Walter Lure

Walter Lure

Walter Lure is an American guitarist and vocalist best known for his work with The Heartbreakers, the New York punk band also known as Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers. Born in 1949, he becomes part of one of the key early line-ups of the New York City punk scene after joining the group in its formative period.

The Heartbreakers

The Heartbreakers form in New York City in 1975 after Johnny Thunders and drummer Jerry Nolan leave The New York Dolls. The original lineup also includes Richard Hell, who has come from Television, and Lure joins to complete the group. The band plays regular shows at venues such as CBGB and Max’s Kansas City and becomes closely associated with the city’s punk movement.

By 1976, Richard Hell leaves and Billy Rath replaces him, creating the classic Heartbreakers lineup. The band releases one studio album, L.A.M.F., in 1977. The record is not well received at first because of its mix, but later gains a strong reputation and is reissued as L.A.M.F.: The Lost ’77 Mixes with a higher-quality sound. The Heartbreakers split up in 1980.

Work beyond the Heartbreakers

After the band ends, Lure works as a stockbroker. He later reunites with The Heartbreakers for one-off performances during the 1980s and early 1990s.

He also plays guitar on three Ramones albums, Subterranean Jungle (1983), Too Tough To Die (1984) and Animal Boy (1986), although his playing is uncredited. In addition, he sings on the Ramones’ cover of The Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man”.

Other projects and later work

Lure forms his own band, The Waldos, and writes To Hell and Back, a book about his time in The Heartbreakers. In 2016, he performs L.A.M.F. in full with Clem Burke of Blondie, Tommy Stinson of The Replacements and Wayne Kramer of MC5, and the performance is released on DVD. He later plays similar shows with Mike Ness of Social Distortion and Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols.

He dies in 2020.