The Rock Star Legends Born At Café Wha

     Welcome back to the blog that reports on the current events about rock n’ roll and the point of view from someone, who is aging backward like Benjamin Button to have this much knowledge of this music. This is Gen Z Talks Rock Music and today’s topic is about an iconic venue in New York City, which is famously known for giving legendary rock stars their chance to fame. I will discuss the history and the origin of this famous venue and what famous rock legends made their start on the venue’s stage. Finally, the story how I found out about this club.                                                                           This club is known to start the careers of Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, and Bob Dylan. The owner of the club had a nephew, who would help his uncle run the club without a name at first. The nephew’s dream would be a lead singer for a rock band, and he would tell his Jewish grandmother, what he had accomplish in his dream and who he met at his uncle’s club. The grandmother would respond in broken English and say wha, because she didn’t understand what her grandson was saying. The uncle loved his nephew’s story and would name the club after the grandmother’s answer. This nephew was David Lee Roth, the lead singer of Van Halen, and his uncle, Manny Roth, was the owner of this famous club known as Café Wha.

My Story Behind The Blog:

    Before I go into the history of this legendary club, here is the story how I found out about it. It was during a shift at my job, which I am a Promotions Assistant at Press Communication in Neptune, NJ. What I do is go out on locate to promote all three radio stations or one radio station at an event for 107.1 The Boss, Thunder 106, and/or B98.5. Basically, I interact with radio listeners and give the chance to win radio gear like t-shirts, cups, keychains, sunglasses, and concert tickets. On a past Sunday in October, I was at Bar A in Lake Como working an event from 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. for an iconic 107.1 The Boss event. It is called Springsteen on Sunday and DJ Tom Cunningham is live at Bar A playing backwall, b-tracks, live songs, and classics from The Boss of New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen. All Bruce Springsteen fans are there having brunch from casual fans to super fans around the world called Springnuts. Anyway, I was by the tent area taking pictures with Cunningham doing his show, while my co-workers are giving away prizes and raffle at our gazebo. A Bruce Springsteen fan comes up and starts talking to me. He is basically chewing my ear off as he is telling me story after story after story. However, one story got my attention, it was about Café Wha and he knew so much about this club. I was so fascinated by the connection with David Lee Roth and how many famous rock artists got their start at this club that I had to write a blog about it.

Café Wha: The History And Upcoming Rock Stars

    Manny Roth was an actor and a veteran fighting in World War II. He was born in Indiana in 1919. Later in life, Roth would major in business and theater at the University Of Miami, but he would drop out to enlist in the army. He was a navigator in the bombing mission in Germany and received medals like the Distinguished Flying Cross during his service. After the war, Roth would finish his education at the University Of Miami to then study acting in New York. In 1959, he was in Greenwich Village on MacDougal Street, and he got a tip to look at an underground horse stable for sale. Roth bought this dirty old underground horse stable and started working on reconstruction. He wanted it to be all night coffeehouse for all ages and he went broke for his dream. However, Café Wha’s doors opened, and crowds of young poets, hippies, and troubadours filled the seats. Café Wha would have a stage opened for anyone that wanted to perform.

    Up in coming rock stars would take advantage of the opportunity to perform. Bob Dylan walked in after hitchhiking across country on a cold day in January 1961 to perform covers by his idol and folk singer, Woody Guthrie. The crowd in Café Wha went crazy over Bob Dylan’s show. He was asked to continue to play at the club as backup harmonica player for Fred Neil. Dylan was raved about in the New York Times and Columbia Records signed him.

    In mid-1960’s, Jimi Hendrix and his band The Blue Flames walked in Café Wha. Hendrix and his band were a sensation with the crowd that Roth hired them as the house band of the club. Hendrix and The Blue Flames would play five to six nights a week at Café Wha. Hendrix’s solos were loud and forceful that he could be heard by people walking in Washington Square Park, even if Café Wha’s doors were closed shut. One night in September 1966, the bass player of The Animals, Gene Chandler came in to listen to The Blue Flames in the famous Greenwich Village club. Chandler was so impressed with Hendrix’s guitar playing that he signed Jimi Hendrix on the spot to a record deal and Hendrix started a new band in London called The Jimi Hendrix Experience with drummer Mitch Mitchell and bassist Noel Redding.

     In an afternoon of 1967, Bruce Springsteen, and his band The Castiles walked into the well-known club. Springsteen and The Castiles would entertain their crowd of teenagers that Roth would hire them as the permanent afternoon act for two months. Springsteen would move on from the Castiles after they broke up in the same year and eventually would be signed by John Hammond from Columbia Records in 1972.

Café Wha: The 1970’s to Now

     In 1968, Roth would sell the club and would move to California. Roth would live there until he died in 2004. Now Café Wha was bought in 1970 by Menachem Dworman. Dworman would change the name and the theme of the club to Café Feenjon: A Middle Eastern restaurant. Café Feenjon would have a house band named The Feenjon, while customers would enjoy their meal. This would be the name until 1987, when Dworman sold it to a new owner. The new owner would change the name back to Café Wha and continue the legacy of Roth’s club. Today, Café Wha showcases three house bands with amazing talents. Each band plays every night at Café Wha playing R&B soul, funk, classical, Motown, pop, rock, reggae, and alternative. These Café Wha house bands not only play in the club, but people can also book them for weddings, and private events. In 2012, David Lee Roth, the nephew of Manny Roth, would perform with his band Van Halen. He said the place was the same as he remembers it as a 7-year-old kid. He would state he was more nervous playing at Café Wha than Madison Square Garden because there is no fake instrument playing or fake vocals as it is all-natural talent. Here are links if you want to learn more about Café Wha.

Inside Cafe Wha?, The Legendary Club Where Hendrix & Springsteen Performed - Gothamist

A History of the Cafe Wha? - YouTube

About | Cafe Wha? | New York

Bob Dylan - Songs, Albums & Life - Biography

Jimi Hendrix Biography - The Official Jimi Hendrix Site

Bruce Springsteen Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic

    Café Wha became the venue, where rock stars got their chance to follow their dreams. Bob Dylan had his first gig, Jimi Hendrix was discovered by Gene Chandler, and Bruce Springsteen was signed by John Hammond, because of Café Wha let them play. If you’re ever around Greenwich Village in New York City, then I recommend going to the historic venue. Here are links of songs to check out the artists, who played at Café Wha. Let me know, what you think of this story of Café Wha. Also, let me know what your favorite venue to see an artist. This closes out another Gen Z Talks Rock Music blog, but until next time rock on.

Bob Dylan - Tangled up in Blue (Official Audio) - YouTube

Bob Dylan - Like a Rolling Stone (Official Audio) - YouTube

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Purple Haze (Audio) - YouTube

Jimi Hendrix The Wind Cries Mary - YouTube

Bruce Springsteen - Born In The U.S.A. - YouTube

Bruce Springsteen - Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out- YouTube

Van Halen - Jump - YouTube

Van Halen - Van Halen - Ice Cream Man - YouTube