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Greg's Blue Dot
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Greg’s Blue Dot 742 N. Highland Hollywood, Ca.Well…I guess I’m as qualified as any to write about Greg's Blue Dot. I’ll try to do it justice.
My name is Johnny Eckhardt. I was a DJ at Greg's Blue Dot from the week they opened until somewhere in/around 1984…..let’s make it easy and just say “the first four/ four and a half years they were open.”
What an incredible place and time that was. I had only been a DJ for a short period of time before I started working there…..so we sort of grew together.
Greg's Blue Dot was carved out of the extinct Falcon’s Lair and just a hop, skip & stumble away from Probe ( 1 very short block away). The first thing you noticed was the glass brick divider at the front door…..well….that and the very hot doorman (on weekends). As you walked around the glass brick divider, you found yourself in a fairly stark open room with a cement floor, large gray tiles going half way up the walls (gray “industrial” carpet going the rest of the way up), a “U” shaped bar which started right at end of the glass divider and there…cutting semi-diagonally through the middle of the room was the infamous Greg’s staircase leading up to the second level. There was a large bass speaker in the corner by the front door as well as one tucked against the wall under the staircase. Just beyond the bottom of the staircase was a pool table and to the right of that…the bathrooms. Hanging from the ceiling in the front corners of the room and in the “corners” just in front of the balcony were 4 large Cerwin-Vega speakers and from the center of the room right over the bar were video monitors.. Other than a few barstools and an occasional Pac-man machine or two….that was pretty much it for room décor…..did I mention the billboard sized photo (not always same photo….but always hot) hanging on the south wall?
The north wall was actually windows and a large doorway that opened up to/ and looked out upon the outdoor patio, firepit and separate bar. Upstairs was basically a very large balcony with a bar of it’s own against the north wall as well as the DJ booth which overlooked the whole room.
One thing I can say about Greg Hammond (the owner)…..he sure knew how to find some of the hottest men in all of Los Angeles….and then hire them. You would think with all those gorgeous men working together, that there would be a lot of attitude and competition. Absolutely NOT the case. I still to this day have yet to work anywhere that had anything near to the family closeness (incestuous at times) that became of Greg’s employees. It was something very special.
Up until Greg's Blue Dot opened, the only thing going on at 6am on Sunday mornings was “Church”…..at the Rusty Nail. Of course, if you were leaving Probe, that meant getting in your car and driving a couple or three miles etc. Also, if you were leaving Probe at 6am on Sunday morning…..it was definitely time for a cocktail. It only made sense for Greg’s to oblige and open at 6am. We didn’t mean to steal “Church” away from the Rusty Nail…honest. It just sort of happened. I was the “church” DJ and out of the entire time I worked there, I think I only missed 2….3 at the most ….Sunday mornings. Once I was sick…..the other time was when I decided to “run home real quick” between the Saturday night shift (which I worked) and the Sunday morning shift. At the time, I lived at the beach. So….I went home and the next thing I know…….I’m waking up and it’s after noon. OOOOPS!
After a while, we started opening at 6am on Saturday morns as well.
Another thing that Greg’s had going for it was bringing in a lot of live (and semi-live) entertainment. Gloria Jones was our “resident” entertainer but Greg’s was host to just about every diva that came out with a song at the time. One thing that I did before leaving Greg’s was to replace the microphone in which I kept the mic that was used by the many, many entertainers that performed there. I still have that mic today (it still works good too).. It has a lot of history to it …..and a lot of sentimental value as well.
Photo of Greg's Blue Dot featured in the April 1982 issue of In Touch Magazine submitted by Jeff:
Photo of the exterior of Probe as shown in 1985 issue of Jock magazine submitted by Jauers.
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Submitted by Johnny Eckhardt (1)
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Nov 27, 2011 | 1:39 pmI just happened across this tribute to Greg's Blue Dot because of my uncle Danny's obituary -
it states he was a DJ here and "On the Boulevard"??
I would love any information anyone has about him, (Danny Keaton).....
Thank you!
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Sep 18, 2011 | 12:28 pm
"Church" at Greg's, after Probe, is one of my favorite memories of all time. I lived in WeHo for a short time, about a year, from late '79 until late '80, and I lived at all the clubs in Hollywood and West Hollywood. I worked at Ah Men on Santa Monica Blvd and can't remember a single day that wasn't full of adventure and sky-high fun. To say the least, lol. I'm writing a memoir, and going back through that time just brings a huge smile to my face every time I think of those precious moments. Thanks for your music, Johnny, I'm sure I beamed up at you while dancing at one point or three!!
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Aug 14, 2011 | 11:15 pm
I dated Greg briefly in 1983/84... He was always a doll to me. I know he passed away I think in the late 80s. Does anyone have more info and any pics of that beautiful face with a sweet soul..I would appreciate any info..Thanks....remembering good times and good people...I met Freddy Mercury at Gregs one night.So much fun
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Oct 17, 2009 | 9:56 am
Hey Johnny - Greg's was one of my favorite bars back then. I will always remember 60's nights when performers would come in at midnight and do there stuff from back then while standing on the stairs that led to the balcony. My friend Alain Grandclaudon was a doorman there for a couple of years. He passed on in 1993 with so many others. Halloween's were a blast there too. The place was packed with drag queens so drunk they could hardly stand up. What fun we all had!!!!
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May 13, 2008 | 6:33 pm
....and Johnny, the music was FANTASTIC, more a blend of new wave, punk along with the obligatory disco, and i was living the Melrose dream then, new clothes from Melrose Ave, boots, all of it. Somewhere between the ZeroZero or Studio, there was always a visit to the 8709!
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May 13, 2008 | 6:30 pm
Johnny, You couldn't MOVE in there during church, or when you did, it was biceps, pecs and tank tops galore, frankly great music, great dancing, and i mean GREAT! i recall dancing on the stairs due to lack of space anywhere else. I had to work up the courage to "graduate" to Greg's and Probe, after a couple of years at Studio One and Revolver. Greg's and Probe were more ---- serious, intimidating, but sexy, SEXY!
I moved out here in 1983 from upstate New York and my very first night out I took a bus from
Pasadena to WeHo ... pretty cheeky , huh ?
..... ended up at Gregg's where I met a California blond around the cool fire pit that was there ....
WOW.... what memories.
It was a fun bar filled with gr8 music , beautiful guys and an ambiance that is , today, unparalleled .
I also met my 'dream come true first love' there ... WOW .. tight jeans , tank top and all .... and what a smile that boy had !
Always stayed in touch ... until he tragically succumbed to AIDS in '89.
Memories so sad ...... yet so so wonderful. Thank God we have them. Gregg's Blue Dot ... we need another .