Htrae

When I was 13, my dad kept on telling me “you gotta listen to New York Dolls, they were the first real punk band. They were guys who dressed like girls and pissed the normies off”. For the proceeding weekend visits, we would got to Epic Seconds and dig through the vinyl for a Dolls record. Finally, we found Too Much Too Soon. I felt I won a massive award. I would listen to it all the time and stare at the covers.

New York Dolls became a very important band for me. They sent me down paths to find other incredible bands but most importantly they prompted little me to embrace my gender identity and express it how I see fit. It was David who impacted me the most, with his masculine jawline and high heels and dresses. I honestly am not sure who I would be without this influence and I will always hold New York Dolls dear because of that.

I've cried a lot, very briefly.