It has been almost 8 years since I left Montreal. That is how long I haven't
visited the temple of House Music, one of the best Afterhours clubs I had the opportunity to visit, and I miss those hardwood made dancing floors; which in case you don't know, helps to minimize the impact on your knees from your countless hours of dancing.
I clearly remember the first time I experienced Stereo, and it was so much fun that I searched in the internet like-minded people, until I finally found this great public forum called MTLNIGHTS.COM (RIP) - this is where the Patius name and this blog comes from (story for another post). The forum was visited by people from the Club, DJs, everyone involved in the scene and more.
One of the Stereo founders, James Forbes, also used to be an active member on the site, ad he posted the story on how Stereo was created, and I feel is time to post again the story, especially since Stereo is still rocking the world of many people, not just in Montreal, but around the world, this incredible afterhours in Montreal, which I still call my second home.
Part I
Little tidbits you probably don't know:
1. How Stereo got its name:
We were trying to come up with something for two years, and when Angel came on board, he wasn't any more help...the 8 of us went back and forth, and about a month before the publicity for the opening had to be ready, Shirin, who ended up being the original cash girl suggested Stereo, which we all hated...
But it grew on us, and clearly grew on Montreal, the UK and NYC as well...
I'll fill you in on how we found the money to get it all started next time...that is close to unbelievable...so is how it ever got open in the first place...
J
Part II
How Stereo got its first financier...
We had just written a business plan, sometime in 1996...and were wondering where the hell we were going to get cash to start the club...this was long before Angel, Mark, and Alain came on the scene...it was a serious work in progress...
So the bunch of us were partying at Playground, and after a night of dancing like idiots, a guy named Andre walked up to us and asked us who we were, and basically said: I just sold my shares in soft image, made a ton of money, and I really like your style...if you have anything cool to invest in, call me and let me know...
So we met with him the next day...and the rest is history...
Andre in 2001 to his wife 'stereo was the worst mistake I ever made...I don't know what I was thinking"...
And so it goes...
;)
J
Next time, how Angel got on board, and how to get Italians to do hundreds of thousands of dollars of free work...
Part III
So, one day, Mark Anthony just opened up and said that he knew a guy, Angel Moraes (of whom I was certainly aware), who had a sound system on the order of the SF who wanted to open a club in MTL but had no financing, nor a space. Just so happened we had both...the rest is history...no joke, that simple, that easy... However, during construction, I mentioned to the partners that i though the architectural drawings for the space, which were drawn up in Germany, were off...they said the new owner was an architect, and he wouldn't make any errors... So, we cut 70-90 k of steel for the floor, only to find that 'gasp' it was cut for a floor about 2 feet wider and 1 foot longer...indeed, the floor plans were wrong. Now the issue was how to get the new floor installed when all the moolah was gone. So, I went to the Italian steel and cement guy, said to him that what we were building was our cathedral, our church...and asked if he was a Catholic...he said yes...so I said, "if this was a church in your 'hood, would you work for free?' to which he said 'yes'... The floor went in, I promised my partners would pay him...I think he got his money about two years later, to my shame... The bottom line...the place has lived on borrowed time since it was built, has a mind of its own, and is its own beast...I understand that, Angel understands that, Greg understands that, Michael understands that, Alain understands that, Scott understands that, Luc understands that, Kamil understands that, and even David understands that...precious few others ever did...but thanks to all those who kept her alive for so long... You made my dreams come true...I have spent more time in that space than any other human being...been to the depths of despair, and the heights of exstacy...and I made a living at it as well... Thanks again for all the memories!!! She made men and bitches of us all. J
I really hope James will write his memoirs of Stereo, if Stereo didn't make him rich, I'm sure the memoirs would. I was relatively new to the afterhours scene when I met these incredible people, some are still my good friends today - and I have to thank (((Stereo))) for educating me about music, to enjoy a night of dancing, to enjoy life in this little secret many Montrealers have never been or know it exists.
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