The Top 5 80s Funk Bands to Dance to
If you’re looking for a funk band to dance to, look no further than these top 5 80s funk bands. From the Gap Band to Zapp, these bands will have you grooving all night long.
The Gap Band
The Gap Band was an American Funk band which formed in the 1970s. The band rose to fame in the 1980s with their hit singles “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, “Party Train”, and “Outstanding”. The Gap Band was a major influence on the 80s Funk scene and their music is still popular today.
The Band’s Members
The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band was originally formed in 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma by three brothers: Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson. The band went through several lineup changes before settling on the classic trio of Charlie, Ronnie, and drummer James Mack in 1976. The Gap Band is best known for their string of hits in the 1980s, including “You Dropped a Bomb on Me,” “Oops Upside Your Head,” and “Party Train.”
The Band’s History
The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band that rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. The band was originally formed in 1967 in Tulsa, Oklahoma by brothers Rudy Taylor (bass, vocals), Robert Wilson (keyboards, vocals), and Ronnie Wilson (drums, vocals). The band went on to release a string of successful albums and singles, including the hits “Shake”, “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)”, “Party Train”, and “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”. The Gap Band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.
Despite their success, the band was plagued by personal problems and legal troubles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which resulted in a number of lineup changes. The Wilson brothers left the band in 1992, and Rudy Taylor died of a heart attack in 2010. The Gap Band was discontinued following Rudy Taylor’s death, but reunion tours featuring new lead singer Tony Toni Williams have been sporadically announced since then.
The Band’s 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. Their hit songs included “You Dropped a Bomb on Me”, “Oops Up Side Your Head”, “I Don’t Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance (Oops!)”, and “Burn Rubber on Me (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)”. The Gap Band was one of the most popular funk bands of the 1980s and their music is still popular today.
Cameo
The Band’s Members
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s. Funk is characterized by a strong, catchy bass line and percussive rhythms.
The bands listed below are some of the most influential and iconic funk bands of the 1980s. If you’re looking for a fun band to dance to, any of these groups would be a great choice.
1. Parliament-Funkadelic
Formed in the 1970s, Parliament-Funkadelic was led by George Clinton and featured several other renowned musicians, including Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell, and Sly Stone. The band’s unique blend of R&B, soul, and funk influenced many subsequent artists and helped to define the sound of funk music.
2. The Gap Band
The Gap Band was a three-piece group from Tulsa, Oklahoma that became one of the most successful funk bands of the 1980s. The band’s name comes from the “gap” between founder Charlie Wilson’s two front teeth. The Gap Band had several hits throughout the decade, including “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” and “Oops Upside Your Head.”
3. Midnight Star
Midnight Star was an eight-piece group from Indianapolis, Indiana that found success with their blend of R&B, pop, and electro-funk sounds. The group scored several hits in the 1980s with songs like “No Parking (On the Dance Floor)” and “Operator.”
4. Slave
Slave was a seven-piece group from Dayton, Ohio that was best known for their hit song “Watching You.” The band’s lead singer, Steve Arrington, went on to have a successful solo career after leaving Slave in the early 1980s.
5. Lakeside
Lakeside was a five-piece group from Detroit, Michigan that had several hit songs in the early 1980s, including “Fantastic Voyage” and “Something About That Woman.”
The Band’s History
The band Cameo was formed in 1974 by brothers Anthony “Larry” Blackmon and Tomi Jenkins. The two had grown up in New York City’s Greenwich Village and began playing music together while still in high school. They were heavily influenced by the jazz, soul, and R&B music they heard on the radio and at local clubs.
After graduating from high school, the brothers relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where they recruited additional members for their band. They began performing locally under the name of the New York Port Authority. In 1977, they changed their name to Cameo and released their self-titled debut album the following year.
Cameo’s early musical style combined elements of funk, disco, soul, and pop. Their unique sound quickly gained popularity, both in the United States and internationally. The band enjoyed their first major hit with the single “Word Up!” from their 1986 album Word Up!. The song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became an international dancefloor anthem.
Cameo continued to release successful albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s. They achieved their greatest mainstream success with the release of their 1993 album cameo. The album featured the hit single “Shake Your Pants,” which reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Cameo remains active today and continue to tour internationally. They are widely considered one of the most influential funk bands of all time.
The Band’s Music
The Band’s music is a mix of funk, pop, and R&B. They have released five studio albums and have been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Their first album, “Cameo,” was released in 1986 and their most recent album, “The Best of Cameo,” was released in 2016. They are best known for their singles “Word Up!” and “She’s Mine.”
Parliament-Funkadelic
If you’re looking for a fun band to dance to from the 80s, you can’t go wrong with Parliament-Funkadelic. This band is sure to get you up and moving with their catchy beats and funky lyrics. They’re also great if you’re looking to get your groove on.
The Band’s Members
P-Funk is fronted by the innovative and flamboyant George Clinton. As the main lead singer and writer for most of the band’s material, Clinton’s unique tall, lanky frame and colorful outfits became synonymous with the P-Funk sound. The mastermind behind the Parliament-Funkadelic collective, Clinton’s boundary-pushing style of music helped pioneer the genres of funk and psychedelic rock in the 1970s. Along with Clinton, other notable members of P-Funk have included:
Bootsy Collins – A former member of James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s, Collins is a highly respected bass player who helped define the P-Funk sound with his groove-laden basslines. He also sang lead vocals on several Parliament songs, including “Flash Light” and “One Nation Under a Groove”.
Bernie Worrell – A classically trained keyboardist, Worrell was responsible for many of the memorable keyboard hooks that were a staple of P-Funk’s sound. He also played significant roles in constructing the band’s avant-garde arrangements.
Garry Shider – Another long-time member of George Clinton’s collective, Shider served as both a guitarist and singer in Parliament-Funkadelic. He was best known for his work on the classic P-Funk song “(Not Just) Knee Deep”, which featured one of his signature guitar solos.
The Band’s History
Formed in the late 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic is a collective of performers led by two original members, George Clinton and Bernie Worrell. The band is perhaps most famous for their groundbreaking work in the 1970s, which blended elements of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelia.
Over the course of their career, Parliament-Funkadelic has undergone many lineup changes, with Clinton and Worrell being the only constant members. The band has been incredibly influential, helping to pioneer the “funk” genre and influencing countless other artists.
Parliament-Funkadelic was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
The Band’s Music
Parliament-Funkadelic was an American funk music collective of recording artists led by George Clinton, that formed in the late 1960s. Their music merged elements of soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock with experimental sounds and futuristic visuals. The collective’s origin is traceable to doo-wop group the Parliaments, formed in the 1950s in Plainfield, New Jersey by Clinton. By the early 1960s, Clinton had assembled a doo-wop singing group known as The Parliaments, which found success on the doo-wop circuit but failed to achieve chart hits; their only major entry on the Billboard Hot 100 was “I Wanna Testify” in 1967. wanting to expand his musical horizons beyond traditional rhythm and blues into funk and other styles, Clinton began working with a collection of disparate musicians who would eventually come to be known as Parliament-Funkadelic.
Zapp
Zapp was an American funk band that was popular in the early 1980s. The band was led by Roger Troutman, and their music was heavily influenced by Parliament-Funkadelic. They are best known for their hit single, “More Bounce to the Ounce”, which reached the top of the R&B charts in 1980.
The Band’s Members
Zapp was an American funk band formed in 1980 by brothers Roger Troutman and Larry Troutman in Dayton, Ohio. Their style of music featured a distinctive use of synthesizers and vocoders, giving their sound a futuristic feel. The band’s best-known songs include “More Bounce to the Ounce,” “Dance Floor,” and “I Want to Be Your Man.”
The band’s lineup varied over the years, but typically consisted of Roger Troutman on lead vocals and drums, Larry Troutman on bass and keyboards, Lester Troutman on rhythm guitar, Greg Jackson on lead guitar, and Bobby Glover on percussion. The band’s music was heavily influenced by Parliament-Funkadelic and James Brown, among other artists.
Despite their success, Zapp was plagued by legal troubles and personal conflict, which eventually led to their dissolution in the early 1990s. Roger Troutman was shot and killed in 2000; Larry Troutman died by suicide in 2002.
The Band’s History
Zapp is an American funk band that was formed in 1980 by brothers Roger and Larry Troutman. The band’s name comes from the sound of a laser gun, which the brothers used on their early recordings. Zapp had a number of hit singles in the 1980s, including “Dance Floor,” “I Can Make You Dance,” and “More Bounce to the Ounce.” The band was also popular for their use of the talk box, a device that allows the user to modify the sound of their voice.
The group’s music has been influential on a number of other artists, including Snoop Dogg, who sampled their song “Doo Doo Brown” for his 1992 hit “Gin and Juice.” Other artists who have sampled Zapp’s music include Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and A Tribe Called Quest.
The Band’s Music
Zapp was an American funk band formed in 1980 by brothers Roger Troutman and Larry Troutman. Roger was the group’s frontman, responsible for their unique sound that combined elements of funk, R&B, and pop. The band’s best-known songs include “Doo Wa Ditty (Blow That Thing)” and “More Bounce to the Ounce.”
While Zapp’s music was often criticized for being too simplistic or juvenile, their catchy hooks and danceable beats made them one of the most popular funk bands of the 1980s. They were also notable for their innovative use of the talk box, an instrument that allowed Roger to mimic human speech patterns.
Despite their success, Zapp was plagued by personal problems and internal conflict, which led to their eventual dissolution in the early 1990s. Nonetheless, they remain an influential force in funk music and have inspired many subsequent artists.
The Time
In the ’80s, funk was all about having a good time. The music was Funky, the fashion was flashy, and the dance moves were outrageous. The top 5 80s funk bands to dance to are Parliament-Funkadelic, Prince, The Time, George Clinton, and Bootsy Collins.
The Band’s Members
1. Parliament-Funkadelic (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
2. Funkadelic (George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell)
3. The Time (Prince, Morris Day, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis)
4. Slave (Steve Arrington, Starleana Young, Mark Adams)
5. Lakeside (Mark Adams, Otis Stokes, Bernard Purdie)
The Band’s History
The Time is an American musical group that was formed in 1981. The band’s music style includes a mix of funk, pop, and R&B. The Time’s biggest hit was “Jungle Love”, which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1984. The band has had several lineup changes over the years, but the most well-known members are Morris Day, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis.
The Time was originally formed as a side project of Prince. The band’s first album, “Ice Cream Castle”, was released in 1984 and received positive reviews from music critics. The Time’s second album, “What Time Is It?”, was released in 1985 and featured the hit singles “The Bird” and “Jungle Love”. The album helped to make The Time one of the most popular bands of the 1980s.
In recent years, The Time has toured sporadically and released a new album, “Condensate”, in 2018.
The Band’s Music
There are a lot of great 80s funk bands that you can dance to, but here are our top 5:
1. Parliament-Funkadelic
2. Chic
3. Prince and The Revolution
4. The Time
5. Bootsy’s Rubber Band
