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A Whiskey Glass And A Woman’s Ass

Michael Abramson Is the Unsung Documentarian of South Side R&B

By MICHAEL ABRAMSON

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL ABRAMSON

Between 1975 and 1977 some serious boogie-woogieing was happening in the disreputable nightclubs and dive bars on the South Side of Chicago. It was a remarkable time, when the dance floors were slick with bodily fluids and enshrouded in smoke from Kools as patrons cut loose to the city’s unmistakable brand of soul. And if it weren’t for a 20-something gangly white dude with a Burt Reynolds mustache, no one outside the clubs would know what this era looked like. This month, Numero Group will release Light: On the Southside, a collection of Michael Abramson’s photos from legendary venues like Pepper’s Hideout, Perv’s House, and the Patio Lounge, along with Pepper’s Jukebox, a double LP mix of obscure tracks from that funky, funky era. Vice was invited to publish our favorite selections from this funky book, which we funkily share with you funkily now.