Sylvain Sylvain | |
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.jpg) Sylvain in 2005 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Sylvain Mizrahi (1951-02-14)February 14, 1951 Cairo, Egypt |
| Origin | New York City, U.S. |
| Died | January 13, 2021(2021-01-13) (aged 69) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1971–2021 |
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Sylvain Mizrahi[1] (February 14, 1951[2][3] – January 13, 2021),[4] known professionally asSylvain Sylvain, was an American rockguitarist, most notable for being a member of theNew York Dolls.[3]
Sylvain was born inCairo, Egypt, to aSyrian Jewish family,[5][6][7][8] who fled in the 1950s,[9] first toFrance and finally to New York,United States. They lived first on Lafayette Avenue inBuffalo, New York, but later moved to the New York City neighborhood ofRego Park, Queens, while he was still a child. Sylvain had dyslexia.[10] He attendedNewtown High School in Queens and Quintano's School for Young Professionals in Manhattan.[11]
Prior to joining the New York Dolls, Sylvain and future New York Doll bandmateBilly Murcia ran a clothing company called "Truth and Soul", which helped define his fashion sense and would play a role in the band's groundbreaking look.[12] He had one brother, Leon (deceased), and one sister, Brigitte.
Before joining the New York Dolls in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the bandActress, which also featuredArthur Kane,Johnny Thunders and former fashion partnerBilly Murcia. He played rhythm guitar for the Dolls[13] from 1971 until the group's dissolution in 1977. Sylvain and singerDavid Johansen were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up for the final time.[14] After the first dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen on some of his solo records. He started his own band, The Criminal$, 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 ofJoan Jett's Blackhearts) and Johnny Ráo (guitar).
He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record,(Sleep) Baby Doll, for Fishhead Records. His bandmates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums, John Carlucci, bass, and Oliver LeBaron on lead guitar, with guest appearances byFrank Infante of Blondie andDerwood Andrews of Generation X. In the late '90s he teamed up with the Los Angeles punk band the Streetwalkin' Cheetahs for some touring and they recorded a live radio broadcast onKXLU that remains unreleased. The tour ended with an Atlanta show at the Navarre annual conference co-headlining withJohn Entwistle. In 2004 he reunited with the surviving members of the New York Dolls, along withSteve Conte, Brian Koonin and Brian Delaney. Arthur Kane, who died in 2004, was replaced bySami Yaffa of Hanoi Rocks.[1] They released three records:One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This (2005),Cause I Sez So (2009), andDancing Backward in High Heels (2011). The reunion was filmed as part of a documentary on former band member Kane that was released in 2005 asNew York Doll.[15]
On March 18, 2010, at theSouth by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, Sylvain andCheetah Chrome of Dead Boys and Rocket from the Tombs debuted their new band, the Batusis. Their EP is onSmog Veil Records.
In November 2012, Sylvain posted a video for his new single, "Leaving New York", on the Internet, and available oniTunes on December 2, 2012.
In 2013 and 2014 Sylvain joined withGlen Matlock as the Sex Doll Tour.
In 2015, Sylvain emerged with a new band called Sylvain Sylvain and the Sylvains[16] from Austin, Texas, consisting of Chris Alaniz (drums), Jason "Ginchy" Kottwitz (guitar), and Gabriel Von Asher (bass).[16] In March 2016, they performed at South by Southwest.[17]
In 2018, Sylvain joined Steve Conte, Sami Yaffa, and Robert Eriksson for two one-off dates in Tokyo as The Dolls. They played at Shinjuku Marz on February 11, and Shimokitazawa Garden on February 12.[18]
After living in Atlanta for several years, Sylvain moved to Nashville in 2015.[19]On April 27, 2019, Sylvain announced that he had cancer. He set up aGoFundMe page to raise money to help pay for treatment.[20] He died from cancer at his home on January 13, 2021, at age 69.[21][4]
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'Motorcycle Boy', 'Popsicle' album (1991, Triple X Records).
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