David Johansen’s Timeless Impact, from Glam Punk to Holiday Chaos and Beyond
Buster Poindexter (RCA Victor – 6633-1-R, 1987 🇺🇸)
There’s no question that David Johansen will always be remembered for his groundbreaking work with the New York Dolls. But his solo albums, too—always tinged with that unmistakable Stones swagger—also helped to cement his place in rock history. But for me, Johansen’s most charming (and smarmy) persona was Buster Poindexter.
“Hot Hot Hot” was everywhere. A radio staple. A party anthem. You couldn’t step into a wedding, a bar mitzvah, or a backyard bash in the ‘80s and ‘90s without hearing that infectious beat pulling people to the dance floor. It was so iconic that it even became a key moment in Tony & Tina’s Wedding.
Funny enough, during my time performing in the New York City production as (the always smarmy) Donny Dulce, our wedding band’s drummer was none other than the dapper and affable Tony Machine—one of Johansen’s right-hand men in the Banshees of Blue and the original drummer on “Hot Hot Hot”.
And if there’s another David Johansen character that’s burned into my pop culture memory, it’s the Ghost of Christmas Past in Scrooged. That wild-eyed, cigar-chomping cab driver was pure chaotic brilliance; a great musician, a great actor: David was a great artist.
A Staten Island guy who took the talents he was given and ran as far as he could with them, Johansen always seemed like he had one more great character left in him, he just might have surprised us again. He’ll be missed.
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