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Several years ago I dubbed the late great nightclub in the heart of the Village, “The Bottom Line” the greatest nightclub of all time and received an extremely gracious thank you note from Allan Pepper advising me that Pepper and his business partner and line long friend Stanley Snadowsky were planning a new club.
It hasn’t happened yet and sadly it won’t include Stanley, who died February 25th, 2013.
There was a musical memorial for Stanley on June 2nd and my friend Richard Davis was among those who paid his respects in a room full of movers and shakers. “The place was well packed with all the coolest people”, Richard told me; an awesome collection of people who shaped the New York music scene in the last quarter of the 20th Century, out to honor their own.
The muscial part of the memorial included Suzzy Roche, David Bronberg and David Johansen and Al Kooper.
And the guest received a CD of Stanley’s favorite music… which I will, of course, review for you. It seems that Stanley preferred operatic high blown rock and roll, Meat Loaf, Bruce at his most dramatic.
1. Follow Me – Marjorie Smith – Lerner and Lowe masterpiece, sung just about note perfect – A
2. Bat Out Of Hell – Meat Loaf – The title track of Mr. Loaf’s greatest moment – B+
3. What Have They Done To My Song, Ma – Melanie – The quirkiest singer songwriter till Regina Spektor, also has an Eastern European sensibility – A
4. I Am Rock – Simon And Garfunkel – S&G juvenelia is better than most people’s deep thoughts – A-
5. Both Sides Now – Judy Collins – Exquisite voice gets all of one of Joni Mitchell’s early(ish) folk masterpiece – A+
6. Duke Of Earl – Gene Chandler – dook -dook -dook – A+
7. Quiet Village – Martin Denny – Musical prodigy incorporates everything, including what sounds like synths (!) for ambient dream tracks – B+
8. Hammond Song – The Roches – Those harmonies never ever age – A+
9. Marieke – Jacques Brel – Just wanting for Kanye West to sample it – A
10. Taxi – Harry Chapin – A patron Saint of the Bottom Line – B+
11. Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen – Kick started his career with ten nights at the Bottom Line just before this was released – A+
12. Friends – Bette Midler – Classic leg kicker – B
13 Little Darlin’ – The Diamonds – Doo wop classic – A+
14. The Ballad Of Paladin – Johnny Western – Pure Western horse opera – B
15. You’ve Made Me Very Happy – Blood, Sweat And Tears – Somewhat bombastic soul rocker – B+
16. Heaven Can Wait – Meat Loaf – So we end where we start, with over played but pretty ballad to send Mr. Snadowsky on his way. Thanks for all the great nights at the greatest nightclub of all time.