Fact #97684
When:
Short story:
America's first discotheque, The Whisky A-Go-Go, is opened by entrepreneur Elmer Valentine on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California, USA. The first live act is Johnny Rivers. It will become one of the hippest clubs in America.
Full article:
Elmer Valentine : It was just so popular, right from the very first night. I tell you, I was just lucky. It was easy. You know what? It was easy. (Source : Vanity Fair, 2000)
Johnny Rivers : The Whisky was a smash from opening night. I brought my following from Gazzari's. We recorded an album two nights in a row and took it to every record company in town. None of them wanted it.
Lou Adler (record producer) : Up until that point, rock acts did not have that kind of venue. It drew a lot of celebrities, and the celebrities drew people to come watch the celebrities.
Bob Gibson (LA-based publicist) : The adult clubs began to die and began catering to rock 'n' roll and the new youthful audience.
Rodney Bingenheimer (LA scenester) : The Sunset Strip was like Las Vegas. People would actually walk from La Cienega to Gazzari's at two and three in the morning. It was a 24-hour party, but it was all very innocent. It wasn't until later that the scene turned ugly and people started taking a lot of drugs. It was still a mod thing then.
Lou Adler : Being in that club was like heaven for him (owner Elmer Valentine). He loved rock music, and he loved the musicians. He had a special relationship with all of them.
David Amorena (Assistant Planner, City of West Hollywood) : The building which houses the Whisky was originally built in 1928 with an art deco style, and there are few art deco buildings left on the Sunset Strip.
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Johnny Rivers : The Whisky was a smash from opening night. I brought my following from Gazzari's. We recorded an album two nights in a row and took it to every record company in town. None of them wanted it.
Lou Adler (record producer) : Up until that point, rock acts did not have that kind of venue. It drew a lot of celebrities, and the celebrities drew people to come watch the celebrities.
Bob Gibson (LA-based publicist) : The adult clubs began to die and began catering to rock 'n' roll and the new youthful audience.
Rodney Bingenheimer (LA scenester) : The Sunset Strip was like Las Vegas. People would actually walk from La Cienega to Gazzari's at two and three in the morning. It was a 24-hour party, but it was all very innocent. It wasn't until later that the scene turned ugly and people started taking a lot of drugs. It was still a mod thing then.
Lou Adler : Being in that club was like heaven for him (owner Elmer Valentine). He loved rock music, and he loved the musicians. He had a special relationship with all of them.
David Amorena (Assistant Planner, City of West Hollywood) : The building which houses the Whisky was originally built in 1928 with an art deco style, and there are few art deco buildings left on the Sunset Strip.