New York City Disco's

[Chala]

Hi I have a question to all you hitting the New York City Disco's in the late 70's particularly 77-80. I was in Hawaii enjoying the clubs there so I would not know the answer to this. I noticed when I came home, (NYC) and even today when New York City's best Disco's are talked about, they all seem to be gay clubs. Now we all know the gay scene was a HUGE part of Disco, but we all are not gay or into the gay scene. So...I would like to know which were the hottest none gay Disco's in New York City in that time frame? Please don't mention Studio 54 we all knew that one. When I mean non gay I mean a club that is not labeled gay. Thanks.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Off the top of my head...

Rumbottoms, Adam's Apple, Starship Discovery, Hippopatomus, 2001 Oddysey, The Blue Angel, Gatsby's, Casablanca

[Chala]

Thanks Stephen as always :icon_cool: i only heard of a couple of those. I hope this post gets a couple more responses or maybe it's to early in the day.

[remicks]

*****


Hi Chala

Sorry I can't be of any help with your inquiry about NYC clubs .
But when you get the chance .... what were some of the Hawaii clubs you went to ??
I DJd there in '78 and '79 and worked the hotel club circuit until I got my job at The Lava Lava Club. Can't even remember those clubs names except Valentino's which I liked the best and had a good military clientèle ... since it was right there near Fort De Russey .The club I'm most interested in is the one that stood by itself ... not a part of a hotel ...it was back on Kuhio Street sort across the street from the back of the International Market Place... near the theatre that played The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday night....("where's your neck?").
Do you recall that disco ??

What clubs did you favor??

Thanks !

remicks


*****

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

XENON - Studio 54's only, direct competition. (Albeit from quite a distance.)

[Dayna]

XENON - Studio 54's only, direct competition. (Albeit from quite a distance.)

In the Studio 54 hey days..If you were a 54 regular and were seen at Xenon you were chastized and called a peasant or and a traitor:icon_eek:..
.. Xenon was intresting enough and did have it's loyal followers..Jellybean was the Dj for awhile and some big names passed through from time to time .
I remember a line from the move 54 where the Steve Rubell's character said to a busboy..
"where do bad boys go? the answer "To Xenon a fate worse than hell"
Hi snookums..
hehe
xo

[Chala]

*****


Hi Chala

Sorry I can't be of any help with your inquiry about NYC clubs .
But when you get the chance .... what were some of the Hawaii clubs you went to ??
I DJd there in '78 and '79 and worked the hotel club circuit until I got my job at The Lava Lava Club. Can't even remember those clubs names except Valentino's which I liked the best and had a good military clientèle ... since it was right there near Fort De Russey .The club I'm most interested in is the one that stood by itself ... not a part of a hotel ...it was back on Kuhio Street sort across the street from the back of the International Market Place... near the theatre that played The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday night....("where's your neck?").
Do you recall that disco ??

What clubs did you favor??

Thanks !

remicks


*****

Remicks hi, your bringing me back. The club that played The Rocky Horror Picture Show every Saturday (they even did the dance) was part of a Hotel, the Hyatt Regency I believe it also was the hottest club on the Island for a good while was "Spats" The resident DJ there (Ryan) was a Hawaiian native. He made a couple of trips to NY straight over to 57Th to Ice Palace 57 for his cutting edge style.

The crew at Spats were very cutting edge, Ryan was probably the best DJ on the Island. This girl that was part of the Spats crew "Kelly" she had platinum blonde hair and was from California and had a body that would not quit. I just would stare at her all night in her black dress that split all the way down from the top of her thigh. I finally got to dance with her at another club "Infinity" during a week night when Spats was slow, we dance to Cheryl Lynn's "Got to be real" I will never forget that night.

Down the street from Spats was "The Sting" down the road and across the street was "Infinity" Kalakaua Blvd was main drag, many of the clubs were on that street it. Kalakaua Blvd is like the Broadway in NYC. Late '79' the club that took over the premiere hot spot on the Island was a club listed on this site called "Hula's" this club was gay and man this place jumped.

Valentino's was good, one of the first club's I went to, they used to turn me away door cause I would go with to many buddies lol. Rex's was a very upscale club, like Regines on park avenue was in NYC, I loved going there the most beautiful women from the northwest region would always be there Washington, Oregon, Seattle.

You got me going Remick giving me goose pimples thinking of those time's, I have to stop writing soon I could take up several pages on this subject.
The club I frequented at least 3 times a week was another spot across from the Fort De Russey parking lot was the great "Jillys" another hotel club. Many of the great clubs were in hotels. I remember getting dressed in the parking lot as to not wrinkle my clothes in the car..lol. Jillys resident DJ were George, then later in early 79 John Boone my buddy and favorite DJ started spinning there.

Spats was the only club I know of to do the The Rocky Horror Picture Show thing. Maybe Hula's did it, but you would never forget Hulas. I vaguely remember the Lava Lava club, I don't think it lasted long. I have to stop now or else I could go on and on, thanks for the memories Remick!

[Chala]

XENON - Studio 54's only, direct competition. (Albeit from quite a distance.)

Stephen i think i was home when Zenon's opened, that was in the early 80's if memory serves me correctly. Thanks for your time Stephen can always count on you

[Chala]

In the Studio 54 hey days..If you were a 54 regular and were seen at Xenon you were chastized and called a peasant or and a traitor:icon_eek:..
.. Xenon was intresting enough and did have it's loyal followers..Jellybean was the Dj for awhile and some big names passed through from time to time .
I remember a line from the move 54 where the Steve Rubell's character said to a busboy..
"where do bad boys go? the answer "To Xenon a fate worse than hell"
Hi snookums..
hehe
xo

Dayna, when were you in New York, your profile says Florida? Are you from NYC? Can you ad to the club list?

[Dayna]

Dayna, when were you in New York, your profile says Florida? Are you from NYC? Can you ad to the club list?

Hi Chala
Yes I am from Florida..Born and raised
But I would go to New York alot..
I first went to NY in about 1977,I was underage but it didn't seem to matter then.
I went to the clubs that you aren't intrested in
and some already named.
The one's Stephen listed were about the same as what I would suspect.
Have you gone to the nightclub listings here on the main site?
That might help unless they have all been stated.

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Stephen i think i was home when Zenon's opened, that was in the early 80's if memory serves me correctly.

In the "Clubs" section of this site, the XENON listing has pics. One of them is of an invite to the 2nd Anniversary Party, on June 9, 1980.

So, I'd guess the opening date was June 9, 1978.

[Chala]

Hi Chala
Yes I am from Florida..Born and raised
But I would go to New York alot..
I first went to NY in about 1977,I was underage but it didn't seem to matter then.
I went to the clubs that you aren't intrested in
and some already named.
The one's Stephen listed were about the same as what I would suspect.
Have you gone to the nightclub listings here on the main site?
That might help unless they have all been stated.

Hi again Dayna...

Don't get me wrong I would not mind at all going to a gay club assuming thats to what you are referring to when you say "clubs that you aren't interested in" it's just that i am not gay and did not at the time want to feel unwanted or out of place at one of those spots.

Yes i have been to the site listings but i am trying to find out the hottest and most popular straight Disco's of that time from members of this forum. Thanks Dayna.

[Chala]

In the "Clubs" section of this site, the XENON listing has pics. One of them is of an invite to the 2nd Anniversary Party, on June 9, 1980.

So, I'd guess the opening date was June 9, 1978.

I stand corrected Stephen thanks. I made that comment off pure memory.

[Dayna]

Hi again Dayna...

Don't get me wrong I would not mind at all going to a gay club assuming thats to what you are referring to when you say "clubs that you aren't interested in" it's just that i am not gay and did not at the time want to feel unwanted or out of place at one of those spots.

Yes i have been to the site listings but i am trying to find out the hottest and most popular straight Disco's of that time from members of this forum. Thanks Dayna.

You wanted me to add to the clubs that catered to mostly straight patrons.and I had none to add as Stephen had named the ones I would have..
I wasn't suggesting you werent gay friendly:icon_smile:..
even though you have overstated the fact that your straight.
Here on the forum most dont give much thought about lables..That's the great thing about Disco and this forum..
Hope you find all the info you need
D

[Chala]

even though you have overstated the fact that your straight.

The only reason i went there is because it was relevant to my question as well as getting my question answered which Stephen helped. Thanks for posting in this thread, hopefully some members from NYC will also give their imput as well.

[mdsupreme]

XENON - Studio 54's only, direct competition. (Albeit from quite a distance.)

Hello...I am curious and really mean no disrespect, but I see similar postings every time Xenon comes up in these pages; are you basing your view of Xenon from personal experiences or from what you have heard from others?

I ask the above as someone who grew up in NY and NJ and was a regular at Xenon from late 1978 through 1984 and who from February 1979 to late 1983 was there at least once a week, every week. I remember it to be an experience that was very, very different from most of the clubs of the day and extremely different from what many, who quite possibly were either never there or that may have gone once or twice, have posted in these threads. While there is no denying that Studio was one of a kind and was the first Uber disco, Xenon was more then the average disco. Xenon had that rare quality that the big clubs of the late 70's and early 80's lacked...the place held over 1000 people a night, but it had that small club feel in that it really did feel like family and like being at home…similar to what many have said of David Mancuso’s Loft. This is what kept many of us coming back to Xenon week after week and some of us coming back 2-3 times per week.

Let me also qualify the above by adding that I did go to Studio, maybe 20-30 times, both while and after Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager actively ran it. While I understand everyone’s obsession with Studio, I believe it was and remains so famous because of Steve Rubell’s genius and Carmen D’Alessio’s incredible PR machine. I also believe that many people only went to Studio to be seen there, regardless of whether they had a good time or not. But Xenon on the other hand had the rare combination of atmosphere, music and just plain unadulterated fun. Xenon had its share of excellent DJ’s, some famous like Jellybean Benitez, some OK and some very, very good like Toni Colandreo (one of NY’s early great & female DJs) and my favorite and one of the most unsung DJ’s of the time, Tony Smith. Rather than bore you with more of my diatribe, I have attached an article/interview of Tony Smith from an on-line magazine, DJHistory.com, if it is ok with Bernie, where Tony discusses his time at Xenon and his friendships with Larry Levan, David Mancuso, Nicky Siano and others...

http://www.djhistory.com/interviews/tony-smith

Just my 2 cents…and adhering to Bernie’s motto of maintaining a good “permanent historical record.” Oh, and before I forget, Chala, thank you for starting this thread.

Mike

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

Hello...I am curious and really mean no disrespect, but I see similar postings every time Xenon comes up in these pages; are you basing your view of Xenon from personal experiences or from what you have heard from others?
[FONT=Verdana]Let me also qualify the above by adding that I did go to Studio, maybe 20-30 times, both while and after Steve Rubell and Ian Schrager actively ran it. While I understand everyone’s obsession with Studio, I believe it was and remains so famous because of Steve Rubell’s genius and Carmen D’Alessio’s incredible PR machine. I also believe that many people only went to Studio to be seen there, regardless of whether they had a good time or not.
Mike

I couldn't agree more. Lord knows, my entourage didn't go to Studio for the music. I know what Rubell put his DJs though. "Play this next! No! Not in 5 minutes! NEXT!". And I know I'll have dead fish on my doortep, but I nver thought Richie Kazor was all that. I mean, he wasn't doing anythin that my friends an I were'nt doing, in struggling to make our NY Suburban Discos equally as avant-guard as the boys in Manhattan. (Then again, I've never wet-my-pants over Tom Moulton, either. Even after we'd worked on a few releases together. But that's another story.)

Personally, Once I'd gotten to where I could confidently consider my self a DJ, (as opposed to a Disco Queen with a lot of records) I took my cues from the Cock-Ring, Crisco Disco and Ice Palace 57.

Mike.. Let me start by saying that I was, in no way, dismissing ZENON. It was a fantastic club! Brilliant even. By referring to it as Studio's only real competiion, I'd imagined I'd given it it's highest praise. But you must admit (as did the owner of ZENON), that he just couldn't crash the social-ceiling that Studio managed to smash through. Partly because of the in-crowd's loyalty to Steve and Ian. There was LOT of loyalty within the close-knit A-List New Yorkers. Whether it be the bonified Stars, or the established "A-Gays".

And ZENON started to gain a reputation ([I]whether deservedly, or not[/I]) of being the place where those who couldn't get into Studio, went. You know... The dreaded "Bridge and Tunnel Crowd." Just like the folks who couldn't get into The Anvil, would venture across the street to Alex In Wonderland, on the site of the later-to-follow, mega club MARRS.
Granted, this rumour was started by the Studio people. But it did take hold.

Do you remember BOND? My GOD! What a monster club!!! Awesome lights an dancefloors and parties. The "BE ALL' and "END ALL". Problem??? It was too damn BIG! There was no way to keep the income steadily surpassing the overhead. STUDIO made money hand-over-fist. It was a once-in-a-lifetime happening. For ZENON to make Steve and Ian nervous, was about as ego-stroking a statement as any I can think of.

Finally, yes... I did attend both clubs. I had a blast in both clubs. It was just different, in both clubs.

I hope you'll accept and understand this more detailed explanation for my previous statement.

all the best... all the time...

Stephen L.

[mdsupreme]

[/i]

I hope you'll accept and understand this more detailed explanation for my previous statement.

all the best... all the time...

Stephen L.

Stephen:

You're a gentleman...thanks for the post. I agree that the rivalry did exist between Studio and Xenon and that Studio won in many ways because to this day it will forever be known as the greatest Disco of all time. But like you said above, Xenon had Steve a little scared or he would not have had it in his thoughts (albeit by trashing it to all including the busboys..lol)... Also, I could not agree with you more about Bonds; what an incredibly beautiful club. The sound and music were great but like you mentioned, it was cavernous and could never get the feel I mentioned that Xenon had. Where Xenon was warm and comfortable, Bonds just felt huge and cold...it was a shame it could never take off.

You mentioned you worked at suburban clubs, where did you DJ?

Again, thanks for your post above.

Mike

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

You mentioned you worked at suburban clubs, where did you DJ?

The Candlelight, in Nyack, NY for many years.
The Comeback in Piermont, NY
Reflections in Piermont, NY
Honey's in Nyack, NY

And a couple more in northern NJ, that I just can't remember the names of.

I Guest DJ'd at Feathers in Riveredge NJ, The Monster/Sheridan Square, The Monster/Fire Island and The Ice Palace/Fire Island.

A couple of my "haunts" were The Bell in Hackenack, NJ, The Playroom in Yonkers, The Sting in Yonkers, The Bear Mountain Inn in Suffern, and The Continental (can't remember what town it was in)

[mdsupreme]

The Candlelight, in Nyack, NY for many years.
The Comeback in Piermont, NY
Reflections in Piermont, NY
Honey's in Nyack, NY

And a couple more in northern NJ, that I just can't remember the names of.

I Guest DJ'd at Feathers in Riveredge NJ, The Monster/Sheridan Square, The Monster/Fire Island and The Ice Palace/Fire Island.

A couple of my "haunts" were The Bell in Hackenack, NJ, The Playroom in Yonkers, The Sting in Yonkers, The Bear Mountain Inn in Suffern, and The Continental (can't remember what town it was in)

Can't say I went to any of the clubs that you mentioned. Though I never went to either of the clubs on Fire Island, I did enjoy going to Ice Palace on 57th every once in a while. Sunday tea dances were lots of fun...man, what great music.

Take care.

Mike

[skipnyc]

I worked in a disco that was not labeled as "gay" called New York New York Disco, on West 52nd street up the block from CBS Records.