Editing New York Dolls (section)

=== Dissolution: 1975–1976 ===

By 1975, the Dolls were playing smaller venues than they had been previously. Drug and alcohol abuse by Thunders, Nolan, and Kane, as well as artistic differences added to the tensions among members. In late February or early March, [[Malcolm McLaren]] became their informal manager. He got the band red leather outfits to wear on stage and a communist flag as backdrop ([[communist chic]]). The Dolls did a five-concert tour of New York's five boroughs, supported by [[Television (band)|Television]] and [[Pure Hell]].  The [[New York Hippodrome|Little Hippodrome]] ([[Manhattan]]) show was recorded and released by New Rose Records subsidiary Fan Club in 1984 as ''[[Red Patent Leather]]'', which was previously a bootleg album later remixed by Sylvain for official release, with former manager [[Marty Thau]] credited as executive producer. Due to Kane being unable to play that night, roadie Peter Jordan played bass, though he was credited as having played "second bass". Jordan filled in for Kane when he was unable to play numerous times, such as following a thumb injury sustained prior to the band's 1973 [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] dates.

In March and April, McLaren took the band on a tour of [[South Carolina]] and [[Florida]]. Jordan replaced Kane for most of those shows. Thunders and Nolan left after an argument, forming [[The Heartbreakers]] with [[Richard Hell]] on April 11. Subsequently, [[Blackie Lawless]], then known by his birth name of Steven Duren, who later founded [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]], replaced Thunders for the remainder of the tour after which the band broke up.<ref name="fromthearchives.com">{{Cite web |url=http://www.fromthearchives.com/nyd/chronology.html |title=New York Dolls -Chronology- |website=FromTheArchives |access-date=September 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fromthearchives.com/nyd/NYD25_Apr_75.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=September 30, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013140617/http://fromthearchives.com/nyd/NYD25_Apr_75.jpg |archive-date=October 13, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://thequietus.com/articles/04059-malcolm-mclaren-obituary-by-new-york-dolls-sylvain-sylvain|title=Malcolm McLaren Obituary By New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain|work=The Quietus|access-date=September 30, 2017}}</ref> Following the tour's conclusion and announcement of the band's breakup on April 25, Duren and Kane moved to [[Los Angeles]] to form the short-lived band Killer Kane.<ref name="fromthearchives.com"/>

The band reformed in July for an August tour in Japan with [[Jeff Beck]] and [[Felix Pappalardi]]. Johansen, Sylvain and Jordan were joined by former [[Elephant's Memory]] keyboardist [[Chris Robison]] and drummer Tony Machine. One of the shows was documented on the album ''Tokyo Dolls Live'' (Fan Club/New Rose). The material is similar to that on ''Red Patent Leather'', but notable for a radically re-arranged "Frankenstein" and a cover of [[Big Joe Turner]]'s "Flip Flop Fly". The album is undated and has no production credit, but was issued circa 1986.

After their return to New York, the Dolls resumed playing shows in the US and Canada. Mercury dropped the Dolls on 7 October 1975, their contract with Mercury having expired on 8 August 1975<ref>''TRASH! The Complete New York Dolls'', [[Kris Needs]] & Dick Porter, [[Information Today|Plexus]] p. 126</ref> - five months after Thunders' and Nolan's departures from the band.
Their show at the [[Beacon Theatre (New York City)|Beacon Theatre]], on New Year's Eve, 1975 met with great critical acclaim. After a drunken argument with Sylvain, Robison was fired and replaced by pianist/keyboardist Bobbie Blaine formerly a member of Street Punk.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.chrisrobison.net/pages/newyorkdolls.html|title=Chris Robison New York Dolls|website=Chrisrobison.net|access-date=September 30, 2017}}</ref><ref name="fromthearchives.com"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://fivebands.com/2016/11/04/i-was-a-teenage-street-punk-peter-rossi-nys-glitter-punk-underground-and-5-bands-you-should-know-about/ | title=I was a teenage Street Punk: Peter Rossi, NY's glitter-punk underground and 5 bands you should know about | date=November 4, 2016 }}</ref> The group toured throughout 1976, performing a set including some songs with lyrics by David Johansen that would later appear on David Johansen's solo albums including "Funky But Chic", "Frenchette" and "Wreckless Crazy". The group played its last show December 30, 1976 at Max's Kansas City; on the same bill as [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]].<ref name="fromthearchives.com"/>