Difference between revisions of "Vito Paulekas"
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'''Vito Paulekas''' (born Vitautus Alphonsus "Vito" Paulekas, May 20, 1913 - October 25, 1992) was an American artist, sculptor and dancer. He was the guru of the "freak scene" in [[Los Angeles]] in the early 1960s, where he sponsored "love fests" and parties. | '''Vito Paulekas''' (born Vitautus Alphonsus "Vito" Paulekas, May 20, 1913 - October 25, 1992) was an American artist, sculptor and dancer. He was the guru of the "freak scene" in [[Los Angeles]] in the early 1960s, where he sponsored "love fests" and parties. | ||
| − | Several members of his "dance troupe", including [[Christine Frka|Miss Christine]] and [[Miss Sandra]], were 'squatting' at the original [[The Log Cabin|Log Cabin]] when FZ rented it. From then on, Zappa's life was inextricably linked to the L.A. 'freaks'. | + | Several members of his "dance troupe", including [[Christine Frka|Miss Christine]] and [[Sandra Leano|Miss Sandra]], were 'squatting' at the original [[The Log Cabin|Log Cabin]] when FZ rented it. From then on, Zappa's life was inextricably linked to the L.A. 'freaks'. |
Aside from a 7" single by "Vito and The Hands", produced by [[Kim Fowley]], and featuring on some [[The Mothers|Mothers Of Invention]] work in 1966, he also provided vocal for [[Freak Out!]]. | Aside from a 7" single by "Vito and The Hands", produced by [[Kim Fowley]], and featuring on some [[The Mothers|Mothers Of Invention]] work in 1966, he also provided vocal for [[Freak Out!]]. | ||
Revision as of 08:30, 3 August 2021
Vito Paulekas (born Vitautus Alphonsus "Vito" Paulekas, May 20, 1913 - October 25, 1992) was an American artist, sculptor and dancer. He was the guru of the "freak scene" in Los Angeles in the early 1960s, where he sponsored "love fests" and parties.
Several members of his "dance troupe", including Miss Christine and Miss Sandra, were 'squatting' at the original Log Cabin when FZ rented it. From then on, Zappa's life was inextricably linked to the L.A. 'freaks'.
Aside from a 7" single by "Vito and The Hands", produced by Kim Fowley, and featuring on some Mothers Of Invention work in 1966, he also provided vocal for Freak Out!.
"Vitautus Alphonsus Paulekas was born in 1910, the son of a Lithuanian sausage-maker who settled in Massachusetts. He spent a year and a half in reformatory school at the age of 18 and was busted several times after that, all of which gave him a life-long aversion to the police. He spent six months as a marathon dancer during the Depression and he was already in his fifties when he connected with the rock 'n' roll scene in 1962. He began dancing every two weeks with Jim Doval & The Gauchos at a club on the Strip. He wore his hair in a beatle cut and his youthful body was betrayed by his lined face and greying moustache."
He also makes an appearance in the documentaries Mondo Hollywood (1967) and You Are What You Eat (1968).
Paulekas eventually became mayor of the small Sonoma town of Cotati, a hippie enclave near Santa Rosa, CA, where he died from a blood disease in 1992.
