80s Funk Music Groups You Should Know About

In the 1980s, a new type of music called funk began to gain popularity. This type of music is characterized by its heavy use of bass and drums. Some of the most popular funk groups of the time were Parliament-Funkadelic, Prince, and Rick James.

The Gap Band

The Gap Band was an American funk music group from Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The group rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s with their distinctive brand of music, which blended elements of pop, R&B, and funk. They were best known for their hits “Outstanding”, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, and “Party Train”.

History

The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band which rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie Wilson, Ronnie Wilson, and Robert Wilson. Their mother, Louise Wilson, was their manager. The band was originally active from 1967 to 2010.

The group’s hits include “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, “Oops Up Side Your Head”, and “Burn Rubber on Me”. They were critical in the development of the style of music known as “Urban Contemporary.”

Members

The Gap Band was an American musical group from Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States, that rose to prominence during the 1970s and 1980s. The lineup originally consisted of brothers Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson; with friends and saxophonists Lester Battiste and David Peaston (who appears on their album The Gap Band IV), they performed locally in clubs in the early 1970s. The band changed its name to The Gap Band in1973 and signed with Mercury Records where they released their self-titled debut album in 1974.

In 1982 the band rose to national fame with their fourth album Gap Band IV, containing the singles “Early in the Morning” (#1 R&B, #6 pop), “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)” (#1 R&B, #12 pop), “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (#1 R&B, #7 pop)and “Outstanding” (#3 R&B,.#36 pop). Co-produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis--who would later co-produce Janet Jackson’s albums Control through janet.--the album helped usher in the era of contemporary urban music.

Music

The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band which rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band consisted of three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson. The band’s name came from the “street talk” for a “gapper”, or someone who was “gap-toothed”.

The Gap Band was originally formed in 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Charlie Wilson and keyboardist/bassist Ronnie Wilson; they were later joined by Robert in 1973. The group began their career playing in local clubs before being discovered by affiliates of Mercury Records, who helped them sign a record deal with that label in 1976. Their first album, Magician’s Holiday (1974), was released on the GSF label, which was owned by Mercury.

The group scored their first hit with the song “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops Up Side Your Head)” from their second album, The Gap Band II (1979). This song spent two weeks at number one on the R&B charts and peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song’s success helped propel the album to platinum status.

The Gap Band followed up with a string of successful albums and singles throughout the 1980s, including the albums Midnight Star (1982), Gap Band IV ( 1982), Color Red (1984), Gap Bands Live: Oh La De Da! (1985), and Round Trip (1988). Some of their most popular singles from this period include “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (1982), “Early in the Morning” (1982),”Outstanding” (1983),”Party Train”(1983),”I Found My Baby”(1984),”Big Fun”(1984),”Burn Rubber on Me” (1985) and “Beep a Freak” (1987).

The group continued to tour and record into the 1990s, releasing their final studio album, Testimony(1996), before breaking up in 2010.

Parliament-Funkadelic

Funk music emerged in the mid-1960s as a subgenre of soul music. It was defined by a strong bass line, Polyrhythm’s, call and response vocals, and futuristic sound. Funk music was popularized by James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic, who are considered to be the Godfathers of Funk.

History

Formed in the late 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic was a collective of more than 50 musicians led by funkadelic singer and songwriter George Clinton. The group’s unique blend of funk, soul, rock, and R&B quickly found success with hit singles like “Flash Light” and “One Nation Under a Groove.” Over the next decade, Parliament-Funkadelic became one of the most successful and influential bands of the 1970s and ’80s, releasing a string of critically acclaimed albums and spawning dozens of hit singles.

Despite their commercial success, Parliament-Funkadelic was plagued by legal and financial troubles throughout their career. In the early 1980s, George Clinton began to distance himself from the group, focusing on his solo career. This led to a decline in the band’s popularity, and by the end of the decade, Parliament-Funkadelic had disbanded. In the years since, the band has been resurrected several times for reunion tours and new albums.

Members

George Clinton – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Bootsy Collins – Bass Guitar, Vocals
Eddie Hazel – Guitar
Bernie Worrell – Keyboards
Femi Kuti – Saxophone
Amp Fiddler – Keyboards, Vocals
Calvin Simon – Vocals
Garry Shider – Guitar, Vocals
Ray Davis – Vocals
Tawl Ross – Drums
Frank Waddy – Drums

Music

Parliament-Funkadelic is an American musical group formed in the late 1960s by George Clinton, that was influential in the development of funk and R&B. The group was also known as Funkadelic. The two groups had a fluid membership, with each musician playing in both groups at different times. Both groups recorded for Clinton’s label Uncle Jam Records.

The band has been active in various forms since its formation in 1967. The most well-known incarnation of the group was its lineup from 1970 to 1976, which consisted of Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, Eddie Hazel, and several other musicians. This lineup helped to give the group its distinctive sound, which can be heard on their best-known songs “Maggot Brain” and “One Nation Under a Groove”.

The band has been nominated for 12 Grammy Awards and has won three. They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Museum of Pop Culture’s Advanced Chemistry Hall of Fame in 2017.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was an American funk band that was most active in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The band was founded by bassist Bootsy Collins, and also included guitarist Phelps “Catfish” Collins, drummer Frank Waddy, and singer Gary “Mudbone” Cooper. The group is known for their hits “The Booty Man” and “I’d Rather Be with You”.

History

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was an American funk band formed in 1976 by bass guitarist and singer Bootsy Collins. The band also featured several other well-known musicians, including Catfish Collins (guitar), Frank Waddy (drums), Jay Leonard (trumpet), Fred Wesley (trombone), Gary Mudbone Cooper (percussion), and Cashmere Harris (keyboards). The group’s musical style was a melting pot of funk, soul, disco, and rock. They were known for their wild stage shows, which often featured Bootsy Collins dressed in outrageous costumes.

The band released several successful albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s, including Stretchin’ Out in Bootsy’s Rubber Band (1976), Bootsy? Player of the Year (1977), This Boot is Made for Fonk-N (1978), The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away (1982), and Blasters of the Universe (1984). They also had a number of hit singles, including “Stretchin’ Out (In a Rubber Band),” “I’d Rather Be with You,” “Jam Fanatic,” and “Bootzilla.”

In the early 1990s, the band’s career began to decline, and they disbanded in 1992. However, they reunited in 2006 for a series of live performances. They continue to perform sporadically.

Members

Bootsy Collins – Bass/Vocals

Bootsy’s older brother, Phelps “Catfish” Collins, was also a member of James Brown’s band. Bootsy and Catfish played on some of James Brown’s most influential recordings, including “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine” and “Super Bad”.

Billy Bass Nelson – Bass/Vocals

Garry Shider – Guitar/Vocals

Shider was a close friend of Collins, and the two had played together in various bands before teaming up in Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Shider was a highly skilled guitarist, and his contributions were essential to the band’s sound.

Frank Waddy – Drums/Percussion

Waddy was another close friend of Collins, and had also played with him in various bands before joining Bootsy’s Rubber Band. Waddy was an accomplished drummer, and his contributions were essential to the band’s sound.

Music

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was one of the most popular and influential funk music groups of the 1980s. The band was led by bassist Bootsy Collins, and featured a rotating cast of musicians, including many well-known singers and rappers. The band’s style was a mix of R&B, disco, and rap, with a heavy focus on Collins’ bass playing. They were one of the first bands to successfully blend these genres together, and their sound was highly influential on the development of contemporary R&B and hip hop music.