Sylvain Sylvain, guitarist for the iconic Lower East Side punk band New York Dolls, died after a battle with cancer. He was 69 years old.
“As most of you know, Sylvain battled cancer for the past two and 1/2 years,” his wife, Wendy Mizrahi, wrote in a statement on his Facebook page.
“Though he fought it valiantly, yesterday he passed away from this disease. While we grieve his loss, we know that he is finally at peace and out of pain. Please crank up his music, light a candle, say a prayer and let’s send this beautiful doll on his way.”
Born in Egypt, Sylvain moved with his family to New York at the age of 10.
Along with vocalist David Johansen, guitarist Johnny Thunders, bassist Arthur Kane, and drummer Jerry Nolan, Sylvain created a sloppy and rebellious style of rock and roll that embodied the subculture of downtown NYC and paved the way for decades of musicians.
“Syl loved rock and roll,” Lenny Kaye, a friend and guitarist for Patti Smith wrote in a statement.
“His onstage joy, his radiant smile as he chopped at his guitar, revealed the sense of wonder he must have felt at the age of 10, emigrating from his native Cairo with his family in 1961, the ship pulling into New York Harbor and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time.”
The New York Dolls self-titled debut album, released in 1973, was listed as one of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone.