WHAM-O WATUSI #35 took place on Saturday, June 2, as per usual, at the Bootleg Bar in picturesque downtown Bushwick, Brooklyn, hosted by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus with guest DJ Peanutbutter Brown.  However, the night did not begin there and then. Our friend and great DJ of reet music PepperminTwist was in town. Several years ago, she and ace DJ Josh Styles teamed up to host Smashed!Blocked!, a super boss garage rock/freak beat event that was held monthly at the Beauty Bar in Manhattan. After Smashed!Blocked! terminated operations, she married an Italian and moved to Italy. She was in town for a weekend and our pal Drew Redmond was able to get her to DJ, along with ace DJ Sheila B and Jodie Artichoke–another fine DJ who also married a European and moved away. Together they presented The Fearsome Foursome–four fabulous DJs spinning hot 45s at the Lua Bar on the edge of East Williamsburg. So this was a reunion of sorts. 

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus and Boogaloo Bag photographer Nancy “Jeannie” Gardner showed up at the Lua Bar around 8:30 or so and hung out for about 45 minutes. Drew was pulling out some wicked jams as PepperminTwist and Jodie Artichoke sampled the venue’s Asian cuisine and Miss Sheila prepared her set. Speaking of cuisine, Miss Nancy baked peanut butter cookies for the WHAM-O–in honor of Peanutbutter Brown, of course–and was happy to share them with our friends at the Lua Bar before she and The Boog made their way to the Bootleg Bar.

When The Boog and Miss Nancy arrived at the Boot, Peanutbutter Brown was there laying in wait for the peanut butter cookies!

Peanutbutter Brown used to live in Harlem. He started an excellent soul night there called The Uptown Getdown that played out in a couple of different clubs. Then, a few years ago, he moved to San Francisco, where he founded the Golden State Soul Club. After a couple of unfortunate events took place, he moved back to New York and now resides in Bushwick, just a few blocks from the Bootleg Bar. We will expect to see him at many future WHAMs as an attendee as well as a guest DJ.

Peanutbutter Brown is mostly a soul records man, but at the WHAM-O he spun several R&B, Latin Boogaloo and rock records, too. It is a gas having him back on the scene. Plenty of our friends showed up during the night and by the end of it, all the peanut butter cookies, and most of the vegan brownies that Miss Nancy also made, were gone.

Meanwhile, back at the Lua Bar, The Fearsome Foursome night was scheduled to end at two in the morning, but it went so well that it remained happening for about an hour or so longer. Drew and the gals were planning to make the late scene at The WHAM, but by the time they got there, “last call” was being announced.

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

• The Majestics–The Boss Walk (Part II) (Dunes)
• The Crazy Kats–Makin’ Whoopee (Deauville)
• Joel Hill–Monkey Business (Monogram)
• Little Vincent & His Band–Honk, Honk, Honk (Pt. 2) (Apollo)
• Fabulous Shalimars–Afro Soul (Cotillion)
• Jimmy & Jack–Explosion (Shell)
• Gabriel and the Angels–The Peanut Butter Song (Swan)
• The Blue Boys–The Way the Kookie Crumbles (United Artists)
• The Peridots–Twistin’ the Bop (Twist)
• The Buttons & Beaus–Twistin’ Blues (Zen)
• The Tyrones–Pink Champagne (Mercury)
• Tony Joe White–Scratch My Back (Monument)
• John Lee Hooker–I Feel Good (Pt. 1) (Jewel)
• The Human Jungle–Gorilla Milk (Double Shot)
• The Moods–The Broken Hip (Kool)
• Tender Joe Richardson–B Side Shing-A-Ling (Veep)
• J. L. Smith–Did You Do the Mosquito (F-M)
• Freddie ‘Slim’ Summerville–Wiggle Tail (GMC)
• Leon Haywood–I’m Gonna Wait (Fantasy)
• King Solomon–Separation (Mader-D)
• Otis Leavill–Rise Sally Rise (Lucky)
• Brenda Holloway–I’ll Be Available (Tamla)
• Artus Satterfield–Hot Pants (Axis)
• Max Romeo & the Upsetters–One Step Forward (Island)
• Ophiucus–Darbouka (Barclay; Canada)
• Curley & the Jades–Boom Stix (Reprise)
• Bo Diddley–Who May Your Lover Me (Checker*)
• Les Lionceaux–Hey Hey Bo Diddley [from EP Les Lionceaux en Direct du Bilboquet] (Mercury; France)
• Jimmy Powell–Sugar Babe – Part 1 (Decca; UK)
• The Blue Orchids–Oo-Chang-A-Lang (London)
• The Delcords–I’m So Sorry (Treasure)
• The Precisions–Why Girl (Drew)
• 100 Proof Aged in Soul–Somebody’s Been Sleeping (Hot Wax)
• Bobby Patterson–What’s Your Problem Baby (Jetstar)
• Patty Livingston–Playin’ With Fire (Dimension)
• Bob Marshall and the Crystals–She Shot a Hole in My Soul (L-Rev)
• The Emperors–Mumble Shing-A-Ling (Brunswick)
• Nat Kendrick & the Swans–Wobble Wobble Part One (Dade)
• The Cliffs of Rhythms Band–The Boogaloo Popeye (Dit Dot)
• Katie Webster–Yellow Pants High Heel Shoes (Goldband)
• Johnny Adams–Spunky Onions (Pacemaker)
• Frank Alamo–Hum Hum Hum (Barclay; France)
• Stevie Wonder–This Little Girl (Tamla)
• The Ikettes–Come on and Truck (Atco)
• Oliver Morgan–Who Shot the Lala (GNP Crescendo)
• Prince La La–She Put the Hurt on Me (A.F.O.)
• The Four Jewels–Dapper Dan (Checker)
• Lee Rogers–Love for a Love (Wheelsville)
• Wayne Cochran–You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover (Chess)
• Prentis McPhail–It’s Uncle Willie Time (ARA)
• Robbie Montgomery and the Ike-Ettes–Crazy in Love (Teena)
• The Charmels–Loving Material (Volt)
• Jeanette Williams–Stuff (Back Beat)
• Johnny Neal and the Starliners–Walk Baby Walk (ABC-Paramount)
• Gary Street and the Fairways–Hold Me Closer (Domain; UK)
• The Vandals–Your Love Will Die (D)
• The Jaguars—-キサナドーの伝説 (Legend of Xanadu) (Philips; Japan)
• The Jay Vons–Night (Was Stealing From the Sun) (La-Ti-Da)
• Fleshtones–Take a Walk With The Fleshtones (Naked Language)
• Billy Adams–Looking for My Mary Ann (Sun)
• Bobby Parker–Do the Monkey (Southern Sound)
• Little Willie John–Don’t Be Ashamed to Call My Name (King)
• Barbara Lewis–Sho-Nuff (It’s Got to Be Your Love) (Atlantic)
• Lonnie Sattin–Watermelon Man (Scepter)
• The Quotations–Havin’ a Good Time (With My Baby) (Imperial)
• Eugene Morgan–It’s Your Voodoo Working (Full Sail)
• The Lettermen–Hey Big Brain (Liberty)
• Jordan Bros.–The One That Got Away (Jor-Dan)
• Jogettes–Your Love (MAR)
• Tages–Leaving Here (Platina; Sweden)
• Laurel Aitken–Pachanga (Part I) (New Beat; UK)

None of these records are for sale. Some of them have links to the youtubes for your amusement and edification.