Despite his illness, the 55-year-old was on hand last month when the Dolls reunited for a show at the Morrisey-curated Meltdown festival in London. The gig was so well-received that the band had lined-up a further string of outdoor appearances, including White Stripes supports in Dublin and Belfast, which now hang in the balance.

The archetypal proto-punks, the New York Dolls caused a major stir in the early '70s with their fishnet and high heels look, and gutter anthems like 'Personality Crisis', 'Pills', 'Jet Boy' and 'Trash'.

Their influence on bands like the Sex Pistols was profound, with Malcolm McLaren managing them briefly before returning to England and falling in with Messrs. Rotten, Matlock, Cook and Jones.

He's the fourth member of the New York Dolls to die, with guitarist Johnny Thunders and drummers Billy Murcia and Jerry Nolan passing away in 1991, 1972 and 1992 respectively.
Dolls lead singer is believed to be in Paris and preparing a statement on the band's future.