Monthly Archives: November 2017

Swingin’ with Nogood Nick!

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Nogood Nick and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at the WHAM-O WATUSI!

On Saturday November 18, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus was back at the Bootleg Bar, the WHAM-O WATUSI, and splitting the gig with one of his favorite DJs. This was an irregular night for the WHAM-O because host Phast Phreddie spent the first Saturday of the month (the usual WHAM-O night) in Lancaster at the Keystone State Soul Weekender. Guest DJ was Nogood Nick. He still has a night at Otto’s Shrunken Head—Rip! Rig! Panic!–and it is a cool night, but it is irregular, happening sporadically and one must be in tune with the scene in order to know when it is happening. As the long-time Boogaloo Bag reader may attest, Nogood Nick was often featured at the late, lamented DYNAGROOVE action night from a few years ago. He’s got some very cool records and, boy, does he know how to play them! It’s always a delight to share the turntables with this fellow and this night was no exception. It may have been raining outside, but in the warm confines of the Bootleg Bar, it was a gas.

Nogood Nick cues up another boss sound at the WHAM-O WATUSI!

The evening was further enhanced by the addition of pumpkin spice cookies, courtesy of the Boogaloo Bag photographer Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner. Folks ate them up, that’s for sure. She has been in the habit of baking something delicious for many of the DJ nights that The Boog hosts, so make sure you come down to taste them. They are yummy!

Yummy pumpkin spice cookies!

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at the WHAM-O WATUSI on November 18, 2017:

None of these records are for sale. Many of them have links to the youtubes clips. Click on them and dig for yourself.

Boogaloo goes to Jupiter!

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The Jupiter Disco is a bar on the very far reaches of East Williamsburg. It is located at 1237 Flushing Avenue. We give the address because if you are not paying attention, you will not find this bar. This part of Flushing is very industrial–indeed, the Jupe is located in a brick building with no markings. However, once you find the right door, open it and look inside, you will be pleased to see a very elegant establishment. It recently celebrated its first year of operation. In late October, it initiated an experimental series of retro-themed nights called Stormy Monday that featured some of our favorite DJs, including Sheila B and Todd-O-Phonic Todd. Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus was asked to swing on November 13–and that’s what happened.

The night started at 8pm and went until 1am. That’s five hours of The Boog by himself. His box fits about 140 singles and he usually doesn’t pack it all the way. On this night, he played 127 records (listed below) with only five records left unplayed! That is cutting it close! If the club had asked him to play an extra hour he would have had to play B-sides!!

Having just returned from the wonderful experience of the Keystone State Soul Weekender, The Boog had lots of soul records that he pulled for that event but did not have time to play. So much of the evening comprised of the playing of many great soul records. He also threw in a few ska records, a couple garage rock jams and some top shelf Go-Go dancer numbers.

The Stormy Monday is a great idea and the Boogaloo Bag writers hope that it may continue for some time. The Jupiter Disco is one of our favorite new clubs; it is very groovy and the sound system is tops. It is just a block and a half from the Jefferson stop on the L Train, so it is convenient to reach; especially if you are carrying 130 45s! The Boog hopes to be back soon.

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swings at the Jupiter Disco.

Boogaloo Bag photographer Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner was on hand with yummy pumpkin spice cookies and our pals Drew Redmond and Zuzia dropped by to eat most of them.

Here’s a list of all 127 records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at Jupiter Disco’s Stormy Monday:

None of these records are for sale.

Keystone Soul Music Weekender 2017

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Dave Reistrick and Julio Fernandez host the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Just in its second year, the Keystone State Northern Soul Weekender has become America’s premier annual soul music event east of the Mississippi. This year it took place on November 3, 4 and 5 at the Elks Lodge Hall in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, hosted by Dave Raistrick and Julio Fernandez–just like last year.

Mr. Raistrick is a British cat who is from Skegness, a beach town about a hundred and thirty miles north of London. It is there he lives much of the time, and runs the Tamla Coffee Bar and Record Shop. For some reason, he also spends nearly half the year in Lancaster. Julio Fernandez is a Spaniard, who also somehow ended up in Lancaster. He founded the Red Rose Soul Club (a red rose is the official symbol of Lancaster) a few years ago and it has been doing bang-up business since. He is also the drummer for a hip rocksteady band called The West Kensingtons, based in Philadelphia.

For the second year in a row, these two gentlemen were able to round up some of the finest soul music DJs in the world to spin records at the Keystone State Northern Soul Weekender. They also asked Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus to play a few platters. Records were sold and traded in the bar and the great soul singer Eddie Holman dropped by on Saturday afternoon to sign autographs.

Gene Merideth and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus shop for records from dealer Rick Noll.

Among the DJs chosen to spin this year were: Andrew Turner (Reading, PA), Bruno Jerez (France), Connie T Empress (Empire State Soul Club), Kevin & Denise Draper (Huntingdon, UK), Jason & Stacey Thornton (Massachusetts), Eric Svirida (Long Island), Tom Dechistofaro (Cleveland), Ian Friend (Pittsburg), Andy Powell (Loughborough, UK), Dave Moore (Hitsville International Soul Club), Micheal Robinson (Dig Deeper), George Rodriguez (Minnesota), Gene Merideth (Allentown) and the amazing Thing With Two Heads (Dallastown, PA).

Tom Dechristofaro, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Mr. Robinson swing at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Bruno Jerez, Andy Powell and Kevin Draper were here last year, so it was exciting to hear them again. These guys are long-time staples of the Northern Soul scene in Europe and it was thrilling to have them spin records in this country. It’s amazing how folks from way on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean can latch on to something so American as soul music and be so adept at playing records that are so fabulously unheard of in this country; records that sound so fabulously good. Our fez is off to them!

Bruno Jerez prepares to start the record as Andy Powell announces it at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

The Boogaloo Bag writers were happy to see some DJs that didn’t appear last year: Andrew Turner, Michael Robinson and Eric Svrida. Although he doesn’t claim to be a DJ, Mr. Turner played some great records and the Boogaloo Bag writers were on the floor dancing whenever he appeared, playing favorites as well as obscuros. Mr. Robinson is a man who shouldn’t need an introduction in the Boogaloo Bag. He has spun records many times at the Subway Soul Club. The Dig Deeper series of soul music extravaganzas that he and his partner DJ Honky used to present in Brooklyn a few years ago will never be forgotten. Mr. Robinson is the proud owner of some of the rarest soul records of all time, so when he selects the sounds, you want to be around! Over the last couple of years, Mr. Svirida has been hosting soul nights in Long Island and recently has started to break into the scene in New York City. He is a pure Northern Soul DJ, and he kept the faithful satisfied on the dance floor. His action was hip, so dig him if he comes to your town.

Andrew Turner selects a hot tune to play at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Gene Merideth is another fine DJ that we are very familiar with. He has also been a guest many times at Subway Soul Club–and a very popular and respected one, too. Since moving to the Allentown area, he has begun soul nights there that are sure to be special.  Mr. Merideth can recognize a swingin’ sound, that’s for sure and when he spins a record, it stays spun! Also, if you are the proud owner of a Vespa or Lambretta scooter in need of repairs, Mr. Meredith can fix that. His Scooters Originali is known internationally as the place to have your scooter refurbished. Some of his work is even displayed in the Museum of Modern Art.

Gene Merideth digs for the perfect record to play at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

One guy we were very impressed with was George Rodriguez. He co-hosts a heavy funk and rare soul night in Minneapolis called Hipshaker that has been in operation for fifteen years. He has also been a guest DJ at various all-nighters and weekenders around the world, including Dig Deeper in Brooklyn. The records he played can only be described one way: Boss!

George Rodriguez boosts the level on another boss record at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Speaking of “boss,” last year the Boogaloo Bag writers arrived on the scene too late on Friday night to dig the sets put down by Tom Dechristofaro and Ian Friend. This was a shame because they are our kind of DJs: cats who don’t mind mixing an R&B or Latin soul number into their sets. With about twenty DJs to fill about thirty 40-minute slots, the hosts had to work a bit of math. Several DJs ended up being paired together and such was the case with these two. And it worked.

Tom Dechristofaro and Ian Friend team up for a fabulous set at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Among those who were paired off were Jason Thornton and Dave Moore on both Friday and Saturday nights. These two also conspire to write and edit There’s That Beat, a rare soul fanzine issued quarterly. Recently, they fried bigger fish by writing and publishing The Philly Sound – Philadelphia Soul Music and its R&B Roots: From Gospel & Bandstand to TSOP. This is a giant, nearly 700 pages book devoted to the great soul music that was recorded in the City of Brotherly Love. It is an overload of facts and figures and photos and fun stuff that will prove to be the definitive book on the subject for many years to come. Congratulations, mates, on a work extremely well done! …and you know that they played a lot of Philly soul records during their sets.

Jason Thornton and Dave Moore display the fine book they have written at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

 

The Empress and Denise Draper team up for boss sounds at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

One of the things that set this Keystone State Soul Weekender apart from last year was the inclusion of so many women DJs. Last year, the only one was X-tine 16, but as a part of the DJ duo The Thing With Two Heads (along with partner Bazooka Joe). This time the hosts invited several others: Denise Draper, Stacey Thornton and Connie T Empress. Although Ms. Draper and Ms. Thornton are wives of DJs, they each came with their own impressive records and their own respective styles. Ms. Draper played some of the toughest R&B records you’ll ever hear. Ms. Thornton sweetened things by playing mostly women singers. Clearly they belonged. That goes double for the Empress of Soul, Ms. Connie. During the Eighties and early Nineties she was deeply involved with the Empire State Soul Club, New York City’s original Sixties soul dance party. She recreated that magic with every record she played.

Stacey Thornton swings with another fine girl group record at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

The Thing With Two Heads played a set on Friday night that was sublime. The Thing’s thing is not Northern Soul, but rather hard soul and R&B. This is something that the hosts wanted to throw into the mix on purpose in order to shake things up. This The Thing did, in a most magnificent way. (The Boogaloo Bag writers and the good people at Wang Dang Doodle Productions have been trying to lure The Thing to swing at a Wham-O Watusi. Hopefully that will happen in the near future.)

The Thing With Two Heads await its turn to spin records at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Another DJ who may not be considered a Northern Soul DJ is Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus. However, he is a dance DJ, and he has been playing Sixties soul records at parties and dances and concerts and assorted celebratory events since the early Seventies. He plays a “Northern” song from time to time as he digs the music, and plays quite a bit of them when spinning at the Subway Soul Club, at which he is the resident DJ; but he will always mix in something that throws a listener for a loop, yet keeps that listener on the dance floor. On Friday night, he was paired with The Empress of Soul. They executed their 40-minute set by splitting the first ten minutes, then playing every-other record for the final twenty. Working with Miss Connie is always a delight.

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Connie T Empress, the Empress of Soul, swing at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at the 2nd Keystone State Northern Soul Weekender:

Friday

Saturday

None of these records are for sale. Click on the links in order to dig the tunes.

Here are more scenes from the 2nd Keystone State Soul Weekender:

Dave Raistrick digs one of Mr. Robinson’s spins at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Andrew Turner plays “Down in the Basement” on Sunday afternoon at the Keystone Soul Weekender.

Tom Dechristofaro, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Stacey Thornton swing at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Andy Powel and Bruno Jerez team for a set of great Northern Soul records at the Keystones State Soul Weekender.

Andy Powell has been doing Northern Soul all-nighters and weekenders for about as long as anyone in the world. It was a pleasure to have him at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

A be-fezzed Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swings at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Bruno Jerez plays another tasteful Northern Soul track at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Connie T Empress brought her own MC, Brother Weems, another Empire State Soul Club associate, to the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Dave Raistrick and Julio Fernandez keep the party going at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Denise Draper killed the place when she played Big Mama Thornton’s version of “Wade in the Water” at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Connie T Empress shows why she is truly the Empress of Soul at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Eric Svirida plays a favorite at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Gene Merideth works the turntables at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

George Rodriguez keeps things moving with another top tune at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Jason Thornton and Dave Moore played mostly records from Philadelphia at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Kevin Draper announces one of his favorite spins at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Mr. Robinson checks out some acetates for possible purchase at the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Connie T Empress and Julio Fernandez discuss groovy soul records with DJ Salinger on the Sunday afternoon of the Keystone State Soul Weekender.

Congratulations to Julio Fernandez and Dave Raistrick for pulling off another very successful Keystone State Soul Weekender. Thank you for the all the work you do to make this a happening. We will see you next year!!!

The Elk who watched over the Keystone State Soul Weekender!

 

The Internet Archive in the 20th Century

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Last October, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus was asked to DJ the dance party section of the Internet Archive’s annual celebration in San Francisco. It went so well, that he was asked back this year for its celebratory event held on October 11.

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus works the dance portion of the Internet Archive Party.

The Internet Archive is a non-profit entity whose mission is to make as much information available on the internet as possible, for free. Or, as they like to put it, universal access to all knowledge. This year’s theme was The Twentieth Century, and the Archive touted its vast gathering of all sorts of information from that time period now on its website–books, movies, news papers, sound recordings, etc.–during its gathering of affiliates, partners, employees and associates in the Great Room on Funston Avenue.

Chas Gaudi swings his 78s at the Internet Archive party.

One of the fine things that the Internet Archive is responsible for is the Great 78 Project. The IA is sponsoring the digitization of tens of thousands of 78s (most of them funneled to the project by the ARChive of Contemporary Music). In order to emphasize this, our pal Chas Gowdy played 78s in the back yard during the early portion of the evening. Also going on there was George Blood, the man responsible for digitizing the 78s in Philadelphia, showcasing his four tone-armed turntable, one of the ones used for this project. There were taco trucks, drinks and hands-on demos of such things as old computer games and virtual reality.

George Blood’s 4 tone-armed turntable.

And there were taco trucks. Gooood taco trucks!

The Boogaloo Bag writers were busy getting ready for the dance portion of the evening and did not see very much of the presentation in the Great Room, but suffice it to say, the Wayback Machine that was built for the event was a genius addition to the program. It is difficult to describe, but we will try: it looked like a great big box with a curtain. The host Jason Scott, or a speaker,  would adjust a nob until it read a date, then lights would blink, smoke would come out of the top and a guest speaker would walk through the curtain and discuss something that happened on that date. The whole program can be checked out at the Internet Archive blog.

Chas Gaudi gets a vist from Alec Palao at the Internet Archive party.

Chas Gaudi, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Otto Von Stroheim swing at the Internet Archive Party.

After the presentation, all attendees were given a gift (knit caps with IA logo) and ice cream bars and directed to the back yard, where Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus played some swingin’ records and was very pleased that some of his local friends were able to come out and dig the scene, including Otto Von Stroheim, Big Kahuna of the Tiki Oasis; and Alec Palao, genius reissue maven for Ace Records (UK).

Here’s a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at the 20th Century Time Machine – The Internet Archive’s Annual Celebration on October 11:

None of these records are for sale. Some of them have links to the youtubes clips so you may dig them in the privacy of your own head!