Mike Mortician and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at the WHAM-O WATUSI!

What’s not to like about Mike Mortician? He is a groovy cat who sells sharp suits for a living. He is also the lead singer for The Memphis Morticians—a band that seems to play once every five years, but is one of the finest psychobilly bands you will ever hear. For a while, he was DJing regularly at Otto’s Shrunken Head for an event called The Midnight Monster Hop, but he doesn’t do that very often any more. Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus has DJ’d with him before—most notably at a Mods Love Rockers event several years ago at the Bushwick Beauty Bar. That was a gas; Mike Mortician played some most excellently rockin’ sides that drove all the hep cats in attendance wild.

Mike Mortician mixes another monster musical gem in to his set at the WHAM-O WATUSI!

When Mike Mortician agreed to DJ at the WHAM-O WATUSI on November 5, we expected more of the same—and brother, did we get it. Mike played some boss jams that kept the folks at the Bootleg Bar boppin’ all night long. Since this was only a few days after Halloween, both Mike and host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus spiced up their DJ sets with monster records. Plus, because the clocks were adjusted back an hour in order to return to Standard Time at 3:00 AM that Sunday morning, The Bootleg Bar opted to stay open an extra hour and Mike and Phast obliged with an extra hour of rockin’ tunes!

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus a the November 5 WHAM-O WATUSI (don’t forget to check out the links to the youtubes in order to dig the actual tracks!):

• The Moontrekkers–Night of the Vampire (Parlophone; UK)
• Rangers–(Ghost) Riders in the Sky (FTP)
• The Allen Bradley Quintet–Space Race (OKeh)
• Jeff Gordon and the Summits–Peter Gunn (Decca)
• Don Gardner and His Sonotones–Up the Street (Junior)
• Monte Easter and His Band–Birdland Hop (Swingin’)
• The Gadabouts featuring Wild Bill Putnam–Stranded in the Jungle (Mercury)
• The Belegianetts–Do the Crank (USA)
• The Original Playboys–Hey Little Willie (Leisure Time)
• Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers–I’m Not a Juvenile Delinquent (Gee)
• The Clovers–Have Gun (United Artists)
• King George with Jim Laurro & His Orch.–Woke Up This Morning (End)
• Sugar and Pee Wee–One Two Let’s Rock (Aladdin)
• Zig Dillon–On Down the Line (R)
• Don Lang and His Frantic Five–Ramshackle Daddy (Capitol)
• Jack Scott with the Chantones vocal group–The Way I Walk (Carlton)
• Jay Hawkins–Well I Tried (Wing)
• Manfred Mann–5-4-3-2-1 (Prestige)
• The Teemates–Moving Out (Audio Fidelity)
• Tidal Waves–Action! (Speaks Louder Than Words) (HBR)
• The Pretty Things–Honey I Need (Fontana; UK)
• The ‘D’ Men–Just Don’t Care (Veep)
• Underdogs–Get Down on Your Knees (Hideout)
• The Sparkles–Hipsville 29 B.C. (I Need Help) (Hickory)
• The Odds and Ends–(Cause) You Don’t Love Me (South Bay)
• The Goodnight Kisses–If He Kissed Me (Atco)
• The Romancers–Love’s the Thing (Linda)
• The Ardells–Midnight Train (Thor)
• Donald Lautrec–Je Te L’Avais Bien Dit (Jupiter; Canada)
• Elvis Presley and the Jordanaires–I Got Stung (RCA Victor)
• Benny Gordon and the Soul Brothers–(Get It) Come and Get It (RCA Victor)
• Ray Agee–I’m Coming Home (Krafton)
• Louis (Blues Boy) Jones–Come on Home (OKeh)
• Jan Davis–Watusi Zombi (Holiday)
• Merv Griffin–House of Horrors (Mercury)
• Jimmy Elledge–Gonna Turn My Voodoo On (RCA Victor)
• The Barnstormers–Bug Stompin’ (Stomp That Roach) (Capitol)
• The Chiffons–My Boyfriend’s Back (Laurie)
• Los Johnny Jets–Juntos y Felices (Happy Together) (Discos Columbia)
• The Revels–Foo Man Choo (Norgolde)
• Lulu Reed & Freddy King with Sonny Thompson and His Orchestra–Do the President Twist (Federal)
• The Treniers–(We Want A) Rock and Roll President (VIK)
• Freddy Cannon–What a Party (Swan)
• Bocky & the Visions–The Bounce (Redda)
• Carlo & the Secrets–Pony Party (Throne)
• The Matadors–It Ain’t Nothin’ but Rock and Roll (Keith)
• The Darlenes–I Still Like Rock and Roll (Stacy)
• Buddy Holly–I’m Gonna Love You Too (Coral)
• Nancy Sit–Shakin’ All Over (Squirrel; Singapore)
• Luther Bond and the Emeralds–Jitterbug Jamboree (Showboat)
• Brenda Lee–Let’s Jump the Broomstick (Decca)
• Royal Teens–Sham Rock (ABC-Paramount)
• Boogaloo and his Gallant Crew–Big Fat Lie (Crest)
• Jimmy McCracklin–(I’ll Be Glad When You’re Dead) You Rascal You (Mercury)
• Joe Liggins and His Orchestra–Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (Mercury)
• Little Willie John–A Little Bit of Loving (King)
• Gene Pitney–Baby You’re My Kind of Woman (Musicor)
• The Newbeats–Top Secret (Hickory)
• Chylds–I Want More (Lovin’) (Warner Bros.)
• John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers featuring Peter Green–Looking Back (Decca; UK)
• The Coastliners–I’ll Be Gone (Back Beat)
• Suzy & the Copycats–No Other Love (Like Yours) (Brent)
• C.L. and the Pictures–Let’s Take a Ride (Dunes)
• Steve and the Holidays–Unemployment (Dandy)
• Chuck Berry–Anthony Boy (Chess)
• Nick Venet–Oh Baby [from EP Flippin’] (RCA Victor)
• Royal Teens–Harvey’s Got a Girl Friend (ABC-Paramount)
• The Rhythm Addicts–Oomp-Poomp (Frantic)
• Trig Richards–Hollywood Cat (Falcon)
• The Kokomos–Open House Party (Josie)
• The Pussycats–Come on and Ska (Keetch)
• Roberto Carlos–Noite de Terror [from EP Canta Para Juventude – Vol. III] (Discos CBS; Brazil)
• Marty Wilson and the Strat-O-Lites–Hot Foot (Tel)
• Larry and the Loafers–I Want You to Know (Heart)
• Little Johnny and the Rumblers–Riot in Cell Block Number Nine (Downey)
• Lazy Lester–Pondarosa Stomp (Excello)
• Neil Sedaka–I Go Ape (RCA Victor)
• Dave and the Orbits–Cheetas Uncle (American Arts)
• Dossie (Thunderbird) Terry–Fool Mule (Amp 3)
• Earl Palmer’s Party Rockers with the Jay-Hawks–Johnnie’s House Party (Aladdin)
• Steve Bledsoe: Astro-Nut–(The Moon Is Made Of) Green Cheese (Witch)
• The Citations–The Snake (Majestic)
• The Marvels–Neil’s Twist (Oh Delilah) (Pyramid)

None of these records are for sale. Photos by Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner.

The Boog and Mike in a pensive mood at WHAM-O WATUSI!