- Whisky a Go Go
Infobox Venue
name = Whisky a Go Go
image_caption = The Whisky a Go Go on theSunset Strip
nickname = The Whisky
location = 8901Sunset Blvd West Hollywood, California 90069
coordinates = coord|34|5|26.768|N|118|23|8.2968|W|type:landmark|display=title
type =nightclub
genre =rock and roll
broke_ground =
built =
opened =January 11 ,1964
renovated =
expanded =
closed =
demolished =
owner =
former_names =
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website =http://www.whiskyagogo.com/:"For a fire at the similarly named nightclub inBrisbane ,Australia , seeWhiskey Au Go Go fire ."The Whisky a Go Go is anightclub inWest Hollywood, California . It is located at 8901Sunset Boulevard on theSunset Strip .The correct spelling of the name, often misspelled as "Whiskey", is confirmed by the signage of the nightclub's exterior, as well as on the club's
web site .In 1958 the first Whisky a Go-Go in
North America opened inChicago ,Illinois on the corner of Rush and Chestnut Streets. [ [http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cushman/results/detail.do?query=chicago&page=63&pagesize=20&display=thumbcap&action=search&pnum=P15365 Charles W. Cushman Photograph Collection>> Results >> Details ] ] It has been called the first real Americandiscothèque . InParis , the original accented Whisky à Go-Go opened in 1947. Another appeared in the 1960s on M Street in the Georgetown section of Washington, D.C., opened by restaurateur Jacques Vivien. A relatively new Whisky a Go-Go has been opened at the Old Port ofTel Aviv . [ [http://www.tourism.gov.il/Tourism_Euk/Destinations/Tel+Aviv/ Tel Aviv > Bars and Nightlife] Israel Ministry of Tourism]Though the club was billed as a
discothèque , suggesting that it offered only recorded music, the Whisky a Go Go opened with a live band led byJohnny Rivers and a short-skirted female DJ spinning records between sets from a suspended cage at the right of the stage. When, in July 1965, the DJ danced during Rivers' set, the audience thought it was part of the act and the concept ofGo-Go dancer s in cages was born. Rivers rode the Whisky-born "go-go" craze to national fame with records recorded partly "live at the Whisky."The Miracles recorded the song "Going to a Go-Go" in 1966 (which was covered in 1982 byThe Rolling Stones ), and Whisky a Go Go franchises sprang up all over the country.In 1966, the Whisky was one of the centers of the Sunset Strip police riots. The club was often in conflict with the County of Los Angeles, which once ordered that the name be changed, claiming "whisky" was a bad influence. It was the "Whisk?" for a while.
Arguably, the
rock and roll scene in Los Angeles was born when the Whisky started operation. From rock to punk to heavy metal, the club stood at the forefront of many musical trends.The Whisky played an important role in many musical careers, especially for bands based in Southern California.
The Byrds ,Alice Cooper ,Buffalo Springfield and Love were regulars, andThe Doors were the house band for a while—until the debut of the "Oedipal section" of "The End" got them fired.Van Morrison 's band Them had a two-week residency in June, 1966, withThe Doors as the opening act. On the last night they all jammed together on "Gloria".Frank Zappa 'sMothers of Invention got their record contract based on a performance at the Whisky.Jimi Hendrix came by to jam whenSam & Dave headlined.Otis Redding recorded his album "In Person at the Whiskey a Go Go " there in 1966.The Turtles performed there when their newest (and biggest-selling) single "Happy Together" was becoming a hit, only to lose their new bassist,Chip Douglas (who had arranged the song), tothe Monkees ; guitaristMichael Nesmith invited him to become their producer. (He returned to the Turtles a year later, to produce them.)Neil Diamond also played at the Whisky on occasion. Chicago Transit Authority (later Chicago) was also a house band until discovered byJimi Hendrix and brought on tour in 1968. Many British performers made their first headlining performances in the area at the Whisky, includingThe Kinks ,The Who , Cream,Led Zeppelin ,Roxy Music and Oasis.Arthur Lee of Love immortalized the Whisky in the song "Maybe the People Would Be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale". "Here they always play my songs," he would sing on the side two opener of "Forever Changes ". The Whisky was located on the strip between the streets Clark and Hilldale.In the mid-1970s, The Whisky was the home of The Cycle Sluts, a
cabaret show. However,Kim Fowley was able to persuade the management to return the club to rock music. On Thanksgiving Day, 1976, two Fowley-managed bands, Venus & The Razorblades and The Quick, began a four-night stand. Thanks to the club being filled, the Whisky continued on as a rock 'n' roll club.The Whisky was a focus of the emerging New Wave and
punk rock movements in the late 1970s, and frequently presented local acts as diverse asThe Germs (which recorded its first album there),The Runaways ,Quiet Riot , X,Mötley Crüe andVan Halen while playing host to early performances by theRamones ,The Dictators ,The Misfits , Blondie,Talking Heads ,Elvis Costello ,XTC andThe Jam .The Whisky fell on hard times once the first flush of
punk rock lost steam, and closed its doors in 1982. It reopened in 1986 as a "four-wall", a venue that could be rented by promoters and bands. Although a few booths remain on the perimeter, the interior has mostly been transformed into a bare, seatless space where the audience is forced to stand throughout the performances. A few sets of tables and chairs remain in the upstairs area, but these are often roped off as a "VIP" section, reserved for special guests of the bands, record executives, etc. Against this new economic backdrop, a number of hard rock and metal bands, includingGuns N' Roses andMetallica , rose to prominence in the 1980s.During the early 1990s, the Whisky hosted a number of Seattle-based musicians who would later be dubbed "the godfathers of grunge", including
Soundgarden , Nirvana, Mudhoney,The Melvins , and7 Year Bitch .After re-uniting in early
2007 ,The Police held a livewebcast of a rehearsal at the Whisky onFebruary 12 , 2007, andAvril Lavigne onNovember 6 .Criticism
Many bands, music insiders, promoters and others have criticized the Whisky as being a "
pay to play " venue; that is, the venue charges an up-front fee to performing artists for the use of their facilities.ee also
*
Rainbow Bar and Grill
*Sunset Strip
*Troubadour
*Viper Room References
* [http://www.whiskyagogo.com/whiskysite/home_fs.html Whisky a Go Go official site]
* [http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Whisky-A-Go-Go%20History.htm The History of The Whisky-A-Go-Go]
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