T-Rex or the New York Dolls?

Don't make me choose!

I have every T.Rex album (multiple versions of each)... and when I listen to T. Rex, I mostly chill out, relax and enjoy....

I have every Dolls album (multiple versions of each)... and when I listen to the Dolls, there is some chemical released from my brain that encourages delinquency.

So while I love both, there is just something that takes me a little higher with the Dolls. That something could well be Johnny Thunders.

 

I've heard very little by the New York Dolls. T Rex at least has Metal Guru doing some very heavy lifting, with Ride a White Swan as backup.

 

No, but I've seen numerous bands butcher his material. And I've seen damn near every band from that era, from Stooges to Sparks to Bowie to Ramones and well beyond.

 

T-Rex...I like to play with Dinosaurs rather than Dolls

 

All of this.

 

I was just questioning your having not enjoyed the post reunion Dolls love. I saw T. Rex several times live and though I do love them, it was generally one of the lesser live acts of the era, certainly not competitive with anyone you mention. It just never worked in the States without the screaming fans and when Marc decided to stretch the songs out and play guitar hero, it was pretty much a fail.

 

I most certainly get the point you're making. The point I was trying to make was that live material gets butchered regardless of who's playing it. It's the recordings that count. I can honestly list 15 T Rex songs that I'd put up against the 2 or 3 Dolls songs that really truly move me. I don't think either band was revolutionary. T Rex certainly wasn't breaking new ground. New York Dolls didn't do anything beyond take the first few songs of Exhile, plus a few covers, and give them a late 60's Motor City twist.

 

2 things...a musician is overrated if his or her producer excelled at quickly getting a mix right? I'm sure I'm speaking for others when I say that I really like both acts but I had to pick one. This isn't one of those polls where an obvious lesser act is pitted up against a much-loved giant.

 

Probably cuz T. Rex made "songs" and "music" -- much of which was good-to-great and became "hits" -- while groups like the The New York Dolls made bratty, sloppy "punk" noise that hasn't aged well at all and quickly became dated relics of the 70s' brief flirtation with disgruntled cross-dressing kids, who lacked talent and wanted to anger and let down their Dads.



Just fanning flames. But definitely T. Rex. I, as you can probably surmise, don't put too much stock into punk. It can be fun, I do like some of it -- The Ramones here and there, for example -- but in the end, it's just not something that appeals to me. I see it as shallow and nervy and limited in musical purpose -- and certainly not conducive to my penchant for "deep thoughts" and other such intellectual pursuits -- faux or otherwise. When I want to hear unbridled passion and all the rest, I'd much rather hear talented musician's, unleashed -- See Jazz.

 

you asked for comments.

 

The Dolls' albums weren't perfect. But I'd take anything Johnny Thunders ever put out over Bolan and T Rex though. Like Bolan ok, but purely for entertainment - there's extremely little depth there while JT has a heart full of soul.

 

I came to this site to get away from these kinds of stupid questions like on Facebook. Please stop the dumb comparing of bands.

 

T-Rex. He had a larger and more consistent output. His music has aged surprisingly well for someone I considered to a borderline novelty act at the time of his success.

The Dolls opened with a bang then seemed to get distracted, they had all the elements to be the next Stones.

 

The New York Dolls were excellent .....I still voted for T Rex.

 

This is pretty much my take on it too. T.Rex was very good. The Dolls were absolutely trancendent.

 

t rex forever

 

I read an article once that stated you have to judge T Rex records on style rather than content, like Elvis, cause the lyrics have zilch meaning. I tend to agree.

 

Not a big fan of either, but "Trash", "Subway Train", and "Personality Crisis" are legitimate classics. Went with The Dolls.

 

Well, you have some songs, such as Bang A Gong that are merely a very simple celebration of living and loving. Then something like Cosmic Dancer comes along and grabs hold. Way more going on there than the Dolls, though I do like the Dolls.

 

Isn't your comment kind of like driving through a town and seeing a restaurant that you don't like -- stopping, parking -- then defiantly walking into the restaurant to deliver what you decide is a message of mission-critical importance to its patrons, and proclaim that you "left the last town to get away from this restaurant."

 

Dolls here!

 

The Dolls every day of the week and twice on Sundays.

 

I wouldn't stop, I would just keep on moving. There must be another form of intelligence out there.

 

Bolan's lyrics were often, but not always gibberish -- like a lot of psychedelic rock. I've always believed there's three types of lyrics; those that get in the way, those that don't, and those that extend the experience. Bolan's usually hovered right in the middle. And gibberish can extend the experience.

Elvis wasn't a lyricist. And many of the song's he performed had great lyrics. Except for the soundtrack stuff of course.

 

Sadly no. Well, maybe. It's just never where you'd expect to find it I suppose!