BijouBlog

By Will Seagers

Hi folks! Will here.

We're taking a little bit of a break after the two year run of my blog with Bijou.

To celebrate the two years of fun that I've had, here is a gala video for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

Will Seagers in L.A. Tool & Die, stylized image

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, recent photo

Hi Folks, Will here. And, I am ready with another installment in what has become my mini-series! LOL. Little did I know that when I undertook this saga that so many memories would surface in the process. Thank you readers for jumping from one cliff-hanger to another with all of these installments... fifty years is a lot of time to cover! 

Linking up with the last installment, it was the fall of 1976 and I had just landed in the arms of friends in the outrageous City by the Bay! My job offer from Chuck Holmes was waiting and that was a source of stability and comfort in my new life on the other side of the country.

Chuck owned a restaurant/bar called Trinity Place (located on the street that bore the same name in S.F.'s financial district). At first I tended bar. That didn't last too long, as I wasn't fast enough to keep up with vast number of clients that flowed in at five o'clock when the stock market closed. Playing solo on a 25' bar was not in my resume. So, I agreed to move to the dining room and join the waitstaff. Soon, I was made aware that we the bartenders and waitstaff were also on the menu. Lots of money was to be made on the "side hustle." New to town and trying to set up my own headquarters, this money came in handy. I found a couple of pleasant "Johns" and did repeat performance$.

Chuck was also good to me with the film and magazine work that he offered. The S.F. chapter of my porn career took off quickly and successfully. Soon, I worked with Al Parker and a number of other Falcon luminaries. The pay was great! (But, I still had a hard time calling it work!) It was with this "pin money" that I slowly started to put my first DJ mixing console together - a pair of Technics 1800s and a Numark mixer. This extra bit of cash also came in handy during the non-stop weekend partying of the late 70s. My circle of friends grew quickly along with these regular Saturday night outings.

Bones was the first club that I called home during this time. Jack and Jerry were the dynamic duo who owned this club located at the end of Haight St., across from Golden Gate Park. They dared to play the most underground and soulful music that I had heard since leaving New York. Timmy Rivers and Michael Lee were the resident DJs, and were not satisfied unless you left their dance floor soaking wet! (And we did!)

A brief aside. I not only was a patron of their club, but I started my lighting career with Jack at his "parties at large." Without any real training, I jumped in head first and learned on the fly... going to lighting rental houses and getting truckloads of lighting instruments to erect and "play" at various venues around town.

Steve Fabus lugging vinyl!

It was at these parties that I met Steve Fabus, who was the go to DJ for all of these "At Large" events. We have remained friends over the years... and he is still playing to fans in San Francisco and around the globe. One of the most memorable of these parties was held at The Peoples Temple on Geary Blvd. If that name sounds eerily familiar, it's because it is the same place where Rev. Jim Jones preached before leading his flock to Jonestown, Guyana! It was a massive old synogogue screaming out for my best lighting efforts! Steve played the music, I did the lights, and Bruce Trondson did the sound. I was always glad for Bruce's help connecting my lighting controller to the electrical sources in all of these buildings. I also need to mention that Vincent Carleo (of Flamingo fame) made a cameo appearance that night and played a couple of his legendary standards.

Peoples Temple sign & interior

Me, staying cool and shirtless doing the lights at The Peoples Temple.

 

Back to club life evolution. The next big club after Bones - big enough to be called a "Disco" - was the I-Beam. This was also located on Haight St. just a block or so east of Bones. Sanford Kellman was the owner/entrepreneur. He had a very successful leather bar in the South of Market area called The Bolt. The size, scale and DJs at The I-Beam made it an instant sensation. Timmy Rivers once again graced the wheels of steel. The only thing that wasn't great was that it was located in an abandoned loft. The only way in was a huge staircase. It was just about as infamous as N.Y.'s "Loft" staircase. Just about as many steps but much wider. It used to get quite packed with revelers trying their best to get in. This was also during the height of the Quaalude era. So, the steps could be a bit tricky! LOL. 

I-Beam exterior & ad

 

Next came The Music Hall on Larkin Street in the Tenderloin section of town. Originally, it was a dinner theater that was converted to a club by removing the theater seating, flattening the floor and adding beautiful hardwood. This club reminded me of The 10th Floor (from a prior blog). Bruce Trondson did the sound. I not only helped him with the lighting design, but was one of two resident light men. I worked most of my shifts with Lester Temple spinning... (another S.F. DJ of major fame). I was delighted to see Lester on one of my recent trips back to S.F. He's still making music!

Exterior of Music Hall in its theater days & recent pic of Lester Temple.

 

There was a major rumble that was starting to be heard South of Market - Trocadero Transfer. There was no doubt that this was a full-scale disco. Everything about it was huge. The hardwood dancefloor, the Graebar (NYC) sound system and the extensive lighting grid extended across the massive ceiling. Dick Collier was its owner and designer. This former CBS TV studio was the perfect place for a venture like this. Nothing was the same after this club was launched. The I-Beam and the Music Hall faded off into oblivion.

Troc - exterior shot with usual line to get in.

 

Originally, Vincent Carleo was brought out from New York City to head the DJ entourage. "Vinnie," of Flamingo fame, was used to serving up a lower-paced, very masculine and urban musical fare. I was in heaven... as this was my kind of music. However, it seems that there was more than just two thousand miles separating the coasts. It was the music itself. The great hope for a lot of us was that "The Troc" would give S.F. the underground club that it was missing. But, Vinnie's tenure was not long. Except for a handful of us, his music did not go over well. After he left, lots of pop-oriented L.A. DJs were flown up to do their thing. Although I worked the lights for a couple of months, I rarely went there to dance - the music was just too "bubble gum" for me.

My tenure ended at the Troc after their new messiah from Florida arrived. I will say that, professionally and technically, he was miles over the people he replaced. But, it still wasn't the kind of music that "floats my boat." He noticed my lack of interest and started telling me what to do with the lights. That was enough for me. Being there for those twelve hour shifts became too much to bear. I went back to my "At Large" gigs and soon had some of some of the most memorable events added to my portfolio.

Showing my continued love and admiration for Patti LaBelle, Roger, Tommy and I attended another fabulous concert of Miss LaBelle's at the George Moscone Center in S.F. in 1980, this time as a solo artist. The featured tune at this concert was "Music Is My Way of Life" - and when Miss LaBelle performed that song with her legendary verve, the crowd went nuts! Unfortunately, I don't have many other memories of that concert due to being pharmaceutically challenged. LOL.

Rod Roderick

And now onto the undisputed Godfather of Disco in San Francisco, William P. Roderick, aka "Rod Roderick." He was friends with sound engineer, Bruce Trondson, and had attended several parties where I had designed and operated the lights. He invited me to "do the lights" at several of his parties held at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco's Japantown. I had the pleasure of being connected with John Tadesco of Industrial Power and Light fame. He took me to his Bay Area warehouse where hundreds of theatrical and movie lighting pieces adorned the shelves and ceilings. More amazing was when he asked me, "What would you like to use?" I was like a kid in a candy shop... I went nuts! AND... I had no budget!

S.F.'s Kabuki Theater

Needless to say, with Mr. Tadesco's help, I strung together some of the most bizarre yet impressive lighting effects in my career. The leader of this group was a giant "chandelier-ish" 10' sphere that was flown from the highest point of the Kabuki's ceiling (some 30'). This creation was encrusted with small strobe lights and small Fresnel theater lights. At just the right times, it was slowly lowered to just above the heads of the dance floor revelers. The dance floor responded with screams and squeals of joy. But there was more! John and I had rigged six emergency halide lights up by the ceiling. They looked like inverted garbage cans. These were of the same ilk as street lamps, in that they fired up slowly to a ferocious bright peak! I had them gelled with Urban Blue, a very dark blue that could only work with the intensity of these emergency lights. I waited for just the right song from DJ Frankie Corr. When that moment arrived, I turned on the emergency lights. Slowly, the whole theater turned a "thick blue" - you could almost taste it. Then, at the peak of the song, I shot ceiling mounted teal-gelled pin spots through the "navy blue" and quickly killed the navy blue, leaving only a black theater with teal blades of light from dance floor to ceiling. Once again, the dancers confirmed my design with their roar! This was a crowning moment and my last major lighting job. I had begun mixing and recording my own urban music cassettes and peddling them around town. As the requests grew for my tapes and cashflow improved, I upgraded my mixing console with a classic pair of Technics 1100s. A change was coming.

My last entry on the great clubs of San Francisco would not be complete without the inclusion of Dreamland. This was another very large club situated in San Francisco's South of Market warehouse district and was intended to be the foil of Trocadero.

I had the distinct honor and pleasure of having some of this club's original planning happen right in my living room on 10th St. I'll never forget when Michael Maier, the club's originator, asked me if he could bring some folks over to my apartment to discuss the forming of his dream club.

Michael and I had a wonderful affair in 1978 in The Pines. We both worked there. I was a lifeguard for the pool at The Boatel. He was part of the waitstaff at The Sandpiper just down the wharf. I don't know how either one of us survived the work and the all-nighters we pulled! But, love conquers all. We both loved to dance and party after work. And, we had a unique commonality - we both played the tambourine! Back then, dance audiences loved to contribute with all sorts of percussion instruments. It really made the music seem alive!

Our affair was intense but without a lot of commitments. The future was never really brought up in our lighthearted play. So, it was a bit of a shock when I found out that Michael not only was a stockbroker, but that he had moved to S.F. right after that summer on Fire Island! Add to that was his secret ambition to start a night club in San Francisco.

Anyway, back to my little apartment on 10th St. He arrived with blueprints and several potential investors for his project. I have to laugh. The very coffee table upon which those blueprints were spread was mirror-topped... just perfect for what was to follow in celebration of starting this project (wink!).

Everything was to be light and airy in design, like an Italian villa. It was white with large arches. The New York firm of Graebar was called upon again to provide another breathtaking sound experience. The dancefloor was vast and a very light hardwood. Adjacent to the dancefloor was the bar area with small two-top tables and lots of potted palms and ficus trees. Yes, this brought back memories of dance palaces of the past.

Dreamland's arches, dancefloor & membership card

The DJ booth was upstairs, at first. The upstairs continued the theme of the arches. I think for purely contact reasons, the booth was moved downstairs in one of the dancefloor corners with banquettes surrounding it. Mr. Carleo was once again the choice to inaugurate the club. He was joined by many different N.Y. DJs. Howard Merrit was the most famous of these imports. He and Vinnie had played together at Flamingo. Roy Shapiro, a long-time friend from N.Y., and I were the light men. While he was fully enthralled with doing lights, I was starting to get the itch to play music.

It was when one of my aforementioned music cassettes fell into the hands of Michael and Roy that I was invited to move to the other side of the DJ booth and play some of what they heard! My debut was Easter Sunday Tea Dance in 1980. I rehearsed myself silly during the preceding week. I brough a ton of records with me - all songs that had inspired me through the years to make this leap of faith. Although my mixing was dreadful, the crowd roared at the content of what I was playing. People were lined up at the back of the booth to wish me well and get me astronomically high! How I played one record after another was really a miracle. But, it must have worked because Sunday afternoon Tea Dances became my time slot!

Soon, I had the unique pleasure of sharing the turntables with Howard Merrit. He wanted in on this fun daytime slot. What was great was that when he played, I went down to the dancefloor for a break and visa versa. But, the same inevitability that hit Vincent also came my way. The audience wanted more upbeat and commercial sounding music - the kind that I was averse to playing. Soon, I was relegated to playing the off shifts, which barely lasted till two or three AM. I had to face the reality that I might be only a "cassette DJ." My tenure at Dreamland came to an end.

One door closes and another opens, as they say. Little did I know that Ron Holmes, Badlands and Phoenix bar owner and entrepreneur, heard about my leaving Dreamland and wanted me to play at his Castro Street locations. I started at The Phoenix, where I remained for only a couple of weeks. Then, I was "promoted" to The Badlands, where I remained for over four years. (That's an unheard of timespan for a DJ!) Mr. Holmes thought my style of music was perfect for his stand up bar. I took to it like a fish takes to water. I grew as a musician and technician. In no time, I was playing the key shifts including Saturday nights. Being a stand up bar, I could get away with all sorts of experimental stuff... I just needed to keep them happy.

As a working bona fide DJ, I was finally qualified to be a member of the record pool "TOP 25," with George Ferren at the helm. He and I have remained friends and keep in touch to this day. I was always delighted to break the newest and most promising tunes after my weekly visits to the pool. 

George Ferren

I soon found out that The Badlands was a key music bar in S.F., and working there garnered me a lot of respect. Although it was not a dance bar, I shared the booth with major S.F. DJs like Timmy Rivers, Jorge Martinez and Johnny "Disco" Hedges. Although I received a lot of compliments during that time, it had never dawned on me that I was considered a good DJ. (After Dreamland, I was a bit crestfallen.) I came to work at Badlands right after L.A. Tool & Die was released. That had a major impact. There wasn't a Saturday night when the entrance to my booth wasn't lined up with shots, drinks and "party favors."

Four years of constant late nights with all that you would expect to accompany them were taking a toll on me. When I announced my intention to leave Badlands, Carl, the bar manager, was crushed. I was his rock. Despite the "Sodom and Gomora" atmosphere of bar life, I always treated the position with responsibility and dignity. He was truly sorry to see me go.

Most of the electronic toys that I had accumulated in the seven years of being in S.F. came from Eber Electronics, just off the corner of Castro and Market St. I threw out the idea of working there to my favorite salesman. He arranged an interview with the owner, which I aced. Eber's became my new home for the next five years.

During this hiatus of playing DJ at one location, I still maintained my cassette business. I had to keep my fingers on the pulse of current music. That paid off several times with the wonderful man, Michael Goglia. Michael was a bartender at Badlands and, unbeknownst to me, was a huge fan of my music. He left Badlands a couple of years before I did to become the bar manager of Moby Dick Bar on 18th St., just down one block from Badlands.

Twice, Michael had me play at his "At Large" parties at the Russian River. One was called "Search" and the other was called "Rescue." They were wonderful outdoor, all night affairs. I became concerned when my dance floor was empty several times. Michael reassured me... "They're in the woods fucking - you're doing fine!" 

My denouement to playing music in my beloved "City by the Bay" was at Moby Dick Bar at Michael's request. This is where I really "styled out" and was at my artistic best. And, to top it off, guess who I got to work with? None other that the legendary Vincent Carleo! Although we had been close over the years in San Francisco, our friendship and musical relationship grew to new heights. I remember so many nights that we stayed in the booth after the bar closed playing for each other. Now, how many people actually get to become friends with and fans of their mentor? Although I only played there for a year or so, it was a perfect way to end this chapter of my life.

Sadly, my partner of thirteen years, Tommy, had passed from AIDS two years prior. And without his help, I wasn't taking good care of myself. I could feel the nudge of my Guardian Angel telling me it was time to move on. The East Coast and a reinvention of myself was waiting. However, one thing remained the same - "Music Is My Way of Life."

(Click to play.)

Stay tuned for a short but musical follow up...

 

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, present day

You can read Will Seagers' previous blogs for Bijou here:

Welcome Matt/Will | What's For Dessert? | On and Off the Set of L.A. Tool & Die | Wanted, Weekend Lockup and Weekends in Hermosa Beach | Honeymoon in the Palms | Birds of a Feather | The Stereo Maven of Castro Street | The Pass Around Boy | The Ecstasy and the Agony | Fitness and Fantasy | Chasing the Boys and Chasing the Sun | Becoming Invisible | The Reverse Story of Dorian Gray | Pin Money | One Organ Leads to Another! | The Wheels of Steel | Feast and Famine | An Alphabet Soup of Powders and Pills | Merry Christmas (and Getting Re-Organized) | Now and Then | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: The Badlands | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: Moby Dick Bar | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: "Just Another Stroll Down the Castro!" | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Hamburger Mary's | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Long Live the Stud! | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Club Life..."Hit me with your Rhythm Stick!” | A "Split Ticket": SoMa/Folsom and The Haight! | Staying Vanilla in a Flavorful Culture | A Little Secret | Recollections of the 1977 S.F. Gay Pride Parade | Life's a Beach | Flora & Fauna | Once Is Just Not Enough! | A Love of Cultures – A Knack for Languages! | For the Birds | It's About Time! | The Perfect Storm | Hello Chicago/Adieu Fire Island Pines! | Sex in the Woods! | My Life at the Gym | The Last Picture Show | Cumming Attractions! | The Peter Pan Syndrome | Valentine's Day Reflections | The “Idus Martias” and a Peacock! | Taxing I.M.H.O. | Nope...This Sure Ain't Kansas! | The French Connection | Water Baby | Pride: You Wear It Well! | Life Goes On... | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 1 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 2 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 3 | A Christmas Haiku | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | "Werk!" | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | Heart Throbs from the Past! | Traveling the Arc | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 1 | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 2 | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 3

Hi Folks - Will here with another installment of my musical journey. This time, I will share my thoughts on what led me to DJing and what led me to move from New York City to San Francisco in 1976.

For any of you that have been following my blogs over the past couple of years, I apologize in advance for any repetitions or redundancies. Hopefully, these memories will explain how the parts of my musical puzzle fall into place.

In the summer of 1975, I "worked" on Fire Island in The Pines in many capacities. I say this with tongue in cheek because I was everything from a houseboy to a live-in sex worker over that incredible summer. "The Island" and The Pines were where I wanted to be - by hook or by crook. But, I wanted to be there on my own terms and not be hindered in any way from discovering its magic.

"La Isla del Fuego"

 

Twice a houseboy and twice it didn't work out, as some of my implied duties were not to my liking. The first of these two jobs was so limiting that I hardly had any time to experience the Island. The second time morphed quickly into a problem when my sexual "duties" became non-stop. I made a pact with myself not to get into any more "sticky" arrangements like that again. Okay... Enough of the melodramas of a pretty 24 year old and onto a fateful meeting at Cherry Grove's Ice Palace.

Inside The Ice Palace... anything but chilly.

 

It was at a Tea Dance at The Ice Palace where I met Roger. He looked like a page right out of a Tom of Finland book! Muscular, bearded, and with all the right moves on that tea dance floor, too! We tore back to his place and didn't come up for air for what seemed like days! That night turned into that weekend and ultimately the rest of that summer.

I do remember us taking a break from the Island to come into the City (NYC) to see the LaBelle "Night Birds" concert at the Harkness Theater adjacent to Lincoln Center. The concert was extremely well attended. We were in the balcony, which seemed to be the default gay section! When they sang their national hit, "Lady Marmalade" (Voulez-Vous Coucher Avec Moi Ce Soir?), our balcony exploded into a sing along with such fervor that the ushers tried to calm us down as they feared structural damage! What a night!

Nona, Sarah & Patti tearing up that balcony.

 

At the end of the season, Roger told me he was moving to San Francisco. I was sad... to say the least. But, fate had more in store for the two of us.

Now, with no real plans for the upcoming fall and winter, I helped out my old friend and former roommate from Puerto Rico, Denis. He received a scholarship to Arizona State University located in the Phoenix area. Although one of the brightest people that I have ever known, he had NO street smarts. His parents knew this and were panicked about him being 1700+ miles from their Northern New Jersey home. They asked me to be "chaperone" and keep an eye on him. So, off we drove across country, hitting every gay bar and club on the way. What a hoot!

As my friend settled into his academics, I tended bar at a couple of local clubs. It was a great way to get to know the local boys and keep in touch with music. Meanwhile, I stayed in touch with Lew Thomas (of Target Studios fame) and did some "Western" site scouting for him. I found a great desert locale that Lew liked. Wearing chaps, cowboy hats and not much else, it turned out to be a rather hot and popular magazine and video.

In the heat of the desert.

 

My connection with Lew paid off again. Serendipitously, at the end of my friend's college stay in Arizona and with me not having any plans after that, Lew contacted me and asked if I might want to work for John Whyte at the Boatel in Fire Island Pines... home of the legendary Pines tea dance. The next thing I knew, I was standing in front of Mr. Whyte in full leather (chaps shown above) being interviewed for the job. He was taken/amused by my appearance stating this was a first - interviewing in full leather! For the next three summers that's where I called home.

Me on the busy deck on John Whyte's Boatel. All hands on what?!

As this first summer was coming to an end in the Pines, serendipity struck again. I met Chuck Holmes (of Falcon Studio fame) and was offered work in San Francisco. As fate would have it, the wonderful waitstaff with whom I had worked at the Boatel were all headed to San Francisco, too. Armed with only the promise of a job from Mr. Holmes, I took a leap of faith and joined them. Only one of these guys actually had an apartment in San Francisco. I slept on his floor for my first three nights in town... But, hey, it was in the Castro - the gay crossroads of the world! Soon we all found flats and apartments in the area. The new adventure had begun.

San Francisco's naughty neighborhood.

Within the first month or so I met my boyfriend, Tommy. He had such a sweet face and huge brown eyes... among other things. Little did I know that he was a fan of my porn. We remained together in our little South of Market apartment for the next thirteen years.

Coincidentally, guess who Tommy knew? And, guess who he shared his May 22nd birthday?... Roger... my friend from Fire Island! We instantly became a trio. And, the two of them started to familiarize me with all things San Francisco. I had never before felt so "at home" in any other place in my life.

As the iconic San Francisco disco divas The Two Tons of Fun sang, "Earth Can Be Just Like Heaven!" And, I was about to find that out... stay tuned! Will.

It sure can be.

 

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, present day

You can read Will Seagers' previous blogs for Bijou here:

Welcome Matt/Will | What's For Dessert? | On and Off the Set of L.A. Tool & Die | Wanted, Weekend Lockup and Weekends in Hermosa Beach | Honeymoon in the Palms | Birds of a Feather | The Stereo Maven of Castro Street | The Pass Around Boy | The Ecstasy and the Agony | Fitness and Fantasy | Chasing the Boys and Chasing the Sun | Becoming Invisible | The Reverse Story of Dorian Gray | Pin Money | One Organ Leads to Another! | The Wheels of Steel | Feast and Famine | An Alphabet Soup of Powders and Pills | Merry Christmas (and Getting Re-Organized) | Now and Then | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: The Badlands | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: Moby Dick Bar | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: "Just Another Stroll Down the Castro!" | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Hamburger Mary's | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Long Live the Stud! | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Club Life..."Hit me with your Rhythm Stick!” | A "Split Ticket": SoMa/Folsom and The Haight! | Staying Vanilla in a Flavorful Culture | A Little Secret | Recollections of the 1977 S.F. Gay Pride Parade | Life's a Beach | Flora & Fauna | Once Is Just Not Enough! | A Love of Cultures – A Knack for Languages! | For the Birds | It's About Time! | The Perfect Storm | Hello Chicago/Adieu Fire Island Pines! | Sex in the Woods! | My Life at the Gym | The Last Picture Show | Cumming Attractions! | The Peter Pan Syndrome | Valentine's Day Reflections | The “Idus Martias” and a Peacock! | Taxing I.M.H.O. | Nope...This Sure Ain't Kansas! | The French Connection | Water Baby | Pride: You Wear It Well! | Life Goes On... | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 1 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 2 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 3 | A Christmas Haiku | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | "Werk!" | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | Heart Throbs from the Past! | Traveling the Arc | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 1 | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 2

Hi folks! Will here with the second installment of how music has been such a big part of my life.

In this blog I hope to cover "club life." It seems that I was around at just the right time in the late 60s, 70s and 80s in New York and San Francisco to reap some of the benefits of this new and fertile landscape. To start, I think it might be a good idea to give some definition to this term.

As a young, curious and definitely active young gay man, I started to discover local gay life in my Jersey Shore area. It mostly centered around gay bars. Of course, they were not advertised as such... you needed a sponsor - so to speak - to get in. Full of audacity and not yet having one of these sponsors, I tried to pull off being old enough (21 y.o.) in my look and comportment. Most of the time it worked, unless I got an unfriendly doorman or one that wanted to me to put out in order to get in! Anyway, aside from the late 60s politics of my underage bar hopping, I did gain access and learned to love the feel of my new community and their musical gathering places.

The boardwalk of Asbury Park - always very cruisy after the bars shut!

 

The late 60s were sort of the pre-club era. They were simple pick up places. Their music even predated disc jockeys. Rockola, Seeburg and Wurlitzer jukeboxes provided the musical fare. Overall, the sound was good enough. But, it lacked the continuity to create any kind of musical atmosphere. That was to change with the advent of private clubs.

The pre-DJ era.

 

The early 70s ushered in a whole new concept in "clubbing" with regularly occurring private parties that required an invitation or membership to get in. The very first of these parties that I regularly attended was held at the Gay Activist Alliance Hall - aka - "The Fire House" on Wooster St. in lower Manhattan. There I saw tons of very hot men dancing shirtless to music the likes of which I had never heard before.

The Fire House's bleak exterior betrays the mayhem within.

 

First off, there was no jukebox. There was a very special man sitting in a cordoned off area on the floor toggling between two RCA 45 RPM record players... nonstop! Between lustful dances with many handsome men, I would go to an area just above the "DJ" and watch him create his magic. Barry Letra was this magic man. I would meet him decades later in San Francisco as Co-Founder of Graebar Sound - a legendary name in the club sound reinforcement industry.

The next of these early experiences I had with private clubs was The Loft. This was truly a private party, unlike the Firehouse. A member, who I had been dating, took me there one very cold Saturday night in January 1972. At that time, I was a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines based in San Juan, P.R. and had come up to New York seemingly for just a weekend date. But, my friend said that we were all going to a very special dance party that night. I did not know what we were in for, as I was not living in the city at that time.

We all piled into his early 60s Ford Falcon, nicknamed The Club Car, and barreled down from Chelsea to the lower Manhattan King Street address. Upon arrival, we lumbered up an endless staircase to where the party was already beginning to take off. This staircase acted as a transition point from the "reality" of busy metropolitan streets, to a totally other-worldly party event.

I have two vivid musical memories from that first visit to the Loft. Number one happened going up that long staircase. Midway up those steps and coming on to a rather potent hit of blotter acid, I could feel the powerful thumping bass and hear the lilting refrains of "Cherchez la Femme," a song that was totally new to me and was destined to become a nationwide hit. Reaching the landing at the top of the stairs reminded me of when Dorothy swung open the door of her recently crashed house in Oz. Technicolor! During that night, I was exposed to several other songs that went on to become club standards. Hearing music like this well before its release to the general public was another cherished benefit of private club parties.

The godfather of club life at work.

David Mancuso owned this loft and carefully crafted the music we heard. His use of Mark Levinson amplifiers and Klipsch speakers brought a notable brilliance to the whole room. The second profound memory was his use of a technique that night that really brought the floor to a frenzy. In this particular case, he took the song "TSOP" (The Sound of Philly) and "sprinkled" it over several popular tunes during the night as sort of a teaser. THEN, when he finally dropped that song in its entirety, the floor went nuts. That was 54 years ago... and it is still an impactful musical memory. 

The Loft dancefloor and its legendary Klipsch speakers.

Before I get too distracted by the music... there were the men! All shirtless and soaking wet from nonstop dancing (and the various party favors they consumed! LOL). But, what was great about this club was that it was a trendsetter. It was not a gay club - it was very co-ed, urban and laissez-faire. You never quite knew who you were going to be dancing with... it was one big party!

After The Loft, things really started cooking all over Manhattan in terms of these private clubs. Although the list was long, two clubs of mention were the Tenth Floor and, of course, Flamingo!

Legendary "discaire" Ray Yates of the Tenth Floor.

The Tenth Floor was located in Manhattan's Chelsea section on 25th St., sort of tucked away from the sweeping Manhattan avenues. You took a freight elevator to the tenth floor... hence the name. Like The Loft's staircase, when you entered the Tenth Floor's elevator, you knew that you were being whisked to another reality! Upon arriving at floor ten, the freight doors opened onto a floor bedecked with potted palms, dark green art deco leather armchairs and a fabulous hardwood dancefloor. Coming out of that elevator was like entering a Hollywood set! Ray Yates was at the turntables and created a night of lush, sophisticated and "underground" music - again - not yet released to the general public.

The Flamingo in lower Manhattan. Once again, these bleak exteriors sure were a good disguise.

The Flamingo dance hall, where everyone came to worship.

The legendary club called "Flamingo" really etched its name into the "dance halls of fame." Known for being the "wintering ground" for the Fire Island 500, the art, music and bedazzling array of handsome men made you think that perhaps you died and went to heaven! Upon entering this massive club, you went through a gallery that showed the artistic work of the very members dancing away in the adjoining hall. Also, a mark of distinction were the tables of delicious fruits and refreshments lining that gallery area. Many, many famous DJs graced the turntables of this club... two of whom I got to work with later on in San Francisco - Vincent Carleo and Howard Merritt. Fate is such a strange thing!

You know, I thought this would have been the second and final part of the story. Truth is, I have only laid the groundwork for another part of this personal saga. It is here where I take all of my impressions and inspirations from these musical venues and climb behind the "wheels of steel" myself.

My current wheels of steel.

I can hardly wait to share this chapter with you! Will.

 

Bio of Will Seagers:

Will Seagers (also credited as Matt Harper), within his multifaceted careers and participation in numerous gay communities across the country in the '70s and '80s and beyond, worked as a print model, film performer, and DJ, just to name a few. He made iconic appearances in releases from Falcon, Hand in Hand, Joe Gage, Target (Bullet), J. Brian, Steve Scott, and more, including in lead roles in major classics like Gage's L.A. Tool & Die (1979) and Scott's Wanted (1980). He brought strong screen presence and exceptional acting to his roles and was scene partners with many fellow legends of classic porn.

Will Seagers, present day

You can read Will Seagers' previous blogs for Bijou here:

Welcome Matt/Will | What's For Dessert? | On and Off the Set of L.A. Tool & Die | Wanted, Weekend Lockup and Weekends in Hermosa Beach | Honeymoon in the Palms | Birds of a Feather | The Stereo Maven of Castro Street | The Pass Around Boy | The Ecstasy and the Agony | Fitness and Fantasy | Chasing the Boys and Chasing the Sun | Becoming Invisible | The Reverse Story of Dorian Gray | Pin Money | One Organ Leads to Another! | The Wheels of Steel | Feast and Famine | An Alphabet Soup of Powders and Pills | Merry Christmas (and Getting Re-Organized) | Now and Then | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: The Badlands | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: Moby Dick Bar | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: "Just Another Stroll Down the Castro!" | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Hamburger Mary's | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Long Live the Stud! | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: Club Life..."Hit me with your Rhythm Stick!” | A "Split Ticket": SoMa/Folsom and The Haight! | Staying Vanilla in a Flavorful Culture | A Little Secret | Recollections of the 1977 S.F. Gay Pride Parade | Life's a Beach | Flora & Fauna | Once Is Just Not Enough! | A Love of Cultures – A Knack for Languages! | For the Birds | It's About Time! | The Perfect Storm | Hello Chicago/Adieu Fire Island Pines! | Sex in the Woods! | My Life at the Gym | The Last Picture Show | Cumming Attractions! | The Peter Pan Syndrome | Valentine's Day Reflections | The “Idus Martias” and a Peacock! | Taxing I.M.H.O. | Nope...This Sure Ain't Kansas! | The French Connection | Water Baby | Pride: You Wear It Well! | Life Goes On... | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 1 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 2 | The Dance Floor and the Booth, Part 3 | A Christmas Haiku | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | "Werk!" | It's My Party & I'll BLOG If I Want To! | Heart Throbs from the Past! | Traveling the Arc | Music Is My Way of Life, Part 1

By Josh Eliot

The Castro Theatre's interior, before & after renovation

In the mid 1980s until 1990, I called the Castro Neighborhood in San Francisco my home. We lived in the middle flat of a three-floor Victorian just a few houses up from the corner of 19th and Castro - 629 Castro Street, to be exact. Only two blocks from my flat, at the corner of Market and Castro Street, was what I always considered a magical place called The Castro Theatre, where the community came together to celebrate new and classic films. Back in January 2023, I was working with Will Seagers as we developed a series of blogs about iconic locations throughout San Francisco. In one specific blog, "Deep Inside The Castro: The Castro Theatre," I wrote about how the venue was the heart and soul of the neighborhood. Even though the interiors were already dated in the 1980s, the theatre felt majestic because of its astounding architecture. With the fact that one third of the seating was the “smoking section,” it’s no wonder that the once shimmering gold leaf covered columns and ceiling always seemed dull and faded. My favorite memories in the theatre were when I went there to watch the movies Whatever Happened to Baby Jane and Suddenly Last Summer. The packed audiences at the Castro Theatre were never shy about howling at the screen or screaming out one-liners that always got the audience riled up! That was part of the fun, but as years went by the allure seemed to fade, much like its interiors, at least for my friends and me. As an avid moviegoer, there was really no place like it back in its hey-day. On February 4th, 2024, after screening the classic Victor/Victoria (1982), the newer owners, Another Planet Entertainment, enacted the plan they announced back in 2022, stating that they were closing the theatre down to start a major renovation. The goal was to reinvent this icon of the LGBTQ+ community into a treasured space for film, music and live performances.

Jump ahead to Friday, February 6th, 2026: a large rainbow colored ribbon is extended across the entire width of the entrance to the newly restored and elevated theatre. The 41 million dollar two-year project had reached its completion. The renovations were extensive, and in order to make the historic venue profitable, they removed the permanent seating, flattened the floor and installed motorized risers with removable seating. By doing this, they could adjust the occupancy floorplan to set up for concerts. The completed configuration allows 1150 seat capacity for movies and 1400 patrons for concerts. There was strong opposition regarding the proposed configurations, which tied things up for well over a year, but eventually the plans were approved by City Hall. The fact that APE was committed to hold true to their promise of continuing queer representation through movies and scheduled performers helped them to win over wider support. The Nasser family, who originally owned the theatre since its opening in 1922, also spoke out in support of the changes. The original designer of the theatre, Timothy Pflueger (1892-1946), was a top architect in the Bay Area who also created the Transbay Terminal and The Bay Bridge. APE was determined to preserve as many of the original elements as possible. Most of the murals with dragons, cherubs and wreaths were covered in up to two inches of dirt, varnish and nicotine. All were painstakingly cleaned and preserved to their original pristine condition. Honoring all of that work with a ribbon cutting were Mary Conde, VP of Another Planet, Senator Scott Wiener, CEO of Another Planet, Greg Perloff, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Luire, Drag Performer D’Arcy Drollinger and Rafael Mandelman of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Just prior to cutting the ribbon, Ruby Day, from the famed long-running musical Beach Blanket Babylon, sang our national anthem. Cheers and applause followed as they made their way into the theatre. Once they entered the auditorium, the stunningly restored ceiling with its original chandelier, designed by Pfluger, drew everyone’s attention. There was a forty minute pre-show prior to the special screening of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, hosted by Dirty Carol, Sista Roma and The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Castro Theatre was always known for the Mighty Wurlitzer Organ that would rise from the floor prior to the beginning of any movie they were playing. The age-old classic song, “San Francisco,” would fill the room, and on most days the audience would sing along with it before quieting down for the beginning of the film. Today was no different, but gone was the Mighty Wurlitzer and its large, ominous pipes. Now a new one million dollar, 2000 pound digital organ emerges from the stage, and at the helm is organist David Hegarty, who has played proudly for the theatre since 1978. He collaborated with the organ builder regarding specifics for its finished design. The sisters never missed a beat and promptly escorted David Hegarty from his instrument to center stage, where they presented him with an award and proclaimed him “Saint Mellifluous!” The energy of the theatre was reminiscent of the Castro in its heyday, and to finish out the pre-show, the sisters and others gathered on stage where fourteen drag queens started a sing-a-long to “Mamma Mia.” When the 35mm print of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert began to play, the audience broke into applause and cheers at the first appearance of lead actor, Terrence Stamp, who had recently passed away.

David Hegarty trying out the new organ & receiving award from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

 

A few days later at the official grand opening on February 10th, artist Sam Smith started the first concert of his twenty-day residency. With all shows sold out way before that date, his final concert at the Castro was planned for March 14th. The diverse acts on the upcoming schedule include: Trash Talk with John Waters: Serial Mom, The 30th Anniversary Opening Night of the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, musical acts The Breeders, Indigo Girls and Lucy Davis, comedian Robby Hoffman, Clara Bow in the silent movie It, a sing-a-long to The Sound of Music, Showgirls with guest star Gina Gershon and the multi-night 29th Annual San Francisco Silent Film Festival. The show certainly does go on now that the Castro Theatre is back and better than ever. I could not be more thrilled for my old neighborhood!

Day 1 of Sam Smith's residency, Gershon, Hedwig, Clara Bow & John Waters Trash Talking Serial Mom

 

Bio of Josh Eliot:

At the age of 25 in 1987, Josh Eliot was hired by Catalina Video by John Travis (Brentwood Video) and Scott Masters (Nova Video). Travis trained Eliot on his style of videography and mentored him on the art of directing. Josh directed his first movie, Runaways, in 1987. By 2009 when Josh parted ways with Catalina Video, he'd produced and directed hundreds of features and won numerous awards for Best Screenplay, Videography, Editing, and Directing. He was entered into the GayVN Hall of fame in 2002.

 

You can read Josh Eliot's previous blogs for Bijou here:

Coming Out of my WET SHORTS | FRANK ROSS, The Boss | Our CALIGULA Moment | That BUTTHOLE Just Winked at Me! | DREAMLAND: The Other Place | A Salty Fuck in Saugatuck | Somebody, Call a FLUFFER! | The Late Great JOHN TRAVIS, My POWERTOOL Mentor | (Un)Easy Riders | 7 Years with Colt Model MARK RUTTER | Super NOVA | Whatever Happened to NEELY O’HARA? | Is That AL PARKER In Your Photo? | DOWN BY LAW: My $1,000,000 Mistake | We Waited 8hrs for a Cum Shot... Is That a World Record? | Don't Wear "Short Shorts" on the #38 Geary to LANDS END | How Straight Are You Really? | BEHIND THE (not so) GREEN DOOR | The BOOM BOOM Room | CATCHING UP with Tom DeSimone | Everybody’s FREE to FEEL GOOD | SCANDAL at the Coral Sands Motel | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: The Castro Theatre | DEEP INSIDE THE CASTRO: The Midnight Sun | RSVP: 2 Weeks Working on a Gay Cruise Ship | VOYAGER of the Damned | I'M NOT A LESBIAN DIRECTOR | Diving Into SoMa/Folsom: THE FOLSOM STREET FAIR | Diving into SoMa/Folsom: A TALE OF TWO STUDS | BALL BROTH | My 1992 “Porn Set” Diary | Out of Print | There’s a Gloryhole WHERE??! | LUNCH HOUR: When the Big Boys Eat | IN and OUT and All ABOUT | UNDER the COVERs with Tom Steele | 8 Is Enough on Sunsex Blvd | Steve Rambo & Will Seagers For Breakfast | The Many Faces of Adult Film Star SHARON KANE | The ALL-MAN Magazine Interview: The Man Behind Catalina Video | Captain Psychopath | BAD BOYS SCHOOL | VAMPIRE'S GRAVE | The Making of CatalinaVille (PART 1) | The Making of CatalinaVille (PART 2) | Private Dick & The Young Cadets | Meet RAY HARLEY | The GOLD COAST Gold Rush Boys | Colt Model MARK RUTTER: In His Own Words | Bringing in the BIG GUNS | “WHAT THE F@CK?” Moments | You So RUSSO | Bond, SCOTT BOND | I Just Watched: KILLING ME SOFTLY | Sex in Tight Places | Calling GLORIA | DOWN FOR THE COUNT | More Than a Mouthful | When JON KING Returned to Catalina Video | Junior Meets the BEAR Patrol | A Taste for Leather and Fur | Straight to Bed | The Hills Have Bi’s | The Malibu Pool Boy: Cody Foster | New England Summer | The Making of RUNAWAYS 1989 | The Making of FULL SERVICE 1989 | Hot Buttered Cop | The Making of HARD TO BE GOOD 1990 | The Real CONJURING HOUSE | It’s Not a Crime, It’s a SCORE | I Just Watched: Steve Scott’s SCREENPLAY (1984) | Wet and Wild | 69: Discover the Secret | What Really Happened BEHIND THAT BARN DOOR! | I Just Watched AL PARKER & WILL SEAGERS in WANTED | Secret Boys Club | Jawbreaker Pt. 1 | Jawbreaker Pt. 2 | I Just Watched CRUISIN’ THE CASTRO | 80s/90s Porn Star RYAN YEAGER | ADAM Film World’s GAY VIDEO GUIDE | ERIC STONE: Ranger in the Wild | THRILL ME with a SINGLE WHITE MALE... | The SPOILED BRAT | BUSTER & STEVE YORK | LANCE, TEX ANTHONY & MICHAEL GERE | KIP NOLL: The First Real Twink Superstar | THE GREASE MONKEYS | The "Other" Idol | The AMERICAN Way | DERRICK STANTON Talks About Life on the Set, Part 1| DERRICK STANTON Talks About Life on the Set, Part 2