Night Fever
By WOW Podcast Network
Night FeverAug 17, 2023
Miss Guy
Miss Guy joins James, Randy, and Fenton for the season finale of Night Fever. They reminisce on Guy's historic queer rock party Squeeze Box, his friendship with Debbie Harry and Boy George, and fronting the iconic band The Toilet Boys.
Cat Marnell
James, Randy, and Fenton chat with 21st century "It Girl" and New York Times best-selling author of How to Murder Your Life, Cat Marnell. They discuss Cat's fashion and beauty career at Condé Nast, her contact with Michael Alig from prison, and her six months sobriety.
Larry Tee
Superstar DJ, OC (Original Club Kid), and party promoter extraordinaire Larry Tee joins Randy, Fenton, and James to discuss working on his fashion label TZUJI in Berlin, dating an unknown Michael Stripe, and watching a young "RuPaul and the U-Hauls". Inspired by RuPaul's stardom, Larry Tee wrote RuPaul's song "Supermodel (You Better Work)" for him.
Domonique Echeverria
The wonderful Domonique Echeverria joins Randy, Fenton, and James to discuss the seven year anniversary of the subway accident that left her a double amputee. She brings us through the tribulations of the US healthcare system and the inspiring documentation of her healing process.
Eric Goode
Area club owner, hotel magnate, and TIGER KING Producer/Director Eric Goode joins Randy, Fenton, and James to talk about his iconic '80s nightclubs, Turtle Conservancy, and building an empire.
Cherry Vanilla
Warhol superstar, punk pioneer, and Bowie PR guru Cherry Vanilla talks about her early days at the Copacabana, LSD trip clubs in the '60s, and being the first woman DJ ever in nightclubs.
Man Parrish
James, Randy and Fenton's longtime friend Man Parish, of "Hip Hop Be Bop (Don't Stop)" fame, reminds us of his role in the rise of electronic/dance music in the '80s. They discuss Man seeing Bette Midler perform at the Continental Baths, briefly dating photographer Christopher Makos, and recording Fenton's favorite song "Six Simple Synthesizers".
Kevin Aviance
Randy, Fenton, and James speak to the indelible Kevin Aviance about finding out Beyoncé sampled his song "Cunty", being an integral part of the South Beach Miami drag community, and overcoming a terrible hate crime in 2006.
Martha Wash
This week, James St. James, Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey kiki with the iconic Martha Wash. They discuss Martha meeting Izora Armstead and starting The Weather Girls, how Barbara Streisand turned down the vocal part she recorded for "It's Raining Men", and her settlement with RCA that turned into a record deal.
Patricia Field
For the Season 3 premiere, James St. James and Randy Barbato sit down with Patricia Field. They discuss everything from Patricia's former storefront on Bowery, to her jaw-dropping creations on SEX AND THE CITY, and ultimately her new documentary HAPPY CLOTHES, premiering at this year's Tribeca Film Festival.
Richard Boch
Richard Boch - who as the doorman at the pivotal punk club The Mudd Club joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to chat about the origins of downtown culture and all the fascinating nightlife celebrities he encountered, and his book The Mudd Club.
Brian Belovitch
Brian Belovitch - who describes his life as a gender outlier - joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to talk about forgotten ’70s trans-inclusive clubs like The Gilded Grape, his journey from boy to girl to woman to man, and his book Transfigured.
Linda Simpson
Linda Simpson - photographer, girl about town, and accidental drag historian - joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to gab about gay culture in the ’80s, Boy Bar vs Pyramid, her uber-hip zine My Comrade, and her new book The Drag Explosion.
Michelangelo Signorile
Michaelangelo Signorile joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to reminisce on walking the runway as Gaultier, Suzy-gate and working in the gossip columns during their heyday of the 1980s, and becoming radicalized with Act Up.
Jenny Dembrow aka Jenny Talia
Jenny Dembrow aka Jenny Talia joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to discuss modeling for Steven Meisel and Calvin Klein, raising hell with the Club Kids, the Girls Center she co-directs, and that one time in Paris with James, Gloria Gaynor, and a bottle of poppers.
Michael Schmidt
Michael Schmidt joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to chat about getting into Area, collaborating with icons like Cher & Tina Turner, his historic 3D dress he made for Dita Von Teese, and other behind-the-seams rock gossip.
Connie Fleming
Connie Fleming joins James St James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to talk about her early days at Boy Bar, walking for Mugler, working the door at New York’s hottest clubs, and her journey with breast cancer.
Nikki Haskell
Nikki Haskell joins James St James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to chat about clubbing in the ‘60s and ‘70s, her pioneering cable tv show, and her close friendships with the likes of Imelda Marcos, and Donald and Ivana Trump.
Susanne Bartsch
Susanne Bartsch joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to gab about her early years in Europe, opening her clothing store in SoHo, and building her club empire in the ’80s like the Copacabana, Bentley’s, Savage, and of course the Love Balls.
Jayne County
Jayne County joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to talk about her early days in Atlanta, living and working with Warhol superstars, her iconic music career and the influence she’s had on other artists, and her current obsession with making art.
Michelle Visage
Michelle Visage joins James St. James, Randy Barbato, and Fenton Bailey to chat about the teen dance club scene in New Jersey of the 1980s, walking in balls with the House of Magnifique, her music career, meeting RuPaul, and her battle with Hashimoto’s disease resulting from her breast implants.
Episode 10 - Joey Arias
For our Season One finale, Fenton, Randy, and James catch up with the magnificent Joey Arias. An artist and singer extraordinaire, Joey hit the '80s and '90s NYC club scene with a bang, performing with icons like Bowie and Klaus Nomi, befriending Andy Warhol, and more.
Episode 9 - Moby
This week, Fenton, Randy, and James chat with the legendary, iconic Moby. After getting his start as a DJ at Rudolf Piper's club Mars, Moby quickly spinned into stardom: releasing his hit "Go", transcending rooms of sweaty Club Kids, and ultimately, journeying through sobriety and beyond.
Episode 8 - Luis "Xtravaganza" Camacho
Category is, ballroom! The absolutely fabulous Luis "Xtravaganza" Camacho brings juicy stories to this week's episode. He, Randy, Fenton, and James gush about teaching Madonna how to vogue, being in the documentary Strike a Pose, and the six other Madonna dancers who became his family.
Episode 7 - Rudolf Piper
The dynamic Rudolf Piper sits down with Fenton and James all the way from Sao Paulo--"the New York of South America"--to share how he became a legendary night club director. From opening a discotheque in Berlin in the 60s, to running the Palladium and Tunnel in the 80s and 90s, and finally through his transition to restaurant ownership in the 2020s, Rudolf is an unstoppable force for nightlife all over the world.
Episode 6 - Waltpaper
The famous Waltpaper, also known as Walt Cassidy, spills about his deep friendship with Michael Alig, the rivalry between drag queens and Club Kids, and the development of "Heroin Chic" in the early '90s.
Episode 5 - Ernie Glam
The guys sit down with Ernie Glam, the ultimate Club Kid extraordinaire. Covering everything from Ernie's experience with drugs and eventual sobriety, his relationship with Michael Alig up until Michael's death, and the rise and fall of Clara the Chicken, this episode is a much needed catch-up between old friends.
Episode 4 - Peter Gatien
Peter Gatien tells the riveting story of his rise to Club King of the '80s and '90s, from his purchase of a gay club in south Florida to hosting artists like the Village People, Nas, Lil' Kim, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and many more at his New York clubs. Ultimately, he brings us through how Rudy Guiliani tried to take him down, and the repercussions that came with it.
Episode 3 – Lisa Edelstein
Fenton, Randy, and James St. James sit down with James' partner-in-crime from undergrad at NYU in the '80s, Lisa Edelstein (known also as the legendary "Lisa E."). They discuss Lisa and James' meticulous scheme to take the downtown club scene by storm, a diary that James kept with a detailed record of many parties, and ultimately, a New York Times article that changed Lisa's life.
Episode 2 – Michael Musto
Episode two is a rollicking talk with iconic New York nightlife journalist Michael Musto, who has had a raaaaaather tumultuous relationship with James St James. Topics include a wild party on a sinking barge in the Hudson River... his memories of Studio 54 and being mentored by Warhol Superstar Sylvia Miles... meeting a very young, very ambitious RuPaul... and of course the tragic death of Angel Melendez at the hands of club kid king Michael Alig.
Episode 1 – Dianne Brill
In episode one, we speak to Forever Queen of the Night Dianne Brill about her dazzling ‘80s-era clubland success and how she navigated the sexual politics of the scene. We discuss her favorite looks, favorite parties, and her legendary friendships with Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring. The big takeaway? “Andy had a big penis and he had sex. Not many people know that…”
Night Fever: An Introduction
Join hosts James St James, Fenton Bailey, and Randy Barbato as they talk to the leading New York nightlife figures of the 1970s, '80s, '90s, and beyond. In this introduction episode, the guys break down their new podcast and share some of the upcoming featured guests. Available Mondays on the WOW Podcast Network with the video exclusively available on World of Wonder's official streaming platform, WOW Presents Plus.