Raising a Glass to Buster
David Johansen is now bedridden and suffering from stage 4 cancer
Back in the mid-1980s one of my favorite things to do was to go see Buster Poindexter (David Johansen’s pseudonym for his extraordinary lounge act) perform at Tramps, an intimate and unpretentious 150-seat club on E. 15th Street in New York City. It was almost too good to be true. David could fill larger venues, but he lived close to Tramps, and it was a comfortable place for him to develop his latest incarnation with no pressure. So I got to see him sit on a stool, cocktail in hand, and sing his heart out - backed by Tony Garnier on bass, Tony Machine on drums, Joe Delia on piano and Brian Koonin on guitar - up close and often. Those of us who attended regularly got to know each other as well as Buster’s repertoire - a delicious mix of jump blues, calypso, swing and standards, laced with hilarious between-song patter. That familiarity incited boisterous sing-alongs at every show that was just about the most fun I ever experienced. Lest the festivities feel too rote, Buster would sometimes change the setlist or jam with guest musicians.
At first Buster was booked on Monday nights to test the waters, but it quickly became apparent that he and his tightknit band were more than ready for weekends, and they began playing two soldout shows per night every Friday and Saturday. I had gotten friendly with the members of Venus Fly Trap, a delightful all-female trio (Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Ramona Jan) who opened many of Buster’s shows at Tramps. One night I was chatting with them at the bar, and after someone mentioned that I was a comedian, Buster turned to me and said, “You do standup? You wanna open for us?” It was not the most onerous audition process I had ever endured, and naturally I wondered why he extended the offer.
It turned out that Venus Fly Trap was going to be unavailable for a few weeks, which partially answered the question. But as to why Buster was willing to book me without even seeing my act, I’m still unsure. I guess it’s just because I was hanging out with his friends at the right time. When Venus Fly Trap was ready to return, I thought that might end my stint. Instead, there were now two opening acts at each performance, and the gig lasted an entire year for me.
I was never bosom buddies with David, but we did attend a couple of shows together at the original Carolines comedy club in Chelsea (once to see Richard Lewis, and another time to see Gilbert Gottfried), and although David is (or at least was then) a Mets fan, one time we journeyed to the Bronx to see the Yankees play courtesy of George Steinbrenner, who was a regular guest at the Carlyle Hotel where I worked for three years (and where Buster Poindexter performed 30 years later).
The night we went to Yankee Stadium was a rather wild and memorable one, as I will describe on this week’s episode of The Winers, which we are dedicating to David Johansen in the hopes of raising funds to ease his discomfort. According to his daughter, Leah Hennessey, “David has been in intensive treatment for stage 4 cancer for most of the past decade,” and “the day after Thanksgiving [he] fell down the stairs and broke his back in two places.” Saxaphonist Crispin Cioe from The Uptown Horns and singer Lisa Lowell will join us to reminisce and celebrate David’s artistry, as will Aric Steinberg, Executive Director of Sweet Relief, a nonprofit that helps musicians and music industry workers in need. Sweet Relief is managing the David Johansen Fund.
Although I know him mostly from his Buster Poindexter phase, it should be noted that David has had an amazingly varied career. He was the lead singer and songwriter for the New York Dolls and later the David Johansen Group as well as David Johansen and the Harry Smiths. He also has numerous acting credits including the Ghost of Christmas Past in the Bill Murray movie, Scrooged.
David is the subject of Personality Crisis: One Night Only, a documentary by Martin Scorsese and David Tedeschi.
Buster Poindexter and His Banshees of Blue appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in 1988. The Uptown Horns and Soozie Tyrell were featured prominently in a rousing rendition of “Hot Hot Hot,” Buster’s biggest hit.
In addition to performing with the show’s house band, The Uptown Horns, Crispin Cioe was the music director of Buster’s Happy Hour, a 1994 VH1 series that also featured Soozie Tyrell and Lisa Lowell.
Crispin and Lisa were also with David in 1993 when he delivered possibly his best version ever of “Funky but Chic” from his 1978 album, David Johansen, on Late Night with Conan O’Brien.
Awesome presentation, great write up Jeff. You nailed it!!!!