Motor City Wine..Good Vibrations, Did I mention they have WINE!!

With all the hustle and bustle that is/was MOVEMENT weekend the last stop I made was at one of my favorite hunts... MCW.  It was there that I got to hear some of the most talented international DJs.  Thomas Detune (Belgium)- this kid is going places, my brother Deejay D-Former (France)-flawless DJ, Rennie Foster (British Columbia)- his mixes and ear for music is top notch and Claus Bachor (Germany)- I have to stop here and mention, not only is Claus one helluva DJ but that man.. SWEET JESUS- while he aint bad lookin now, but back in the 80/90's he was so damn good looking he could have been a Hollywood A-lister. I may not have understood one word of German, but his ass was so damn fine I would have just smiled and nodded- and to think, I thought only German cars where a thing of beauty.  My Detroit favs.. The House Gallery,  Jay Ramsey ( new father and keeper of the Afro) Jason Garcia ( tune selector extraordinaire) and the one I have coined Bruce Banner aka Adam Francesconi. ( don't let that mild manner exterior fool you) once Adam gets behind the tables he turns into a formidable BEAST!  The incredible Jeff Arthur, Derrick Thompson and DJ Raybone,  You couldn't get more of an international flavor if you were are Ihop., and all for FREE!!!

That day was just like the absolute best for so many reason's one of them being the venue. I've spoken about the Life that is L!V now M!X, the underground feeling that is The Grasshopper.. The system that is TV! With the MCW you get, understated elegance, fine wine, good vibes and awesome host.
I can imagine what's on the club/bar minds., and this goes for all of them, Tree, Angie, Troy and the A-P's.. it must be a pretty heavy load.. but with good music, a stellar staff, and regular crowd maybe is puts the mind at ease.

  Raven and James behind the bar.  David and Melissa keeping watch, and if the DJ is real REAL rite.. you will see one of the coolest dudes to ever grace the planet DANCE.  The Cat I'm speaking of is the owner of this swank lil place I call home. David and his fireball of a wife and the life of any party Melissa A-P

-- ok I have to take pause, cause I now have like several homes.. and I love them all., but when I want to chill with my sisters, Tracey, Tomika, Lori, Laurie, Em, Dora, Stephanie, LaRhonda, Che, Lisa, Biggie Smalls (damn its a LOT of y'all heifers) THIS is the place I like to be. By the time we leave that place the fun times are ingrained in us all. Not to mention the MANY bottles of wine we have managed to guzzle down!

They started on Jefferson just above Forans, from its inception this is the place where vinyl SHOULD be played. These two folks ( hereto and henceforth known collectively as the A-P's or Dave and his Boo Thang or Melissa and her Stud Muffin)- well those two have carved a spot in the House community and built both the 1st and the new location with love, a good 5-10 plan, and hours upon hours of sweat equity. Maybe that's what endears that place to me so. 

Now, with David what you see is not really what you get., yeah he IS quiet, and seems to be a bit standoffish, but if you work from quit to can't and you have a wife that is on 1000 like 24 hours a day hey, it's what works for him. He smiles, he dances, he loves what he does and has, everyone has a chance with him.. (well not everyone) but you understand. Not to mention...he's Canadian lol... Funny story: I did NOT think he was a real person- cause I never saw the dude. When I DID finally meet him, I had the same reaction as the M&M's did when they met Santa for the 1st time. - (Christmas commercial reference)


Dave's Boo Thang,. Here is a person that is a human rainbow, flower, unicorn, cotton candy, she is everything that is beautifully human.. everything that little girls are made of all wrapped up in one itty bitty package covered in 100% pure goodness. She couldn't be more sweeter if Willy Wonka made her himself.  Don't be no fool however, she is smart as a whip and is the Yin to his Yang.  There are times I wonder, "where in THEE hell did those two hook up and just WHO did the hookin"? cause they are so different. I guess Opposites DO attract and I'm glad they did.

Together they have (again) built a solid foundation for House and Jazz, the people that walk in there are from all walks of life. Uptown, downtown, otha towns, and its something for EVERYONE! From Whodats vinyl sets, Scott Ashleys, Jazz, The white militant midget ( Good Times reference) aka Todd Weston ( The Hot Pot), the smiling Huckaby,  Criag.. Rick Wilhites, Beautiful Sunday...its just THEE "in" spot!- its no passing faze they are here to stay!

Along with a wide selection of wine, you are bound to hear or run into some of the BEST House has to offer.. and none of these people need a last name. Delano, Cordell, Tom Linder, John, Scott (Grooves- ok I needed to differentiate) Carl Craig...and my all time FAVORITE -say it with me people... the ILLUSTRIOUS Norm Talley ( in my church announcers voice) Alton, Mike ( oh damn-guess they DO need last names) Huckaby and Clark, Malik, Marcellus, and two of Detroit most understated DJs Jon Easley and Sean "The Butcher" Tate- now I don't know what all those knobs and buttons do, but the night The Butcher played I can honestly say I have never heard a DJ freak those buttons and knobs like he did- we need to hear him play more. Ive seen that place turn into a revival - see Jamie 326 Blog. When Jamie played I don't think I saw David leave the floor. We enjoy the cozy comfort of the patio the warm rich sounds that emanate from the system.. The night my lil big brother Earl banged a vinyl set that was so hot we all left in the dead of winter without coats on.  The list goes on and on.. its a slice of heaven right on Michigan Ave. Its a place where your mind can be clear, its a place where the dance floor is open and inviting..its safe, its warm, its cozy...

I'd like to see where the MCW will be in 5-10 years, the new flooring that's going down on the patio, the wall made of empty wine bottles, the synergy!

A few Blogs ago I wrote about whites leaving the club when the good colored folk come in the door.. NOT here we are ONE in this spot and that is such a beautiful thing.

Here are a few things I've observed about the MCW, you're NOT going to get a full menu- who needs one when they had the keen notion to help other entrepreneurs with the pop up restaurant(s)-people helping people, you may not see David smile a lot but when he does it's so sweet- hell he doesn't need to Melissa has a smile that could melt the polar ice cap, you're not going to get a Long Island, why... CAUSE IT'S A WINE BAR SILLY! You WILL get great "wine" snacks.. ecofriendly owners, fantastic talent, and relaxed atmosphere. 

Look for more Beautiful Sunday's, more Jazz and vinyl club, more wine, more smiles, more music.

Here are a few things I'd like to see - in order of importance!
A. David to grow his hair back. -yep, I said it!
B. More cook offs- that was fun.
C. The new sound system that's going outside.
D. Craig and Mike Huckaby to play together- I just think it would be cute.

I have many favorite spots, and I simply adore the owners and staff but this place is special.. here you have two very different people with a love for music, fine wine and people. Simplistic beauty.  As Melissa would say, " That's pretty friggin awesome"- as I end this and say goodnight I can see Melissa's smile, and its the best smile I have every had the pleasure of seeing. Because its genuine- and full of love and it just don't get no better than that! Mama and Papa Vino-you two birthed greatness!

Let The Music Play

P~

...and they were just kids The story of Charivari

This Blog is just a Forward by ME...Yours truly PJ. My 1st experience with this whole party scene of ours was at l'uomo's ( yes dammit I know I spelled it wrong)- sue me. Not the one on 6mile where Al Ester and Earl McKinney use to sneak off to but the one on 7 and John R. I was in the 7th or 8th grade. What I remember is a big dark club where the music just saturated your core. I didnt know the DJs or the ones hosting the party, I just knew I was going...and I did, and I LOVED it! There were other parties at other venues but the ones I went to always seemed to be at the Y(mca or wca). I do remember the flyer's and seeing people like Kevin Dysard, Al Heath etc etc...

I did not know the movers and shakers but I heard the names on the street. Kevin and Brian Bledso, Steve Dunbar and the like. I thought these Cats were like WAY older than me., but they weren't. The one I never heard of was Todd Johnson...little did I know I would come to meet the man who continues to be a source of inspiration and on some days perspiration he will work you like a Hebrew slave.. but he's funny so the work aint that bad. All in all he is a pretty good boss. He is my mentor and my friend. He also has a wing span of 80 inches...( I ask him that question..THATS how I know). I can't tell the story like he can. What I can tell you is this.

The 1st time I met Al Heath was at TV..I remember people coming up to this man like he was the Dom ( or something close to it) I was in total awe. The 1st time I met Steve Dunbar was at the Grasshopper- he seemed like a pretty shy guy but all business..I was a bit intimidated with that one. I met Todd via Facebook and I have been a fan ever since. He too is a writer ( Nasty As I Am)- pick your copy up today! Of all the ones I have mentioned I know Todd the best and I really don't know him at all.

What I like about these Cats is still after all these years, they remain relevant. This summer they will be hosting what is sure to be the most talked about event of 2014. What they have planned for you is nothing short of amazing.

These dudes were just KIDS and they made money damn near better than any CEO of a fortune 500 company. I can not tell the story, BUT I know someone who can.

Ladies and Gentlemen...the story of Charivari-yep I A'hem.. "borrowed" it from Clark Drive only he can tell the story of what made them great. I can tell the story of what made the picnic great..( but you will read about that sometimes in August) Pictures stol...um borrowed from Kevin Dysard, Kevin Bledso, Steve Dunbar, Al Heath, and Clark Drive.

Charivari

June 14, 2013 at 6:22pm

In my opinion, Charivari over all other clubs, symbolizes the best of the popularity, success and failure of the early 1980's party era.  The humble beginnings of Charivari start with a young group of high school kids out of Detroit Public School's Mumford High who organized some rambunctious outings to the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Charles “Chucky” Clark decided he would like to start a party social club to rival the success of GQ, CharlesLove and the Funtime Society, Plush and Dwight & Company. The elder and most successful party clubs of the time. He enlisted classmates Darryl Harvey and Brian Bledsoe. Clark figured Bledsoe was a master planner and visionary and Harvey was key, as he had previously formed the Ritz Sound Company, which featured the talented, and charismatic Darryl Shannon. That would mean they wouldn’t have to pay for music.

Charles Clark was a wide eyed, energetic ball of energy. He had an infectious smile and a appetite for adventure and spirits.  I was introduced to Clark by a mutual friend, guitarist Randall Jacobs. I reminded Clark we had met briefly the winter before, as he was the last guest to leave the annual New Years Eve party I gave along with Tim Slater and Hassan Nurullah. We found Chuck drunk but friendly while cleaning up, laid out on the basement couch at the end of the night. Clark shared with me the story of his first Charivari party. He wanted me to listen, offer comment on his plans and design a flyer that would be different than the competition. Clark spoke passionately of his vision and where he saw his club's future as membership was increasing. I asked,“What do they get for membership?” Clark answered bluntly with a sly smile, “GIRLS!” He spoke proudly of his team and his partner, Brian Bledsoe and Darryl Harvey. I told him I would help him but only talk to him, Brian or Harvey. I’m not in the club and don’t need the membership perk. But I wanted all the equipment rental loot and to do an occasional flyer.

Brian Bledsoe was the dreamer and thinker. Brian came up with the clubs name from the iconic Charivari clothing store in NYC founded by Selma Weiser after reading GQ Magazine. The Charivari store was New York’s first avant-garde multi-designer boutique and was legendary. Brian saw the group as an avenue to bigger and better things. He wanted to write, influence fashion, produce films, and travel the world. Brian was interesting and easy to talk to. I talked to Brian for hours.

One particular afternoon discussing ongoing business at his mother’s kitchen table on Hessel, his brother Kevin never joined from the couch but did add at one point, “why do we need you?” My answer, you don’t. But a healthy Charivari means I make more money giving you lights, music, flyers and even funding. So why not help you. It’s to my advantage. We had already enjoyed a good working relationship over the months and I sweetened the pot when I explained I would fund the upcoming Christmas party at the Park Avenue but I want to do the flyer, decoration, dj, music and lighting setup,  everything.

My split at the end of the night would be $500.00 and whatever I put up returned. I explained in my opinion, “ Charivari, could be more than just a party club, you guys are actually a brand and should treat the business as such.” And it was after seeing this group in action that I coined the phrase that would become their official slogan. Our parties will keep you together while you let yourself go!

Darryl Harvey was the businessman and strategist. Harvey considered himself an innovator and was always looking for the angle. Harvey spent many an afternoon at Northland skating rink with friends Danny Lee and Jerry Duvaull. There he would meet Mike Brown who he would go on to successfully pair with Darryl Shannon to start their own DJ company – The Ritz Sound Company. So named by a member of the party group GQ that they wanted to work for. Though that opportunity never materialized, as luck would have it another Man Oh Man coworker Jonathan Webb would share with Harvey that he and some friends were starting a social club and wanted them to do the music. That club, the popular Lettermen with members ( Jonathan Webb, Rick Benson, Marshall “Skip” Howard), put the Ritz on the map with their first major exposure to the party set. 

Luckily for the trio, Brown had a driver’s license and was able to load and drive the equipment in his car. They were later joined by Joe Davison as he had built his own light show and had much needed technical savvy. Shannon brought in Davison with a phone call. “You ready? You need to get with us, bring your lights and we are doing the first Charivari backyard party.Though Shannon did not join Charivari, instead wanting to just be the DJ,  Harvey saw the definite synergy between growing his music business and creating a loyal party clientele with a popular party club. Harvey had a party side but he was the most pragmatic of the bunch. He was the last of the trio to come aboard once completing the unusual initiation designed for all potential members in the beginning. Attend and participate in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, watch Animal House in its entirety and be able to hold your liquor. No problem for Harvey and he received the standard, “your in!”

There was more than coincidental overlap with this bunch. Many had been together since Elementary school. Many grew up on or near Appoline Street on the cities Northwest side. But pivotal to their future success were jobs at Northland Mall. The center of flyer passing and networking for most party hosts. Northland Mall, situated in the southeast corner of Southfield, Michigan was the areas most popular shopping destination for African Americans. This mall had Bledsoe and Clark at Father and Sons shoe store and Harvey at the popular Man Oh Man clothing store along with Kevin Mallard, Darryl Shannon, Brian Fuller and soon Jonathan Webb, William Phelps and Dwayne Gill.

A frequent customer of the store who volunteered his services as security free of charge just to hang out would also later become Detroit party history himself, Dwylan Spencer. Northland was a Charivari party nexus.The parties were drawing so much clientele the owners of Man Oh Man would eventually put up money to fund the functions in return for the blow back in sales they were enjoying in the store. Sponsorship before anyone understood what it even was.

Rounding off the rest of the hard partying cast, Kevin Bledsoe - older brother to Brian and mostly an outside advisor in the beginning, due to his involvement in the clubs, Fifth Avenue New York, J’Carrand the Key Club, Charles Holsey, Billy Shanks, Lloyd Yancey, Darnell Smalls,William Phelps, Shaun James, Greg Odum, always steady Grant Grey, Reggie (YuckMouth) Brown, Morris Dunbar, Steve Dunbar, Danny Lee, Marc Brogdon, Kenny Bryant, Reynard Hines, Chris Duboise, Tony Bowen, Darryl (Duck) Scott, Joe Davison, Darryl Sanders, Shawn McDaniel, some dude named Hassan/Toiussant and probably more I don’t know about. Not known to most, one of the original members was Anthony Claxton who could attend all the club meetings but not the parties as he was destined for the ministry. He is now a pastor at the Life Line Christian Center Church in Detroit.

Charivari member, Danny Lee recently reminded me he was originally a member of Courtier recruited by friend Jimmy Gibson. But joined Charivari as these were the guys he grew up with. Lee who helped me organize Gables recounts that back then the more clubs you were in, the more status you had with women. And in his own words, “It was all about the women!”  Lee along with Chuck Clark and many others would agree that membership did have its privileges.

This group was fearless. One of my favorite stories being the group entering Benedictine High, a small Catholic High school in Detroit. And did I say private which didn’t stop the group from sneaking in, entering the lunch room, Charles Clark jumping on a nearby table to loudly announce,  “Hey, can I have your full attention? We are Charivari and we are having a party this weekend at the YWCA. And you need to come! That it all!” And that was all after being chased from the building by approaching school security.

The parties got bigger, the money box filled. The Roostertail. The Park Avenue Club. Ten thousand large at Luomo Seven Mile.  Renting an entire floor of the Michigan Inn. The boys were on fire and success brought about excess as membership swelled with affliates brought on from everywhere.  Member William Phelps was popular from his Cut Above barber business in high school. Member Kenny Bryant was recruited because girls loved his ponytail and he wore safety pins down his Levi’s.

The Charivari model was that every member would have a particular purpose. Grant Gray and Greg Odum were artists and oversaw flyer design. Darryl Harvey and Kevin Bledsoe were the wordsmith, Joe Davison had access to a large motor home/van appropriately named the Love Den. Members would kick in $2.00 each for gas and they could drive all week in their own mobile party transportation. Unfortunately, the businessmodel of most party social clubs of the time was very much George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Everyone was equal but some more equal than others.

Chucky Clark original membership perk of “girls” also included props, jackets, buttons,handfuls of flyers, and a growing extended family. It didn’t always include a split.  This would prove to be a sore spot for the group and some of the members. The first to depart over proper compensation to competing clubs was William Phelps who would briefly join the soon to be started Gables and go on to great future success with partners, Wil French (Will and Wil), Rodney Howell and Darnell Smalls,(Upfront), the Network crew (William Phelps, William Tandy, Wil French, Ron Scott. Roger Yopp) and his current solo endeavor, Will Phelps Global and its many offshoots. 

Next Mark Brogdon would follow. And they did leave with their proper split after a brief confrontation and some negotiation in the Bledsoe family home. (In Marc's own words) That's only part of the way it went down. When we started Charivari, the rule was only 7 members at even given time. We were probably the most successful of the clubs in Detroit at the time. I never saw any money up until that point. I was the youngest in the group, so I didn't know any better. LOL.

You somehow got involved with Charivari and the group dynamic changed. It became more of a business. There became two factions. It wasn't the Charivari I help build. 

When Phelps and I heard how much money was being made, we went to Bledsoe's house to talk about it. He said, " Y'all aint' getting anything.

He pulled out a huge knife and sat on a table and starting stabbing the wood table with the knife.

They eventually went into the bedroom and came out with a wad of cash. Gave Will and I some money to quiet us, and it was done. 

I didn't go to Snobbs or another club, I started Peeples.

Everyone was trying to live up to that Charivari/Gables vibe, but it was done for me. I left for College after that and they tried to recreate Charivari with a younger crew, but to me it didn't work. There was a fight or shooting and it was a wrap.

There it is...that's the story.

We tried to film a Charivari movie telling the whole story, but it obviously never happened. Would be great though. Lost boys meets the Outsiders.
Even Harvey himself was kicked out of the group after suggesting they pool their earnings together and form an investment club. Pretty cutting edge for an 18 year old.  Perhaps having a father that was an Economics teacher rubbed off. Or perhaps it was some jealousy brewing underneath as him being one of the main faces of the club brought whispers of people calling the group, ChariHarvey. He would be approached soon after this dismissal by rival club Courtier head, William Tandy to join with them. Harvey declined.

My close dealings with Charivari as well as the other party social clubs (Raphael, Courtier, Remnique, Next Phase, and GOG – an obscure but profitable group out of Cooley High and more) revealed by my conservative estimation, these combined groups were taking in over $50,000 monthly from 1980 thru 1981. And that’s CASH as I’m sure the statute of limitations of the IRS does not apply to minors and undocumented income generated over thirty years ago. This does not include the financial impact this party clientele created for Northland Mall (Donna Sacs, Man Oh Man, etc) Dennys, the Greektown arcades,record stores, printers, button makes (A Day Badge Company) and more. There were real dollars exchanging hands and I realized that the door or many doors was what you wanted. (That is another story) Back to Charivari…

I was currently persona non gratis with Charivari and some of the others as I was club competition with my recently started Gables. We went heads up a few times on the same night and efforts were made to extinguish my presence or influence on the scene. Steve Dunbar recently explained the walking orders that were popular at the time, “Todd Johnson is the enemy, taboo and those bullshiting ass Gables.”  But at Charivari central, I was the least of their problems. The core shake up continued as founding member Charles Clark had enlisted in the United States Army in April. Followed later that year under the buddy plan, Brian Bledsoe and Morris Dunbar.

Kevin Bledsoe took over full lead and Daryl Harvey was returned to the fold. . The club was in turmoil but that didn’t stop the momentum. A meeting was called to announce major changes as Charivari was getting out of the high school party business as membership had aged to the bar crowd but to some members surprise they were told, “some of you can’t make the transition.” The cuts were deep but the group was leaner and more efficient. Legend has it that the early techno classic, Sharevari, released by Capriccio Records from group A Number of Names (Paul Lesley, Sterling Jones, Roderick Simpson) was based on the party club Charivari but changed the spelling to "Sharevari" to avoid any possible conflict with the Charivari party promoters. A lot of party promoters in Detroit around this time (including Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson with their Deep Space parties) were just teenagers, but were still raking in the cash. The song "Sharevari" sings the praises of cars, as well as L'Uomo Vogue,GQ, car cassettes, cigarettes, bread, cheese, fine white wine, and may thingsNorthwest Detroit party boys aspired to in 1981. A quote from Dan Sicko's Techno Rebel, "during the late 1970s/early 1980s high school clubs such as Bratts, Charivari, Ciabattino, Comrades, Gables, Hardwear, Rafael, Rumours, Snobs, and Weekends created the incubator in which techno was grown. These young promoters developed and nurtured the local dance music scene by both catering to the tastes of the local audience of young people and by marketing parties with new DJs and their music. As these local clubs grew in popularity, groups of DJs began to band together to market their mixing skills and sound systems to the clubs in order to cater to the growing audiences of listeners. Locations like local church activity centers, vacant warehouses, offices, and YMCA auditoriums were the early locations where underage crowds gathered and the musical form was nurtured and defined." Techno legend Eddie Fowlkes in his official bio stated, "I saw Darryl Shannon at the first party that I attended with my sisters at the Park Avenue Club in Detroit. Off the top of my head, I remember that he was playing B-52’s and Martin Circus` “Disco Circus”. He made the music sound seamless. The music was never ending until the party was over." This was a Charivari party. Never ending...

There were the spin offs such as girl group Shiaparelli, Kevin Bledsoes Taxi and Steve Dunbars Hardware. The most successful of the three being Hardware. Hardware’ name was conceived by Kevin Bledsoe but saw its fruition after the transition under the business plan of Steve Dunbar. Dunbar stated to Charivari membership “I’m Charivari but you are leaving some grand money on the table. The high school loot is far from over. Many of my friends are now in the new group Snobbs and they're being funded and helped by Todd Johnson. Let me put together a crew under the umbrella of Charivari and I’ll make it happen” Steve assembled members (Lonnie Peek, Edlin Turner, Lou Allen, Pat Bell, Tony Ellison, Tommy Longest, Chris Simpson, Mark Jefferson, James Shipp, Steve Banks, Lamar Irvy) $50.00 got you in.

All members after a function split the profits evenly - $50.00 kept you in or you could reinvest more for a bigger split.  Hardware's first party was a backyard party on Stout off 8 Mile. It was a huge success. But to Charivari's surprise it was further announced that night that Hardware is now its own thing. They would be a self contained unit.

Though I was taboo with Charivari core and affiliates, mutual friend Alan Heath brought Steve Dunbar to my house and he said he was looking for better sound.  He explained any beef was not with him. Steve Dunbar was an up and coming DJ in his own right. His first records were a gift from Darryl Harvey and DJ equipment was bought by Charivari’ Kevin Bledsoe with a check that is probably still bouncing somewhere.

But we were kids; some got it done however you had to back then.This party was my first Hardware party as well as when I met DJ Al Ester on his first real gig. A shooting that night and a chance encounter with Darryl Harvey cradling the injured young lady until help arrived brought us to a realization that our squabbles were perhaps small when compared to bigger things. And all of us somewhat united as friends or maybe just friendly was more profitable than always being at odds. Some of the rivalries were beginning to turn violent. 

There was a pivotal incident at the Knights of Columbus John R. where an opportunistic gunman with a shotgun thought youngsters would make easy pickings. His demand of,  “give me the damn cash” yielded “I don’t think I can do that” from admission taker Kevin Bledsoe with Greg Odum looking on. To his surprise, two pistols on each of his ears in the hands of Darryl Scott and Steve Dunbar dashed his quick cash plan. But the incidents continued and ultimately were bad for business as there were numerous fights and threats, price wars, lowering admission down to a dollar, parents denying permission to attend some functions depending on the location and the clientele was starting to divide along lines of allegiance. Most clubs quickly realized there was no fun in the dwindling profits and exposure to escalating violence.

Charivari endured and continued throwing parties over the years with an ever changing and returning membership lineup and to this day, most members remain in touch and close. We have long since patched up any of our differences wink, wink. Various members will usually gather for a casual get together, sharing some cold adult beverages or another party at least annually.

I truly believe there is no such thing as an ex-Charivari member. There are just those who were absent when the current attendance was called. But nothing has ever rivaled the pure energy of the core group of the early 1980’s. Charivari was a force of nature! And in their own words… “What was IT about Charivari that made the experience so special?” The answer holds true for all social clubs who made their mark during that era. The "It" is the culture of the brand. Charivari’s culture was, has and will always be the energy, spirit, style and rhythm of the group. Our parties will keep you together while you let yourself go, is not a mission statement for us, it’s a way of life - Live it! As Kevin Bledsoe states emphatically, “Pure friendship! I love these guys.” In a recent Spin magazined article with new sensation Kyle Hall - "Detroit techno fans have long spoken of the movement's first, second, and third "waves" of artists who came along in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but Kyle Hall represents its second generation, literally. His father ran with the West Side's "preps" scene of middle-class kids who dressed in GQ-inspired fashions and gave their parties names like "Charivari," after a New York boutique dedicated to avant-garde European fashion." Spanning generations from father to son. One of Halls earliest Detroit party experiences. Charivari!

Update Thanksgiving 2013 - Let the adventures continue…. Join the Party! www.charivaridetroit.com

MOVEMENT.... summer of 2014

Ok so last night I was thinking about what my next Blog was going to be about. Well that's pretty easy (see title to Blog)-

MOVEMENT 2014 is 2 weeks away, Im not going to spend too much time on this. Only because my feelings about the folks who now run MOVEMENT are bruised (to put it nicely).. Not one to hold my tongue, much less be tactful in my delivery, I think it best if I just keep my thoughts to myself.

Who am I kidding.. THIS is how I feel., Ya came in swooped down and took over a great event., and made it better ( or so I thought)

Loss of corporate sponsorship and other issues (im sure) caused some rich kids from across 8 mile to come in and save the day.. For that I thank you. Here is the problem I have.. you freggin forgot about the REAL reason we had this shit in the first place. US- Detroit music and DJ's. Now this is just my opinion and I could be dead ass wrong-but I doubt it.

The festival use to be free... now you have to sell one of your kids just for a day pass- MISS ME WITH THAT BULLSHIT!! Y'all are fucking outside your mind with these high ass prices.. people come from all over the world and you rape them with no Vaseline. Now I understand you all need to make money and have to pay acts, insurance, legal fees etc..etc.. and the list of acts has grown to include some pretty big name artist. HOWEVER just like with every greedy corporation you people have forgotten the reason you are here, the music and the people who dance to it. You put Detroit DJ's on one or two lil funky ass stages (unless they are a bigger named producer/DJ) then the stage is slightly larger.

Some of your key players play right here in Detroit.. and you fucks don't even have the common decency to speak to people.. snooty asses! FUCK YOU VERY MUCH- I'll stick to the parties and after parties.(others my suck ya nut sack just to say they played with you..but again, without them..there would be no you)- YOU need to be the one doing all the sucking!

 Im a pretty good judge of people and my mother had the foresight to send me to school with some SUPER rich kids... so I kinda know how you people operate. Keep this in mind.. without US there would NEVER EVER be a YOU! RESPECT THAT SHIT! Show more love to Detroit talent!

I don't mince words and if I said it I stand by it! moving on...

ANYWHO

What I would like to see is Paxahau give something back to the community, Be corporate responsible. I don't remember seeing anything about your charity or outreach and that begins at home. 

There are plenty of kids right here in the Metro Detroit area that could use a creative outlet and you have not only the talent but the time. You learned from inner city music and DJs now give something back! These are just my words and opinions but like I always say, My Blog MY thoughts.

Let the Music Play

P~

ADDENDUM- It took me a minute to decide if I was going to post this or not. I did not want anyone I know to be adversely effected by my words. THIS Blog in no way represents anyones feelings other than mine! Maybe others feel the same way but are too afraid to say anything.. I am ONLY afraid of God and the IRS! 

,,,The night Moody played.. the legacy Frankie left!!!

 

This is the first Blog I have written without adding the title first. The reason for this is because I have been torn on what I should write about. - I came up with the title midway through the Blog...yaay me!

This Blog was supposed to be about MoodyMan and the collective set(s) of panties that fell to the floor the moment he walked into The Grasshopper Underground and set that place on Richard Pryor fire! 

SIDEBAR: That man can talk the Queen of England into given up the poonanny without saying a word ! ...but I digress. KDJ, I will get back to you in a moment. -aw'riiigh ( MoodyMan voice) 

Sitting at the bar looking at my newly remodeled home, that I didn't spend a dime on fixing up. Curssing myself for forgetting my laptop after hearing Earl Mixxin McKinney spin a tune in tribute to.. who, in MY opinion is one of the reasons we are here today. Doing what we do, in This Thing of Ours. Frankie Knuckles where would we be without you? Would our feet stomp as hard? Would our fist be raised with so much intensity that you almost dislocate it? Would be as carefree and happy? Would this underground sound  be as big as it is without you? 

I just don't think it would be, but as one of my most favorite people in the world so aptly posted on my page, " yes it still would be" but my dearest Dee Jones, I have to disagree with you on this one lady.  

Earl playing, The Whistle song brought a tear to my eye, seeing the impassioned video post by Mike Dunn broke my heart. Re posting the stat by Celeste Alexander made me feel like I finally understood what/ who he was in this scene we've carved out for ourselves. 

To my ChiTown fam- my heart felt condolences go out to you all. Looking at all the pictures of Frankie with people I know or have heard of. 

Truth be told., I was impressed when I saw that picture of Alan King with Barry O- aka the Prez aka POTHUS. I was just as impressed seeing Angie Slate/ Larry Vibe Maker/ and others I can not remember posing with Frankie Knuckles. 

You have to be some kinda special to have the outpouring of LOVE that this DJ has gotten. I'm sure Larry Levan, God, and Jesus were waiting on you when your made your arrival to the pearly gates. After all Jesus is a DJ ya know.  

Side Note... Its cold, thankfully I have Mike Clark sitting next to me to keep me warm. Thanks big guy.   
..ok back to NOT about Mike Clark and my aversion to the cold,...and thank YOU Ron Spears for the spelling lesson.- smile.

Back to the MAN... MoodyMan aka Kenny Dixon Jr, and the night he set The Grasshopper on FIYAH!

Ok, first let me tell you about the Grasshopper Underground., this place is one of the best spots to hear House music. Troy (last name unknown)..  here's a tidbit about Troy... out of ALL the club owners here in The D. Troy is not only the best looking, IMO he is the one that truly invest in his club. Not to mention he has one HELLUVA bartender/bouncer/friend Dom Snuggle!! I have seen that man ( who is a big corn fed white boy) fly from behind the bar and set the record straight on how things go down in THAT club... I mean the boi can FLY fo'real yall! Now we ALL know my pet is one Ms. Angie Vincent-owner of M!X, but I gots to give mad love to Troy- working his way up from the ground floor he is now the owner of a top notch House spot. - however,.... um, Troy, honey you need to work on the finger food! 

...ANYWHO, Moody!!! Now, we have talked about EPIC nights, NONE of them have compared to the night Moody played not even the 3 Chairs party at TV- by the way.. Tree, you cute too! Like I said, when Moody hit the decks you could hear Victoria telling ALL her secrets! 
... and to that DJ-who I happen to like as a person. But I can not keep silent on THIS one. To the DJ who put that BULLSHITIN ass post up about the vinyl DJ's KNEEGROW MASTERS STILL PLAY VINYL. That was one FUCKED up post you put up. It was shamful considering you came from vinyl- let me get off my soapbox and back on KDJ!

Let me tell ya who was in the building... all four of the Three Chairs, and I got to meet Theo Parrish for the 1st time.. ooh he IS a slick one.-smile. My buddy, my friend Rick Wilhite! ( at this point Rick is more than my buddy, more than my friend- Rick you ARE my fam and I love you!) The one and ONLY chocolate thunder.. Marcellus Pittman yall. Now, THAT'S my baybee, nothing I wouldn't do for that one. You had Divinity Devine, Parahna Head, Alton Miller- fresh from a extended tour overseas. RayBone Jones- fresh from a HELLUVA set in Brussels. Detroit House, the incredible Sierra Donovan. Dez Andres, Amp Fiddle, ooh child the list goes on and on. 

Kenny slapped us with tracks that packed an Ike Turner like punch! I wish I could remember the name of that Clash record he played., Kenny controlled the decks, much like a good man controls a woman who doesn't mind being controlled! You may question what I just said, so allow me to break it down for you.  When your man treats you right, gives you all that you want and need., caters to you.,feeds you all the love he has to give and more., NO woman would be opposed to that! That is what Kenny did to an entire room that night. Hell I wanted to leave the man some money on the night stand, fix him some eggs, bacon, country potatoes..and FRESH squeezed OJ..cause that night my Man, Moody took care of me musically speaking that is!

This past week I heard a Master and we lost a Master., both are legends, both play(ed) on a level that most of you will never reach! -Hey!!! MY BLOG MY THOUGHTS.

When you arrived at your final destination Frankie Knuckles I'm sure Larry was waiting with some 12's. Jesus had the CDJs, and God had the laptop. - God is pretty new to the DJ game so he decided to go with something easy to work with! You see God has other business to tend to and the Laptop makes it easy for him to pre-set his set to work on other things!

We have your music, your spirit will live on. Hopefully your message of love will pass down and the world will know the mark you left on this beautiful big blue ball we live on.

Let The Music Play!!!

P~

Let the Music play!: Gari Romalis and Nervous Breakdown

Let the Music play!: Gari Romalis and Nervous Breakdown: Ok, so I couldn't think of a catchy phrase for this Blog, sue me! With May just around the corner House Heads far and wide ar...

Gari Romalis and Nervous Breakdown

Ok, so I couldn't think of a catchy phrase for this Blog, sue me!

With May just around the corner House Heads far and wide are getting ready to invade Motown, and we are ready to receive you all with open arms, hardy smiles, and new stories... I, for one cant wait to see my Friend (yes, its a proper noun in my book) Fiona Callam and her Boo ( sorry I forgot his name) all the way from Scotland. Waiting to see her is like, "ok..hurry up May I haven't seen my sister since last year"- I will be there to get you Fiona,  no sister of mine will pay for a cab ride from the airport.

There will be lots going on this year, as we all know MOVEMENT will not be the only big House event in The D this year. ( y'all.. we finsta be tired)- in my Iris Cole voice.  So with that being said.. get your rest and eat your Wheaties. The last weekend in May will be NON STOP action and parties.

Of course my brother from another mother and..come to think of it. another continent will be here, the one and only Cloud MasterWeed! If you have not had the opportunity to hear him, please make sure you check him out.  That man plays like he is from right here IN Detroit! He usually plays at Dee Jones function every year. I can't see why this year would be any different. Love you baby boy, can't wait to see you and Breiss (did I spell that right)- welp, gotta brush up on my conversational French.

Ok, sorry let me digress. You see this post is about two of the coldest DJs I know. One you can hear around town often, not as often as we should but we can hear him nonetheless. Terry Cooley aka Nervous Breakdown. Maybe he holds a special place in my heart because he and my son share the same birthday. Maybe its his, speak softly and carry a big bag of tricks attitude. Don't let that quiet disposition fool you, the man is  mega powerful on those decks. Now, I am not a big fan of the flash drive thingy..but hey, its his thing.

A few months ago I gave a party at L!V( now known as M!X), a vinyl set. One DJ back out and I called Nerv at the VERY last minute, and he came through for me! Thanks Nerv. That child came in and straight RIPPED it. Yes yes yall Nerv spins vinyl too. Didn't even miss the DJ that opted not to show.

I have had an appreciation for Nerv since I heard him play at the River rat..oops I mean the River Place. ( don't act like its just me that calls that place the River Rat).

He too is another DJ who can spin with ZERO errors or adjustments ( at least I haven't heard any) In my book( and its MY BLOG....MY THOUGHTS) he is mos def a vet, with a great ear for music and he is smooth like butta baby.

Nerv can set a mood like few others I've heard before. Ya, know what..Nerv?!?!, you  don't need to talk much.  Keep letting your skill speak for itself sir. Nervous Breakdown, you ARE a DJ., and we are blessed to have you as one of our own.

Now most of you all know about Tink ( government name withheld) Thomas..you know, my very 1st boyfriend. Hell, I only say that every time I write about the lil hot head. As good of a DJ as Tink is..there is another family member of his who- in MY opinion ( and opinions are just like assholes)- everybody has one. Well this cousin of Tinks can spin circles around Tink. ( yup!! I said it) and Tink, I double dog dare you to have something to say to me about it. -smile ( still not afraid of you though)

His name, Gari Romalis
His passion, music
His goal, keeping it pure
His set, organic, exotic, and rare.

I have known Gari for as long as I can remember. He use to date a girl next door to me( or..did he just like her)??? ANYWHO!!! I didn't know the Cat was a DJ! Thank gawd for Facebook and Sound Cloud. This boi so out cold wit it, its almost sinful!

Sitting here listening to him now on Sound Cloud takes me back to the night I 1st heard him play. It was at Loft 141 or something like that. You know, the spot next to American Coney Island. Its not like it was a super packed party, but for those who were there, they all left with a euphoric feeling. This man goes into a zone and you will willingly follow him. There are very few DJs that can get you high without the need of the weedman. Marcellus Pittman can, Jon Easley can, Jamie 3:26 can, Moodyman can, Glenn and Boo MOS DEF can.. and then there is this Cat from Southfield who can hold his own with the Cats I just mentioned. He gets you so high his shit can't be reggies.. its ALL exotic baby! You will not hear the same top 40 House hits you hear over and over.. he is an artist and is serious about his shit!

Both he and Nerv play with expressionless skill, they don't dance around, they don't fist pump, they just play the damn music! Honestly, they play for themselves( which in most cases I HATE) but with those two, the music they play albeit selfish..its, its kinda cool. Cause I dig them, and so will you!

So with all of you coming across the pond to party with us here in The D., check out a few places..
Coney Island - American, not the one next door!
TV Bar
M!X- my home
The Grasshopper
The Whiskey
Bucharest Grill
Northern Lights- CloudMasterWeed usually plays here during MOVEMENT weekend!
...and my personal fav( besides my home aka M!X) Motor City Wine!

When you ARE hear, if those two are playing ( which I'm sure they will be)- YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THEM!

You see, not every good DJ is one you hear every week! Not every good DJ travels both home or abroad!

HOWEVER... EVERY good DJ pulls you in and lifts you up! ..and these two are some of the coldest I know!

Let The Music Play

P~

 

Respect, Acceptance, music and the party scene.. Get ya acts together.

The one thing I've liked most about my Blogs is I speak from the heart. I speak with passion much like a good DJ plays with passion. I like my light hearted Blogs. The kind that make you laugh or have you re-living the moment, even if you weren't there.

I was going to write about respect ( but I have done that enough).. I want it to be fun again. So this is what I am going to do. I'm going to write about the bullshit I have seen 1st hand then we are going to move on to some funny shit. 

Recently I let my House family see apart of me that I try VERY hard to manage and keep deep undercover. There comes a time when disrespect and disregard have to be put in its place. I just happened to do it in a in front of everybody! Oops.. my bad.  If you see people have your back when no one else does you don't disregard or disrespect them. When you see people have supported you, you don't mistreat them. Everyone wants to feel like they have a special place, a safe place where you can be free to just be who you are, and say what you want., and not be judged.

That is what this scene is all about right?!?!? Well... hold on, pump ya breaks cause it has not been like that. uh-oh PJ is about to play the race card. I was a firm believer that no matter the color, sex, or sexual orientation we can come together and dance. So tell me, why is it that we ( colored folk) party together and them ( our light skinned cousins) leave when we.. the aforementioned colored folk show up? NOT COOL people....not cool at all! Why is it that if its a known party where the majority of the people are of one sexual orientation people stay away like folks had the plaque, also NOT cool. 

Lets change that! We had four parties planned with our ChiTown family..what happened to the other two parties? Y'all(Detroit AND Chicago DJs) owe us! I don't know what you people have to do to make it happen but get your act(s) together and make it work! 

The newby that has not yet paid his/her dues. Um, looka here partner. Until you can pull a crowd,(...and here's a clue if the dance floor clears when you are playing)-chances are you need to get ya'weight up playaham!  A few opening sets at a few parties does not a DJ make! Until you know how to let one beat ride on top of another, blend, mix and.. and flow like water... you still need to pay ya dues. Tip tow your lil butt back to the basement and come back to the club when you can do all that I mentioned. There have been few up and comers that have set this House Heads feet to tapping. One was Pablo Diskobar the other Chris Habibian.. those two mofo's are THAT DEAL! If you don't dance while they are playing you must be dead! I shutter to think what would happen if those two got together and played at a club. Um LYNDA CARTER/ Angie Vincent are you reading this? #MESSAGE.

This past weekend I was able to hear a full set by Jason Garcia and Adam Francesconi ( ok, I think I spelled it right) Adam, baby I did not know you were that damn good! Jason the tracks you selected where simply put.. AWESOME, Taz that J. Dilla track., righteous indeed.  The House Gallery Cats deserve FAR more play time then they receive (why is that)? They show up at most events.. I don't see that returned..why is that? I have mad respect and love for those fella's Jay Ramsey missed out.. come home Jay and don't forget the to bring the baby.

Phil and Christa's birthday..ok the weather was bad we know this but for those who showed up to celebrate..you guys ROCK! oh and Jamie 3:26 showed his hind parts once more. He gets my vote for that 4 day party L!V.. (ahh I mean M!X) gives during MOVEMENT weekend. 

Karl Lucas birthday party the music was incredible.. the passion was all over the place, Doc Link showed his entire booty! Craig Huckabee ( Mikes big brother) wow.. it was a pleasure to hear him (my 1st time)- By the way, Craig always smiles, Mike does not?? Is there a reason for this? When you find out let a sistah know.

I realize I can't change the world., but I can start by helping others mend fences. One late nite gig I saw this 1st hand, two DJs that were at odds with each other come together in the spirit of the craft, gave hugs and had a conversation. That made my day. Cause these two were about to kill each other. 

I may not be a DJ or a big time party promoter, I may not have all that others have. What I do have is a voice and I am going to use it! My goal is to make you all see what I see in each one of you. ( cept for those that I don't like.. you 3 bitches know who you are). I see so much goodness in people., even when I am angered even when they hurt me. I still see goodness. I still get lost in the music even when I don't want to.  

Respect each other, accept each others differences lets dance to the music and keep this party scene going!

I was supposed to get to some funny stuff, well... I will have to do that next writing! until then,

Let The Music Play

P~