The forgotten superstar of New York’s glorious glam punk past

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The back cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico features formal portraits of six individuals. This is the album known for its iconic Andy Warhol banana cover, and it’s widely considered a hugely influential record in rock history.

John Cale’s experimental music added depth and complexity to what was typically straightforward blues-rock. Lou Reed, meanwhile, proved that any topic could be explored in a rock song. This impact is often captured by a well-known quote usually credited to Brian Eno…

Although The Velvet Underground’s first album didn’t sell many copies – only around 30,000 – it’s said that each person who bought it went on to form their own band.

The Magic Tramp – the punkest of them all

One of the people featured in the original photo on the album cover was also the first musician to perform at Hilly’s on the Bowery, a somewhat rundown bar in New York City’s East Village. This happened in the fall of 1972, and the bar’s owner, Hilly Crystal, was trying to create a venue that showcased jazz, bluegrass, and blues.

A year later, he used the first letters of those music styles to create the name for his new club: CBGBs. The longer version of the name, CBGB-OMFUG, wasn’t very popular.

This person played a key role in both a legendary album and a famous rock venue during rock and roll’s peak years. You’d think everyone would know who they are.

It wasn’t Reed or Cale, although they both seemed likely. Knowing Hilly Crystal originally preferred jazz, Cale would have been a particularly good guess.

It wasn’t Nico, though she would have been an unexpected but interesting possibility. And it wasn’t Sterling Morrison or Mo Tucker, the other two members of the Velvet Underground featured on their first album.

It wasn’t Warhol either – he was never a performer. But we’re getting closer.

Eric Emerson perfectly embodied Andy Warhol’s idea of a ‘superstar‘ – he was a talented actor, dancer, and musician.

Emerson wasn’t known for his musical talent. While leading the Magic Tramps, his singing wasn’t particularly strong, and his acting in films by Andy Warhol and Paul Morrissey in the late 60s and early 70s wasn’t award-winning either.

This isn’t to say Eric Emerson wasn’t talented – he absolutely was. While he didn’t have traditional training, he possessed a natural flair for performance. He was a true showman.

Emerson was strikingly handsome and had a strong personality. Inspired by Andy Warhol, he understood the importance of self-promotion and creating a star persona. He was part of a vibrant, though now largely overlooked, artistic scene – alongside figures like Jayne County and the Suicide boys – and embodied the independent, do-it-yourself spirit that continues to fuel many new art movements.

The back cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico features portraits of the five band members at the bottom. Above them is a picture of the band playing a concert. And looking down from above, almost like an angel, is a faded image of a man named Eric Emerson.

He didn’t agree to have his image used on the album and wasn’t even asked permission. When he discovered it was there, he requested payment, and when the record company, Verve (then part of MGM Records), refused, he filed a lawsuit.

They quickly covered up Emerson’s image on the already-printed album covers with a sticker, effectively removing him from future copies. This caused a small further delay for the album, which had already been held up, and it likely annoyed Lou Reed.

It didn’t take much to piss off Lou Reed.

Shortly after leaving New York, Emerson headed to the west coast. There, Sesu Coleman, a drummer connected to the Andy Warhol scene, persuaded him to join a rock trio called the Magic Tramps. The band was energetic and confident, but they were missing a singer, and Emerson proved to be exactly what they needed.

In 1971, Emerson persuaded his band to move to New York City. He reconnected with the art scene surrounding Andy Warhol, appearing in the film Heat (with music by John Cale) and searching for venues where his band could play.

The band played at venues all over town, including Max’s Kansas City and the Mercer Arts Center. As Jesse Rifkin details in his book, This Must Be the Place, Coleman and Emerson secured a gig at Hilly’s by offering to build a stage. They built it themselves using salvaged wood and carpet remnants found in dumpsters and at construction sites.

Back in October 1972, well before bands like Television, Squeeze, and the Ramones became famous, Emerson and his Magic Tramps played the very first show at Hilly’s. They were the opening act for a night of jazz, sharing the bill with guitarist Ralph Towner, bassist Miroslav Vitous from Weather Report, and headliner, jazz flautist Jeremy Steig.

In the early 1970s New York glam rock scene, The Magic Tramps – with Emerson as their lead singer – were a popular band. They frequently shared the stage with the New York Dolls, who were a leading act of the time.

It’s hard to fully appreciate that music now, as there aren’t any good recordings of The Tramps with Emerson as their leader. However, you can find some of their original songs on a 2005 compilation album called Kickin’ Up Moonlight Dust.

The album includes eight songs from the Emerson era, showcasing a variety of sounds. These range from the psychedelic feel of “Hey People” to the raw, energetic rock influenced by The Velvet Underground, particularly in tracks like “Trippin’” and “S&M Leather Queen.” It also features some instrumental pieces and the title track, a gentle and dreamy folk-rock song reminiscent of Donovan.

None are especially good recordings but they let your mind wonder.

In 1974, Emerson left the band to become an actor. He was replaced by Jay Mala, a stronger vocalist, and the band shifted towards a sound reminiscent of Led Zeppelin. While their later recordings were more polished, they lacked the appeal of their earlier work.

A year after leaving the band The Tramps, Emerson died in Manhattan at the age of 29. Authorities believed he was the victim of a hit-and-run accident.

Stories circulated quickly suggesting the accident wasn’t accidental, but a cover-up for Emerson’s drug overdose. Whether these rumors were true or not, the event very likely served as inspiration for Lou Reed’s iconic 1978 song, “Street Hassle.”

Ralph Emerson was a key figure in the exciting New York scene of the early 1970s. It was a difficult time for the city, facing decline, but a wave of young, ambitious artists were determined to succeed, even if only for a moment, and they wouldn’t let the city’s problems stop them.

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2026-05-13 16:01