Janko Nilovic – Soul Impressions (1975)
Damnation at the Soul Impression
The Soul Impression was the perfect place for Roy and Hoche Szakolczay to set up as the base of operations in Southern California. The kind of club that attracted members of the Hollywood Hill’s wealthy and trendy jet-set who were always looking for creative, interesting, and wasteful activities to blow their unearned money and time through. You can think of the club as an expensive Venus flytrap for the young and jaded crowd the Brothers were hoping to attract.
After decades of trial and error, the Szakolczay Brothers had developed a fool-proof formula for attracting the right crowd to their rather unique business venture, fulfilling their longstanding belief in that most American of traditions: laissez-faire capitalism.
Most people would say that the Soul Impression had real swing. It swung with the decadence of late 1970s disco and the speed and hysteria of early 90s London acid scene. The club’s musical selections were a mix of funky soul classics mixed with the latest techno and house music from Detroit to Cologne to Istanbul. And only the best and most underground grooves pumped through the floorboards of the club.
The inside of the Soul Impression jumped with the hot neon red & blue decor that was flashing across the entirety of the club. The effect was dizzying and hypnotic. Once their guests adjusted their senses, they would be treated to an abundance of decadent pleasures and eye-candy. The naked zombie Go-Go girls pushed the non-existent decency laws to their very limits. Shirtless male bartenders kept the alcohol flowing, preparing drinks made to get loaded fast and stay moving on the massive Studio 54 dance floor. The “Blue Room” level of the club gave guests a chance to catch their breath and indulge their personal vices.
If alcohol wasn’t enough to dull your senses and inhibitions- Roy and Hoche had made arrangements for every illicit narcotic known to be imported from the far ends of the earth. It wasn’t cheap or safe to maintain this stash. But no expense was too high to lure America’s young elite into the club and keep them there until the morning. The club was a godless paradise for many- and damnation for a chosen few.
Roy and Hoche oversaw every detail of the operation, and promised patrons only one thing: that the huge cover charge would be justified by a club experience like no other. An opportunity to party with the “damned”. Their product line of “I Partied with the Damned”-merchandise included everything from t-shirts to neckties. Of course, the comedic aspects of the whole endeavor were completely lost on most guests.
Roy and Hoche wore a permanent smile as they stood at the entrance dressed in their $10,000 Armani suits. They always wanted to get a good look at the beautiful people who came bouncing into the club each night. A close look. For the vast majority of the young and useless that showed up, the nights and mornings passed without any incidents. The selection process was specific and designed to please, each victim chosen with the utmost care and respect to the particular tastes of the consumer.
The Soul Impression was no ordinary club for many reasons. The drugs and indulgences were only the window dressing of a tradition that has gone on for millenniums. Most of the guests knew nothing of the horrific activities happenings on the upper levels of the facility. They simply danced their nights away, while the penthouse level offered the Damnation Zone as an elite club within a club.
This was the place where the world’s superrich hunted the sons and daughters of a decaying oligarchy. And they paid unthinkable sums to the club to indulge on the victims below. The elite vampiric community appreciated the important role Roy and Hoche played for them. There was no other place in the world that would facilitate the unholy nightmares taking place in the building.
Very few of the young trendsetters who poured into the Soul Impression each evening were “invited” into the elusive upper chambers. And none of those that did receive an invitation would ever see the natural light of the sun again.
by Shawn Ciavattone
Started listening yesterday, fantastic record! Really love this page’s recommendations, it’s always special!
Agree with Saliha, this vampire story has a darker and more layered twist. It reminded me of some dreamy clubs like Twin Peaks´ “The Roadhouse” (without the ostentation).
“The Soul Impressions” hedonism and vampiric bloodlust are on perfect harmony. I need to hear this record to understand more. These stories are very original, you should make second parts (Massive Attack´s “Mezzanine” and Eno´s “Another Green World” were great).
It’s funny you mention those incredible scenes from TP. The atmosphere full of suffocation and inevitability Thank you so much for your encouragement Octavio I truly appreciate it This album fits very much in the category of cinematic library music. Probably about 50% of the record is worth hearing. Really high-quality 70s European funk
Shawn,
Cinematic, cool, sinister story. Dig the groove! I’m a fan of 1970s funk so I’m surprised I’ve never heard this delicious funk record before!
This is a great little gem to discover. I think originals are pretty tough to find. If this via she was nice. Cheesy funky greatness Thank you, Mark.
Very cool album, love this kind of easy listening and funk music. Strange story!
Thank you for your comment. Strange? Damnation Civilization. Lol.
Yeah, Shawn’s vampire stories are finally back! Although with a much darker and more layered twist. My worldview is that the entire civilization is a damnation zone, with hyper damnation zones within that zone, like a Matroshka doll. Nilovic’ (Istanbul Greek) music is aptly in contrast to the things going on here, a nice deceptive suger-coating. Makes me think of some Lynchian use of musuc, or Laurel Canyon band like Love. But the satanic Beatles would have been more fitting here, how about a trumpet blow full of Sgt. Fucking Pepper on the magic vampiric bus ride? Fuck.