A CELEBRATION OF THE 7 ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF THE LOCKERS “THAT CHANGED THE FACE OF DANCE”

This website was created in 2009 by six of the seven living original LOCKERS (Don “Campbellock” Campbell, Toni Basil, Dave  “Greg Campbellock Jr” Pope, Leo “Fluky Luke” Williamson, Bill “Slim the Robot” Williams, and Adolfo “Shabba-Doo” Quinones, Fred Berry passed away in 2003), co-signed with the assistance of Greg Bodell, Esq. Now enhanced with additional dates obtained from the Lockers’ original contracts for television and live show performances, dated newspaper articles, interviews, and other legal documents to validate all historical statements below.

Created in a cafeteria at Los Angeles Trade Tech College in the end of 1969, the unique dance creation of Don Campbell’s "The Campbellock", gave birth to not just a step, but a new genre of dance.  Don "Campbellock" Campbell has the distinction as being the creator of the very first Street Dance "The Campbellock”. Almost 2 years before Soul Train bursted on the scene in syndication from Los Angeles  on October 2nd 1971. His Dance continues to be performed worldwide. 

After Campbell’s recording of his song “The Campbellock”, two years of perseverance and hard work of Toni Basil and Don Campbell, the opportunity arose when Toni was asked by the Dick Clark Production to choreograph the Roberta Flack Special and the foundation of the group was formed for the show premiering on ABC June 19, 1973. The group was first named the Campbellockers. Due to legalities, 7 shows later they were officially renamed The Lockers on October 23, 1973. The group officially performed on television as The Lockers November 23, 1973 on ABC’s “InConcerts” together with (as listed in TV Guide) Sly and The Family Stone, BB King and more. On December 14, 1973 The Lockers signed with one of the biggest talent agencies in North America representing some of the biggest entertainers worldwide: CMA (later restructured as ICM) with agent Fred Lawrence.  And history was made.

This was eight years before MTV, thirty-five years before YouTube, and decades before any television and international dance competition.

As a group,The Lockers Don “Campbellock” Campbell, Toni Basil, Dave  “Greg Campbellock Jr” Pope, Fred “Mr. Penguin AKA Rerun” Berry, Leo “Fluky Luke” Williamson, Bill “Slim the Robot” Williams, and Adolfo “Shabba-Doo” Quinones; with their individual contributions as improvisational and charismatic performers to the dance itself and the group as a whole, together with the unique presentation in staging and concept. The Lockers broke down many barriers that “changed the face of dance”. With well over 100 appearances in their first three years on major television shows such as Saturday Night Live, Soul Train, and The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, as well as multiple starring engagements at prestigious Las Vegas showrooms, and sharing the bill with the Funkadelics Ohio Players at Radio City Music Hall and as a touring act opening for Frank Sinatra premiering at Carnegie Hall, The Lockers paved the way for Street Dancers to earn a living with their talent.

“Street dance”, the term coined by Locker member Toni Basil in an interview with Soul Publication (February 18th,1974), has now become accepted as a great American art form. It has been said that their ground breaking emergence on the scene "changed the face of dance", not only for street dancers, but dance in general. Yes, The Lockers are proud of their accomplishments and they guard their legacy. 

—-Throughout the Locker's career, while signed to the CMA/ICM agency, these seven members were then, and are now considered the only original Lockers: Don (Campbellock) Campbell, Toni Basil, Dave (Greg Campbellock Jr) Pope, Fred (Mr. Penguin AKA Rerun) Berry, Leo (Fluky Luke) Williamson, Bill (Slim the Robot) Williams, and Adolfo (Shabba-Doo) Quinones.

From 1973 to mid 1976, other dancers were hired as a “work for hire” at different times for different reasons. None of these dancers were ever considered part of the group by The Lockers or their agency, CMA/ICM. Over the years with the advent of unauthorized websites, Wikipedia entry availability, Internet blogging, misprinted interviews, and with 'photoshop' techniques making it easy to plagiarize images, the group’s legal council continues to be vigilant to protect The 7 original Lockers’ legacy. The persons named above assert that such has been misrepresented,eroded and distorted by others.

To correct this misrepresentation of their history, please be informed that should it be discovered by any of the surviving members of the Lockers, that people other than those mentioned above are holding themselves out as original members of The Lockers, use The Lockers name falsely suggesting affiliation with the above dance group for self promotion or profit, or distorting the history of the dance group The Lockers or any of its individual members history with said group, they will pursue all available remedies." As stated above, the foregoing information has been provided, presented, and approved by “the seven original Lockers that changed the face of dance”: Don Campbell, Toni Basil, Dave Gregory Pope, Leo Williamson, Adolfo Quinones, Bill Williams, and the Fred Berry Estate Circa 2009. Ratified and Legally Binding As Stated in 2009 —-TheLockersDance.com

For the record, at the end of 1976, the exit from the group of Mr. Berry to pursue a television career (as Rerun on What's Happening) and Ms. Basil to pursue her singing career (hit single Hey Mickey) and as a director/choreographer was an amicable and productive move. The group separately and collectively continued to work with Mr. Berry and Ms. Basil on their Emmy and Grammy nominated TV shows, live shows and music videos. 

The 5 remaining members of the group then continued to perform on such shows as the "Grammys", "Soul Train", and "What's Happening".

In the 80s Shabba Doo also had a successful movie and TV career.

Gregory Bodell, esq.
Attorney at Law
1800 Century Park East, 8th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(Licensed to practice in California)

To report any misconduct on the legacy please email:
NICK HUELSTER nhuelster@gmail.com 

There were many renditions of the group after Fred Rerun Berry and Toni Basil left the group.

Anthony “Tony GoGo” Lewis joined the remaining five, making it a group of six, at the end 1976 signing with The Lockers for the Van Dyke and Company episode 9 which aired on Dec 9, 1976. 

This rendition of the group continued into 1977 led by Don Campbell and Bill “Slim the Robot” Williams, along with various interchangeable members. They performed until 1980.

In 1980, Shabba-Doo debuted as a starring regular on the TV variety series "The Big Show", before going on to star in the groundbreaking street dance movies "Breaking"(1984) and "Electric Boogaloo"(1984), and continuing to choreograph and direct.

The surviving original members of the group continue to teach workshops, judge international street dance competitions, and receive awards for their contributions to Street Dance.

PLEASE NOTE: Any job or personal appearance request for any individual Locker must be made directly to that member’s social media. Please do not send such requests to the lawyers’ email above.