David Johansen and Lenny Kaye have been quick to remember Sylvain Sylvain.
New York Dolls’ Sylvain Mizrah, known to all as Sylvain Sylvain, has died after a long battle with cancer.
The guitarist passed away on January 13th, the news confirmed via a statement on his official Facebook page which reads:
“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.”
Accompanying the statement was a message from Lenny Kaye, a regular on the same New York scene who remembered simply that, ‘Syl loved rock and roll’.
“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,” he wrote.
And New York Dolls singer David Johansen has been on social media to leave his thoughts, remembering fondly his, ‘best friend for so many years’:
“I can still remember the first time I saw him bop into the rehearsal space/bicycle shop with his carpetbag and guitar straight from the plane after having been deported from Amsterdam, I instantly loved him. I’m gonna miss you old pal. I’ll keep the home fires burning. au revoir Syl mon vieux copain.”
“I’m gonna miss you old pal. I’ll keep the home fires burning.”
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