When all the planets are in alignment, the WHAM-O WATUSI takes place on the first Saturday of the month at the Bootleg Bar in downtown Bushwick. However, due to circumstances beyond his control, WHAM host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus was out of town when the regularly scheduled event in August was to take place. Luckily, he was able to trade the night with his pal Drew Redmond—who moved his Sleaze to Please night (usually the third Saturday of the month at the Boot) to August 6 and the WHAM took place on August 20.

The good thing about this change of scheduling was this: our pal Mr. Vacation has a regular DJ night at the Commodore on the first Saturday of the month, so getting him to guest at the WHAM-O WATUSI is impossible. When the WHAM was moved to the third Saturday of August, asking him to guest was topmost on The Boog’s mind. When he agreed to swing, everyone here at the Boogaloo Bag headquarters whooped it up in glee!!

Mr. Vacation! Yayyy!!!

Mr. Vacation is one of the most eclectic DJs in town. At the Commodore, he can work a funk set into a heavy metal set, followed by bossa nova records, then turn some German prog rock, and if you don’t watch out, he’ll play a classic disco jam! This seems to go down really well with the fried chicken eaters at the Commodore. Mr. Vacation is also famous as a pioneer of Bushwick living, a skateboard enthusiast, a connoisseur of hard-core punk rock and has been known to play drums in heavy, heavy rock bands. The Boogaloo Bag strongly suggests that all readers dig his Interwebs radio show on KPISS.fm where he plays all sorts of solid stuff. Some of the shows are on the soundclouds and can be accessed. Dig one here!

However, when the WHAM-O WATUSI took place at the Bootleg Bar on Saturday August 20, a night that was expected to delve into the madness turned out to be a pretty cool evening of mostly soul, funk and reggae records, with occasional detours into rock-type things. Needless to say, the clientele at the Bootleg Bar was completely satiated with groovy sounds.

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus:

• Bonzo Dog Band–The Intro and the Outro (United Artists; UK)
• The Cannonballs–New Orleans Beat (Brunswick)
• Ernie Fields & Orch.–Workin’ Out (Rendezvous)
• Johnny Little John and Guitar; Rogers tenor sax–Johnny’s Jive (Margaret)
• Chuck Higgins and His Mellotones–Pachuko Hop (Combo)
• The Rockin R’s–Nameless (Tempus)
• Hopeton Lewis with the S.P.M.s–Grooving Out on Life (Merri Disc; Jamaica)
• Eric Donaldson–A Weh We A Go Do (Jaguar; Jamaica)
• Lloyd Charmers–Come See About Me (Randys)
• Rudy Ray Moore–The Turning Point (Kent)
• Charles Spurling–Popcorn Charlie (King)
• Pigmeat Markham–Pig’s Popcorn (Chess)
• The Soul Set featuring Norman Seldin–Surfin’ Boogaloo (Johnson)
• Eddie Bo–Shake Rock and Soul (Cinderella)
• Timmy Norman and the O’Jahs–Let It All Hang Out (Sound Stage 7)
• Los Ros–¡Yeah! (Belter; Spain)
• Cliff Wagner–Exception to the Rule (Jewel)
• The Rivingtons–You Move Me Baby (Vee-Jay)
• Big Mama Thornton–Swing It on Home (Arhoolie)
• Siimon Dupree and the Big Sound–Reservations (Parlophone)
• The Warlocks–I’ll Go Crazy (Decca)
• Ray Brackens–Do the Craw Fish (Scram)
• Jerry Lee Lewis–Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu (Philips; France)
• Teen Tone’s–Shoutn’ Twist (Tri Disc)
• Royal Teens–Leotards (Mighty)
• The Capitols–The Kick (Karen)
• Can–Moon Shake (United Artists)
• Dr. John the Night Tripper–I Walk on Guilded Splinters – Part I (Atco)
• Captain Beefheart–Glider (Reprise)
• Jimmy Reed–I’m Going Upside Your Head (Vee-Jay)
• Creedence Clearwater Revival–Run Through the Jungle (Fantasy)
• The Lyres–Don’t Give It Up Now (Sounds Interesting)
• The Jam–Start (Polydor; UK)
• Bunny Brown–Rock You Baby (Parks; Jamaica)
• Dillinger–Cokane in My Brain (Black Swan; UK)
• The Snapper–The Pig (Worthy)
• Johnny Zamot y su Orquesta–Bomba Africana (Gema)
• Mighty Sparrow–Calypso Boogaloo (RA; West Indies)
• Mike Sanchez; Conjunto de Ricky Rays; Ernesto Marroquin: sax–Papa Molida (Mashed Potato Time) (Falcon)
• The Ideals–The Gorilla (Cortland)
• Count Yates with Orch. & Chimpanzee–Chimpanzee (Regis)
• Magnificient Monta-Gue–The Breather (Era)
• Swamp Rats–Psycho (St. Clair)
• Ted Taylor–You Give Me Nothing to Go On (OKeh)
• Flamin’ Groovies–Slow Death (United Artists; UK)
• David Walker–Ring the Changes (RCA Victor; UK)
• The Classmates–Let’s Get Together Tonight (Decca; UK)
• The Eddy Jacobs Exchange–Pull My Coat (Columbia)
• Georgie Woods – The Guy with the Goods–Potato Salad Part I (Fat Back)
• Jesse Gresham Plus 3–Shootin’ the Grease (Head)
• Butterball–Butterballs (Part 1) (Fast Eddie)
• Joe (Youngblood) Cobb–It’s L.B. Time (X-spect-Mo)
• Augustus Pablo–King Tubby Meets the Rockers Uptown (Mango)
• Gun Club–Fire of Love (Animal; UK)
• Plastic Ono Band–Cold Turkey (Apple)
• Les Sound Track–Tous Ces Gens N’ont Pas Raison (Honky Tonk Women) (Bel-Air; Canada)
• The Poor Boys–Wash Board Take 1 (Apollo)
• Desmond Dekker & the Aces–It Mek (Uni)
• Basil Gabbidon; Randy’s All Stars–Going Back to J.A. (Blue Beat; UK)
• Prince Buster–Wreck a Buddy (Prince Buster; Jamaica)
• Marcia Griffiths–Feel Like Jumping (CoxSone; Jamaica)
• The Hot Tamales–Hot Tamale (Pac)
• Aaron Neville–Space Man (Parlo)
• Joe Tex–Chicken Crazy (Dial)
• The Soul Set–Mickey’s Funky Monkey (BB)
• Gene Allison–Somebody Somewhere (Ref-O-Ree)
• Diamond Joe–The ABC Song (Deesu)
• Lowell Fulsom–Lady in the Rain (Jewel)

None of these records are for sale.

Drew Redmond, Josh Styles, Sophie Thunder, Mr. Vacation and Gary Scopitone swing at Utica Club!

On Friday July 22, the WANG DANG DOODLE presented UTICA CLUB at The Commodore of Williamsburg. This event was entitled “Utica Club” because special guest DJ was Drew Redmond, who hails from Carthage, New York. Where is Carthage, you may ask? It’s about 70 miles north of Utica, New York, home of Utica Club lager. Plus, there is a cool record of the Utica Club theme song that Mr. Redmond played that night.

Drew Redmond recalls his days in Utica, NY!!!

Drew Redmond came to Brooklyn several years ago, and quickly became one of the most popular DJs on the reet music front. He was co-host of Finger Lickin’ Fridays with our pal Charles Gaskins at the Grand Victory until that club closed for good on July 31. He swings at Midnight Offerings, a night of American garage rock records that he co-hosts with Josh Styles and he hosts his own Sleaze to Please—both at the mighty Bootleg Bar. Plus, he is often found DJing at all kinds of events all over town. It’s always a gas to dig what he is putting down.

At the UTICA CLUB, he presented a program of wild, rockin’ R&B and garage rock records that got the room chewing the fine Commodore fried chicken in rhythm with the records! It was magical.

In order to keep up to speed with Mr. Redmond, UTICA CLUB host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus played nine chicken records—six of them in a row!

Several of our pals dropped by to dig the scene, including Josh Styles, Sophie Thunder, Mr. Vacation and Gary Scopitone. All night long, The Commodore was jumpin’. By the end of the night, beer was spilled, bottles were broken, fun was had and the DJs were paid—which is all we really care about, anyway!

Here’s a list of every record played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at UTICA CLUB:

• Jessie Sailes and the Crypt-Kickers–The Jog (Garpax)
• Gatemouth Brown–Summertime (Cue)
• The Gems–Crazy Chicken (Mercury)
• The Surf Breakers–Hang Ten (Mercury)
• Dave Appell and the Applejacks–Bongo Beach (Cameo)
• Hatti & the Heavywights–Chicken Shack (Hirl)
• Billy Bland–Mamma Stole the Chicken (Old Town)
• The Red Ryders–Do the Dog (Mercury)
• The Elgins–We’re Gonna Have a Good Time (Congress)
• The Persuaders–Tijuana Surf (Original Sound)
• Frank (Dual Trumpet) Motley and His Motley Crew–Honkin’ at Midnight (DC)
• Jon Thomas with Orchestra–Flip Flop and Fly (ABC-Paramount)
• The Blendells–La La La La La (Reprise)
• Hal Singer and His Orch.–Hounds Tooth (Savoy)
• Otis Spann–Walkin’ (Blue Horizon)
• The Mersey Men–I Can Tell (Wild Woods)
• The Pretty Things–Get a Buzz (Fontana; UK)
• Tormentors: Lee – Dan – Mark – Tim–Black Coffee (Royal)
• The Fleshtones–Screamin’ Skull (I.R.S.; UK)
• The Dave Clark Five–Doctor Rhythm (Epic)
• The Cherokees–I’ve Gone Wild (Go!!; Australia)
• Tony Roman Cinq–Hey Hey Hey (Canusa; Canada)
• Noel Deschamps–Bumble Bee (RCA Victor – Canada International; Canada)
• Johnny Watson–Hold On I’m Comin’ (OKeh)
• Ernie Fields–Teen Flip (Rendezvous)
• Eddie Bo–Baby I’m Wise (RIC)
• Bo Diddley–Bo Diddley Is Loose [from EP Eddy Mitchell Presente Les Rois Du Rock: Bo Diddley] (Barclay; France)
• Joe Mayfield–I’m on the Move (Excello)
• Tarheel Slim and Little Ann–Security (Fire)
• The Blenders–Everybody’s Got a Right (Witch)
• Charlie White formally with the Clovers–Little Mama Don’t Leave Me (Winley)
• Shelley Du Pont & the Calendars–Stop Driving Me Crazy (Tribune)
• Emmet Davis–How About It Baby (M and B)
• Wild Child Gipson with Freddie Tieken and the Rockers–Uncle John (Hit)
• Frankie Brent Revue featuring Little Linda Lou–Rip It Up (Epic)
• Red Prysock–Twistin’ n Bendin’ (Mercury)
• Ba Ba Thomas–Miss Shake It (King)
• Sandra Kay Tucker–I Got a Good Thing (Peacock)
• Bobby Comstock and the Counts–The Chicken Back (Lawn)
• The Gay Jays (with the Doles Dickens Orch)–Chicken Back Part II (Josie)
• Tony Harris–Chicken Baby Chicken (Ebb)
• Charlie McCoy–Rooster Blues (Cadence)
• Chess and Checker–Chicken in the Logo (Chicory)
• The Radars–Finger Licking Chicken (Yew)
• Bobby Sax and Orchestra–Sock It (DePlace)
• Freddy Cannon–Let Me Show You Where It’s At (Warner Bros.)
• Jon & Robin and the In Crowd–Love Me Baby (Abnak)
• The Elite–One Potato (Charay)
• Harvey & Doc–Oh Baby!! (Annette)
• Lilly Russell–I Caught the Flu From You (S.P.Q.R.)
• James Brown and the Famous Flames–That Dood It (Federal)
• Louis Jones–The Birds Is Coming (Decca)
• Al Catraz & the Bird Men–Do the Big Bird (Vulcan)
• Shadow Lake 8 Orchestra–Power (Em Kay)
• Eddie Blues Man Kirkland–Chill Me Baby (Prestige)
• The Continentals–Cool Penguin (Penguin)
• Sandy Paget with the Sophisticates and the Thunderbirds–Ditty Wah Ditty Workout (Ebony Foundation)
• Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra–Gesundheit (A-Choo! Cha-Cha) (RCA Victor)
• Doc Jazrock–Fish & Chips (Warner Bros.)
• Ludaway–The Pig (Duel)
• The Gladiolas–Run Run Little Joe (Excello)
• Aki Aleong and His Licorice Twisters–Ya Ya Twist [from EP Twistin’ the Hits] (Reprise; France)
• Happy Teens–Cha Cha Boots (Paradise)

None of these records are for sale.