Sunday, August 23, 2020

RIP Walter Lure


[Image via @wlure]

Walter Lure, who was a cofounder of punk-rock pioneers the Heartbreakers, died yesterday of cancer. He was 71.

The guitarist appeared on the Heartbreakers only studio album, 1977's L.A.M.F., which featured frontman Johnny Thunders, bassist Billy Rath and drummer Jerry Nolan. All four members of the band are now deceased.

This past spring, he released the auto-biography "To Hell and Back: My Life in Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers, in the Words of the Last Man Standing."

You can read more about his musical career via Rolling Stone ... Brooklyn Vegan ... and Stereogum.

Several local artists paid tribute to Lure on Instagram...


View this post on Instagram

Rest In Peace Walter Lure . So sad to hear this today. I knew he was sick but he was. such a survivor I thought he would beat it . Now he is with the rest of the Heartbreakers in heaven . He was the last man standing. He played that same sunburst les Paul that he used on the LAMF album and the anarchy tour right till the end. He called it his “Dorian Gray “. He played on Ramones albums and Johhny thunders so alone. His Waldo’s albums are amazing and he had just put out his book “ to hell and back. “. I recommend it highly . He wrote great songs and had a wonderful interpretive voice with covering songs and making them his own He knew how to pick them. I learned a lot from Walter. He was kind enough to let me play bass in his band when I was 17 and When I wasn’t very good. It was an honor to play those songs with him. Years later we did the LAMF super group together and I had the best time going out west with him and the gang. I must have seen him play 200 times in nyc. no joke and he was always good. Even when it was loose ... please check out Heartbreakers live at Max’s ,LAMF. Waldo’s “ rent party “ And his book. I will miss you so fucking much. Rest easy my friend .

A post shared by Jesse Malin (@jesse_malin) on


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rip walter ...

A post shared by Johan Vipper (@jvipper) on



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4 comments:

  1. XTCAugust 23, 2020 at 9:08 PM

    Holy shit I was just listening to some Heartbreakers the other day. However I wouldn't label them a punk band. Johnny Thunders didn't like that term and they actually did a lot of standard pop-rock covers like Great Big Kiss, Like a Rolling Stone and Joey, Joey (Dylan). Later versions they had a horn section and female backing vocals. Great version of Baby It's You with Patti Palladin. Last time I saw them was a small club in Pairs around 1986. They all looked stoned weed, meth and heroin. Later in the 90's I saw the Waldos at the recently demolished Continental. Didn't realize Walter was 71. Fun fact: Walter was a Wall St stockbroker!


    RIP DTK LAMF

    -XTC

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 25, 2020 at 10:27 AM

    Same, saw The Waldos at the Continental in the late-90s when I was in high school, they opened with One Track Mind and it was like hearing the real thing. LAMF for life.

    ReplyDelete
  3. andyAugust 25, 2020 at 8:41 PM

    Handsome, charming, humble, engaging and talented Walter Lure. Last of the great punk rocker💔💔💔

    ReplyDelete
  4. XTCAugust 26, 2020 at 12:29 PM

    The unfortunate thing is that most people think of CBGBs as the epicenter of punk rock with three or four bands leading the way- Ramones, Blondie,Talking Heads, maybe the B-52s. What lost is the that there were/ are so many talented, stunningly original people that never had much recognition or success. People Like Walter Lure, Willy de Ville (Mink de Ville), James Chance and the Contortions, Lydia Lunch, Teenage Jesus, Mars, DNA, Cramps, Suicide and even a great guitar band like Television whose guitarist learned his trade in Jimi Hendrix apt on W 12 St in the Village. Just an amazing era of creativity!

    ReplyDelete

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