The Mighty Fine swings at Club Hi-Fi!

The Mighty Fine is one of the finest new teen combos going. Based in Brooklyn, the group plays from time to time and always presents an exciting show. The Boogaloo Bag writers have witnessed this act on several instances, and each one it seems the group is getting better and better. The Mighty Fine is led by the mighty fine singer Steve Myers, who also sings back-up in the current touring version of The Afghan Whigs. When The Mighty Fine were asked to play the rock club Hi-Fi in Manhattan on Saturday May 30, it was Mr. Myers who insisted that Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus DJ the after show party at the club… and so it happened!

Mighty Fine singer Steve Myers emotes at Club Hi-Fi!

The group is not called The Mighty Fine for nothing. The sound is good—garage-tinged modern rock occasionally spiced up with a funk rhythm—and Mr. Myers is a singer who is totally immersed in R&B from the eighties. This is not a bad thing; such acts as The Gap Band, Maze and of course Prince made terrific records back then. While waiting for the group’s next gig, the Boogaloo Bag writers suggest to the reader to find a copy of Mighty Fine’s LP Get Up to Get Down (Drug Front Records) and dig it.

Speaking of the eighties, this event was also notable for the appearance of some mighty fine familiar faces that go back to The Boog’s California days. Greg De La Peña and his lovely wife Melissa were at the gig, sat as close as possible to The Boog as he spun his platters, and thoroughly dug the scene. The Boog remembers them fondly from the era when he worked at the Rhino Record Store in Westwood; a lot of water under the bridge, but what refreshing water it is! The reunion was even nicer when, after the DJ gig, these three and Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner made their way to Stromboli’s on St. Mark’s Place and First Avenue to partake in the mighty fine pizza there!

Greg, Melissa and Phast swing at Club Hi-Fi!

Here is a list of every record—exactly one hundred—played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus after The Mighty Fine played its show. A quick look at it and once could easily see that he not only took the event seriously, but clearly he had fun with it, playing many old favorites and a bunch of new acquisitions. Plus, one attendee dug the Lee Fields version of The Sonics’ “Shot Down” so much he asked that it played again. And so it was! Dig it:

• Rex Garvin (and the Mighty Cravers)–Sock It to ‘Em J.B. – Part I (Like)
• Willie Mitchell–That Driving Beat (Hi)
• The Temptations–All I Need (Gordy)
• Jamo Thomas & His Party Brothers Orchestra–I Spy (For the FBI) (Thomas)
• Wilson Pickett–Fire and Water (Atlantic)
• Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band–Electricity (Buddah; UK)
• The Shadows of Knight–Light Bulb Blues (Dunwich)
• The Tempters–Secret Password (Philips; Japan)
• Les Mersey’s–Si Tu M’Aimes (Telédisc; Canada)
• Los Mustangs–Dejen De Pensar En Mi (Gonna Have a Good Time) (DCA; El Salvador)
• Mickey Lee Lane–Hey San-Lo-Ney (Swan)
• Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires–Spinout (RCA Victor)
• Roy Orbison and the Candy Men–Oh’ Pretty Woman (Monument)
• The Who–Happy Jack (Reaction; UK)
• Toots & the Maytals–Pressure Drop (Beverley’s; UK)
• The Slickers–Papa Was a Rolling Stone (Ice; Jamaica)
• Charly and the Bourbon Family–Boogachi (Poplandia; Spain)
• Ronny Kae and His Drums–Harry – Play Those Drums (Honey)
• Otis Redding–Day Tripper (Atco; France)
• Ginette Reno–QuelQu’un a Aimer (Somebody to Love) (Apex; Canada)
• The Rolling Stones–Get Off My Cloud (London)
• Michel Polnareff–Time Will Tell (4 Corners of the World)
• The Spiders–Hey Boy (Philips; UK)
• Eddie Floyd–Big Bird (Stax)
• Lou Courtney–Rubber Neckin’ (Chick Checkin’) (Verve)
• The People’s Choice–The Wootie-T-Woo (Phil-L.A. of Soul)
• Ohio Players–Skin Tight (Mercury)
• James Brown–Hot Pants Pt 1 (She Got to Use What She Got to Get What She Wants) (People)
• Shark Wilson & the Basement Heaters–Make It Reggae (Soul Jazz; UK)
• The Champs–Sombrero (Challenge)
• The Zanies–The Blob (Era)
• Milt Sealey–Jelly Bean (Philips)
• Howlin’ Wolf–Ooh Baby (Chess)
• Johnny Winter–Road Runner (Todd)
• The Rosalyns–Destroy That Boy [from EP Hide and Seek] (Ugly Things)
• The Crawdaddys–There She Goes (Voxx)
• Darlene Payne & the O.D. Girls–Copy Cat (O.P.J.)
• Los Yogis–Night Rider (Jinete Nocturno) (Angelo)
• Jesse James and the James Boys–Do It Like You Feel It (Match)
• All the People featuring Robert Moore–Cramp Your Style (Blue Candle)
• Jr. Dibbs and Society–Power [from the single A Tribute to King Curtis] (Decca; France)
• Los Comandos–Moby Dick (Odeon; Peru)
• Los Shain’s–Niebla Púrpura [Purple Haze] (Odeon; Peru)
• Shocking Blue–Love Buzz (Music on Vinyl; Netherlands)
• The Hook–Homes (Uni)
• Laurel Aitken–Reggae 69 (Nu Beat; UK)
• James Brown–Talkin’ Loud and Saying Nothin’ Pt. I (King)
• Hank Ballard–I’m a Junkie for My Baby’s Love (Chess)
• Lee Fields and Sugarman & Co.–Shot Down (Daptone)
• The Wailers–Ska Jerk (Coxsone; Jamaica)
• Desmond Dekker–007 (Beverley’s; Jamaica)
• Eddie Lovette–Too Experienced (Federal; Jamaica)
• The Charms–Carry Go Bring Come (Island; UK)
• King Curtis–Green Onions (Atco)
• Los Johnny Jets–Cul Jerk (Cool Jerk) (Discos Columbia)
• Otis Redding–Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag (Atco)
• Vernon Garrett–Shine It On (Kent)
• B.B. King–Think It Over (Bluesway)
• Sir White and His Sounds–Doin’ the Scratch (Redbug)
• Sonny King–Dig Yourself (Marida)
• Dick and Libby Halleman and Their Society Orchestra vs Tom and Ray–Pizza Sure Is Good (Summit)
• Dave Phillips & the Hot Rod Gang–Tainted Love (Rockhouse; Netherlands)
• Brian Poole and the Tremeloes–I Want Candy (Decca; UK)
• Whichwhat–Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ (Beacon; France)
• The Monkees–She Hangs Out (RCA Victor; Mexico)
• The Seeds–Night Time Girl (Norton)
• The Left Bank–I Haven’t Got the Nerve (Smash)
• The Paymarks–Dollar Bill (Jerden)
• Bob Dylan–Mixed Up Confusion (CBS; France)
• The Pyramids–Pressure (Cedwicke)
• Sterling Harrison–Let’s Wobble (VVVV)
• James Ray–Do the Monkey (Congress)
• James (Sugarboy) Crawford–She’s the One (Imperial)
• Dee Clark–Heartbreak (Constellation)
• The Soul Trippers–Girl of Mine (Providence)
• The Lovers–Licor de Contrabando (Bootleg) (Picaro; El Salvador)
• 17th Avenue Exits–I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Any More (Modern)
• Tommy James and the Shondells–Mirage (Roulette)
• Les Sextans–Ils Aiment La Vie (Vedettes)
• Peace and Love–’New’ 96 Tears (Juke)
• Hou-Lops–Oui J’ai Compris (Apex; Canada)
• Clefs of Lavender Hill–It Won’t Be Long (Date)
• Dave Clark Five–All of the Time (Epic)
• Los Bravos–Trapped (Columbia; Spain)
• Los Iberos–Liar Liar (Columbia; Spain)
• Les Atomes–Pauvre Fou (Little Boy Sad) (Capitol: Canada)
• Little Joe and the Mustangs–I Dig You Baby (Challenge)
• The Sonics–The Hustler (Etiquette)
• Kit and the Outlaws–Don’t Tread on Me (Black Knight)
• The Bonniwell Music Machine–Me-Myself and I (Warner Bros.)
• The Spencer Davis Group–Don’t Want You Know More (United Artists; Canada)
• The Denims–Ya Ya (Columbia)
• Big Brother and the Holding Company–Intruder (Mainstream)
• Terry Knight and the Pack–Numbers (Lucky Eleven)
• Michele Richard–Le Boites A Go-Go (Trans Canada; Canada)
• Dave Clark Five–Over and Over (Columbia; Germany)
• Lipstick Killers–Hindu Gods (Of Love) (Voxx)
• The Astronauts–Kuk (RCA Victor)
• Rufus Thomas–Walking the Dog (Stax)
• Bill Doggett–Hot Fudge (Columbia)

None of these records are for sale.