Zapp Biography
Funk group based in Hamilton, Ohio, USA who, for a period during the 80s, rivalled major stars of the genre such as the Gap Band and Kool And The Gang. Zapp was formed by several members of the Troutman family, including brothers Roger Troutman (29 November 1951, Hamilton, Ohio, USA, d. 25 April 1999, Dayton, Ohio, USA; vocals/guitar), Lester (drums), Larry (b. 12 August 1944, Hamliton, Ohio, USA, d. 25 April 1999, Dayton, Ohio, USA; percussion) and Tony. The latter recorded the minor R&B hit single "I Truly Love You" for Gram-O-Phon Records in 1976. Zapp were heavily influenced by local heroes the Ohio Players, but soon generated a local following of their own, attracted by the unit's flamboyant showmanship and highly danceable music. Various other band members included backing vocalists Bobby Glover and Jannetta Boyce, keyboard players Greg Jackson and Sherman Fleetwood, and horn players Eddie Barber, Jerome Derrickson and Mike Warren. Support slots with kindred spirit George Clinton and his Parliament and Funkadelic outfits helped secure a recording deal with Warner Brothers Records in the late 70s.
Clinton's resident bass player Bootsy Collins contributed to Zapp's 1980 US Top 20 debut album, which contained their signature tune "More Bounce To The Ounce - Part 1". This song laid down the definitive Zapp sound, with funky bass and choppy rhythm guitars providing the backing for Roger Troutman's vocoderized vocals (generated through a talk box, a gadget previously used by Peter Frampton and Jeff Beck). Released as a single, "More Bounce To The Ounce - Part 1" reached number 2 on the US R&B chart, and was subsequently sampled by rap artists including Ice Cube, Snoop Doggy Dogg and EPMD. In 1981 Roger Troutman worked on Funkadelic's brilliant The Electric Spanking Of War Babies and released his solo debut (as Roger). He would subsequently balance a successful solo career and production work with his continued involvement in Zapp. Zapp II included the highly addictive "Dance Floor (Part 1)", an R&B number 1 in 1982. Zapp III was not as popular as the first two albums, although "I Can Make You Dance (Part 1)" was a number 4 R&B hit. Various members of the band worked with Roger on albums by artists affiliated to the Zapp family, including Dick Smith, Human Body, Glover, Lynch, New Horizons and Shirley Murdock. The latter, an exciting gospel/soul vocalist, appeared on 1985's The New Zapp IV U. Further excellent singles included "It Doesn't Really Matter" (1985) and "Computer Love Part 1" (number 8 R&B, 1986), but the band's commercial fortunes had declined by the end of the decade. Their 1993 compilation album, featuring several remixes and medleys, went platinum. Zapp's influence on electro and hip-hop should not be underestimated, and Roger Troutman remained an in-demand session musician/vocalist and producer with urban R&B and hip-hop artists (including a high profile performance on Dr. Dre and 2Pac's 1996 hit single, "California Love"). The Zapp story ended in tragedy on 25 April 1999, when Larry shot Roger before turning the gun on himself.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
|
