Episode #260 |1.13.26

Johnny Thunders: Murder or Overdose?

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In this episode
A punk junkie nightmare in a New Orleans hotel. A turf war with Tom Petty’s Heartbreakers. A poisonous friendship with Dee Dee Ramone and a doomed alliance with Wayne Kramer. Missing cash, hotshot rumors, and a body in Room 37. Listen to find out how Johnny Thunders’ death went from an open-and-shut overdose case to a sadder, stranger rock ‘n roll myth.

Sources

Johnny Thunders: In Cold Blood – The Official Biography, by Nina Antonia

To Hell and Back: My Life in Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers, in the Words of the Last Man Standing, by Walter Lure with Dave Thompson

Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk Rock, by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain

Looking for Johnny (2014, dir. Danny Garcia)

Born to Lose: The Last Rock and Roll Movie (1999, dir. Lech Kowalski)

Junker’s Blues (64 Parishes)

Thy Will Be Done: The Death of Johnny Thunders (by NWR)

Johnny Thunders: Exploring the great mystery surrounding his death (Far Out)

The Tragic & Mysterious Death of Johnny Thunders (Rock and Roll True Stories)

The Kinks song that gave Johnny Thunders his identity (Far Out)

Some Pirate Love (For Malcontents Only)

Punk rocker’s peculiar death lures pilgrims to N.O. hotel (New Orleans City Business)

Gang War-The Greatest Band That Never Was (Rawckus)

Gang War (Johnny Thunders Cyber Lounge)

The night Johnny Thunders jammed with the Replacements (Far Out)

Izzy Stradlin interview from Musician magazine, November 1992 (Slash fan site)

Credits

Hosted by Jake Brennan.

Written by Zeth Lundy.

Mixed by Matt Beaudoin.

DISGRACELAND theme song, “Crenshaw Space Boogie,” written and produced by Jake Brennan. Performed by Jake Brennan, Bryce Kanzer, Jay Cannava, and Evan Kenney. Mixed and engineered by Adam Taylor.

*illustrations by Avi Spivak @avispivak