Starwood (nightclub)
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 The Starwood entrance in early 1979. | |
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| Former names | P.J.'s (1961-1973) |
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| Address | 8151 Santa Monica Blvd West Hollywood, CA 90046 United States |
| Coordinates | 34°05′28″N 118°22′00″W / 34.091028°N 118.366643°W |
| Owner | Eddie Nash |
| Type | Nightclub, music venue |
| Genre(s) | Entertainment |
| Capacity | 800 (500 seated) 400 standing at the Rock Room |
| Opened | 1973 |
| Closed | June 13, 1981 |
| Years active | 8 |
The Starwood was a popular
History
P.J.'s (1961-1973)
The Starwood was preceded by P.J.'s, a fashionable jazz and pop music nightclub during the 1960s, which attracted a large number of film and TV personalities,[1] and some old school jazz musicians. Established in February 1961 by Paul Raffles, Chuck Murano, Bill Daugherty, and Elmer Valentine, it hosted such acts as the Bobby Fuller Four, the Standells,[1] Rufus Thomas, Trini Lopez,[1] and Kool & the Gang, all of whom recorded live albums there. Other notable performers at the venue were the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Tim Buckley. The club was managed by Valentine until he left to cofound the Whisky a Go Go in January 1964.
In late 1971, P.J.'s was bought by alleged organized crime figures Eddie Nash[1] and Dominic Lucci,[2] together with Hal Glickman. After receiving a light renovation, the club was reopened to the public in January, 1972.
Starwood (1973-1981)
In 1973, after Nash bought out Lucci's and Glickman's ownership interests in the P.J.'s club, it became the Starwood,
The Starwood was highly instrumental in the careers of many regional bands and artists including Van Halen, X, the Germs (who played their legendary last show at the venue), the Go-Go's, Fear, Circle Jerks, the Knack, W.A.S.P. (known as Circus Circus at the time), the Motels, Quiet Riot, Dokken and the Runaways.
Ray Manzarek's short lived band, Nite City, appeared at the club and recorded their set for their live album, Starwood Club, Los Angeles. 02/23/1977.
Mötley Crüe, one of the most successful bands to emerge from the Sunset Strip music scene, played their first concert together as a band at the Starwood on April 24, 1981, with help from the band's bass guitarist, Nikki Sixx, who was employed by the Starwood as a janitor and convinced his boss to let them play there, opening for the already established California-based band Y&T. Sixx had performed at the Starwood prior to forming Mötley Crüe with his former band, London.
Some of the acts from outside of California who played at the Starwood include
The Starwood had two rooms with a hallway between; one room was a small dance floor and the other was the concert venue. Paid admission allowed access to both rooms, although the concert side was always crowded. The venue was small, what is commonly known today as 'shoebox' size, and configured with a long stage.
In popular culture
- The Starwood was mentioned in the Red Hot Chili Peppers songs "Deep Kick" from One Hot Minute and "Aquatic Mouth Dance" from Unlimited Love.
- The club is also mentioned (along with Madame Wong's and the Whisky a Go Go) in the title track from Frank Zappa's 1981 album, Tinsel Town Rebellion.
See also
- P.J.'s (in French)
References
- ^ ISBN 9781595800183. p. 147.
- ISBN 9780312206468.
- ^ Klosterman, Chuck (September 2002). "Paradise City". Spin 18 (9): 72.
External links
- TLC (November 20, 2008). "Starwood 1973- 1982". The Go-Go's Notebook.
- John (March 20, 2014). "Gary Fontenot, Manager of the Starwood" (obituary and interview). Wonderland1981.
| Authority control databases: Geographic |
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