The New York Dolls played an integral role in laying the foundations of punk rock. By taking the flamboyant sass of Jagger and Richards to outrageous extremes and combining it with down-and-dirty rock 'n' roll, the Dolls -- fronted by icons David Johansen and Sylvan Sylvain -- brought the punk scene to a fever pitch and inspired both fans and musicians like the Sex Pistols and Marilyn Manson. From their origins in the street gangs of New York's outer boroughs, through their recent rebirth and the untimely death of bassist Arthur Kane, "Trash! offers a comprehensive look at these gender-bending scenesters.

Featuring first-hand reminiscences, interviews with band members, revealing tour anecdotes, archival material, and 75 black-and-white photos, "Trash! covers every leopard-clad inch of these glamsters' heyday. Set mostly in the chaotic and creative maelstrom of the mid-'70s New York scene, the book also profiles the individual band members' post-Dolls careers.