Customer Reviews

Hard Night's Day

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As far-fetched as it may seem, this is the best New York Dolls CD available (arguably alongside the collection Rock & Roll).

This collection is a set of live-in-the-studio recordings originally recorded in NYC, march 1973. These 21 songs give, in my opinion, a better example of the Doll's strengths than their two studio albums proper. This is the Dolls, from Noo Yawk, live and raw, just the way God intended.

These sessions have been released many times before under titles such as Seven Day Weekend and Endless Party, but usually omitting the last three songs on this set. This time we lose Hootchie Cootchie Man from the set, but that would be due to the limitations in the maximum length of a CD, I suppose, and a good trade-off...

The sound, cover art and liner notes (by Marty Thau, the Dolls manager at the time) are also superior than on other previous releases of this material.

Very highly recommended, even if you have the material already. A real gem!

This is my favorite Dolls CD. I was a little disapointed though because I bought this to replace my other '73 demos CD "7 Day Weekend". This one has 4 tracks that are not on that one, plus I heard that the sound quality on this one is better. Dolls rarity "Hoochie Coochie Man" is ommited, but I decided I could live without it. However, after I bought it I noticed that another rarity "Endless Party" was also ommited from this release...D'oh! Can't live without that one. So now I have to have both in my collection just to have the entire '73 demos. They're both good. The '73 demos are a must-have. Which CD to get between this and 7 Day Weekend is a toss-up. The version with more rarities VS the version with more Dolls standards & slightly better sound is what it boils down to. If you're a sucker like me, get both.

Don't think of buying this instead of the two (2) studio albums. Buy this as companion. This is what the Dolls sounded like when you saw them in a cramped, sweaty club in 1973. Young, hungry, urgent, sassy, and confident. The star is Jerry Nolan's drumming. No matter what chaos was happening up front, Jerry slams the back beat and keeps the boys in line. Arthur's rumble bass is up front, and better represented here than in either studio album. Let's hear it for the underappreciated rhythm section. David is in exceptional voice throughout, and Johnny's nasal off-key vocals make me smile. I can see his screwed up face everytime he squeals "Trash!" or "I'm a human bein'." That's Queens, N'Yawk talkin' at you. Syl fills in all the blanks energetically and inventively. I've been waiting years to relive the Dolls' sloppy wonderful version of "Give Her A Great Big Kiss." Marty Thau's liner notes are heartfelt. I remember him first showing up at the Mercer Arts Center. Looking old school record biz promotor with a gang of juvenile deliquents. My only regret is that "Endless Party" was left off. It was always my favorite Dolls' song, and one that typified what they were like. RIP Billy, Johnny, Jerry, Arthur. Rock on, David and Syl!

"Hard Night's Day" shows just how great this band really was. These tracks are basically in studio demos, recorded live with no overdubs. From David Johansen's growling vocals, to Nolan's precision drumming and finally Johnny Thunder's slashing riffs & rythms, this cd is all killer and no filler. This music has been presented on other releases, but I believe the 21 tracks included here make this album the most comprehensive album release available of this material. Purchasing this album is pretty much a no brainer for any NYD fan. Even if you have these songs on other releases from other labels, they are not this complete and do NOT sound this good.
If you are new to the NY Dolls, and happen to make it this far on curiosity alone, purchase this cd along with the compilation album "Rock N Roll" ASAP. It's is a great way to get you started. You can even get them both here in zShops for a really great price.

Where did these guys come from? How'd they make women's clothes look masculine? I can imagine Marty's amazement when he walked into the Mercer Arts Center. Amazement and joy.
I guess there've been several revolutions in rock. I always considered the three main stages to be Chuck Berry, the Beatles, and the Ramones. But that third stage really started with the New York Dolls. (OK, nods to Lou Reed, T. Rex, Bowie, Iggy, Alice; they definitely contributed.)
Anyway, I agree with the other reviewers that this is the Dolls best disc (or at least tied with the first album). It gives us the boys performing all the songs on the two albums (except no "Puss 'n' Boots") before Todd and Shadow produced them. Todd did a great job with the first album, and Shadow did a very good one with the second; but here we have the raw material.
I'm thrilled to hear this after all these years. I didn't even know it existed. The band is brimming with excitement, attitude, and positive energy. (A lot of people don't realize that about the Dolls and the Ramones: the music is happy, even if some of the subjects aren't exactly comedic.) Johnny Thunders was perhaps the best pure rock guitarist of all time; right alongside Chuck Berry, and probably ahead of Keith Richards.
I'm so glad nobody has any interest in this music except for a couple o' hundred people. Let 'em eat cake.

Was hard for me to believe at first,but this collection of 21 tracks the Dolls apparenty had in the vault as 'cutting room floor' material is pretty darn good.Tunes here were first penned in 1973,just before the band stepped into the studio to lay down cuts for their first album with producer Todd Rundgren.Songs like "Jet Boy","It's Too Late","Frankenstein","Lonely Planet Boy" and "Bad Girl" aren't all THAT different from the final version that made the lp.A great addition to any true Doll's fan CD stack.A keeper.

What a fun album! I never knew how great a live studio album could be until I bought this. All the energy of (fabulous) musicians playing together (instead of recording each track seperately like with a normal studio album), and with the clear sound of studio equipment. There's a lot of great cuts on here too, like "Seven Day Weekend," "Jet Boy," "Lookin' For a Kiss," and "Personality Crisis." If you're a Dolls fan, or just some young, naive punk looking to learn a bit about what started this whole punk thing, look no further.

This is a great representation of what the Dolls where all about. The tracks are live in the studio and appropriately loose, feeling as if they might just implode at any minute. If your a Dolls fan, this is a must have.

Will be revisiting these tracks tomorrow night when the reformed Dolls play the 9:30 Club in DC. They may fewer in number and a bit rough around the edges but it only adds to Syl and David's considerable charms. They're as campy and wonderful as ever and the new guys fill in ably (great to see Sammi YAffa from Hanoi rocks - one of the few bands who truly "got" the Dolls - filling in for Arthur). It ain't 1973 at Mercer Arts but they still wipe the floor with any of the over-hyped, over-rated bands who count them as an influence.

This is the good stuff.....raw and live versions with better sound quality than any of their studio recordings.

This amazing session was recorded before their first album and shows the band at it's loudest and nastiest. Great sound here too so you can really feel the excess baby!! If your a dolls fan, which means you are a serious rock n roll fan, this is a must have.