Sylvain Sylvain

Sylvain Sylvain (born Sylvain Mizrahi, February 14, 1951 ) is a rock guitarist, most notable for being a member of the New York Dolls. He was born in, Cairo, Egypt to a Jewish family with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte, but raised in New York City, where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York while he was still a child. When asked if he was related to American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) he responded, "No.

He was born in, Cairo, Egypt to a Jewish family with one brother and one sister, Leon and Brigitte, but raised in New York City, where his family had moved after living on Lafayette Avenue in Buffalo, New York while he was still a child. When asked if he was related to American fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (born October 14, 1961) he responded, "No. Only in spirit." Before joining the New York Dolls in 1971, Sylvain was a member of the band Actress, also featuring Dolls Johnny Thunders and Billy Murcia. He played guitar in the proto-punk group the New York Dolls (replacing Rick Rivets), from 1971 until the group's final dissolution in 1975. Sylvain and singer David Johansen were the last remaining members at the time the group broke up. After the dissolution of the Dolls, he frequently played with Johansen in his solo project. He started his own solo project, "The Criminals" with another ex-Doll, Tony Machine and continued to play the New York club scene. He landed a solo recording contract with RCA, and released one album with Lee Crystal (drums; later of Joan Jett's Blackhearts) and Johnny Rao (guitar) as his backing band. For a period, he also drove a cab in New York City. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1990s and recorded one record, Sleep Baby Doll for Fishead Records. His band mates on this record were: Brian Keats, drums (Dave Vanian's Phantom Chords), Speediejohn Carlucci on bass (formerly of The Fuzztones/Speedies) & Olivier LeBaron' on lead guitar. There were guest appearances by Frank Infante of Blondie & Derwood Andrews of Generation X. This record was re-released as "New York's Au Go Go". He now plays once again with David Johansen in the reformed New York Dolls.

As of November, 2006, he is currently on tour with the New York Dolls in the "Little Steven's Underground Garage Rolling Rock and Roll Show," featuring not only the Dolls but several other rock bands as well as go-go dancers.