Tee Scott ... in Tribute

I first met Tee Scott when I was about 16/17 years old. He was playing at BETTER DAYS mother-club, "WILLIE's on West 82nd St, just off of Amsterdam Ave on the upper Westside of Manhattan back in 1971. I was too young to be in this place but during this period I was still growing and learning a lot about myself and my life as a young gay man. And as in "gay culture" throughout time the natural pastime if not entertaining was dancing.

I really didn't pay much attention to what Tee was doing. I only knew he was controlling the music. Unlike today, the club scene was more social oriented than dance oriented. I imagine that cruising was a big part of what was going on but, I really didn't pick up on any of it. I was just so happy to be allowed in a bar that I spent the majority of my time hanging around the bar taking in all the excitement. As a matter of fact, the only time anyone ever really got on the dance floor back then was when a slow song was played. But I found myself going almost everynight for about 2 weeks. Then one night I went there and the place was closed and, there was sign hanging on the door directing everyone to their new venue on West 49th St between 8th & 9th avenue. This location remained a mainstay for the duration.

Once I found the new place and made myself comfortable with being there (being somewhat of a regular), I found myself spending more time on the dance floor and hanging near the DJ booth. BETTER DAYS is now my favourite hangout. Larry (Levan) and I would always meet up my house in the East Village (where I lived with my uncle) around 8pm and head-up to Better Days so that we could get in before 9pm. The club always posted a cover charge at 9pm. Plus, the place would serve a free buffet from 7pm to 9pm. And the both of us being a couple of broke kids well, the rest is self-explanatory.

We (Larry & me) became close with Tee. Me more-so than Larry. We told all of our friends about the place. We helped to bring a lot of people to the place and, we always the first two on the dance floor and the last to leave the place. I guess we were like Tee's own private rooting section. Cheerleaders, if you will. He'd paly so much music for us. He turned us on to a lot of music as well. Me especially. I can't say when it happened but, I found myself always in the booth with and dancing to his music.

After awhile Larry stopped hanging out as much. Now he was beginning to hang out at CONTINENTAL BATHS and I just refused to go to that place. Probably out of fear more than any other reason.

BETTER DAYS was only open from Wednesday to Sunday in the first couple of years it was open. The business was doing so well that they decided to open on Mondays and Tuesday as well. Teel was already playing from Wednesday to Sunday (5 nights aweek) and really wasn't looking forward to playing 2 additional days. So, he asked me if i'd be interested in playing there on Mondays and Tuesdays? I had never played records anywhere before. Not even at home so, imagine my surprise when he asked me.

I was working at THE GALLERY with Nicky Siano during this period and Larry was actually spending more time in the booth with Nicky than I was. Tee seem to think that that was enough experience for me to handle the job of playing at BETTER DAYS. Working at The Gallery on Friday and Saturday nights and hanging around the booth with him at BETTER DAYS was good enough for him. Forget the fact that I had no records. "You can use mine" he said. "You know them all. You'll be great", he said. I went for it.

Tee Scott set the wheels in motion for where my career is now. Nicky Siano layed the groundwork but Tee planted my feet firmly on the path that my career has traveled since January, 1972.

God, how I miss the days of hangin' out in the booth at Better Days. Watching Tee from behind, shakin' his big butt and stompin' to the beat in his stocking feet and, manipulating the hell outta those belt driven THORENS TD125 MKIIs.