''So Alone'' is the debut solo

studio album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track cartridge, 8-track or Cassette tape, cassette), or digital distribution, dig ...

by Johnny Thunders, then leader of the Heartbreakers and formerly lead guitarist for

New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground, the MC5, and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved ...

. The album was released on October 6, 1978, and was produced by Thunders and

Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite (born 15 March 1955) is an English record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts The Alarm ...

. ''So Alone'' was preceded by the singles "Dead or Alive" and " You Can't Put Your Arms Round A Memory", the former originally being omitted from the album and later included as a bonus track on the 1992 reissue. The album featured Heartbreakers-members Walter Lure and Billy Rath, as well as several guest musicians, including

Phil Lynott Philip Parris Lynott (, ; 20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish musician, songwriter, and poet. He was the co-founder, lead vocalist, bassist, and primary songwriter for the hard rock band Thin Lizzy. He was known for his distinctive ...

Steve Marriott Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English actor, musician, guitarist, singer and songwriter. He was a student at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London and appeared in the West End, before taking a r ...

, Paul Gray, Peter Perrett, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, Mike Kellie, Patti Palladin, and Chrissie Hynde.

Background and overview

After recording '' L.A.M.F.'' with the Heartbreakers, Thunders returned to the studio and recorded his first solo album, ''So Alone'', from January to June 1978. The album contained a mix of original songs, tracks regularly performed live by the Heartbreakers, and covers, including the Chantays' surf classic "

Pipeline A pipeline is a system of Pipe (fluid conveyance), pipes for long-distance transportation of a liquid or gas, typically to a market area for consumption. The latest data from 2014 gives a total of slightly less than of pipeline in 120 countries ...

," the Shangri-Las' " Give Him a Great Big Kiss", Otis Blackwell's "Daddy Rollin' Stone", and

' "Subway Train". The song " You Can't Put Your Arms Around a Memory" is considered by many to be Thunders'

signature song A signature (; from , "to sign") is a depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. Signatures are often, but not always, handwritten or styliz ...

, and has later been covered by

Guns N' Roses Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1985 as a merger of local bands L.A. Guns and Hollywood Rose. When they signed to Geffen Records in 1986, the band's "classic" line-up consisted of vocalist Axl R ...

, Billie Joe Armstrong of

Green Day Green Day is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Rodeo, California, in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, with drummer Tré Cool joining in 1990. In 1994, their majo ...

, Ronnie Spector with

Joey Ramone Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American singer, songwriter, and the lead vocalist and founding member of the punk rock band Ramones, with Johnny Ramone and Dee Dee Ramone. His ...

, and Nick Oliveri with both Queens of the Stone Age and Mondo Generator. The track "London Boys" was written as an answer song/

diss track A diss track, diss record or diss song (an abbreviation of ''disrespect'' or ''disparage'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feu ...

from Thunders aimed at the

Sex Pistols The Sex Pistols are an English punk rock band formed in London in 1975. Although their initial career lasted just two and a half years, they became culturally influential in popular music. The band initiated the punk movement in the United Ki ...

who had recorded a song called "New York" on their album ''

Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols ''Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols'' (often shortened to ''Never Mind the Bollocks'') is the only studio album by English punk rock band the Sex Pistols, released on 28 October 1977 through Virgin Records in the UK and on 11 Novem ...

'' a year earlier, in which they anachronistically attacked Thunders's band

for being rip-offs. Former Sex Pistols-members Steve Jones and Paul Cook play guitar and drums on the track respectively.

Reception

''So Alone'' was released in October 1978 to good reviews from critics. ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who, Dave Schulps, and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference ...

'' noted that the album was "Thunders at his best", while ''Classic Rock'' called it "spectacular" and the pinnacle of Thunders' solo career. Music critic

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

named the album one the few import-only records from the 1970s that he loved but omitted from '' Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies''.

Track listing

Personnel

*Johnny Thunders – guitar (all tracks), vocals (track 2–10), producer * Koulla Kakoulli – vocals (track 9) * Patti Palladin – vocals (track 3, 9) * Chrissie Hynde – vocals (track 9) * Peter Perrett – guitar (track 2, 4, 8, 9), vocals (track 2, 4, 9) * Steve Jones – guitar (track 1, 3, 5–7) * Walter Lure – guitar (track 3) *Henri Paul Tortosa – guitar (track 9) *

– bass (track 1, 5–7, 12), vocals (track 6) * Paul Gray – bass (track 2, 4, 8–11) *Billy Rath – bass (track 3) * Paul Cook – drums (track 1, 3, 5–7) * Mike Kellie – drums (track 2, 4, 8, 9, 12) *Steve Nicol – drums (track 10) * John "Irish" Earle – saxophone (track 3, 8, 9) *

– piano (track 3), producer, engineer *

– harmonica, keyboards, piano, vocals (track 6) ;Technical *Ira Robbins – producer (reissue), liner notes *Joe McEwan – producer (reissue) *Lee Herschberg – remastering *Mike Beal – artwork *Peter Gravelle – photography *Molly Reeve-Morrison – project coordinator *Bill Smith – art direction, design

References

{{Authority control Johnny Thunders albums 1978 debut albums Sire Records albums Real Music Records albums Albums produced by Steve Lillywhite