Being involved with the Subway Soul Club has never been boring. Things happen and things happen. An event was scheduled for June 1 at Ceremony in Williamsburg–site of the New Year’s Eve Subway Soul Club Black & White Ball that was such a success. SSC had some great DJs lined up: Mr. Fine Wine (WFMU, Botanica) and a Brit named Mark Randall. Resident DJ Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus had a box full of boss sounds ready to go. Fearless leader Lady Dawn had the promotion in motion.

However, on the afternoon of the event (!) the SSC organization was notified by Ceremony management that the evening had been accidentally double-booked and SSC would have to be cancelled! Apparently, Ceremony management had turned over the booking of the club to an independent booking agency and forgot to notify the agency that June 1 had already been taken–many months in advance. Unfortunately, this error was not noticed until the last minute and SSC was bumped.

 

Lady Dawn, Subway Soul Club’s den mother and artistic director, reckoned that this was a mistake that would never happen again. Another date was booked at Ceremony:  October 26. since it was a week before Halloween, Lady Dawn decided on a spooky theme, asked folks to come in costume, and drew up an appropriate poster for it–with a mod witch flying through the sky on a Vespa scooter! Unfortunately, neither Mr. Fine Wine or Mr. Randall were available to make the scene. Lynne K (Get That Feeling) and Josh Styles (Smashed!Blocked!) were asked to be guest DJs and they were able to comply. The Subway Soul Club organization was very happy with this arrangement, as both DJs have been working with SSC since its days at Rififi, nearly 20 years ago.

However, once again Ceremony management was not able to come through. Apparently, the club was having difficulty with its landlord and all events through the end of the year had to be cancelled. The good thing is that there was about a month notice, so the SSC organization was not freaking out last minute like last time.

Another good thing, our friend Bobby Rich–who owns the Bootleg Bar, scene of the Whamo Watusi (hosted by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus)–had just opened a beautiful new club called Venus In Furs. The Phast Man got on the horn and asked Mr. Rich for a date at the new club as soon as possible in order to squeak in another SSC event before the end of the year. He gave them November 23.

Lynne K and Josh Styles both agreed to come and guest DJ. Venus In Furs is a bigger and better club than Ceremony. It is the perfect setting for Subway Soul Club, with it’s huge dance floor and wildly designed walls, great sound system and bar tenders who know how to poor a drink. Everybody was happy.

However, even this event didn’t take place as planned–due to an act that nobody could have foreseen; guest DJ Lynne K had to deal with a family emergency and would not be available. Lady Dawn and Phast Phreddie turned to one of our favorite soul DJs Nogood Nick (Rip! Rig! Panic!) to come swing in her place. So that’s what happened.

Plus, Miss Nancy Gardner made some vegan brownies, chocolate/pumpkin blossoms, and chocolate cookies with pumpkin mello cremes. Those things disappeared fast!

As much as the Subway Soul Club organization tried, only one event took place in all of 2019. But it was a fun one. Although it was a cold and rainy evening, the dance floor was full most of the time and the DJs played fantastic records all night. The new venue was terrific and the Subway Soul Club organization hopes it can make Venus In Furs its home for a long, long time.

Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, in order to pay homage to our friend Lynne K, opened the night with a record he learned from her. Here is a list of all the records he played at Subway Soul Club on November 23:

• Hank Jacobs–Elijah Rockin’ With Soul (Call Me)
• Tony and The Mockin’ Byrds–Walkin’ the Duck (Associated Artists)
• Sir Albert – The Sonic Sax Sound–Sir Albert (Rozan)
• Jimmie Raye–Walked On, Stepped On, Stomped On (KKC)
• Eddie Holman–You Know That I Will (Parkway)
• Love and Brotherhood–Sugar Pie Honey (Chess)
• Liz Spraggins–Mis-Un-Der-Stand-Ing (Shout)
• The Artistics–One Last Chance (Brunswick)
• The Intrigues–Let’s Dance (Yew)
• The Undisputed Truth–You Got the Love I Need (Gordy)
• Soul Ambassadors–I’ve Got the Feeling (Sound Stage 7)
• Willie Mitchell–The Champion Part 1 (London; UK)
• Martha Velez–Tell Mama (Sire)
• Pete Klint Quintet–Hey Diddle Diddle (Atlantic)
• Marva Holiday–it’s Written All Over My Face (GNP Crescendo)
• The Volcanos–Make Your Move (Arctic)
• Sugarpie Desanto; Nat Hendrix Band–A Little Taste of Soul (Gedinson’s)
• Ike & Tina Turner–Tina’s Dilema (Sue)
• The Mid Knights–Somebody Somewhere Needs You (Warner Bros.; Canada)
• Roy Handy–Baby That’s a Groove (Stephannye)
• Jamo Thomas & His Party Brothers Orchestra–I Spy (For the FBI) (Thomas)
• Mike & the Censations–Don’t Mess With Me (Highland)
• Major Lance–Investigate (OKeh)
• Little Eva–Mama Said (Spring)
• Bill Doggett–Twenty Five Miles (King)
• Cliff Nobles–My Love Is Getting Stronger (Atlantic)
• Tony Clarke–Landslide (Chess)
• The Burning Emotions–The Whatchama Call It (Bang)
• Billy Butler–Right Track (OKeh)
• Ray Paige–Ain’t No Soul (Left in These Old Shoes) (RCA Victor)
• Damaso Perez Prado y su Orquesta–Mexico 70 (Orfeon; Mexico)
• James Brown and the Famous Flames–Night Train (King)
• Dusty Springfield–Love Power (Philips; Portugal)
• Supremes–Buttered Popcorn (Tamla)
• Jewel Akens–A Slice of the Pie (Era)
• Little Alfred with Berry Cups–The Mashed Potatoes Back Again (Lyric)
• Dale Serrano–Ou-Wee Man (Stix)
• Butlers–She Tried to Kiss Me (All I Could Do Was Run) (Liberty Bell)
• Jay J. Jones–I Don’t Know About You (V-Tone)
• The Soul Lovers featuring James Young–Shake & Finger Pop’n (American Playboy)
• Shirley J. Scott–Goose Pimples (Stephanye)
• The Magnificent (7)–Stubborn Kind of Fellow (Lemco)
• The Del-Satins featuring Adrienne Williams–Baby You’re the Fire (Villa)
• Inovations–Just Keep on Loving Me (Hit Sound!)
• Pal Rakes and the Prophets–Can’t Deny the Hurt (Verve)
• William Bell–Happy (Stax)
• Donnie Burkes–Satisfaction Guaranteed (Decca)
• Just Rita–The Best Thing You Ever Had (Barrington)

None of these records are for sale. Some of them have links to the youtubes for the readers’ enjoyment and edification.

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