DISCO CAPITAL...UNION CITY,NEW JERSEY IN THE 70'S

[discodisco]

MAN UNION CITY WAS DISCO...BIG TIME..I REMEMBER DRIVING THRU BERGENLINE AVENUE ON THE WEEKENDS...DISCO WOULD BE BLARING OUT OF ALL THE STORES AND CARS...NOW IT'S TURNED INTO A 3RD WORLD BANANA REPUBLIC... LIKE SOMEONE HAD MENTIONED ABOUT ELIZABETH,N.J....IAM GLAD I LIVED IT...I WAS THERE...THESE YOUNGINS NOW A DAYS...THERE CLUELESS..THE CRAP THAT'S ON THE RADIO... I WAS IN A LOCAL DISCO BAND...WE WERE CALLED" JE T'AIME"... BUT WE PLAYED ALL OVER THE TRI STATE AREA...AHHH THE MEMORIES.

[djscream67]

I tend to agree. In my case, Central Avenue was the strip back then. West Side Ave was the joint blazing Disco music up and down the block, and downtown Newark Ave held its own mad strong too! Everybody who was anybody was hanging out at the Exchange Place docks blazing their radios on Disco 92 WKTU FM dancing in the streets without a care in the world, and if you were hip to boogie your ass off you'd go to Foxes on St. Pauls Ave every weekend!

Guess where I'M from? 8)

[Bernie]

I tend to agree. In my case, Central Avenue was the strip back then. West Side Ave was the joint blazing Disco music up and down the block, and downtown Newark Ave held its own mad strong too! Everybody who was anybody was hanging out at the Exchange Place docks blazing their radios on Disco 92 WKTU FM dancing in the streets without a care in the world, and if you were hip to boogie your ass off you'd go to Foxes on St. Pauls Ave every weekend!

Guess where I'M from? 8)

Born and raised in Jersey City (Heights) as well. Used to manage a store on Central Ave for years during the '80s and agree about the parade of cars (usually IROC Z's, Monte Carlos, Regal, Cutlass and Grand Nationals) going from Pershing Fields up to the Union City line. Bergenline Ave was also the same way up through West New York. Paco, Carlos DeJesus, Wanda Ramos, G Kieth Alexander and JD Holiday were blaring out of every car and store speaker from Journal Square up to Nungessors. Those were the days 8)

[djscream67]

It's no wonder I love this website, being that Bernie is from my hometown too, wow I did not know that. I feel so good all over, this is why discomusic.com has so much good taste and unbelievable class and I can relate to it very well!

BTW, born in Brooklyn, raised in Jersey City since the early 70s, the end.

And I always browsed through BOTH Sound Machine stores in Journal Square because they had the BEST quality of Disco 12'' albums anywhere in the tri-state. Too bad that's not happenin' anymore. :cry: A lot of that area has changed dramatically over the years, but I still live around here by St. Josephs church (Baldwin Ave by the old court house).

You were born in Margaret Hague hospital, right? Don't answer that if you don't want to, everyone tells me that all the time so wild guess. :P

Bernie, you ROCK! :D

[ITWASFUN]

There were many artist that performed throughout Hudson County-Karen Young, Musique, Grace Jones, Cissy Houston, Charanga 76, Orquesta Sublime. Even the VFW(38th ST.) dances were lots of fun with an element of hip. I began what would be my NYC journey @none other than LICEO Cubano on 49th in U.C. Anyone here me...

[discodisco]

I hear you...I used to be in local bands around 77-78' we used to rehearse at the liceo Cubano, my grand father may he rest in peace...was a member and we thru a mega disco party one night at the liceo we packed it in...I'll never forget...the band was called "Je T'aime..a 14 piece disco band..I used to be the lead singer...

[ITWASFUN]

I actually remember that band-I believe their bg hit was the band's name-it was lengthy and all so discoish. Did you ever go to any dances there when Tony D.J. spun-he was a fixture there and along Bergenline Ave. In the summer, he would have dances at the (pre-SOBE) Surfcomber in Miami Beach.

[Tracy K]

Thanks for all these great comments and memories your all throwing out there.....I was born in Jersey City at no other than, Margaret Hague hospital....But was raised in West New York....54th street right off Bergenline......I was forever cruising Bergenline Ave in the hottest cars (always in trouble with my parents..lol) ......Disco music blaring from the radios.....Friday & Saturday was always at a dance at either the VFW or The Liceo....remember Disco Dancing with a big circle around me while dancing with a partner and all these different people cutting in and dancing with me.....I was a pretty good dancer, not bad for a "Gringo"......Great Memories.....thanks for bringing it all back, Bernie!!!!

[ITWASFUN]

I can only imagine we know each other because I was always out there as well. This was the days of hanging in fron of Schlesingers-OLD SCHOOL. As for the dance circles, there was La Maquina, Leo(vlack dude-in my opinion the BEST), there was Cesar and Henry-Boricua dude. Once old enough I made my way to Studio, Danceteria and Xenon. I was a bit young when Infinity was the place to be or The Loft. I am glad there are veterans out there that remember these days-GOOD DAYS they were!!!!!

[discodisco]

Hi , i remember DJ tony...I think he is still around...It is so weird to actually know there are some folks out there that remember this...I was starting to think they all disappeared.I remember so much it was so much fun...we used to open up for acts like the crown heights affair at the embassy theatre remember that? in North Bergen... now it is nothing like we remember..it's so sad...And i have never seen anyone from the band "Je T'aime....Only one friend of mine that still lives in Union City...otherwise nobody. It was so differen then..i will never forget the one mega dance party we thru at the Liceo cubano...

[mdsupreme]

This is hilarious...what a small world...I don't remember your name, but we've met. I went to Emerson Highschool with several of your band-mates...George Mesa your bassist, Gus your keyboardist and Bernie Crespo your persussionist (he and I grew up together)...BTW...I went to your party at the Liceo...LOL...it was pretty good from what I remember...we all went our separate ways after high school, but those were great days in UC. This was a long time ago..lol

Bernie...thanks for creating this website...I found it a few days ago while looking for anything on Xenon on the web. Thanks for all the info and posts you've added re : Xenon...It was my home away from home for almost 4 years...there really is not enough good info about NYC's best club on the web. Thanks again.

Mike R

[Mixmachine]

I actually remember that band-I believe their bg hit was the band's name-it was lengthy and all so discoish. Did you ever go to any dances there when Tony D.J. spun-he was a fixture there and along Bergenline Ave. In the summer, he would have dances at the (pre-SOBE) Surfcomber in Miami Beach.

I used to hang out at the Surfcomber all the time, especially in the summer when all the NJ Cuban Disco Babes came down to this Hotel and others around the area. I 'd say it was from '75 to '78, ( the scene then moved to the Castaways area and the Eden Rock Hotels) The surfcomber's pool area was always packed with bikini Hustle dancers and Disco Blasting all around, ( cuts like El Bimbo, Nice and Slow come to mind), there was a Pool Table and small bar by the cabanas (owned by a retired former famous boxer)where me and the gang hung out to check out the action.

The Ritz next door even had an improvised mini Disco club for the tourist and the locals that knew of this scene I remember they also had huge Pool side Disco parties too. Other area's Hotels had huge crowded game room setups in the basements with Juke boxes blasting , what else? Disco!!

This area’s Hotels got so popular and crowded that was next to impossible to find parking (or rooms) in the area, later they restricted the pool area to Hotel guests only (many fights with bouncers because of this), but one still could hang out outside or sneak in somehow through the ocean/beach side.

I got introduced down here to many records that were just released in the NYC area underground through this NJ visitors. I remember a Puerto Rican guy (don’t recall his name) that used to play and sell mixed tapes out of his Boom box at the Surfcomber, He used to show up every year, man, that guy used to sell a bunch of tapes daily, He was a real Disco fanatic and collector, He had them all!! Ahh good memories.

..

[70sPachanga]

I grew up in Union City, and used to think like alot of Cuban-Americans that there was a better place to live like Miami. Well I left Union City when I was 25 to San Fran, than Miami. Gone out of Jersey for approx 10 years and now that Im 50 and back in Jersey, for sure the best place in the 70s and early 80s for disco clubbing, fun times , freinds and hot babes at the Ave, hands down was Union City, WNY Bline/ NYC. Clubs I was regular were Infinity, Fire and Ice, Xenons, Upper Deck, St Roccos, Liseo, ect ect. I wish my kids will have as much fun as we did in that era.

[discodisco]

Yeah guys My name Is Eddie Ganz aka Eddie Gonzalez i originally posted this post I'm (discodisco...) I used to sing lead in a disco Band called Je T'aime...we were a 14 piece disco band with horns...and we played all over Jerseyand the tri-state area.I remember opening up for The Charanga 76..In St. Rocco's also I remember opening up for the Crown Heights Affair in the Embassy Theater in North Bergen NJ on Bergenline ave. And the best is the one time Grace Jones appeared at the Embassy theater and My Best friend (still is )George Mena and I were rapping with her..she was very nice...I'll never forget that...But my best memory of JeT'aime was one Big Disco Bash at The Liceo Cubano... we packed them in what a night...I wish i could go back...it was unreal!!!

[tyree_kevin]

It`s cool Eddie that you did your own thang. It`s funny to read soooooo many people on one board who maybe crossed each other paths and didn`t realize it. Funny. Are you still playing?

[discodisco]

Hi
I'm still playin, singin' producing, Im doin it all.. lol Starting a new PRODUCTION COMPANY Called YOWSAH PRODUCTIONS...with one of the main Producers of Chic...the Great Kenny Lehman...He is the one that sang Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah.

[MixMasterMax]

I have many fond memories of Bergenline ave… During the early years of the Disco phenomenon, we would travel to Bergenline from Washington Heights across the GW Bridge each weekend to get the latest Disco duds. The best selection of three piece suites, pants with the half inch belts, platform shoes and the shirts…loud shirts. On many occasions we would dress up and head to The Soap Factory or clubs in New York. The streets were alive with Disco music blasting from the car speakers. Fantastic times!

[tyree_kevin]

Is Kenny Lehman still around? i always wondered what happened to him. It would be interesting to hear his story.