Mingering Mike's Records from the 70"s
From van Stockum-the great crate discovery of this unsung hero:
One cold December morning, Dori Hadar—DJ by night, criminal
investigator by day—was digging through crates of records at a flea
market in Washington, D.C. There he stumbled into the elaborate world
of Mingering Mike—a soul superstar of the 1960s and '70s who released
an astonishing 50 albums and at least as many singles in just 10 years.
But Hadar had never heard of him, and he realized why on closer
inspection: every album in the crates was made of cardboard. Each
package was intricately crafted, complete with gatefold interiors,
extensive liner notes, and grooves drawn onto the "vinyl." Some albums
were even covered in shrinkwrap, as if purchased at actual record
stores.
The crates contained nearly 200 LPs and 45s by Mingering Mike, as well
as other artists like Joseph War, the Big "D," and Rambling Ralph, on
labels such as Sex Records, Decision, and Ming/War. There were also
soundtracks to imaginary films, a benefit album for sickle cell anemia,
and a tribute to Bruce Lee.
Hadar put his detective skills to work and soon found himself at the
door of the elusive man responsible for this alternate universe of
funk. Their friendship blossomed and Mike revealed the story of his
life and his many albums, hit singles, and movie soundtracks. A
solitary boy raised by his brothers, sisters, and cousins, Mike lost
himself in a world of his own imaginary superstardom, basing songs and
albums on his and his family's experiences. Early teenage songs
obsessed with love and heartache soon gave way to social themes
surrounding the turbulent era of civil rights protests and political
upheaval—brought even closer to home when Mike himself went underground
dodging the Vietnam War. In Mingering Mike, Hadar tells the story of a
man and his myth: the kid who dreamed of being a star and the
fantastical "careers" of the artists he created. All of Mingering
Mike's best albums and 45s are presented in full color, finally
bringing to the star the adoring audience he always imagined he had.
Dori Hadar is an avid vinyl junkie and can be found scavenging the
crates of flea markets as soon as the sun comes up in and around
Washington, D.C. Hadar is a DJ by night, specializing in funk, soul,
and hip hop, and a criminal investigator by day, investigating murders
for a DC-area defense attorney's firm.
Deep Crate Collective the discoverers of Mike
