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FunHouse in 526 West 26th Street, Manhattan, New York is a legendary club to clubbers and DJ's all over the world.
Much because of the fact that one of the worlds most legendary DJ's was the resident DJ of the club for three years,
namely John "Jellybean" Benitez.
Listen to a FunHouse mix by DJ Juice
After almost a year of constructions the FunHouse opened up on March 30, 1979 by 4 partners - Joe, Ronnie, Jerry &
Vinnie. On the grand opening invited guests were only allowed to enter and the legendary DJ and Remixer -
Jim Burgess - along with Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro,
kept the dance floor moving.
The place itself was about 28'000 square feet and the DJ booth was a humongous smiling clown's face that was something
like 20 feet high by 20 feet wide, with the DJ right in the middle. There was a stage in the front and then another stage
in the back. There was also the game room, with about 50-60 video games. All the popular games like Pac Man, Space
Invaders and similar was found in the room together with a punching bag and other amusement park games. There was also
an upper level, like a balcony, that surrounded most of the club and there were seating areas with coaches.
I [Discoguy] got a chance to talk to Joe Monk in late May 2006 and he fills me in
on how the club started and so on...
Joe Monk; "As a start we wanted a Disco Club. It actually started off as a gay club. It was good, but then there wasn't
enough of the gay people. And then the straight kids started coming in and the gay people left. But that's basically how
it was."
Did you have like some raw models, some club you wanted the FunHouse to be like?
"No no. We were going head to head with Studio 54 and this club called
'the Garage'. That was a gay club and there was no liquor at the Garage, just like in the
FunHouse. The Paradise Garage had a notorious sound system. But we went head to head... We just wanted a Disco crowd and
that's just what we got."
Do you recall who came up with the excellent name - FunHouse, it's a Great name!
"See, one of our partners was Ronnie, he's gay and I knew him before the other guys. Basically it was me and him, but
it took us easy 9 months. We wrote down maybe a hundred names, hundred fifty names. I wish I could remember them but that
just struck above. Then we wrote down FunHouse and then we made the clown face, Ronnie and one of the girls, and they put
the name in the hair. We even copyrighted that name. I mean, we still got it copyrighted with the face."
Yes, it's a lovely logo! That was actually my next questions - How the clown logo came about...
"Believe it or not, not too many people know this, but one of the girls that worked for us did it. I forgot her name,
but we paid her and we made her sign a paper because we copyrighted that name. She draw it, she did it all and then we
looked at it, we loved it and then we paid her and we told her 'You have to sign a paper.' Then we copyrighted the name
and the logo and that's it basically."
Great story! You know that the clown logo is still seen around New York?!
"Yes, it's unbelievable!"
Yeah! This really means that the club had a huge huge impact. So how does that make you feel, this many
years after the club closed?
"The girl I'm married to, is amazed that people still talk about the club... Because when my wife goes shopping, no
matter who she runs into say 'I remember the club - my aunt went there, my mother, my father, my sister, my brother...'
Who ever you run across - they love it.
I tell you what. The name carry more weight than I ever thought it ever would. Never did I figure the response though."
As mentioned earlier, the FunHouse started out as a Gay Disco club and then straight kids started coming and the place
then became very popular with the break dance and Electro kids.
I had to ask Joe about this; So, how did you feel about the transition into a more Break/Electro club?
"Heck, the kids were happy. They were tremendous followers. I mean, we were still open at 8 o'clock in the morning. We
opened up 8 at night... They were there from 8 to 8 and then they went straight to the beach. I used to be in the office,
but these kids, damn, they didn't run out of gas."
No! Haha! [Both laughing]
"You know, we had 36 TV's and we just made sure that everybody was cool. There was never much trouble there. It was
great. We had white, black and Spanish kids. And if I told you, just a couple of fights - that's it! Not like today. No
way - NO WAY! I mean, there was a point, we had Run DMC there and they made their video there. They drew 4500 kids, there
wasn't one fight. And when we did have fights, like any other place, I can't 'till this day remember, I mean - I would
go on TV and say this - I can't remember one single fight that was for racial. It was just typical bullshit fights..."
You mean, like guys hitting on each others girls and stuff like that?!
"Yes! Yeah. Typical, 'You bumped into me' or 'That's my girl'. Never ever was there ever a racial thing. Everyone was
cool. That was really good."
That's great. It must feel real nice!
"Yes!"
Due to the fact that there was no liquor served at the FunHouse, they never had a very strict door policy. You just had
to be over 18, but it was not a big thing. Whoever had a phony proof might get in, maybe not if they were 15-16, but a
lot of them probably got in.
Let's get back to the opening night, that night you had actually some of the greatest DJ's around -
Jim Burgess and Bobby "DJ" Guttadaro.
"Yes."
Did any of them became your resident DJ or were they just brought in for the opening?
"We had five DJ's that night, Jim and Bobby were there just like this DJ Frankie Montstelli, Jonathan Fearing
and one other guy. And we kept Jonathan Fearing."
Jonathan took control over the clown faced DJ booth as the first resident DJ of the club.
Jonathan was a tremendous mixer and played the crowd a mix of classic Disco tunes together with a little harder dance
tracks.
He also had a work at the hip radio station WKTU, this took more and more of his time and he had to give up his
residency at the FunHouse and WKTU colleague Ted Currier became the new resident
DJ for a while.
Ted later was replaced by the guy who really would put the club in the top of the NYC Club scene... Jellybean.
Jellybean had started his DJ career earlier in a club in the Bronx, called Charlie's. But he wanted to go further...
He wanted to play in the famous Manhattan clubs. He got a gig at a club called Experiment 4 and by getting the
right contacts he came to play at the trendy Xenon. This was really a break-through for his career...
During 1978 to 1981 many of the hottest clubs, like Electric Circus and the legendary
Studio 54, wanted to hire Jellybean to play in their
club. BUT from April 1981 'til June 1984 he found his "house", during this period he was the resident DJ of the
FunHouse.
Joe Monk continues; "Jonathan was still there when my partner heard of this guy Jellybean and he grabbed him. Jellybean
was a little nothing back then. He wasn't even very known when he came to us and then we said 'This is Jellybean' and he
drew a ton of Puerto Rican's when he started there. And then the Italians - they loved him.
I'll tell you a quick thing. We were giving Jellybean, I forget how much money. So, let's say, hypothetically, we gave
him $500 a night and then later $800 or $1000 a night. So he stayed on until one of my partners said 'Jellybean wants
more'. I turned to Ron 'We got to keep him on', we had around 3000 people a night there. So I never say no and we gave
him, which is probably right, about a $1000 a night and then $1500 a night and I said 'That's enough!'. So Jellybean
leaves. Next week when we opened there was about 20 people there. I said 'Look at this!', so we called him back and we
gave him what he wanted and the people came back."
I know that to some people Jellybean WAS the FunHouse.
"Yes, he's still kicking, he's still doin' that."
Back at that time, Jellybean was dating one of the soon-to-become hottest artists of the dance music scene. She's still
HOT, namely - Madonna!
Joe tells me; "Oh yes! Madonna! Madonna started there. Don't give me this but for some reason rather she just don't
want to mention our club."
That's sad! But I think she don't wanna mention she was once together with Jellybean either so...
"Right, right! She mentions any other club. She mentions Danceteria, she
mentions Night Moves, she mentions Studio 54... Every club, but she don't mention us. I actually used to play
Pinball with her for a quarter. I mean, and she's coming with ripped jeans and she was dressed quite sloppy. And I even
told Jellybean: 'Jellybean, it's your girl, tell her to dress up'. I mean, he even engaged with her...
Also, one of the Village People even got married at our place."
OH! Who?
"Not too many people know that... We had a wedding ceremony there. I think it was the... I forgot which one, if I'd
see a picture I pin him right out. Not the cop. I think he had a mustache, anyway he got married there.
I later sent Joe a photo of the Village People and he pointed out the guy, it was the Cowboy - Randy Jones.
Joe continues; "We had Madonna there, I mean, I can go on and on... We had Little Suzy, I still know her uncle,
she was 5 or 6 years old when they put her up on that stage. It's where New Edition started. I mean, we were good,
so that's about it."
It was during Jellybean's sessions at the FunHouse the well known phrase "Jellybean Rocks the House" was founded!
So, do you remember the phrase "Jellybean Rocks the House"?
"Yeah. They used to say; 'Jeeellybeeeean'. WOW! They would stretch out his name and then they said 'Jellybean Rocks
the House' and they would say 'OZ', that's Ozone Park, 'OZ Rocks the House' and then the other team would say 'Canarsie
Rocks the House', 'Brooklyn Rocks the House'. I remember, I was basically running the place, being manager. It was good,
it was good."
So which of the DJ's you had playing there was your own favorite? Because you even had people like
Louie Vega and others after Jellybean and so on...
"Yeah, but I think... Jonathan Fearing was good, he was REALLY good. Jim Burgess he was OK but he was like all attitudes
that night. Yes, but again - the top one was Jellybean. He's the FunHouse. He was there, he was one of us."
Would you say that each of your DJ's had their own kind of playing style?
"Without a doubt. That's for sure. Let me tell you, I don't know too much about music but I learned and you could
definitely hear the difference."
The crowd at the FunHouse was very musically aware and Jellybean got total freedom to explore dance music and examine
the break beats, instrumental fills and all the other components of the 12-inch extended mixes. His style became so
popular that he was asked to host a weekend dance show in America's No.1 radio station - WKTU.
I ask Joe Monk; Are there any songs that you, as soon as you hear them, associate with the
FunHouse?
"There are plenty of them!"
Some you can mention?
"Stuff like 'the Mexican', 'Disco Circus' and others. I don't even know the names of all of them. The kids did, me I
didn't know it..."
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Any other special memories you have from the club and the things that happened there?
"That's a though question. I don't have 3 days. Haha!"
No, Haha! But maybe some memory you can share? Some special thing that happened or something?
"Yeah, I'll tell you something that not too many people know. When we had the grand opening we hired animals. A circus.
They had tigers outside and everything and the NYPD came and they closed us down. Haha! [Both laughing] And
not too many people know that one...
Channel 7 was in front of the club - what exposure we got then. The tigers were in their cage, but there was an elephant
in the street which they brought there. So, channel 7 was there, channel 5 was there, channel 2 was there. They closed us
and that was our grand opening. Haha!
There are sooo many stories. It goes on and on, I mean there's a ton of them.
OH, another story. We were open to 5-6-7-8 in the morning and the authorities came to shut us down. They wanted us to
close. Since there was no liquor, we could stay open. So there's 3000 kids in there, they didn't wanna get out. So the
fire department came and put on their hoses to blow everybody out. Yeah, they can't do that today, but they did it in the
70's and 80's. And I tell you, when the kids were scored by the fire hose, they loved it, they just stood there. We were
laughing, we were dying, we were laughing. The Fire department had never seen anything like this. The kids would go 'Do
it more, do it more!'." Haha! [Both laughing]
Those are wonderful memories. Thank you!
When Jellybean left FunHouse in June 1984 one of his protegees - Lil' Louie Vega, became the new resident DJ of
the Club. He is by some credited for breaking the FreeStyle genre, with acts like Judy Torres, Cover
Girls and others.
Lil' Vega is today one of the worlds most well-known DJ's and together with Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez they are known
as the famous Masters At Work remixer/producer team.
But when Lil' took over, the FunHouse had already seen it's best days and the club closed down in 1985.
The place then became Hearthrob, a new club which only lasted for about two years.
The FunHouse had this clown for its logo. The clown even became famous far outside the New York area. As told before
even the DJ-booth was painted as a giant clown, with this red light ball nose and where the DJ was seen in the
clown's happy mouth...
Dominick Cariati took this pic [left] during 2000 of this mural painting on East 23rd and Avenue U in Brooklyn
of the famous FunHouse clown. Some guys are still maintaining this painting and keeping the memory of the FunHouse
alive in Brooklyn - almost 20 years after its closure.
Apparently there's another FunHouse clown mural in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn on 18th Ave and 81st Street, as seen
by Bill in August 2004.
So, finally Joe - Many people request a FunHouse reunion party and your cousin Peter Presta have
had some plans. When will a reunion happen?
"Well, Peter tells me to do a reunion because people... I mean... one of the girls they wanna do it in her house. But
to do it at a club would be a huge success. If it's done right, someone would make a lot of money. Because it has to be
done right. This girl who wanna do it in her house, she was a 'bugga'. They called themselves the 'buggers', B-U-G-G-E-R-S,
those were the dancers, the buggers. And they're talking back and fourth they wanna do it at her house. You do it at a
club, you do it right, you have a HUGE turnout. So, we're working on it..."
Actually, just days after our interview, Joe attended this small private reunion at this girl's house - see some photos
in the FunHouse pictures page. And for info
on a reunion party - me, Joe and/or Peter will post information in the
FunHouse FORUM. You can also get
news through the FunHouse Bugga's page.
OK, I think we have covered more of less everything and I'm very grateful for you taking your time with
me. Thank you very much Joe. It was GREAT talking to you.
"Thanks Buddy!"
Thanks a lot and Take care.
"You too. Bye."
Bye.
Some days after our talk I got a letter from Joe with 2 credit card sized FunHouse cards - one Guest Card and one Members
Card. He also sent me a bunch of scans and photos.
THANKS JOE!
As you understand by now, the club became very famous. It was included in many articles about disco and the dance scene.
The following is part of an article called "Beatin' it with the Juice Crew (Saturday Night at the FunHouse)"
written by Steven Hager for the Village Voice back in May 17, 1983...
Mama Juice, who's real name is Alise, tells me, Discoguy, how she got the name Mama Juice;
"It's because I use to sing this song, when I let my boyfriend loose, what do I got J-U-ICE...
J-U-ICE, JUICE JUICE!"
Saturday 9:45 p.m.
John "Jellybean" Benitez, who is short, boyishly handsome and has a long mane of silky black hair,
comes in to the FunHouse at 526 West 26th Street in Manhattan. Although only 25 years old, Jellybean
has been a professional deejay for over seven years, working at such clubs as Xenon, Hurrah,
La Mouche and New York, New York. In his two years spinning at the FunHouse his
popularity has sky-rocketed, especially among Hispanic and Italian kids from Brooklyn and Queens...
Jellybean crosses the dance floor and enters a door marked "private". Located near the door is a
12-foot-high clown's head, complete with a gigantic,three-dimensional nose and yellow lights for eyes.
The clown's mouth is open and partially blockedby a glass panel. Before long, Jellybean's face appears
in the clown's mouth. It is through this window that he keeps a close watch on his audience.
Jellybean looks out on the main dance floor, which has a hard wood surface and is flanked by enormous
speaker columns. The back wall and several support columns located throughout the rooms are sheathed
in mirrors. When it's packed, this floor holds over a thousand dancers. To the left of the dance floor
is a square four-foot-high platform, which holds several hundred other dancers - it is called the
center stage. Past the center stage is an open carpeted area, a bar, a hotdog wagon, an inc cream
booth and a smaller circular stage known as the back stage. The back stage holds only 20 to 30 dancers
and often features solo performances. A long narrow balcony overlooks both the center and back stages.
Around a corner of the main floor is a game room stocked with dozens of video machines. The room
also has an electronic punching bag. For 25 cents a punch, the bag will rate one's boxing prowess.
Possible scores range from 100 (disaster) to 150 (try again) to 200 (good) to 300 (you're unbeatable).
At 300 points, an ear-piercing siren erupts...
Sunday 12:45 a.m.
...When Arthur Baker and John Robie arrive they are immediately spotted by Angelo, the
head bouncer, and ushered through a VIP entrance. Baker and Robie fight their way through a crowd near
the center stage, passing a line of girls from Ozone Park who are doing leg kicks and singing along
with the music. No one recognizes the two men edging through the crowd, even though Baker and Robie
are responsible for five songs played in the last three hours. A year ago, the pair collaborated
with Afrika Bambaata & the Soul Sonic Force on the first electronic hip hop record, "Planet
Rock". The record quickly became a FunHouse classic and spawned a genre of music Baker calls
electro-boogie. Since then, Baker and Robie have tested all their mixes on the FunHouse crowd.
If the song doesn't go over here, they go back to the studio and rework it. The FunHouse has been
good to them. So good, in fact, that they are known in dance music circles as the gurus.
"I really feel the Spanish kids are the trendsetters over the black kids now", says Baker.
Tonight many blacks are arriving and most are turned away with the explanation that the club is
"private". Baker is a huge, hulking man who could pass for a Grateful Dead rodie, but he
tends to be quiet and reserved. Robie, on the other hand, is a live wire: jittery, cocky, sarcastic.
They head straight for the deejay booth where Jellybean is mixing into the new David Bowie
single, "Let's dance". "It's a good night", says Jellybean...
Baker looks out through the clown's gaping mouth and sees three Buggas dancing. Two years
ago, long before Baker arrived, the Buggas ruled the FunHouse. They brought in a new style: gym
shorts, T-shirts cut off at the midriff, sweatbands. The look was a reaction against the
let's-dress-up-and-hustle craze that swept through New York in the '70s. The Buggas hate the hustle,
which they think is too formal, too bourgeois, too social and too lame. According to some FunHouse
regulars, the Buggas prefer to take a lot of drugs (mostly speed) and just... bug out. They usually
dance in front of the mirrors, slowly accelerating until they are functioning at the dance world
equivalent of Mach-5...
Sunday 2:30 a.m.
For the past three hours, the Juice Crew has been underneath the balcony, trading gossip, warming
up, practicing a few routines. Now, with the first big peak coming fast, they gather on the back
stage. Everyone is present: Mama Juice, Berico, Brown Sugar, Brian, Chino, Cal, Starstruck, Crazy Evette,
Coco, Stepsaver and, unexpectedly, Tony, who is also known as White Lightning. Althoughwidely considered
the best dancer in the crew, Tony has not been at the FunHouse in months. Instead, he has been frequenting
other clubs like Paradise Garage and the Loft.
"I love the FunHouse," he says. "It's like a home away from home..."
To read Steven Hager's full article - download it for only 99 cents at SmashWords.
As mentioned above, Arthur Baker used to test new stuff at the FunHouse crowd. And in the New Order
video for "Confusion" you will actually see Arthur working in the studio and then bringing the tape
to Jellybean at the FunHouse to see the dancer's reaction on the floor.
You get to see quite many interior shots from the club, along with the dancers, the FunHouse clown logo in
neon and so much more...
There's also this parallel story in the video about this girl working in a Pizza restaurant, she can't
wait to get out of there to get home and get dressed for a night at the FunHouse. She could well have been
one of the Juice Crew ladies.
Maybe the video was inspired by the original article or the other way around - but check out the video at
NewOrderOnline.com.
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Download the FREE basic RealPlayer...
CLICK to hear some FunHouse classics...
Bounce, rock, skate, roll
Vaughan Mason & Crew
Disco Circus
Martin Circus
Get off
Foxy
Got to have loving
Don Ray
Here comes that sound again
Love De-Luxe
I feel love
Donna Summer
I specialize in love
Sharon Brown
Jingo
Candido
Love is just - the Game
Peter Brown
Lovin' is really my game
Brainstorm
Pow Wow
Cory Daye
Relight my fire
Dan Hartman
Ride on the rhythm
Mahogany
Sex machine
James Brown
Spank
Jimmy "Bo" Horne
Streetlife
Crusaders
They only come out at night
Peter Brown
Underwater
Harry Thumann
Work that body
Taana Gardner
You're the one for me
D Train
CLICK to hear some related songs...
Coming back for more
Jellybean
Jingo
Jellybean
Just a mirage
Jellybean
the Mexican
Jellybean
the Real Thing
Jellybean
Sidewalk talk
Jellybean
Spillin' the beans
Jellybean
What's it gonna be
Jellybean
Who found who
Jellybean
Click to buy from
Disc 1:
Planet Rock (12" Vocal Version) - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
Play At Your Own Risk (12" Vocal Version) - Planet Patrol
Looking For The Perfect Beat (12" Vocal Version) - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
Cheap Thrills (12" Vocal Version) - Planet Patrol
Why You Treat Me So Bad (LP Version) - Club Nouveau
Play That Beat Mr. D.J. (12" Full Length Version) - G.L.O.B.E. & Whiz Kid
I Didn't Know I Love You (Till I Saw You Rock & Roll) (12" Vocal Version) - Planet Patrol
Renegades Of Funk (12" Vocal Version) - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force
Pack Jam (12" Remix) - Jonzun Crew
Tommy Boy Megamix (12" Brooklyn Mix) - Various Artists
Pacific 0101 (Remix Edit Version) - 808 State
Disc 2:
Jazzy Sensation (12" Bronx Version) - Afrika Bambaataa & The Jazzy 5
Salsa Smurph (12" Vocal Version) - Special Request
Let Me Love You (12" Vocal Version) - The Force M.D.'s
Rock The House (You'll Never Be) (12" Vocal Version) - Pressure Drop
Lisa's Coming - The Latin Rascals
Running (12" Vocal Remix Version) - Information Society
People Hold On (12" New Jersey Jazz Mix) - Coldcut
How Do I Love Thee (Extended Club Mix) - Queen Latifah
Louder Than Love - TKA
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) (12" Club Mix) - Information Society
Come Baby Come (Extended Version) - K7
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There are many people who loved and still love this legendary club... With it's famous happy clown logo.
Numerous of people have it as a precious part of their life and many have great stories to tell about
the club and the people frequenting it. Some memories you'll find below and I guess there's more to come...
Dance-on and remember
the Fun House
FunHouse Reunion
Latest news in the FORUM
View the photos.
Thanks to Mimi for the pic's!
THANKS to Jeff Neckonoff, Mobile DJ in the Long Island & Manhattan area,
for the article, tickets and the logo !
Here's his memories from the FunHouse...
I'll say that Jellybean was a huge influence on my current taste in music. I am now a full-time
mobile DJ, with 8 years spinning in Long Island & Manhattan nightclubs. I can always count on
the crowd (in both nightclubs & catering halls) responding positively to an obscure Funhouse
Jellybean song, especially when that crowd is predominantly between 30 and 35!
Jellybean wasn't afraid to play songs that other DJ's had no clue about, such as "Slang Teacher",
"Key West", "Woman", "Just Begun", "Underwater", etc.....
The atmosphere in the Funhouse is just impossible to describe. Musically, Jellybean was responsible
for the entire atmosphere! There were hundreds of us, guys & girls, dressed in sweat pants,
cut-off Funhouse sweatshirts, shoelaces tied around our heads with joint-holder feathers hanging
from the back, chinese slippers, etc. Most of the people were bugging out on all kinds of speed,
such as Mescaline, uppers and coke.
Many druggies upstairs were smoking "dust", which is a crazy, stupid drug to play with. There
were many who were totally straight as well, just havin' a ball.
What I remember most besides Jellybean's music was the electronic punching bag in the game room
that SCREAMED whenever someone got a high score, entering the club and getting frisked by Neanderthal
bouncers (they never found my weekly supply of uppers hidden behind a ripped pocket in my leather
bomber jacket;-) ), the flaming queer part owner, Ronnie, who used to just stand & drool over us
17 year old boys jumping around on stage, the two or three police raids, and when the music
ended at 8:30-8:45 am, when everyone would start barking like dogs for more Jellybean music...
Filing out of the Funhouse at 526 West 26th Street in broad daylight, crashing from whatever,
on a Sunday morning, either copping a ride from some of my fellow Canarsians or walking the four
blocks to the A train on West 23rd & 8th Ave to catch the "LL" train back to Canarsie....
Sprawling out on the subway seats with 10 or so other exhausted Funhoused - out buggas, and walking
the 10 blocks home, past the paddleball players in JHS 211 & PS 279 parks! ....and waking up the
next morning to go to school.
The only thing I regret was the drug scene. It was totally unnecessary, especially with the
hypnotizing music of John "Jellybean" Benitez. SAY NO TO DRUGS!!!!!
After the Funhouse closed, a friend of mine who knew Jellybean took me by there to see if we could
scrape up any souvenirs. Well, the roll of admit-one tickets was just sitting there, so I acquired
them:-) I also had the opportunity to purchase the neon Funhouse clown for $200, about 10 years
ago, but I cheaped out. Stupid mistake...
THANKS to Sal - the Sex Machine, for his pic's and memories of the FunHouse...
It's Sally 'Sex Machine' again. Do You Want To Add these Pics And Add My E-Mail Address To Your Site,
So My Old FunHouse Buddies Can Find Me.
You Used To Play Sex Machine (Give It Up , Turn Me Loose) At About 5:00 Am Every Saturday Night And Tha
Dance Floor Was All Mine.
In the kick Pic, I Am On The Right Facing The Screen In Black Shorts, Andy Cimino On Your Left In Stripes.
Sal
THANKS to Chris Ihling, for his memories of the FunHouse...
I am a bugger from way back. I have many fond memories of the FUNHOUSE. I am from Newark NJ and used to train over to the
city every weekend.
I remember doing a set 3-2-1-1-2-3 dance on stage every weekend to Beat the clock and the Happy Song. I remember eating at
McD's in the morning before the train ride home.
We used to own the front of the stage on the opposite side of the arcade. I remember having a fierce battle with the Ozone
Park boys for a while there over that spot.
I was a DJ back then and worshipped Jellybean. I have over the years ripped all of my music to mp3. I have it all from the
mainstream funhouse songs like Disco Circus, Spank, and Bohannon. To the more obscure songs like Boogie City, Bell Head,
Rockin Big Guitar, Point Zero, and Hum along and Dance. I also have the newer stuff like Slack, Man with the 4 way hips,
Light years, and High Noon.
I am willing to send a CD with all these mp3 to the first 10 or so people who e-mail me, free of charge. I am just trying
to give back something to some of the people who shared the experience of the Funhouse with me for all those years in the
early 80's.
And remember "Jellybean rocks the house"
"You bugger You"
Chris I
THANKS to Louie V., for sharing memories from the FunHouse...
YO!Wassup LOUIE V.from DA BRONX!!! ME & like 30 of my FRIENDS go to DA FUNHOUSE EVERY SAT.NITE WITHOUT FAIL!
WE'D BUSS IT OUT FLOOR NEAR MIDDLE STAGE lefta JELLYBEAN! BATTLE AGAINST-BROOKLYN..O.Z...JERSEY CITY!
Remember 1 MERD she'd B HI-KICKIN ON BIG MIDDLE STAGE faci MIRROR wearin STRIPE SHORTS BUSSIN IT OUT TO DA
SONG LOVE MONEY!!! SWEET G. "GAMES PEOPLE PLAY" he livd arounda corner from me! MIDDLE OF SONG HE SAYS THIS
GOES OUT TA LOUIE V. & BRONX CREW! COOL!
Then we went BACK DOOR-HUNG WIT JELLYBEAN.... SYLVESTER,CURTIS BLOW!!! HUNG PLANET PATROL,ROCKERS REVENGE,
VAUGHN MASON 'CUM FEEL MY BIG GUITAR! HUH! MADOONA B DANCIN infronta CLOWN BOOTH wit her MERD FRIENDS!
LOVED SLUSHES, VANILLA ICE CREAM SMOKIN COLD! GOT F.H. MATCHBOOKS,BUMPER STICKERS,KEY CHAINS!!! WORE FUNHOUSE
SHIRT RED STRIPE SLEEVES SIDE, PLAYBOY BUNNY EARRING,FULLTAIL-ROLLED BANDANNER AROUND HEAD! SWEATS ROCKIN!
WE'D B BUSSIN IT OUT TA LADY AMERICA, BOHANNON, DISCO CIRCUS, SPANK, KEYWEST, SEX MACHINE - BRINGS BACK CRAZY
MEMORIES! REUNION BET EVER 1 WENT THERE, COME BACK 1 MORE TIME!!! B4 I BAIL-SAY 1 MORE THANG - DIGGA DIGGA
DIGGA DIGGA DIGGA DIGGA GET ON DOWNNN! DA BRONX! ROCK DA HOUSSE!!!
LOUIE V! OUT! DA BRONX ROCKS DA HOUSE!!! PEACE!
Louie V - returns...
Wassup Form'a Fella'& Bella' FunHouse Buggas?
I'm Looking For Any Former Religious Weekly Funhouse Buggas To E~Mail Me With Any Of Their Own Photos Dressed
Up Going To Funhouse Or Inside Club Pics, Own Websites Etc. JUst Lookin To See Whose Out There From'da Old Dayz.
Remember... JellyBean Rocks Da House!
Da Bronx Rocks Da House!
PeAcE!
THANKS to Kathi, for her memories of the FunHouse...
i went there EVERY weekend. friday and saturday sometimes. girls got in free before 11 pm.
court jesters, robots, men on stilts walking around. of all the clubs i have been to - this was the best. the best music
- jonathan was original. jellybean was good, i met him in electric circus before he came to fun house.
the light show was the greatest show ever!
kamikazes were the drink back then.
everyone was a freak to the music. HB and OZP gang rocked the joint.
i still have the tee shirt (very very small) and the matches.
loved their "theme nights" - the Black out party was excellent, everyone who entered got a mini flashlight and jonathan
pumped out "Flashlight" by Parliament, (my ex boyfriends' album).
No club has lived up to it, glad i was there to experience it!
THANKS to Alfonse aka LIL AL of SOZ, for his stories and
FunHouse memories...
Loved the page, IM A Fun House Bugga from 1983-85. IM From South Ozone Park!!
Our crew hung by the big stage with the OZ boys. We always got mistaken for being OP boys but were SOZ Boys and wore
our South Ozone ParkShirts proudly..lol.
God do I still,to this day miss that place. I still own a lavendar cut-off original Fun House Shirt I bought it in '83
my first time there and its in Mint Condition!!!
I have Tons of stories of me getting thrown out on nite after i ran up the stage and grabbed the mike out of Jimmy Bo
Horns hand(he sang "Spank") And yelled "SOth OZ Boys Rock da fucking House". They threw me out and 3 hours later Angelo
let me in. lol
Im still looking for the music, cant find it anywhere, More stories to tell if interested
All The Best And Thank YOu for the Site
Alfonse aka LIL AL of SOZ
Lil Al of SOZ - also found the guestbook:
Hi, Loved the page but it is only half the story of the Fun House. I was a Bugga from 83 until close. Hung out upstairs
and at center stage.
The place was my life and always will hold a special place in my heart.
There aint no club today that will EVER play the music that was played at the Fun House. Loved all the memories and I
have all kinds of stories about the place.
Thanx For the page and memories
If any type of reunion is at hand please get back to me. Fun House Buggas ONLY!!!!! That means you would have to be at
least 34 or older!!!!
THANKS to JoeyGhost, for his memories of the FunHouse...
anybody remember when Vaugh Mason & Crew performed at the House...came out with a REAL snake wigglin on stage, the threw
a fake huge one into the crowd....
remember when Jellybean would start up a set after a live perfermance, he would play bubble bunch or spasticus or stone fox
chase or key west.............
remember screaming, "JJJJEEELLLLYYYBBEEAANN" IN THE beginning of 'aint no mountain' when the record said, "call my name"....
remember walking thru the maze at the front door to get inside.....
remember punching the bag in the back game room...........
remember smoking dust upstairs or inside the bumper cars......
remember chineese cooley slippers......
remember getting a kinish at the truck in front of the fhouse at the break of dawn...................
remember the funhouse theme song???????? - DISCO CIRCUS...........................
remember angelo, the baddest bouncing crew, ronnie at he front door, fruit at the bar, the center stage, sitting in the
bleachers rollin a fattie...........
i am a dj of some 22 years, used to get names of all the funhouse jamz from jellybean on funhouse napkins he used to pass
thru the clowns mouth(dj booth)... slang teacher, bohannon, slack, ease your mind, melting pot, galaxy, dancing in outer
space, soul makossa, dirty talk, bellhead, give it up or turn it loose.... to name a few,,,,
im lQQkin to spin these and ALL funhouse muzik anywhere!!!
anybody interested in helping out in putting together a funhouse reunion, pleeze email me and lets bring back the great
ole daze.........................
PEACE...
THANKS to Black Flag, for his memories of the FunHouse...
I can't believe I found this page. It's brought back so many great memories. BROOKLYN rocks the House!!! Me and four of my
buddies would hang out in front of the clown's mouth all night and dance to all the great jams. The Circus (remix), Spank,
D-Train, Native Love, Happy Song, Key West, The Kleeer Ting, The list goes on. Jellybean was like a god to us.
We were the "Burners". (We had issues with some of the buggers, owed us drug money). This is crazy, I can't believe I'm
remebering this.
The guy in the article with the baby powder was Danny Taz. (a bugger named after the Tasmanian Devil) He married a girl
from my neighborhood, Little Alicia.
I had a Black Flag t-shirt (kills buggers dead) my friend Chez would slap the floor so hard I thought he broke his hands.
Dave would swing his arms in the air, Richie would dance in place and Jimbo had the highest leg kicks in the place! Who
remebers a girl named Mellissa who sometimes would bartend. All you guys out there you gotta remember that body.
Who remembers the real early days of Jellybean jamming songs like Wordy Rappinghood, Tell Me That I'm Dreaming, Apache,
Spasticus, Rock Your World, Let's Start the Dance, Time, Come Let Me Love You, etc. And even Jonathan Fearing and the shows
at center stage featuring girls wrapped in cellophane and keyboard guitars that shot whipped cream. What about Halloween.
Going to watch the parade down in the Village and then going to the 'house to party all night. The weirdest, best costumes
I've ever seen.
Murray lights, I've never seen a light show to compare with the Funhouse and I've been to a lot of clubs in a lot of places.
That was an amazing era short-lived as it was. Jellybean called it a "Phenomenon". Everything came together so perfectly,
the club itself (the name, the decor, etc.) the people (the owners, the bouncers, the bartenders, etc,) the crowd (us!),
the lights (Murray!) the drugs, and of course the music! JJeeeeeeeelllllllyyyyyyybbbbbeeeaaannnnnn!!! (in a low bass voice)
A night at the Funhouse went in stages for me. I would arrive early 'cause the girls got in free before 11 or 12. I would
try to score early and sometimes I did. It didn't matter if I didn't I always had fun. Angelo got to know us and we didn't
have to wait on the line that sometimes stretched around the block. After the place filled up a little I'd head upstairs
and offer my wares to the many eager buyers (and avoid the bouncers). Then it was down to the bar for a few drinks on me.
Usually, that was around showtime. (I do remember Vaughn Mason and the snake!). After the show Jellybean would really get
into it and he would play all the latest jams. Either stuff he was working on or stuff the "Gurus" would bring. I loved
hangin' out in on the floor and dancing to all the new shit. At about 3 or 4 a.m. it would start to clear out and we would
take a break at the back bleachers sometimes even falling asleep (110 decibels of sound and I'm sleeping?). The early
morning crowd were the true diehards. Jellybean would get out the 10 and 20 minute songs and just let them play. I Feel
Love Megamix, The Hills of Kathmandu, I'm a Man, Love Attack, Rock and Boogie Down, Slowdown, Lovin' is Really My Game,
Cafe, Dance Fantasy, You Make Me Feel Mighty Real, help me out here. Sometimes he would get slow and sleazy. One time he
played Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix.
I'm all grown up now and live in Las Vegas. I used to go the clubs here but now I'm married. The clubs were okay once they
started playing deep house music. But I've always been hyper-critical of DJ's and none have ever come close to the 'bean.
Most don't know the music well enough or can't feel the crowd or don't have a clue how to operate a sound system. Remember
how Jellybean would drop out the bass and mids and just have the treble going and then bring it all back just at the right
time. And forget about any kind of coordinated light show or sound effects like sirens, Tarzan yells, HEY YOU'S, Alarm
Clocks, Screams, etc.
I miss those days. I wish I could go back just for one night.
THANKS to Loco, for his memories of the FunHouse...
I USED TO BE THE TALL PUERTORICAN KID THAT RAN THE SECOND FLOOR. YOU WANT IT SOMETHING I HAD IT. I HAD SOME OF THE BOUNCERS
ON MY SIDE. I USED TO HANG OUT ON THE STAGE OPPOSITE THE PIZZA SHOP/ARCADE.
I WAS PART OF THE ROCKERS REVENGE CREW WITH CHINO AND BRYANT AND THEIR BROTHER SAMMY WHO USE TO WORK IN THE COFFEE TRUCK
OUTSIDE.
MADONNA STILL OWES ME MONEY FROM SOME STUFF, SHE WAS A BIG COKE HEAD!!!
I REMEMBER AT THE END OF THE NIGHT AROUND 8:30AM, WE USED TO WAIT FOR SAMMY TO GET PAID AND GO TO THE DONUT SHOP NEXT TO THE
TRAIN STATION AND RAISE ALL KIND OF HELL!!! FOOD FIGHT!!!!
IF CHINO OR BRIAN IS READING THIS...YO IS LOCO ..HOW'S MOM AND JACKIE, EDDIE, TONY AND SAMMY. HOLLA BACK!!
BALL BUSTERS FOR LIFE!!!
THANKS to Billy Reddan, for his memories of the FunHouse...
I was not sure what to expect but I had it all worked out Loni told his mother he was sleeping at my house and vise versa.
We had a trump card for the night.
We chipped in for the bottle of Tango, of course we had to coerce an older person to purchase it for us (Hay Mister can you do
us a favor...) we secured a ride with the older crew and the deal was: if we couldn’t get in we were on our own. (mission accepted)
Booze, best friends, fail proof plan for a free night out, a ride from Stew’s cousin Fud we were off to the big city.
An adventure of a life time. Caution to the wind - Sheepshead Bay, 52 Park and the End Kids were behind us - the boys made a
stop for some “little black energy devices” and we were off “Big lights Big City”. 26th Street in the Middle of No where was
alive and kicking, a line around the Block. I could not believe the people who I new on that line: Dean Diamond, Mike Myers
(Big Red), Scott Palazolla, Cat Man, Lewis Cardone, Ann Marie, Karen Smith, Fluff, Billy Bisset, Frankie Hots, All the Crew from
86th Street Debie Donuts, Debbie Mouth, Meon Frankie Fem, Barry and his brother Frank – (Rob Danza's cousins), Eddie the wolf man,
Crazy “Vinny”The Boys (and girls) from the Ave X Projects Philip, "N" Frank and his brother, Lori Helmet, Tommy Stretch, Sylvia
(what a dancer), Ann, and all the rest of those crazies, the Crew from Brighten Beach: Joe Harris, Nick Varso, Joey Izzo, T.J. Neary
and Every one who used to frequent Patches teen disco (where I won the Grand Dance Contest Finals), Everyone from the Roller Palace,
Mill Basin - Mike Vasheti and his crowd, Bergen Beach, Sheepshead Bay High School, Performing Arts High School (where I started) and
more. God I wish I had a camera that night.
Some one new Angelo and we were whisked in, No ID Check no cover Charge, no waiting on line. Wow I felt like a Celebrity - we walked
through the Mirrored Maze, The Music was pumping, my heart was pounding, Jellybean let out the "YEEEOOO!" Scream and Bohannan came
on PUMPING. The beat was so strong it went through my body: "Bang bang and a boogie bang, let's rock the House, let's shock the House,
all right all night... your rocking with the Doc...” How Apropos to be the first song I would hear walking into this palace of Fun.
“ROCK THE HOUSE’ we were their 30 minutes trekking around aimlessly wondering, over whelmed, scenery over load and then She came on
France Jolie Live on the center stage. I believe I was sixteen or maybe even fifteen. If you were there you understand - if you never
visited I can only try to explain.
God I wish I could bring back that youth and that excitement, the feeling of belonging to your crew, the comradity of friends and
the feeling of being indestructible.
After that night I was totally submerged in the Fun House culture: all we did was talk, and plan about Saturday Night. We Danced on
the Back Stage until I wore out my white Keds, I wore sweatpants with matching colored bandanas, I would Jump on that wall and do
back flips, I made friends with people from neighbor hoods I didn’t know existed - I fell in love on a weekly bases with the most
beautiful girls in the world. and in 1983 I joined the Marines and the Fun House became a memory when I returned in 1987 - Life was
different everyone moved on the culture change they tried to open the House again Robert Smith, Lonnie Spadaro and my self went to
visit - but life's little mean trick prevailed: "you can visit but you can't go back." A sad feeling, a void - because we all grow
older and we all move on but I thank you all for being a part of a special moment in my life, a time that I will remember and cherish
for ever. I can still hear all of you chanting “The Bay rocks the house, Ozy Rocks the House" and if you were to look in my memory box.
All tucked away on the bottom you will find a Fun House T shirt.
That T shirt reminds me of a time of experimenting, discovery and teenage love, Riding on the D train to 23rd Street, Leaving
Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn with all My friends and heading to the Greatest place in the world, were all your dreams could come true in
a Saturday night.
I miss you all - Thank you for the memories.
Billy Reddan
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