New York Dolls guitarist Sylvain Sylvain died on Wednesday of cancer. The news was confirmed on its official Facebook page with a tribute written by Lenny Kaye. He was 69 years old.
In April 2019, Sylvain revealed that he had been battling cancer for a year. He launched a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of covering medical costs related to his treatment.
Sylvain Sylvain was born Sylvain Mizrahi in Cairo. Sylvain’s family fled Egypt after facing anti-Semitism, ending up in New York after a brief residency in Paris. He joined the New York Dolls in 1972 after making friends with the band’s original drummer, Billy Murcia, at his school in Queens. Sylvain contributed guitar, piano and voice to the Dolls’ first two albums, 1973 New york dolls and 1974 Too much and too soon.
Sylvain embarked on a solo career after his stint at the New York Dolls, releasing his eponymous debut album in 1979. He recorded several albums as a solo artist until the late 1990s. When the New York Dolls met, Sylvain appeared on his albums finals One day it will please us to remember even this (2006), Because I Sez So (2009), and Dancing backwards in high heels (2011).