Whisky a Go-Go
Never much for European tradition (let alone San Francisco's), Los Angeles is known for its commercial establishments disappearing or at least getting radically face-lifted every 15 or 20 years. Except for the old-codger music joints like the Roxy, the Troubadour and the Whisky a Go-Go. They alone seem to be the great buckers of the tide.
Snapped with an iPhone, sitting on the bike and waiting for a green light -- Tuesday, 2.19.08, 12:35 pm.
Imagine the steady pressure over the years to drop the "a Go-Go" part of the name. They could've just called it "the Whisky" and nobody would've noticed, but some old-school stalwart said no -- we have to cling to the spirit of Shindig, the Doors, Buffalo Springfield, Hullabaloo, Frank Zappa and the Sunset Strip riots of '66. Very odd for a town that has almost made a religion out of burying the past.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on February 19, 2008 at 4:21 PM
comment #1
D.Z.
says ...
Give it five more years.
Posted by D.Z.
at February 19, 2008 5:10 PM
comment #2
Armin Tamzarian
says ...
Not to be an asshole, but it's Whisky without the 'e'.
Posted by Armin Tamzarian
at February 19, 2008 5:15 PM
comment #3
Wrecktum
says ...
Depends on what part of the city you're in, Wells. I had lunch at Phillipe's yesterday. Joint's been around for ninety years, and still going strong.
Posted by Wrecktum
at February 19, 2008 5:40 PM
comment #4
Mr. Peel
says ...
To bring a movie theater into this, the National in Westwood has pretty much been entirely torn down. Unbelievable that it was allowed to happen.
Posted by Mr. Peel
at February 19, 2008 5:41 PM
comment #5
jodyr
says ...
In my punk heyday in the very late 70s and early 80s, we called it "The Whiskey" and I saw plenty of bands there that went on to fill stadiums.
Posted by jodyr
at February 19, 2008 6:18 PM
comment #6
Walter Sobchak
says ...
Thank (partially) Oliver Stone for this one...
I'm sure christian or somebody has more accurate info, but I'm pretty sure the recent history goes like this... The Whiskey A-Go-Go painted itself black in the late 80's and started to go by the name "The Whiskey". It came very close to closing in the early 80's, so much so that many punk bands who played there, as well as many regulars, started grabbing souvenirs, a la CBGB's. (This is talked about in the documentary "X - The Unheard Music")
In the mid to late 80's it became a venue for metal bands who all wanted to be the next Van Halen or Motley Crue. The place didn't want to look "gay" or "lame" to it stayed a flat black color and there was a shitty sign that simply said "The Whiskey"... a kick ass place for kick ass music, man.
In 1990 Oliver Stone came in to film "The Doors". He had his art department transform about three blocks of the Sunset Strip to look like 1966. One of the things they did was to reinstate the cool, old, neon "Whiskey A-Go-Go" sign and paint the whole building period red. Bills were also placed there for bands such as The Byrds and Otis Redding. Across the street, the Viper Room, (which at that time was still called the Central), was transformed into the 60's club London Fog.
I had just moved out here when that was going on and it was too freaking cool for words. They were doing night shoots which meant that during the day you could walk around there and feel like it was 1966.
The response was so positive for the Whiskey a go go that they decided to keep the paint job and sign.
For a few years after that there were cool shows there, too. Then it became the shitty pay-for-play venue that it is now. I'm glad it's still there, I just hope someone buys it and starts having some cool bands there like at the Fonda or Troubadour.
Posted by Walter Sobchak
at February 19, 2008 7:04 PM
comment #7
Walter Sobchak
says ...
I just said "cool" about twelve times in that post. To the thesaurus!
Posted by Walter Sobchak
at February 19, 2008 7:07 PM
comment #8
fnt
says ...
Too true about no one of interest playing the Whisky anymore. It's purely a tourist spot and pay-for-play place for high school bands. Sucks. At least the Troubadour is still around to showcase bands worth seeing.
Posted by fnt
at February 19, 2008 8:08 PM
comment #9
Edward
says ...
Walter, it's perfectly cool to say cool many times when you're writing about music. Cool man.
Posted by Edward
at February 20, 2008 10:49 AM
comment #10
Stevie Wood
says ...
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Posted by Stevie Wood
at August 18, 2010 10:11 PM
comment #11
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comment #12
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at September 22, 2011 9:59 AM