With Todd Rundgren’s production allowing the rough edges to show just enough, on their debut the New York Dolls helped rewrite the expectations of rock and roll under the noses of the mainstream, their genderqueer presentation matched with evident r’n’b/girl group love as much as Rolling Stones worship. David Johansen’s brash vocals and main songwriting, Johnny Thunders and Sylvian Sylvain’s raunchy guitars and the Killer Kane/Jerry Nolan rhythm section all resulted in subcultural anthems such as “Personality Crisis,” “Looking for a Kiss” and “Trash.”

– Ned Raggett