So I have this thing I do when I go to record store, especially one that isn’t local to me or I don’t get to very often. I will pick one older record (90’s or earlier) I know nothing about, and will just go with how the bands name and album artwork and vibe makes me feel. Like if it makes me think “man they look badass” I will pick it up and buy it.
I think this behavior stems from being a teenager using soulseek and just downloading whatever crust punk bands had a cool name’s entire discography. I have said before, I’m a sponge for music. I like to soak up as much as I can, good or bad. If I’m gonna hate, I wanna know what I’m hating sounds like.
That leads me to this LP by the group Poison Dollys. I was in Beacon, NY. A town I absolutely love to visit. Some of the best Falafel I’ve ever had at one of the better Palestinian restaurants I’ve been to, Ziatun. Really good vegan donuts at Peaceful Provisions, great hiking trails… I could keep going but I digress. In town lies one of my favorite record stores I’ve ever been to, Hudson Valley Vinyl. I was going through their stacks, picked up a few superchunk records, an English Dogs lp I didn’t have, and a few various other indie and punk records, their metal selection isn’t the best but that’s fine. I saw a record that stuck out for two reasons; the band was called Poison Dollys, and they looked fucking cool.
I mean, come on. Look at them.
I have a soft spot for cheesy/glammy heavy metal. I like traditional heavy metal too, but I’m probably gonna listen to shit like Ratt, Poison and Faster Pussycat first. It’s so fucking catchy. And that is exactly what this is. A catchy as hell, all woman heavy metal band. You love to see it. To add a whole extra layer to it, they’re from Long Island. Need I say more?
Opening track from this 1985 self titled LP is “Love Is For Suckers”, Twisted Sister’s (Also from Long Island) 1987 lp is also called “Love Is For Suckers”. Coincidence? I’ll leave that up to you.
Upon further researching this band once I got home and put the record on, I found out they were the first independent band to be put on the cover of Kerrang! Magazine. They only have this one LP on invasion recordings, who were a subsidiary of Profile Records, that’s a whole other rabbit hole to go down at some point too.
First independent band on the cover of Kerrang!
I did more digging, their guitarist Gina left Poison Dollys in 1987 before they moved to LA and inevitably broke up, she the. started another heavy metal band called Envy with her sister Rhonni. They have an LP called “Ain’t it a sin” and it is AWESOME. Same vein as Poison Dollys, but I like this one more in my opinion. Some better solos on this, and honestly feels like it could get a little more radio play. Also, Long Islands finest export, Dee Snider happened to produce this album. And that’s sick.
“Produced by Dee Snider” - the SEAL of approval.
I think the moral of this story is maybe you can judge a book by its cover, or band name… but I have been burned before with this process and I’m sure I will be again. But this is what makes record collecting fun in my opinion. I love little gems like this from the 80s. The vibe from that time cannot be beat. I’m gonna include links to both albums below. Poison Dolly’s is streaming everywhere but Envy, you’re gonna have to listen on YouTube, or download it.
Happy hunting,
-SBC.