Funking in the 80s

Cameo

2007-02-09T15:05:00.000Z

Cameo: Simply awesome...

Video - Back and Forth

Teena Marie

2007-02-09T15:02:00.000Z

Teena Marie: Brilliant...

Video - Behind the Groove

Janet Jackson

2007-02-09T14:56:00.001Z

Janet Jackson: Cool at the time...Still sounds great

Video - Say you do

Central Line

2007-02-02T19:17:00.000Z

Central Line: Great Song

Video - Nature Boy

Sidney Haywoode

2007-02-02T19:14:00.000Z

Haywoode: No party in Nigeria was complete without this jam...

Video - Roses

Klymaxx

2007-02-02T19:10:00.000Z

Klymaxx: Girl Power started here..

Video - Good Love

Grady Harell

2007-02-02T19:08:00.000Z

Grady Harell: You have gotta love this....

Video - Belinda

Jonathan Butler

2007-02-02T19:03:00.000Z

Jonathan Butler: Love this loads....Kick a"*

Video - Holding On

Dynasty

2007-02-02T19:00:00.000Z

Dynasty: Awesome

Video - Are you single

Aurra - Part 2

2007-02-02T18:53:00.000Z

Aurra: Another nice one

Video - Are you single

Aurra

2006-10-20T08:45:00.000+01:00

Aurra: Number One for me any day, any time!!!

Video - You and Me Tonight

Manhattans - Vid 2

2006-10-14T17:25:00.000+01:00

Manhattans: In my top 10!

Video - Crazy

Ray Parker jnr.

2006-10-14T17:22:00.000+01:00

Ray Parker: There is a message in there

Video - A Woman Needs Love

Eugene Wilde

2006-10-14T17:19:00.000+01:00

Eugene Wilde: An all time great slow jam

Video - Gotta Get You Home

The Mac Band

2006-10-14T17:15:00.000+01:00

The Mac Band: Roses are red ....voilets are blue

Video - Roses are Red

The System

2006-10-14T17:13:00.000+01:00

The System: The track rocked then...

Video - This Is For You

Meli'sa Morgan

2006-10-14T17:08:00.000+01:00

Meli'sa Morgan: A memorable voice

Video - Do You Still Love Me

The SOS Band - Vid 2

2006-10-13T16:40:00.000+01:00

SOS Band: Second Installment of the SOS Band

Video - The Finest

George Benson

2006-10-13T16:30:00.000+01:00

George Benson: From the "Give me the night" Ablum, one of the best and understated tracks on it. The video really doesnt do it justice

Video - Love X Love

Odyssey

2006-10-13T16:25:00.000+01:00

Odyssey: I love this track!!!

Video - Inside Out

Dazz Band

2006-10-13T16:19:00.000+01:00

Dazz Band: Get stepping!

Video - Let it blow

Stephanie Mills

2006-10-13T15:51:00.000+01:00

Stephanie Mills: What a voice!!

Video - Put a rush on me

Renee & Angela

2006-09-22T20:48:00.000+01:00

Renee & Angela: Forget Jay-Z's version, this is the original...Loved the suit at the time - Still do :-)

Video - I'll be good

Tom Browne

2006-09-22T20:46:00.000+01:00

Tom Browne: Classic Funk

Video - Funkin' For Jamaica

Prince

2006-09-22T20:42:00.000+01:00

Prince: I am not a big Prince fan, but this is awesome!

Video - Controversy

Pointer Sisters

2006-09-22T20:39:00.000+01:00

Pointer Sisters: Loved this track the first time I heard it...

Video - Automatic

New Edition

2006-09-22T20:36:00.000+01:00

New Edition: Can you spot Bobby Brown? The original teen group.

Video - Cool it now

Mtume

2006-09-22T20:33:00.000+01:00

Mtume: Lovely track...really sweat!

Video - Juicy Fruit

Marcia Griffiths

2006-09-22T20:31:00.000+01:00

Marcia Griffiths: Top track at the time

Video - Electric Boogie

Melba Moore

2006-09-22T20:26:00.000+01:00

Melba Moore: Love this woman, love her story.

Video - Keeping my lover satisfied

Mary Jane Girls

2006-09-22T20:21:00.000+01:00

Mary Jane Girls: Funk Classic

Video - All Night Long

The Manhattans

2006-09-22T20:18:00.000+01:00

The Manhattans: OK...This wasn't 'done' in the 80s, but it did spill over.

Video - Shining Star

Loose Ends

2006-09-22T20:15:00.000+01:00

Loose Ends: Top UK Band of the 80s. My favourite? Magic Touch

Video - Nights Of Pleasure

Klymaxx

2006-09-22T20:12:00.000+01:00

Klymaxx: Nice slow jam

Video - I miss you

InDeep

2006-09-22T20:06:00.000+01:00

InDeep: Good track

Video - Last Night The DJ Saved My Life

Levert

2006-09-22T16:45:00.000+01:00

Levert: Check out the moves, the song...Hey, this was it, way back....

Video - Casanova

El Debarge

2006-09-22T16:43:00.000+01:00

El Debarge: Love this track....smooth

Video - Love Always

DeBarge

2006-09-22T16:42:00.000+01:00

DeBarge: Anthem at the time

Video - Rhythm of the Night

Diana Ross

2006-09-22T16:37:00.000+01:00

Diana Ross: We all liked "It's my house", "Upside down" and "My old piano". But "Muscles" ran away with it - with the ladies.

Video - Muscles

Timex Social Club

2006-09-22T16:31:00.000+01:00

Timex Social Club: Hey, its Rumours!

Video - Rumours

Aurra

2006-09-22T16:25:00.000+01:00

Aurra: Remember the group that gave us "Send your love", "Checking you out", "Make up your mind". Couldnt find any proper videos on Aurra :-(, but I dug out this one which surely doesnt do them any justice. Trust me, these guys were one of the best funk groups in the 80s

Video - You and Me Tonight

Alicia

2006-09-22T16:16:00.000+01:00

Alicia:

Video - Baby Talk

Al B. Sure

2006-09-22T16:07:00.000+01:00

Al B. Sure: Cool dude of the 80s

Video - Off on your own

Tracy Chapman

2006-09-22T16:01:00.000+01:00

Tracy Chapman: What else can I say?

Video - Baby can I hold you

Regina Belle

2006-09-22T15:03:00.000+01:00

Regina Belle: What a voice!

Video - Make it like it was

Celebrating Women I love listening to in Pictures

2006-09-22T14:55:00.000+01:00

In Pictures, some of the great female singers of my time. And to those no longer with us - God bless you.

Video - Women in Pictures

Musical Youth

2006-09-22T14:49:00.000+01:00

Musical Youth: First admission, I am not a big Reggae fan, but in our days this was somewhat cool.

Video - Pass the Dutchie

Sade

2006-09-22T14:44:00.000+01:00

Sade: You just cant help but LOVE Sade. I love this track and video. A top 'tenner' for me. Paradise was cool too.

Video - Nothing can come between us

Skyy

2006-09-15T14:18:00.000+01:00

Skyy: In my top 10 any day. They had hits like "Here's to you", "Let love Shine", "Show me the way", "Married Man" and this monster hit "Call Me" (Sorry about the vid quality)

Video - Call Me

Brothers Johnson

2006-09-15T14:14:00.000+01:00

Brothers Johnson: Hey...what a hit this was at the time, no party rocked without this track

Video - Stomp

The Bar-Kays

2006-09-15T14:09:00.000+01:00

Bar Kays: You cant get any 'funkier' than these guys! Wasnt big on this track, but "Hit & Run, "Traffic Jammer" & "Nightcruising" did it for me..

Video - Your Place Or Mine

Stevie Wonder

2006-09-15T14:06:00.000+01:00

Stevie Wonder: Legend!

Video - Do I Do

Zapp & Roger

2006-09-15T13:59:00.000+01:00

Zapp & Roger: So distinct and so refreshing at the time. They gave the world a unique synthesized sound that was a hit on many dance floors.

Video - I wanna be your man

Sister Sledge

2006-09-15T13:51:00.000+01:00

Sister Sledge: This track sounds a bit 'ify' now, but it was a big hit at the time. The girls also had hots with "We are a family" & "All American Girls", but my best was "BYOB - Bring your own baby".

Video - Frankie

Phyllis Hyman

2006-09-03T19:36:00.000+01:00

Phyllis Hyman: Loved her loads, what a sad loss.

Video - Living All Alone

Morris Day & The Time

2006-09-03T15:57:00.000+01:00

The Time: Morris Day - Was he the man or what! And that was until Prince felt he couldnt live with the Time - he started messing with things. Ex Band members included Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Jellybean and Jerome Benton

Video - Cool (Live)

James Ingram & Michael McDonald

2006-09-03T15:52:00.000+01:00

James Ingram & Michael McDonald: Fantastic.

Video - Yah Mo B There

Mai Tai

2006-09-03T15:48:00.000+01:00

Mai Tai: Another nice one.

Video - History

Rose Royce

2006-09-03T15:40:00.000+01:00

Rose Royce: Classic.

Video - Wishing on a star

Jocelyn Brown

2006-09-03T15:36:00.000+01:00

Jocelyn Brown: Cool.

Video - Somebody's Else Guy

Donna Summer

2006-09-03T15:27:00.000+01:00

Donna Summer: My favourite was a track called "Tokyo", I also liked Bad Girls....This however got the place slamming.

Video - Unconditional Love

Deniece Williams

2006-09-03T15:22:00.000+01:00

Deniece Williams: Yep...nice and catchy at the time.

Video - Let's Hear It For The Boy

Imagination

2006-09-03T15:15:00.000+01:00

Imagination: Music & Lights, Flashback, we all loved this UK group in the 80s.

Video - Illusion

Chaka Khan

2006-09-03T15:05:00.000+01:00

Chaka Khan: I liked tracks like "I feel for you", "Ain't nobody", eye-to-eye but this was awesome.

Video - Trapped

Karyn White

2006-09-03T14:56:00.000+01:00

Karyn White: Nice...

Video - Superwoman

De La Soul

2006-08-29T14:04:00.000+01:00

De La Soul: Its all good...Funk was on its way out...and Hip Hop was in. In came De La Soul with 3 feet high and rising

Video - Me, Myself & I

Dazz Band

2006-08-29T14:00:00.000+01:00

Dazz Band: The masters of Jazz-Funk. One of the biggest groups of the 80s with hits like JoyStick.

Video - Let it Whip

Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam

2006-08-29T13:58:00.000+01:00

Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam: I share the same birthday as Lisa Lisa. This was a hit in the day

Video - I wonder if I take you home

Colonel Abrams

2006-08-29T13:56:00.000+01:00

Colonel Abrams: You've got to check out the clothes and the steps.

Video - Trapped

Cheryl Lynn

2006-08-29T13:46:00.000+01:00

Cheryl Lynn: Another grossly understated funk sister of the 80s. She had hits like "Shake it up tonight" and "Got to be real"

Video - Encore

Carl Carlton

2006-08-29T13:42:00.000+01:00

Carl Carlton: "Swing that sexy thing" is the best funk track I have ever listened to, however She's a bad mama jama had more numbers .

Video - She's a bad mama jama

Cameo

2006-08-29T13:39:00.000+01:00

Cameo: I love Freaky Dancing, but couldn't find ther video. This is Attack me with your love.

Video - Attack me with your love

Dionne Warwick & Friends

2006-08-25T23:44:00.000+01:00

Dionne Warwick & Friends: To my friend the best - D

Video - That's What Friends Are

Freddie Jackson

2006-08-25T23:38:00.000+01:00

Freddie Jackson: All time classic.

Video - Rock Me Tonight

Kashif & Dionne Warwick

2006-08-25T23:18:00.000+01:00

Kashif & Dionne Warwick: Couldn't find a Kashif Video, so I found this with Dionne Warwick - Classic.

Video - Reservations for Two

After 7

2006-08-25T23:16:00.000+01:00

After 7: Another nice one from the boyz

Video - Heat of the moment

Bernard Wright

2006-08-25T23:12:00.000+01:00

Bernard Wright: Possible one hit wonder. But what a hit this was.

Video - Who Do You Love

Gwen Guthrie

2006-08-25T22:51:00.000+01:00

Gwen Guthrie (RIP): We all know the anthem - "Ain't Nothin' Goin On But The Rent", but this track in my opinion was her best

Video - Outside In The Rain

Alicia Myers

2006-08-25T22:42:00.000+01:00

Alicia Myers: In my all time top 10. Nuff Said...

Video - You Get The Best From Me (Say, Say, Say)

Boney M

2006-08-25T14:49:00.001+01:00

Boney M: The Vengaboys of the 80s - Eurodance, pop, and disco. And could Bobby Farrell dance or what (or so we thought then)!. My best single - Felicidad. Love the start...

Video - MegaMix

Bobby Brown

2006-08-25T14:49:00.000+01:00

Bobby Brown: Cutting out the nonsense with my old 'sweetheart' Whitney, this guy brought the New Jack Swing movement to us. The original bad boy of R&B. This is "Dont be cruel"???

Video - Don't be cruel

Glenn Jones

2006-08-25T14:41:00.000+01:00

Glenn Jones: I dont know much about Glenn's work, but this is a 1987 track that means a bit to me

Video - We've Only Just Begun

Atlantic Starr

2006-08-25T14:30:00.000+01:00

Atlantic Starr: One of the top bands of the 80s. They had hits like Circles, If your heart isnt in it, Silver shadow and that 'massive' hit - Secret Lovers

Video - Always

Anita Ward

2006-08-25T13:26:00.000+01:00

Anita Ward: OK, this isnt exactly 80s funk, but it did spill over and still gets bums off seats. This former school teacher did well with this track - Ring My Bell

Video - Ring My Bell

Anita Baker

2006-08-25T13:20:00.000+01:00

Anita Baker - Anita B caught my attention in 1986 when she released her second album, "Rapture". What a voice

My best track is "Lead Me Into Love"

Video - Just Because

The Commodores

2006-08-24T08:10:00.000+01:00

The Commodores - , I felt sorry for them when their frontman Lionel Richie left them in 1981 to embark on a solo career.

NightShift was one of those tracks that you feel in love with the first time you heard it. Excellent track.

Video - NightShift

Brenda Russell

2006-08-20T15:17:00.000+01:00

Brenda Russell - , Ok, this is a shift from my funk(y) vids, but I am gonna do this a lot. I will revisit some of the best slow jams of the 80s.

Brenda Russell - Ignored and undervalued by many, she not only had one of the greatest voices of her time, she was also an exceptional song writer. Her song Piano in the dark is one of the best songs of my generation.

Video - Piano in the Dark

Starpoint

2006-08-18T13:56:00.000+01:00

Starpoint, where do I start? Started loving this group when I found out they had a Nigerian dude in it - Kayode Adeyemo. Also loved the voice of their lead singer Renee Diggs. She sadly passed away last year. I was a huge fan of the Restless Album, I thought all the songs on it were hot.

Video - Object of my desire

The Whispers

2006-08-17T10:14:00.000+01:00

You've gotta be really old school to remember this. The Whispers, one of the best funk groups of all time. Before Will Smith took us to Maimi, they gave us "And the Beat Goes On", "In the Raw" and a lot more.

Video - It's a love thing

Alexander O'Neal

2006-08-10T13:33:00.000+01:00

I kinda liked this dude in the 80s. I guess it had to do with his association with a group called the Time (Monte Moir, Cherrelle, Jellybean Johnson, Morris Day Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis). The keyboard and guitar work on his tracks were awesome. He ranks high on my funk list.

Video - Never Knew Love Like This

Luther Vandross

2006-08-03T16:21:00.000+01:00

Luther Ronzoni Vandross, Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American R&B singer, I mean who didn’t know Luther? During his career, Vandross sold 25 million albums and won eight Grammy awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times. He won four Grammy awards in 2004 including the Grammy Award for Song of the Year for the track "Dance with My Father," co-written with Richard Marx.

This is one of my favourite Vandross videos and tracks – It’s over now.

Video - It's over now

Midnight Star

2006-07-28T11:37:00.000+01:00

The group was formed in 1976 at Kentucky State University by the Calloway brothers (trumpeter Reginald, and trombone player Vincent), with vocalist Belinda Lipscomb. Signing to RCA Records, they released their first album, The Beginning in 1980, with a host of studio musicians. In 1982, they moved to SOLAR Records, and releasing a second album, Victory now with a real band behind them (guitarist Melvin Gentry, bassist Kenneth Gant, drummer Bobby Lovelace, multi-instrumentalist Bill Simmons and keyboard player Bo Watson).

Video - Midas Touch

Due to the Calloways' production skills, it didn't take long for Midnight Star to connect with black listeners, hitting the R&B charts with early singles like "Hot Spot" and "I've Been Watching You." Their third album, No Parking on the Dance Floor released in 1983, took them to the top of the charts with the first single, "Freak-A-Zoid," which went to number two, and propelled the album to platinum status. Their next album, Planetary Invasion was almost as big, going platinum again and making the pop Top 20 and the number one spot on the R&B charts with its first single, "Operator."

In 1986, they came out with their fifth album, Headlines, which was their third album to sell at least gold. It was to be their last, as the Calloways departed in 1988. Without their vision to guide them, Midnight Star floundered, and after two unsuccessful albums, Midnight Star and Work It Out, the group was no more.
Source: Wikipedia

Official Web Site

Coming Next: Luther Vandross - It's Over Now

Evelyn 'Champagne' King

2006-07-11T20:06:00.000+01:00

Evelyn 'Champagne' King - One of the top girls in the 80s, toured Nigeria once in the 80s and had a string of funky hits. My best was Lets Groove.

Video - Love Come Down

The S.O.S. Band

2006-07-07T14:45:00.000+01:00

SOS Band - Loved this a band a great deal. No one is gonna love you, will always be one of my best tracks ever

Video - Just Be Good To Me

The Gap Band

2006-07-06T08:38:00.000+01:00

The Gap Band - When I think of funk music, I think of the Gap Band..By a mile one of the best Funk Bands of the 80s..

Video - Early in the Morning

Lakeside

2006-06-23T18:30:00.000+01:00

Lakeside , a notable funk group, best known for this 1980 number one R&B hit, "Fantastic Voyage". Another track I loved was "Keep on moving Straight Ahead"

Video - Fantastic Voyage

Rick James

2006-04-15T17:21:00.000+01:00

Once the thought of starting a funk blog crossed my mind, I knew I had to kick-off with Rick James. “Slick” Rick in my judgment was one of the greatest funk icons of the 1980s.

Born James Johnson Jr. in Buffalo, New York, Rick James was the third of eight children of an autoworker and a former dancer.

In 1981, under the Motown label, Rick James propelled himself into the forefront of the funk movement with his defiant, in-your-face, triple-platinum album "Street Songs,”. This funk masterpiece highlighted such hits as "Super Freak," "Give it To Me Baby," and "Fire and Desire.". It was also turned out to be his highest selling album, and earned him a bad boy status that he never lived down.

In 1982 we had the “Throwin’ Down” album which in my view was his most excellent. Some of the outstanding songs from the album were hits like “Dance Wit' Me”, “Hard to Get”, “69 times” and “Standing on the top”. The latter led to the reunion of all seven original members of the Temptations.

It is tricky however to understand why in 1983, the album “Cold Blooded” received so many unexcited reviews. “Cold Blooded” wasn’t precisely one of Rick’s best efforts but it still did have a number of hits like “Ebony Eyes” and the properly named track “Cold blooded”.

In 1985, Rick James elected to glide a bit from funk into Rock & Roll with his excellent album “Glow”. This album, while not a major hit, contained some super tracks like “Cant Stop”, “MoonChild” and “Spend the Night With Me”.

Rick James ended his stay with Motown in 1988, and under the Reprise/Warner Bros. label released the “Wonderful” album. The single "Loosey's Rap" went to number one on Billboard's R&B singles chart, but regrettably the Album didn't contain any other major hits.

Sadly, Rick James died of a heart attack on August 6, 2004, at his Los Angeles home.

My Favourite Rick James Tracks:
1. Hard To Get
2. 69 Times
3. Cold Blooded

Links:
Rick James Official Site
Rick James Lyrics
A celebration of the life of Rick James - Memorial (Photos)

COMING NEXT: The Sultans of Funk - Lakeside

The Funk Blog

2006-04-11T19:28:00.000+01:00

Welcome to my Funk Blog.

This is my little way of complimenting the men and women that brought me so much joy in the 1980s.

I grew up a funk and soul music fan.

During the 80’s a number of African- American & UK artists took music to another level. They brought to my attention in Nigeria, something that is now known as stripped-down funk.

This blog is dedicated to the funkateers of the 80s and will be dotted with a number of top class R&B acts from the same decade.

I do this in memory of Rick James, the first funkateer of the 80s, and all that left us before or after him.

Next Blog: Rick James