Key Points
Punk rock pioneer who transformed music scene with New York Dolls
Reinvented himself as Buster Poindexter with hit "Hot Hot Hot"
Appeared in multiple films including comedy classic "Scrooged"
Influential musician who shaped punk rock genre
Johansen, also known by his stage name Buster Poindexter, had been battling stage 4 cancer. His daughter had revealed his diagnosis last month, saying that his medical treatment over the years had caused financial strain on the family.
"Five years ago at the beginning of the pandemic we discovered that David's cancer had progressed and he had a brain tumor. There have been complications ever since. He's never made his diagnosis public, as he and my mother Mara are generally very private people, but we feel compelled to share this now, due to the increasingly severe financial burden our family is facing," she wrote in a statement, according to Deadline.
Johansen was one of the pioneers of punk music. His work with the New York Dolls helped shape the genre in the early 1970s. He was also the subject of the Martin Scorsese documentary, "Personality Crisis: One Night Only", which explored his career.
After his time with the New York Dolls, Johansen continued his career in music and acting. In the 1980s, he rebranded himself as Buster Poindexter, known for his hit song "Hot Hot Hot." He later formed The Harry Smiths, performing blues and folk music.
Apart from music, Johansen also appeared in several movies, including the holiday classic "Scrooged" with Bill Murray and the comedy "Let It Ride" starring Richard Dreyfuss.
