Funk, soul and jazz musician Fred Wesley played with many of the great acts of the sixties and seventies. In his book “Hit Me, Fred” he relives what it was like in the seventies at Eddie Nash’s “Soul’d Out Club”:
The Soul’d Out was on Sunset Boulevard in the heart of Hollywood … the club was much like any other nightclub in the world … it smelled of smoke and beer and perfume … and was crowded with sweaty people laughing and chatting … but this club was in Hollywood … the women were all extremely beautiful model types, and the guys were all TV-type hip dudes. Everyone was dressed in the latest fashions. It was obvious that the guys were on the prowl for girls and the girls were definitely setting traps for the guys … people were drinking and smoking and making frequent trips in and out of the front door and in and out of the bathrooms giving away the drug action that was also happening … the jukebox was playing classic R&B and everybody was dancing. The black people were dancing very well, as usual, and the white people, as usual, were enthusiastically doing the best that they could … Actually, I did notice that the white people were dancing unusually well. Everybody seemed to know everybody. To my surprise, there wasn’t even a hint of racial recognition … it was fun, relaxed, homey atmosphere.
I wanna go!
Patrick Engeleiter, 
Pixie, 
brian, and 4 others are discussing. 
localarts 6:14 pm on April 1, 2017 Permalink |
This is what the world was like before Facebook, internet, etc.
criticextraordinaire 6:30 pm on April 2, 2017 Permalink |
Yep. Guys like Eddie Nash living large and calling all the plays, with everybody including the cops at his beck and call. And hungry players like Ronnie Launius putting together their own crews and making their mark, too. Was a great time with none of today’s nonsense.
James 9:44 pm on August 27, 2017 Permalink |
I miss this world. I loved the 1970’s. It was a golden era for Civil Liberties and the music was all part of that. Tell me what has happened to that element in American life? I remember having a black book and loved writing letters to my friends and girls I liked. I put effort into writing letters. The technology makes it too easy. These advertisements were revolutionary. They advertised drinks and food and people got a extra fun time. The Nash had all the hook ups. Don’t you miss that time period?
brian 12:50 pm on January 27, 2018 Permalink
I certainly do but I was a kid so it’s hard for me to compare then to now.
j cook 11:02 pm on August 22, 2017 Permalink |
Hey. My name in 1981 was joseph Cook. I lived with Gary Fontenot who was the General Manager of the Starwood. And nurse Micheal , Gary’s longtime Roommate .at the time of the killings. Myself and Tony Miguel were the guys who secured Eds house after the first police raid. After Dominic died in the second to last bedroom. Talk to me if you want to. I ain’t getting any younger.
Pixie 5:26 pm on June 23, 2018 Permalink |
I’d love to know more.
Patrick Engeleiter 8:03 am on July 22, 2019 Permalink |
Joseph please reach out to me via messenger. I would like to interview you and Tony Miguel. 414-306-1667.
Patrick