In the summer of 1976, Valentine rang up former Spirit manager Marshall Berle. But by late 1976, the once-proud Whisky had no relevance when it came to rock, and in fact, seemed destined to go to seed.ĭespite the Whisky’s decline, Valentine never gave up hope that he might find a way to return it to its former glories. On rare occasions, rock promoters put on one-off shows at the Whisky, such as in September 1975 when the pioneering female rock group the Runaways took the stage at the historic venue. He’d then begin leasing the Whisky to some enterprising gentlemen from back East who’d offer up cabaret entertainments like sex-themed shows and musical comedies, to little acclaim.
He announced that he’d decided to convert what was once the nation’s premiere rock club into a disco, of all things.ĭuring its late 60s and early 70s peak Whisky a Go Go had played host to acts such as The Doors and The ByrdsĪfter a few lackluster months of business, Valentine dispensed with the trendy dance format and shuttered the club. “We are competing with every little rock & roll club and every concert.” In March, Valentine, a former Chicago cop who’d held an interest in the nightspot since 1964, conceded defeat. “We can’t get big crowds regularly,” owner Elmer Valentine told the Los Angeles Times. The economy, too, had gone south, with inflation making it difficult to keep ticket prices down.Īnother blow came from the presence of newer and hipper Hollywood clubs, like the Starwood and the Roxy. Record labels, which had used the Whisky as a key platform for promoting their rising rock acts, now turned their attention to securing warm-up slots for their new artists on arena and stadium tours. The famed Sunset Strip nightclub, which during its late 60s and early 70s peak had played host to acts ranging from The Byrds and The Doors to Led Zeppelin and the Beach Boys, faced serious financial problems.
In early 1975, Hollywood’s Whisky a Go Go was on the rocks.
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