A Garage as Paradise…

As Mel Cheren decided to have an obscure Manhattan car parking transformed into a club, he surely didn't expect it to become the jewel of the New York nite-life. An absolute reference whose flame remains deadly alive almost 20 years after ceasing its activities…

There's that memorable Marshall Jefferson presents The Truth song called "Open Your Eyes" starting with : In the beginning, there was paradise…"

The one I really remember of is something I heard Danny Rampling playing with words like : "We used to party at the Paradise Garage…" He played it for more than half an hour. Needless to tell you how emotional I felt having so many souvenirs coming back to mind.

We was talking back in 1998 in Miami about the possible reopening of the club…

It's a long, very long story. This is why you gotta read my book. Everything you may have read so far about disco and nightclubbing ain't got anything to do with it. My book isn't the result of researches, it talks about how and what I've been living, the reasons why Paradise Garage has been launched and why it has closed its doors. It's a quite complicated story which has led in the will to release a book about it. I've got outside help for that but be sure that each word that you may read has been cautiously chosen. You may see stories which have been somehow transformed into novels. Not this one. This is my history and I didn't want having any word that could sound any different.

Having the will of writing a book in mind is a thing. Having it written is a far different one. As I said, it took me almost 7 years. Many people heard me talking about this idea. I remember some night in London where I was at having François K. playing. I met Arthur Baker, I'd released the first recording of ages ago. We hadn't seen each other for an eternity ; such an emotion I've felt. We promised each other to meet as I would get back to NYC.

Has the state of the NY scene (production and clubwise) somehow to be considered as a result of the current politics in the city, in the country ?

Guiliani's election as Mayor of the city hasn't been good on everything. First, because the man being not that friendly and having a lot of punch. It's a people who doesn't accept critics on what he's doing, ready to do everything on his power to reduce his opponents. I don't like him that much and it's clear that I'm gonna vote for Hilary Clinton. I remember how excited I felt seeing her elected at the Parliement. I started a new painting that night which I kept for quite a while, then I decided at the very last moment that I would give it to her when she came to promote her book a couple of years ago in NYC. I've had to wait for 2 to 3 hours before being able to give it to her. She thanked me and I received a letter from the White House a week later. As far as his husband is concerned. I remember of him as one of the very best Presidents we've never had so far. Even though he had his stories but these would be more those of a man. And, as a matter of fact, who's never had any one of those ? Roosevelt, Kennedy ? This said, people had respect at the time, not talking about those kinds of things, which isn't the case anymore today having everyone vomiting on everything !

Could it be that the situation is about the same as the one in the UK having the local press making money on those so call tabloid stories ?

A few years back, you'd have had the essential of the info being displayed for no more than 15 mins on telly. Look at what's on right now with those 24/7 networks and for that you sure have to find stuff ! Information has become nothing else but a sort of… entertainment. It's disgusting. Once again, Clinton has been attacked for the reasons I've mentioned earlier on, despite all the good things that he brought to the Country.

It has become quite easy nowadays to reduce someone's image to nuts…

Yeah, we've recently gone for another round electionwise. George Bush Jr is so proud of himself, unpleasant and without charisma. But I wish he's to be chosen by his own camp at the Primary Elections so that Al Gore will be able to defeat him. Well, I hope so…

How do you explain having radios such as WBLS and Kiss FM having their backs turned to dance music the way they've had for more than 15 years, in favors of hip hop & R&B ?

A guy like Frankie Crocker (WBLS's former head of programs back at the beginning of the 80's) was clearly aware of the potential of the clubs, not to mention the one of the Paradise Garage. He used to stand next to Larry when he was coming and see what he was playing. He was then in the ideal position to make himself an idea while seeing the reactions of the crowd. And what Larry was playing during the week-ends was to be programmed the following Monday by Frankie without us asking for anything…

Today's music is being conceived by consultants sitting around a table. In comparison, Paris and London to me seem more receptive, even though I came to know that the French Government has imposed quotas of local music to be played on your radios…

How do you see the Miami Conference ?

I see it as the opportunity for the whole scene to gather for a few days, this allowing us to strengthen our relations. This said, there's an obvious difference between the attendees expectations and those of the promoters of this event who run it first and foremost as a business…

You've always been the #1 supporter of people like François K. and Joe Claussell (not to mention Blaze)…

Those folks have always been living with that music and they live it nowadays.

Haven't you been tempted to smile when seeing the arrival of the so called speed garage thing ?

Speed G, acid and the likes… Don't have the foggiest idea of what these are made of ! The Brits have always been the champions when coming to find new expressions here or there without knowing what they're talking about… Quite ironical on a world which has become smaller from a year to another !  This is why I'd like to be able to have the opportunity to have classic garage events organized to accompany the release of the compilation – Larry Levan Live At The Paradise Garage on Strut – just to let people know what it was truly about. David Depino wasn't a simple resident amongst others at the Paradise Garage, he was also very close to Larry. This is why I intend to have him on board.

Known for being of one the numerous currents of the US rock scene at the end of the 60's, garage is mainly known nowadays at the term illustrating the most soulful side of the house production…

Many are those who, at the time, have talked to me about a West End Records sound and I'm probably the only one who's never known what that was about… I was simply coming to release a song when I loved it. I've never tried to have a particular sound on West End Records. Loose Joint, Raw Silk or even the first releases on the label such as Michelle and Karen Young… Everything got released on some heart feel of mine.

I have a list of all of those who've sampled our music like DMX Crew, KRS-1, Puff Daddy and many others on the hip hop camp and I'm very proud of it, being the owner of the copyrights. As long as they're paying, no problem. It's the sign of the impact that our music has had. And if not, why would they use it ? Ini Kamoze's "Here Comes The Hotstepper" built as you know on Taana Gardner's classic "Heartbeat" has been a worldwide hit #1 !

Andy (Andy Reynolds aka Andyman now having his own Penetration Inc company) in charge of the promotion at WE, has sent me the compilation of Larry's remixes prior asking me what was my favorite tune. I answered him Billy Nichols's "Diamond Ring" although it wasn't on the aforementioned.

This is all the magic of our work. Everyone has his own favorite tune. For some, it's gonna be Taana Gardner. For others, Raw Silk. Not to mention all those pieces of music and remixes that we never put out. We have tons of unreleased material to be released any time on comp projects like those Larry Levan Classic Mixes Made Famous At The Paradise Garage. Larry and I used to be like two fingers out of the same hand. He to me was a genius and I'm making everything I can in order to have his memory respected. He remained lucid till the very last moment. He asked me to keep an eye on his mom after his passing, having me as his executor and I'm the only one allowed to use his name.

Didier Lestrade (a well know reviewer on French daily newspaper Libération a few years ago), like many others, has never had any rights concerning the Paradise Garage. As you may know, I'm going to sue him for using Paradise Garage as the name of his 2 compilations. I've sent them a mail after the release of vol.1 asking them not to use that name anymore and they've gone for a second one and even added a dedication saying : Thank you Mel Cheren for having understood the sense of this project ! I was like they were taking me like an asshole. It's been too much for me and I won't let go this time…

This said, Didier is unanimously reminded as being the pioneering supporter of that kind of music in France, where so many didn't give a simple sh** about it !

This is not the point ! Having him choosing such a title means that he clearly had an idea of its signification and value. You can't pretend being respectful and acting like that at the same time ! This ain't love but exploitation to the sole purpose of taking advantage on it. He knew since the very beginning that this name wasn't his and he's tried to associate me to it without my approbation. Not to say that when I pretend that I'm gonna release a Larry Levan Live At The Paradise Garage, it's Larry Live at the PG ! But talkin' about those people, what do they really know about Garage at the end of the day ???

I remember seeing the first mention to (Paradise) Garage, not on a West End Records piece but on the classic Inner Life's "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as remixed by Larry on Salsoul Records…

Larry has sued them. It's the same kind of disrespect. I had told them that I was on my way to release a Larry Levan Live At the PG and they've gone for another round a few years later while releasing a comp called Larry's Mixes featuring Instant Funk's "I Got My Mind Made Up" and the other classics of the likes. They asked me to give them a pic of Larry and write the liner notes and I have accepted to the sole condition of seeing the rights being paid to Larry's mom… Gotta say that I'm still looking to hearing from them. They then asked François K. who was unaware of the situation to write the liner notes and Hisa at King Street to give them a pic of Larry. That was a horrible document but they ended up using it as an illustration, making everything in their capacity to give the feeling that it had been taken at the PG. Larry's mom came to see me soon after the release of it. I guess she has quickly understood the situation.

Have you sued them ?

No, Larry's Mom has, with the help of a lawyer. And you know what ? This 80 years old lady has ended up been given US$ 1300 for that…

What has decided you to go back to the front ?

In 1984, my former partner (Michael Brody) said to me : 'Listen, we've got tons of probs. There's a risk of going bankrupt…' We was releasing the records at our own expenses while others were bootlegging us. So I ended up giving him my agreement for ceasing the activities of the label. We stayed in touch from a year to another till the day I met him with the idea of relaunching the label. I guess he has taken me for a fool at the time and it took me 4 to 5 years to buy his shares. I was afraid of seeing him selling the label to some foreign people. He was the business man and I was doing the artistic thing. I couldn't accept the idea of seeing the label sold to someone else.

Have you thought about having new signatures on WE ?

Yes, but everything has its time.

Are the costs of production higher today ?

Yes and no. When releasing a record at the time, we could expect average sales between 40/45,000 copies and 75,000. As for an example, Karen Young's "Hot Shot" would do more than 800,000 ! Meanwhile you gotta be happy nowadays when doing 10,000… It's not the production that is expensive today but what the DJ's are claiming for. They are literally spoilt. Some of them would ask you 25,000 Bucks for a remix ! C'mon, when a DJ offers you to do a remix, he then should be able to share the responsibilities while accepting a percentage for instance. The majors treat them like kings. They should be able to understand that the possibilities of an independent label are not those of some major one.

You was earlier on talking about a world being smaller from a day to another. Does it mean that there's a sort of global connection nowadays ?

Yes. I have been pretty much tempted to open an office in London if not Paris where I feel like we would be more than welcome.

Having West End Records back on action, do you feel like you'd like to do the same with the club ?

I never stopped thinking about three major goals along these last years. 1°) : the relaunch of the label. 2°) : the writing of this book which to me stands as a tribute to Larry and 3°) : the reopening of the Garage at the exact place where it used to be. Alas, the site is currently used by Bell Atlantic as a parking place for its staff. So, it won't be easy to have them leaving the space. Unless the book becomes a best-seller giving the will of making a film by some producer. A movie that couldn't be shot at any other location than the original one. We then would have to hire it for the shooting period, providing it with the look it used to have back in the days. Then get the authorizations at the end of the shooting in order to have a 7 days a week open spot. We would welcome Shelter one night, then Body & Soul the other one and so on. Then we would get the room downstairs transformed into a disco restaurant in the same spirit as Hard Rock Cafe; having regular tributes to those who've been the actors of the movement back in the days. And a part of the benefits would be redistributed to the community.

It's probably not on Bell Atlantic's will to move…

They don't own the place. Nothing's impossible. It wouldn't take more than 5 minutes for a guy like David Geffen…to achieve such a thing

In other words, you're looking for a partner…

Yes. But first and foremost, someone who's intimately connected with music. I would get my ultimate shirt on this !

UK publication DJ mag has printed a nighter top 50 in 1996 with the PG at #1 year after being closed…

That's why I'd like so much to reopen it and show the entire world the friendly spirit we used to have in there back in the days, should you be straight, gay, Black or White, knowing that, should we be able to dance together, we can live together. I remember some Billboard Seminar a few years ago in Chicago. There were all these house DJ's like Steve 'Silk' Hurley and Maurice Joshua. Someone then asked them who they got their inspiration from  and what you know what their answer was ? Prelude and West End Records ! Prelude doesn't exist anymore as a label, being now owned by some Canadian distributor, but I couldn't help myself coming to thank them for keeping this vibe alive. All those honors which have been made to me via West End Records and the Paradise Garage are nothing but the reasons which gave me the will to continue. As when you receive, the first thing you wanna do is to give !

We can't help ourselves seeing how far your state of mind is from what occurs on today's business camp.

Clear ! And this is how many of those in charge of the business ain't got any risk of dying because of a heart attack nowadays !!! People like David Mancuso and Michael Brody haven't done things while thinking about the amount of money they could get from them, but for the simple reason of being devoted to the pleasure of the crowd. Today's promoters are much more carrying about their profits than the quality of the music itself !

Have 3 or 4 DJ's isn't very smart at the end of the day. Simply because it doesn't leave them enough time to really dive into who they are. For me, one DJ per night is enough. I do my possible for him to work on the best conditions and he would do the same as far as the crow disconcerned. I've always worked that way and this is also one of the reasons why those I've worked with and myself have stayed in touch along the years.  I thank God for allowing me to give instead of receiving and if having a look at the end of my book, I couldn't help stating how much you receive when you're ready to give. It may somehow sound sort of selfish but how good this can be and I sincerely advice the kids to follow that path.

It's so wonderful to live with this feeling of having brought something to someone.

MEL CHEREN My Life and the Paradise Garage – Keep On Dancing (edited by 24 Hours For Life Inc.)

Excerpts from an interview released in July 2000