Fun House Bugga’s

Originally located at 526 W.26th St., New York, NY. The Fun House entrance after almost a year of constructions the FunHouse opened. It opened on March 30, 1979 is a legendary club to clubbers and DJ’s all over the world.This club was unique in it’s own right.

“The Fun House was 28,000 sq. feet in size.” said Joe Monk. 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. 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.

Randy Murray, who runs the light show every weekend, comes in the deejay booth and stands next to Jellybean, who is bent over three Technics 1200 turntables, all with records spinning. The crowd is beginning to filter in and Jellybean is cueing his first record of the night. Murray notices a dancer pouring talcum powder on the floor in front of the booth. Murray shakes his head incredulously. “That’s his spot,” he says. “He’s gonna dance on that spot until eight o’clock tomorrow morning”.

There was a stage in the front and then another stage in the back. There was also the game room, with 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…

A line down the block waiting to get in, Ronnie working the door, Angelo and his bouncers keeping the club in order.

House DJ’s were Jim Burgess with Bobby “DJ” Guttadaro, Ted Currier, Jonathan Fearing, John “JellyBean” Benitez, Tony Smith, Randy “The Ghost” Murray, and DJ Scottie Juice.

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!”

Throughout the years there was alot of great music played. Each DJ having a little bit of a different style. I met Tony Smith, Randy Murray,and Ricky (Lights) Cardona while Jellybean was spinning there, and starting asking about music. I learned alot from Tony including Jellybean took some musical knowledge from him as well. Which is why Tony eventually took over spinning when Jellybean had left.

Maury Lights was doing the lights till 81, Randy Murray was the light man from 1981 till he began DJ’ing there. Randy and I did the 10yr Reunion, which was the last big party before the club closed.

Also, let’s not forget Ricky and his creative work with the lights and videos to the music. 

And everyone inside in thier own little worlds with a different story to tell.

Some text contributed by DiscoGuy from www.disco-disco.com/clubs/funhouse.shtml