band mates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums (Dave Vanian's Phantom Chords), Speediejohn Carlucci on bass (formerly of The Fuzztones/Speedies) & Olivier LeBaron' on lead guitar. There were guest appearances by Frank Infante of Blondie & Derwood Andrews of Generation X. This record was re-released as "New York's Au Go Go". In 2004 he reunited with the surviving members of the New York Dolls, along with Steve Conte, Brian Koonin and Brian Delaney. Arthur Kane, who died in 2004, was replaced by Sami Yaffa. They've released two records; "One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This" and "'Cuz I Said So".

Discography

with New York Dolls

• New York Dolls (1973, Mercury Records)
• Too Much Too Soon (1974, Mercury Records)
• One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This (2006, Roadrunner Records)
• Cause I Sez So (2009, Atco Records)
• Tokyo Dolls Live (credited to `David and Sylvain`, a live album by the last Dolls line-up of Johansen & Sylvain with Peter Jordan/Chris Robinson/Tony Machine. French Fan Club/New Rose.
• New York Dolls Red Patent Leather - live album of McLaren-era Dolls allegedly produced by Sylvain, with original manager Marty Thau credited as Executive Producer

as Sylvain Sylvain

• Sylvain Sylvain (album) 1979 RCA Records

with Syl Sylvain and the Teardrops

• Syl Sylvain and the Teardrops 1981 RCA Records

with Sylvian Sylvian & The Criminal$

• Bowery Butterflies (2000)

'78 Criminals (Fr. Fan Club) 1985

with She Wolves

• Sheena Is a Punk Rocker single (2007, Poptown Records)

Trivia

• Sylvain has the same birthday as his nephew, David, which is February 14. When the two meet, Sylvain always greets him with, "You stole my birthday!"

• Sylvain often played the Ibanez guitar when he was on tour with the New York Dolls.

• Sylvain gave Malcolm McLaren his white Gibson Les Paul electric guitar in exchange for the promise of a plane ticket. The white Gibson was passed on to Steve Jones, the lead guitarist of the Sex Pistols. Sylvain is still waiting for that plane ticket.

External links

• Sylvain Sylvain on Allmusic
• Sylvain Sylvain on bandtoband.com
• Little Steven's Underground Garage Rolling Rock and Roll Show