Inside the Labyrinthine Bowels of the Sunset Strip

1 Early History

Since its beginnings in the 1920’s, the Strip has been the preferred playground of the wild and famous.

2 Music Invasion

When Bill Gazzari opened his doors in the '60s the stars of old Hollywood glamour days moved over for the NEW stars of the Sunset Strip.

3. Rock On

This week's elitist club will be gone next week but  the Sunset Strip still Rocks on

PART 3

Rock On

Many elitist clubs with the Studio 54 attitude keep springing up again, where you are judged by what you are wearing and whom you are with but they don’t last very long in the face of West Hollywood’s diversity. Freaks and geeks rule the streets. Old hooker hideouts have been washed clean since Hugh Grant got caught with his pants down by the police. The Rock and Roll Denny's menu isn't any different than other Denny’s menus, but this Sunset Strip Denny’s is the rock and roll magnet for the after 2 am crowd. The young and hip met to mingle in a carnival atmosphere after shows every night. When Glitz was king, boy’s with make-up and big hair ruled the earth. Today the line is long and the wait is longer.


Coconut Teaser is Len Fagen’s club and it is the home of shock, slock and cock rock. Up and coming artist flock her to be seen here by their peers. The out side patio always draws the crowd and the bookers here are always willing to experiment which is one on the things that make LA great! Famous for their dollar taco’s and the Crooked Bar for acoustic acts down stairs. I used to jam with Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix Experience) in his jazz band there in the 80’s.


Guitar Center--This is where the Rock Stars shop for the sounds we love. The home of the rock and roll walk of fame including rockers Eddie Van Halen, Les Paul, Frank Zappa, Greg Allman., Stevie Wonder and many others who are enshrined in the sidewalk. It is the biggest Music store on the Strip. The top of the Guitar Center Building is always capped with paintings of their favorite rock star clients like George Clinton and Slash from Guns and Roses.


I spend a lot of time at the House of Blues it was opened in 1994, it is owned by Dan Ackroyd, it has lot’s of supporters and investors it was designed by genius, Isaac Tigrett. It holds 1100 people has three floors, a stage that pays homage to all religions, lot’s of folk art and an opera box dining area above club level! It’s partly a Mississippi blues shack filled with religious icons and soul voodoo blues/roots folk art. It is also upscale and diverse; you can see Anthrax on a Wednesday, Johnny Winter on Friday and Rob Zombie on a Saturday, and Tom Jones loves to play here on New Years Eve. They have Elvis’s birthday bash every January 8th. The ultra chic foundation room houses its private members, the rich, and the famous. Across the street is the serenely beautiful art deco Argyle formerly known as the St. James Hotel.


One of the most interesting additions to the strip comes to us from many incarnations. The Viper Room, in the early 70’s it was Filthy McNasty’s. In the 80’s it was The Central the home of Monday night with Chucky Weiss, modeled after the British subway system. It has been and active rock and roll bar for 20 or more years. It was famous for being owned by Johnny Depp and the fact that River Phoenix overdosed on the sidewalk in front of the club. Inside is a cozy upstairs pleasure chest octagonal room a small stage, a private booth with a two way mirrior for the Ultra Uber star and a no photographs policy.


Music makes money and Atomic studios, the brain child of Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo is out of this earth. Mark has acquired a big green space ship of a building on the Sunset Strip, where he’s always producing music for favorites like Beakman’s World, RugRats, Nickelodeon specials and Outside projects with a little help from his friends. Talk about whistle while you work, let me count the Emmys.


One of my favorite eaterys is Toi Rock and Roll and Thai Cuisine that melts in your mouth. Michael the Owner once played backed up Tiny Tim with his band Purple Crosses dressed in loincloths. This local is a museum filled with Rock posters, flyers, concert tickets to the Rolling Stones in 1965, small screens everywhere featuring videos like Wild in the Streets and absolute beginners. King Hustler Porn king Larry Flint is not stupid. He’s a pornographer, parapalegic, and a marking legend. He built a big round brightly lit location and made it a jewlery box for the sexually hip and aware. It contains a juice bar, Greta fashion, books of all nature, and curios. It is a supermarket of sensual.


Now for something completely different try Woody Harrelson’s Oxygen Bar. This place is called the 02 bar, a very unusual place filled with vegan foods, juice bar, a restaurant, a comfy oxygen room, separate table oxygen service, and bumping dance room with D.J.’s on staff. I sat with my friend with tubes up my nose eating and drinking in Radical hospital chic. A portion of the proceeds he generates goes to save the rain forest.


And last but not least lets explore The Cat Club, which was recently acquired by D.K., Slim Jim Phantom (Stray Cats) and friends, cozy, chic, and exclusive.. Taime from Faster Pussycat Kill Kill, has brought Glam and Glamour back to the Strip with his latest offering The Vulture Club which invades two nights a week. Taime moved from Seattle to San Diego and on to LA When he was 19. I asked his first impression of the Sunset Strip and he told me "This rules, I never went to the clubs to see bands I just loved parting in the scene!" The place is packed with the current wave of Hollywood stars every night.


As you can see the Sunset strip has a well deserved reputation. The people here live it love it dress it and breath it. Maybe your’re the next scenemaker to make the scene. The scene is changing every day. Later you can always go and crash at Hyatt House. It’s right next door to the Comedy Store and across the street from the House of Blues it has been known to be one of the rowdy hotels that rocks stars frequent. I’ve been at party’s for the Red Hot Chili peppers where we jumped in the pool fully clothed and of course there are some secrets you don’t remember if your really having a good time....