This past week, rock (more specifically, punk) lost another talented musician, Walter Lure, the last surviving member of the L.A.M.F.-era Heartbreakers, died at the age of 71. Lure was preceded by bandmates, Johnny Thunders (died 1991), drummer Jerry Nolan (died 1992) and bass player Billy Rath (died 2014). Lure provided the "straight-man" to Johnny's constant strungout junkiness and though the whole band were addicts, Lure really was the driving force behind the Heartbreakers. Though Lure left the Heartbreakers when they split after the release of L.A.M.F., he was the one constant with Johnny Thunders when the band reunited (often), he continued to play with Thunders off and on with Johnny's solo projects and gigs until Thunder's death in 91. Lure became a stock broker on Wall Street post-Heartbreakers, but continued to play music on the side as well as fronting his band, the Waldos who released an album, Wacka Lacka Boom Bop A Loom Bam Boo as recently as 2018. He wrote a memoir in 2020, To Hell and Back: My Life In Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers, In The Words Of The Last Man Standing that I will read very soon when I buy it.
Good quality Heartbreakers shows are sometimes hard to come by, either the sound is crappy or the performance is a wash-out, usually due to drugs and intoxication. The band was at it's best live generally earlier in their career (again to increased drug use later) and with the "classic" L.A.M.F line-up of Thunders, Lure, Rath and Nolan. Vive La Revolution was the name of a boot release in France that documents a show when the band was at it's peak. It's high energy and the band is loose, but not sloppy with Terry Chimes filling in on drums because Nolan had already left the band. This was the last stop on their European tour and the last show as a band before the band's breakup shortly after. The band reformed in 1978 for a few farewell shows, played the occasional show in New York and did a reunion tour of Europe in 1984. This recording is a good example of how incredible the Heartbreakers were live or how great they could have been. Another must-hear live recording! R.I.P. Walter Lure.
Enjoy!
#14yearsoftrouble
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Vive La Revolution (1992)
Paris Bataclan
Paris, France
December 8, 1977
01. All By Myself
02. Let's Go
03. Can't Keep My Cock In Your Mouth
04. I Love You
05. Too Much Junkie Business
06. London Boys
07. Great Big Kiss
08. Born To Lose
09. One Track Mind
10. Do You Love Me
11. I Want To Be Love
12. Take Chance On Me
13. Baby Talk
14. Chinese Rocks
- Johnny Thunders - guitar, vocals
- Walter Lure - guitar, vocals
- Billy Rath - bass
- Terry Chimes - drums
Johnny live at The Coach House 1986...
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN-XaIoEnhI