Classic or Dud - The Gap Band

Yeah, classic for that and some others. Not to mention the cowboy hats. I never have heard the shitty ballads, though.

Greenwood Archer & Pine ! CLASSIC. Charlie Wilson's solo album was called Bridging the Gap, doncha know.

Mmm..."Early in the Morning"...

Jonathan Davis of Korn discussing the Backstreet Boys on MTV around '99 or so (paraphrase, of course): "There's this one song ["Backstreet's Back"] where, if I close my eyes, I can start to get into it. I'm like, yeah, this reminds me of the Gap Band! Then I open my eyes and AGHHHHH!!!!!"

i first heard the gap band on a Upront comp in the 80's (an "in" to a whole new world for a poor white indie guy back then) the tune was "keep holdin' on" scarcely the most funkalicious tune. as such i leanrned to love the schmoove (things were so much simpler then).

i even like the song that big ups elton.

just for oops upside your head and you dropped the bomb on me they are elevated to classic

"Yearning for Your Love" and especially "You Are My High" (as if a disco ball started shooting off neon July 4th sparklers) are both as good if not better than the ballads of, for instance, Ohio Players and Kool & the Gang. (Not EW&F, admittedly.)

I make the dubious claim that "Humpin'" (off III) was the crossover between Parliament and what was to be New Jack Swing.

Yes, it's dubious.

Unrelated, this song was my birds-and-the-bees musical moment! And I'm fucking proud of that. (momz had to explain to me what "humpin'" really was, you see.)

http://www.billboard.com/news/robert-wilson-of-the-gap-band-dies-at-53-1004109521.story?tag=hpfeed

Robert Wilson, a member of R&B/funk group the Gap Band, died at the age of 53 on Sunday (Aug. 15). Wilson, known as the "Godfather of Bass Guitar," suffered a heart attack in his Palmdale, Ca. home. Wilson formed the Gap Band with brothers Charlie and Ronnie in the early 1970s, and the Tulsa group expanded upon the funk sound of George Clinton and Earth, Wind & Fire. The band's hits include "You Dropped a Bomb On Me," "Party Train" and "Early in the Morning." "My brother Robert was a bad boy on the bass," Charlie Wilson said of his brother in a statement. "We shared a bond as brothers, musicians and friends. I loved him and losing him is difficult for both Ronnie and I. The music world has lost a very talented man."

Wilson, who was scheduled to perform at Tulsa's Timeless Music Festival on Aug. 28, is survived by his wife Brenda and two daughters, Robin and Latina Wilson.

Early in the Morning rules

It does indeed. RIP Robert.

I can't believe he was only 53. He must have been about 16 or something when the band started?

Some of the best funk synth-basslines outside of Bernie Worrell's ouvre.

Some of the worst R&B ballads to ever ruin a funk album.

RIP.

man RIP brutha :(

can't believe he was only 53. He must have been about 16 or something when the band started?

I was trying to work out this very thing yesterday! Wiki says the band started in 1967, which would have made him 10 or 11; pretty sure his older bros must have started the band and he joined later. STILL, first LP was 1973, so yeah, about 16 there.

"Outstanding," y'all.

"Outstanding," y'all.

― Gucci Mane hermeneuticist (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, August 17, 2010 3:03 PM (3 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2015/03/charlie_wilson_interview.html#incart_most-read_music_article

This thing is selling out just about everywhere I go. I always wanted it to be like this, but I didn't think it would actually be like this. It's crazy. It's great.

You're playing rooms as big as at the height of the Gap Band.

Wilson: We're playing bigger rooms than the Gap Band. You've got to understand -- that was almost 40 years ago. Who gets that chance again?

They're saying it's the biggest R&B tour out right now. We're doing numbers like Beyonce in some of these places. I always knew that I could do this. Watch what you pray for, for real.

The difference this time is you're actually getting paid properly.

Wilson: Thank you! (laughs) It's a beautiful thing.

You get paid for it, and you remember the gig the day after.

Wilson: Absolutely! I remember the shows, I remember the buildings: "Yeah, I sold that one out." I'm so happy right now.

Some mentions of their influence on Ronson & Bruno Mars "Uptown Funk" over on that thread (along with James Brown "Living in America" and more). With a link to this article:

http://www.billboard.com/articles/6327615/sugarhill-gang-to-trinidad-james-influences-mark-ronson-bruno-mars-uptown

Early in the Morning rules

― plate of dinosaurs (San Te), Monday, August 16, 2010 11:11 PM (seven years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

singing "Reaganomics" while the tune of "there's a place in France where the naked ladies dance": "Talkin' Back" in 1983 was the greatest protest song of the 80s

Early in the morning is the best song ever ya

boots upside your head

oops

"Yearning for your Love" crushed me at the bar last night

My band finally finished our sure-to-be-viral video brass band version of 'Outstanding'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5tTRTb44Ro

classic and classic

okay, i enjoyed the everloving shit out of that.

nice one!

thanks y'all!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edhV5vy0d7A