Danny Says: Let there be Boogaloo!!!

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Danny Fields is an unsung, non-musician, heroes of modern rock ‘n’ roll. He is the kind of guy who seems to have been at the right place at the right time and smart enough to know what he was doing. During the mid-late sixties, he was involved with the Andy Warhol scene, which then included Nico and The Velvet Underground; he had a radio show on WFMU during its early days pioneering the free-form format; he was involved with getting rock musicians on the covers of teen magazines; he worked at folk-oriented Elektra Records when it was becoming more involved with rock music; at Elektra, he helped publicize Judy Collins and The Doors (according to legend, it was Mr. Fields who suggested to Elektra that an edit of the seven-minute song “Light My Fire” would be a hit), and he got The Stooges and the MC5 signed to the label; he worked with The Modern Lovers; and he discovered The Ramones, even managed them during their early years.

That’s not all. He was a friend of Linda Eastman before she married Paul McCartney. He managed a young folk singer from Mississippi named Steve Forbert. He is an author and a photographer. And now he is the subject of a documentary called Danny Says—titled after a Ramones song that name-checks him. The film was recently completed and had its New York premier on Tuesday September 22 at the Players Theater in the West Village. Check here for more information on the movie.

After the premier, a reception for the movie was held at 49 Grove—an elegant, dimly lit, exclusive nightclub just a few blocks away from the theater. Hosted by the authors of the New York Punk Rock Bible Please Kill Me Gillian McCain and Legs McNeil. Asked to DJ the party was none other than Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, who was honored to do so.

Unfortunately, due to the location of the DJ booth in the club—literally a hole in the wall that could easily be overlooked—The Boog was unable to identify most of the luminaries in attendance—except the tall Mr. Thurston Moore, who towered over everyone in the room. Other notable attendees were a whole bunch of folks who currently DJ at free-form radio station WFMU, including Todd-O-Phonic Todd, Miss Shiela B, Joe Belock and Dave the Spazz, as well as the Boog’s old pal and ex-WFMU DJ The HoundDanny Fields, of course, was too hip to be at his own movie premier and/or reception! The photos appearing in this post were mostly taken from inside the DJ booth (click on the photos and they will big-o-fi).

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For his part, Phast Phreddie played all sorts of records that were appropriate for the evening, which started when he played The Ramones’ “Danny Says”—which was played about three or four more times during the evening, as the occasion necessitated. Here’s a list of all the songs played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus at the reception for the film Danny Says:

  • Ramones–Danny Says [from LP End of the Century] (Sire)
  • Bob Thiele and his New Happy Times Orch. with Gabor Szabo–Light My Fire (Impulse)
  • The Velvet Underground and Nico–All Tomorrow’s Parties (Verve)
  • Patti Smith–Piss Factory (Mer)
  • Tim Buckley–Aren’t You the Girl (Elektra; UK)
  • Mott the Hoople–All the Young Dudes (Columbia)
  • T-Rex–The Groover (EMI; UK)
  • Steve Forbert–Goin’ Down to Laurel (Nemperor)
  • The Doors–Take It as It Comes (Elektra; UK)
  • Lou Reed–Vicious (RCA; Germany)
  • The Stooges–Real Cool Time (Elektra; France)
  • The Velvet Underground & Nico–Femme Fatale (Verve)
  • Mink DeVille–Soul Twist (Capitol; UK)
  • The Byrds–Mr. Spaceman (Columbia)
  • The Rolling Stones–Get Off of My Cloud (Decca; UK)
  • Paul Revere and the Raiders featuring Mark Lindsay–Kicks (Columbia)
  • The Monkees–A Little Bit Me a Little Bit You (Colgems)
  • The Ramones–I Wanna Be Sedated (RSO)
  • The Velvet Underground–White Light/White Heat (Verve)
  • Eddie & the Hot Rods–Do Anything You Wanna Do (Island; UK)
  • Television–Venus (Elektra; Japan)
  • The Modern Lovers–Roadrunner (Beserkley; UK)
  • The Fleshtones–Remember the Ramones (Yep Roc)
  • Ramones–Sheena Is a Punk Rocker (Sire)
  • The Flamin’ Groovies–Shake Some Action (Sire; UK)
  • MC5–Looking at You (A Square)
  • New York Dolls–Who Are the Mystery Girls? (Mercury)
  • Patti Smith–Ask the Angels (Arista)
  • The Doors–Break on Through (Elektra; UK)
  • Les Baronets–Hello Je T’Aime (CanUSA; Canada)
  • La Lupe–Touch Me (Roulette)
  • Blondie–X Offender (Private Stock)
  • The Shangri-Las–Give Him a Great Big Kiss (Red Bird)
  • Martha & the Vandellas–Nowhere to Run (Gordy)
  • David Johansen–Funky But Chic (Blue Sky)
  • Talking Heads–Life During Wartime (Sire)
  • Roxy Music–Do the Strand (Warner Bros./Back to Back Hits)
  • Alice Cooper–Under My Wheels (Warner Bros.)
  • The Velvet Underground featuring Lou Reed–Sweet Jane (Atlantic; Germany)
  • MC5–Kick Out the Jams (Elektra)
  • The Stooges–I Wanna Be Your Dog (Elektra)
  • Ramones–Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue [from LP Ramones] (Sire)
  • Andy Wharol’s Velvet Underground–I’m Waiting for the Man (M-G-M; Germany)
  • The Rolling Stones–Mothers Little Helper (London)
  • The Equals–Police on My Back (RCA; Japan)
  • Elliott Murphy–Last of the Rock Stars (Polydor)
  • Jimi Hendrix Experience–All Along the Watchtower (Reprise)
  • Love–Little Red Book (Elektra)
  • The Doors–Soul Kitchen (Elektra)
  • Lou Reed–Walk and Talk It (RCA)
  • Pretenders–The Wait (Real; UK)
  • The Beatles–Helter Skelter (Capitol)
  • Iggy & the Stooges–Penetration (Columbia)
  • The Move–Brontosaurus (A&M)
  • The Doors–Not to Touch the Earth (Elektra; Portugal)

None of these records are for sale.

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Gillian McCain (Please Kill Me) and James Marshall (The Hound) swing at the reception for the “Danny Says” movie.

Out of Sight V!

Moses Funk swings at Out of Sight!

Moses Funk swings at Out of Sight!

On September 17, Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus returned to the Beauty Bar in Manhattan to swing at Out of Sight—the goovy soul dance party hosted by our pal DJ Xerox every Thursday night. This time his co-guest DJ was Moses Funk.

Mr. Funk is from Boston, where he hosted two fabulous dance nights: Cheap Thrills a’ Go-Go—a montly sex-a-dellic Go-Go party that the Boog once guest DJed at—and the Mambo Beat Club—a bi-weekly soul music event. He now lives in Brooklyn where a few years ago he started the Brooklyn Soul Club, which is currently on hiatus while Moses Funk develops some sort of scientific turntablist project. For Out of Sight, Moses Funk came armed with a box of old soul 45s and he played the hell out of them, too!!

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

  • Pieces of Eight–Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf (A&M)
  • Hank Jacobs–Monkey Hips & Rice (Sue)
  • The Cooperettes–Don’t Trust Him (Brunswick)
  • Naomi Davis Shelton & the Knights of Forty First Street–Forty First Street Breakdowne (Desco/Daptone)
  • Martha Reeves & the Vandellas–I Gotta Let You Go (Gordy)
  • Joe and George–You’re Gonna Miss Me (Now)
  • The Passions–Hi Jacked Part I (Tower)
  • The Sweethearts–This Couldn’t Be Me (Kent)
  • Bobby Wilson–Feels Good (Volt)
  • Gene Chandler–I Can’t Save It (Constellation)
  • Rose Batiste–That’s What He Told Me (Golden World)
  • The Glories–No News (Date)
  • Herbie Mann (vocals by Little Milton, Swee-Tea and Percy)–It’s a Funky Thing – Right On (Part 2) (Memphis Underground) (Atlantic)
  • John Roberts–Sockin’ 1-2-3-4 (Duke)
  • Johnny Tolbert–Check Your Battery Part I (Jasman)
  • Jerry Washington–Set Your Soul on Fire (Excello)
  • The Exception–You Don’t Know Like I Know (Capitol)
  • Buddy Miles Express–Memphis Train (Mercury)
  • Lorraine Ellison–Call Me Anytime You Need Some Lovin’ (Mercury)
  • Smokey Robinson & I Miracles–Non Sono Quello Che Tu Vuoi (Tamla/Motown; Italy)
  • Pat Lewis–Can’t Shake It Loose (Golden World)
  • Roy Head–I Want Some Action (Mercury)
  • Charles Bradley & Larose Jackson–Luv Jones (Dunham)
  • Aretha Franklin–Pullin’ (Atlantic)
  • Judy White–Somebody Been Messin’ (T-Neck)
  • Frankie Newsome–My Lucky Day – Part I (GWP)
  • James Brown–I Love You (King)
  • The Hot Tamales–Out of Sight (Diamond)
  • Gary (U.S.) Bonds–Copy Cat (Legrand)
  • George Jackson–Tossin’ and Turnin’ (Mercury)
  • Paul Peek–Rockin’ Pnewumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu (Columbia)
  • Maurice Simon and the Pie Men–The Git-Go (Carnival)
  • Jimmy McQuade and the Unique Echos–Bongo Talk (Swan)
  • Gladys Knight & the Pips–Cloud Nine (Soul)
  • The Delights Orchestra–Do Your Thing (Atco)
  • King Solomon–The Moon Walk (Highland)
  • Tommy Strand & the Upper Hand–The Trik (R)
  • J. Hines and the Boys–Funky Funk (Part 1) (Nation-Wide)
  • ‘Wee’ Willie Walker–Ticket to Ride (Goldwax)
  • Cresa Watson–These Boots Are Made for Walking (Charay)
  • The 5th Dimension–Sunshine of Your Love (Liberty; Germany)
  • The Magnificent Men–Almost Persuaded (Capitol)
  • Wilson Pickett–Funk Factory (Atlantic)
  • H.B. Barnum–Blessed Mother (Cozy)
  • Otis Redding–Look at the Girl (Atco)
  • Lester Young–Barefootin Time in Chinatown (Barry)
  • Wallace Brothers–Airborne Shuffle (Jewel)
  • Andre Franklin with the Preston Epps Trio, Jim Ashford – drums–Say Yeah!! (Polo)
  • The Counts–Chitlins, Etc. (Panorama)
  • Howard Peters–Tighten Up the Slack (Coral)
  • Mason & Dixon–Soul Power (Buttercup)
  • Vigon–Baby Your Time Is My Time (Egg; France)
  • Jerry-O–Scratch My Back (Boo-Ga-Loo)
  • Chuck Jackson–Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (Wand)
  • Toussaint McCall–I’m Gonna Make Me a Woman (Ronn)

None of these records are for sale.

Twist All Night!

Nogood Nick, Sheila B and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

Nogood Nick, Sheila B and Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus swing at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

TWIST ALL NIGHT! is a new Boogaloo Night concept, developed in the WANG DANG DOODLE laboratories, especially for the nights at the Commodore. These nights, held every other fourth Friday of the month, often play host to some of the most fabulous music in existence. TWIST ALL NIGHT!, which made its debut on May 22, was no exception. With guest DJs Sheila B and Nogood Nick, you KNOW some great records were played.

TWIST ALL NIGHT! will feature some of the finest DJs who play boss 45s. They will be allowed complete freedom to play anything they want—as long as it is REET! Sheila B and Nogood Nick are two DJs who excel at this sort of program.

 

Sheila B works her thing at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

Sheila B works her thing at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

Sheila B, who is internationally known as the Queen of the Girl Group 45, spun plenty of those, sure, but also some keen freakbeat, French ye-ye, hot R&B and some other tuff stuff. She just kept it coming, until she had to leave a bit early, since she wasn’t feeling well.

 

Nogood Nick works with a clean needle at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

Nogood Nick works with a clean needle at TWIST ALL NIGHT!

Luckily, Nogood Nick was in the house. He’s one of those DJs who, for some reason, rarely seems to be on anybody’s list of Top DJs. However, he’s got great records and knows how to play them, and therefore, should be on the top of everybody’s list! It is quite possible that he is the most underrated DJ on the scene. Before TWIST ALL NIGHT!, he and Miss Sheila barely knew each other. In fact, Mr. Nick succeeded in grabbing Miss Sheila’s attention by playing a whole set of nothing but fantastic girl group records. She dug Nogood Nick’s work so much that she invited him to be guest DJ at the next Sh-Boom, the groovy new dance night she hosts at Baby’s All Right (dig it on June 26).

 

For his part, TWIST ALL NIGHT! host Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus played a lot of records he has never played out before—some of them because they were newly acquired, others because they awaited the perfect moment for them to be played, and still others because they have been buried inside the Boogaloo Vault so deep that they were unreachable! Also, note, two B.B. King records were played to further honor the passing of the great bluesman.

 

The following is a list of all the records played by Phast Phreddie the Boogaloo Omnibus, some with links to clips on the youtubes. Below that is a gallery of records that were played – click on the image and it will Big-O-Fi right on your computer screen!

None of these records are for sale.

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Next Boogaloo Night at the Commodore will be July 24. Don’t you dare miss it!!