The Gap Band

troubleman84

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The Gap Band

Though never given just due by music critics, for the better part of a decade the Gap Band created some great music that has increased in stature over time and has influenced a new generation of artists who have liberally borrowed from the Gap sound in creating modern soul and hip-hop albums.

Formed in Tulsa, Oklahoma in the early 70s by brothers Charlie, Ronnie and Robert Wilson, the Gap Band largely mimicked musical pioneers George Clinton, Stevie Wonder and Earth Wind & Fire before developing their own distinctive sound in the early 80s that propelled them to the forefront of soul and funk music. Named as an acronym for three streets in Tulsa, the Gap Band spent most of the 70s as backing musicians or as the warm-up act for visiting artists ranging from the Rolling Stones to Willie Nelson.

The group recorded a couple minor albums in the mid-70s but received their first taste of national success only after signing with Mercury Records in 1979. Working with producer Lonnie Simmons, the Gaps hit the top of the Soul charts with the Clinton-inspired humorous cut "I Don't Believe You Want to Get Up and Dance" (more commonly known for the repeated rap "Oops Upside the Head"). However, the group didn't distinguish itself from the remainder of the burgeoning pack of disco-funk groups until 1980's III, an excellent disc on which the Gap Band broke out of the shadow of its influences to establish its own brand of infectiously funky, electric sound characterized by the album's big hit, "Burn Rubber." The group showed its songwriting development with now classic gritty ballad "Yearning For Your Love," and the surprising piano ballad, "Nothing Comes to Sleepers."

The Gap Band's next album, while not as uniformly strong as III, was its biggest. IV became one of 1982's biggest soul albums and popped out three top 10 crossover smashes, "Outstanding," "Early In the Morning" and the group's most notable hit, "You Dropped A Bomb On Me" - a song that has since been sampled by other artists countless times. About that time the Gap Band was also becoming a great touring funk band, and the group spent the remainder of the 80s topping bills around the world while also maintaining its Soul radio popularity with hits such as "Big Fun," "Party Train," "Beep A Freak" and a #1 remake of the Friends of Distinction's "Going In Circles." Charlie Wilson also established himself as one of the most distinctive lead singers in soul music, as his slightly raspy, strong baritone powered also not only Gap hits, but also songs of other artists (most notably Zapp's "Computer Love").

By 1990, a general decline in the quality of the group's work, a changing in musical tastes and Charlie Wilson's slippage into alcohol and drug addiction sidelined the Gap Band. However, Wilson overcame his addictions and the group proclaimed its return with a national tour and the aptly titled 1996 album Live and Well. The Wilsons continued to perform (successfully) and record (not so successfully) over the remainder of the decade. In 2000, Charlie Wilson recorded a well-received second solo album (he had released an unsuccessful solo disc in the early 90s) that included two great ballads, the UAC hit "Without You" and the duet with Marc Nelson "For Your Love."

In this decade the Gap Band has become increasingly recognized by a new generation of artists, largely through remakes and samples of the group's biggest work. Charlie Wilson has continued to provide guest vocals for other artists, most recently singing lead on the 2005 smash hit "Signs" with Snoop Dogg and Justin Timberlake. He was recently signed by Jive Records and finished a new CD, Charlie, Last Name Wilson, with an all-star cast of modern producers, including The Underdogs and R. Kelly.

While often labeled by critics as a group that followed, not led, trends, the Gap Band has secured its place in soul music history through a number of great cuts that have stood up well and that continue to exert an influence on both classic soul radio and on younger artists of the hip-hop generation.

By Chris Rizik
 
I have all of their albums, including Magician's Holiday from 1973, and the 3 Charlie solo albums. I even have a record where they were the backup group for Leon Russell. I didn't buy the live album from 1996 though, but I've heard most of it. I do have a concert video from 1980 though. The 1st 2 albums had a different sound than the more famous ones on Mercury/Total Experience. The subject matter was kinda different too.
 
I have all of their albums, including Magician's Holiday from 1973, and the 3 Charlie solo albums. I even have a record where they were the backup group for Leon Russell. I didn't buy the live album from 1996 though, but I've heard most of it. I do have a concert video from 1980 though. The 1st 2 albums had a different sound than the more famous ones on Mercury/Total Experience. The subject matter was kinda different too.

It's interesting how throughout their career, they were able to transition to different styles of music even within the 1980s. Other than the Isley Brothers, I've never seen another R&B band that had success with funk, disco, rock, soul, quiet storm and even new jack swing the way the Gappers did.

Robert Wilson has got to be one of the baddest bassists that ever played bass, Ronnie Wilson is a gifted songwriter and Charlie Wilson, of course, is one of the greatest singers of any genre of all time to me.
 
Around 1989, Charlie played keyboards on a Eurythmics tour and also the album they had out at the time. He also produced "Mercedes Boy" and "Take Your Time" for Pebbles. Ronnie is a pastor now, but still performs with the group. I heard they were recording an album last year, but don't know what became of it.
 
That's probably because Charlie was working on a solo project and he had to get that out of the way first before the Gap Band could really work on finishing the album. It's amazing that though they haven't released a new album together in years, they can still perform and generate a huge audience, much like Maze (Charlie Wilson and Frankie Beverly reportedly don't get along for some reason).

IMHO, Charlie made "Computer Love" (the Roger & Zapp joint). :yes:

Here's my new favorite Gap Band song from their 1980's Gap Band III album:

THE WAY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzMdUa0_DMM
 
Here's a couple of cuts from the 1st album

Tommy's Groove

I-Yike-It
 
I know, right? Back then it was probably for somebody else but looking back on it, Charlie was really out of it with drugs and alcohol. I'm lucky he was able to survive it though.
GAP toured with the Rolling Stones early in their career, and most people know about "indestructable" Keith Richards.
 
Huge Gap Fan. dug there albums in the late 70's through early 80's. they had to deal with there own Suge Knight in Lonnie Simmons and that whole pre death row thing at total experience. Charlie Wilson had gotten black balled by the industry and of course with the drugs and everything else had sidelined him,but the eurythmics hooked him up and the later in the early to mid 90's Snoop Dogg brought him in on board at doggy style records.

they are vastly Underrated IMO. very versatile band and harmony for days.
 
Huge Gap Fan. dug there albums in the late 70's through early 80's. they had to deal with there own Suge Knight in Lonnie Simmons and that whole pre death row thing at total experience. Charlie Wilson had gotten black balled by the industry and of course with the drugs and everything else had sidelined him,but the eurythmics hooked him up and the later in the early to mid 90's Snoop Dogg brought him in on board at doggy style records.

they are vastly Underrated IMO. very versatile band and harmony for days.
I don't really know anything about Total Experience or Lonnie Simmons. I've heard he was a tyrant in the studio, but that's it.
 
I had heard Lonnie ran a tight ship over there at the label. Lonnie and the Wilson brothers were said to have had a very contentious relationship with each other.
 
I don't really know anything about Total Experience or Lonnie Simmons. I've heard he was a tyrant in the studio, but that's it.
my uncle use to be in the business and he knew about Simmons cashing in on some insurance policys and starting up his label,etc.. he ran shady rought shot tactics.
 
Leaving all the technical talk and GP info up to you guys (which was very informative btw) all I can say is man oh man!
The memories that came back just from reading the song titles.:cheeky:
 
Named as an acronym for three streets in Tulsa
The streets are named Greenway, Archer, & Pine. That was their original name - The Greenway, Archer, & Pine Band, but later shortened it to G.A.P. Band because the original name tended to be too long to fit well on gig posters. One printer forgot the periods, so the group left it as "Gap". The streets were a located in a African American business district. A few years ago, a street in Tulsa was renamed in honor of the brothers/band. In the beginning the brothers sang with their sister Lorraine (I think that was her name).
 
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Charles Kent just did a song with Snoop on the America United program. He still sounds good.
 
This is one of my favorites. It doesn't get much play today like their other hits.

I'm Ready (If You're Ready)

 
Here's a remix of "Oops". I've never heard this B4 and I thought I knew pretty much all of their stuff.

Easy Life

Not Guilty

 
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