Gap Band IV

Gap Band IV is the sixth album (contrary to the title) by The Gap Band, released in 1982 on Total Experience Records. The album reached #1 on the Black Albums chart and #14 on the Pop Albums chart, achieved platinum status, and is considered their most successful project.

The album produced the singles "Early in the Morning" (#1 Black Singles, #13 Club Play Singles, #24 Pop Singles), "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" (#2 Black Singles, #39 Club Play Singles, #31 Pop Singles), and "Outstanding" (#1 Black Singles, #24 Club Play Singles, #51 Pop Singles).

This was the first album producer Lonnie Simmons released directly on his label, Total Experience Records. The album was later reissued on CD in 1994 by Mercury Records, Total Experience's parent company at the time of its initial release.

Track listing

Personnel

Gap Band 8

Gap Band 8 is the 10th album (contrary to the title) by The Gap Band, released in 1986 on Total Experience Records. It is the first (and only) album in the band's self-titled series to be subtitled with a regular number instead of a Roman numeral, as well as their final self-titled album.

The album includes the singles "Big Fun", "How Music Came About" and "Zibble, Zibble (Get the Money)" (also known as "Get Loose, Get Funky"). The album was expanded and remastered in 2011 by Big Break Records including 6 additional bonus tracks.

Track Listing

(*) Bonus tracks on the remastered version

References

External links

The Gap Band

The Gap Band was an American R&B and funk band which rose to fame during the 1970s and 1980s. With the nucleus consisting of brothers Charlie, Ronnie, and Robert Wilson, the band first formed as the Greenwood, Archer and Pine Street Band in 1967, in their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The group shortened its name to The Gap Band in 1973. After 43 years together, they retired in 2010.

History

Early years

After having grown up with a Pentecostal minister father, Ronnie Wilson formed the Greenwood, Archer, and Pine Street Band in 1967 with Tuck Andress (later of Tuck and Patti), Roscoe "Toast" Smith, and Chris Clayton. In 1972, Ronnie's younger brother Charlie joined the band, and in 1973, their younger brother Robert became the band's bassist. The band received its first big break by being the back up band for, fellow Oklahoman, Leon Russell's Stop All That Jazz album released in 1974.

Early on, the group took on a funk sound reminiscent of the early 70s. This style failed to catch on, and their first two LP's, 1974's Magician's Holiday and 1977's The Gap Band (not to be confused with their 1979 album) failed to chart or produce any charting singles. Afterwards, they were introduced to LA producer Lonnie Simmons, who signed them to his production company Total Experience Productions (named after his successful Crenshaw Boulevard nightclub), and managed to get them a record deal with Mercury Records.