Bubbling Under: Wha-Koo

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Each week, Billboard magazine’s “Bubbling Under” chart features singles that rank below its famous Hot 100 chart. Each weekend, we spotlight one of them.

There are good band names, and there are bad band names. Where you would rank the name Wha-Koo is up to you.

Guitarist Danny Douma brought together an eclectic bunch of musicians for his band, including David Palmer, formerly of Steely Dan, a onetime member of Buddy Holly‘s Crickets, and a guy from Savoy Brown. On their 1977 debut album, they were known as Big Wha-Koo. A year later, with their name pared down to Wha-Koo, they released Berkshire, an album of California rock co-produced by Ken Caillat, who provided similar co-producer services to Fleetwood Mac at about the same time.

In 1979, Douma made an acclaimed solo album, Night Flight, which featured several members of Fleetwood Mac along with Eric Clapton and Garth Hudson of the Band. Wha-Koo made a third album that same year, without Douma’s involvement, and that’s where the Wah-Koo story ends. What’s left behind is some pretty good music that was heard by very few people.

One song from Berkshire charted: “(You’re Such a) Fabulous Dancer” spent five weeks on Billboard‘s Bubbling Under chart in the spring of 1978, peaking at #101. The song’s title is unfortunate, because it leads you to believe you’re about to hear a disco record, which you are not.

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