Zapp (band)
Encyclopedia
Zapp is a soul
and funk
band formed in 1978 by brothers Roger Troutman
, Larry Troutman
, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]. Known for hits such as "More Bounce to the Ounce
", "Dance Floor
" and "Computer Love", the group was a partial source of inspiration to West Coast hip-hop and G-funk
, which came out of the hand clapped-drum beat styled funk of Zapp's records, with Roger's use of the talk box
becoming another reason for the group's impact and its success.
. The duo of Lester and Roger started several groups including Little Roger and the Vels. Larry eventually joined his brothers when their name became Roger and the Human Body, which also included youngest brother Terry, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]. Larry was then the road manager and the leader of the group in terms of all major decisions and connections.
Roger was also childhood friends with Cincinnati native Bootsy Collins
, who made a pact with Roger that whoever became famous first would reach back to help the other. True to his word, Bootsy brought Roger to the attention of Parliament-Funkadelic
leader George Clinton
. Bootsy introduced Roger to the public during the Parliament Motor Booty Affair
tour of 1979. Bootsy and George were instrumental in securing a record deal for Roger and Zapp with Warner Brothers Records in late 1979. Upon the release of the hit single "More Bounce to the Ounce" Roger formed a new band. The original members were: Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Gregory Jackson, Bobby Glover, Jannetta Boyce, Sherman Fleetwood, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber, Michael Warren. Roger took the show on the road opening for many major acts, including Prince, the Commodores, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ashford and Simpson, Kool and the Gang and Cameo.
Released in the late summer of 1980, Zapp's seminal self-titled debut album
became a gold-selling success peaking at the top twenty of the Billboard Top 200 and number one on the Soul album chart, thanks to the success of their leading single, the Roger composition, "More Bounce to the Ounce
", which reached number two on the Hot Soul Singles
chart.
label. After finishing the recording, Roger was approached by Warner Bros. with an offer to release the album on their label instead of Uncle Jam, influenced by the success of the first Zapp album. Warner also offered Roger more money, which lead Roger to sell the recordings of what would eventually become, "The Many Facets of Roger
" to Warners. This move facilitated a lawsuit involving Warner Bros, Roger Troutman, and George Clinton, which ultimately resulted in Clinton and Funkadelic
leaving Warner Bros.
in his recordings, was also the band's producer, chief writer, arranger, and composer. He and older brother Larry, who served as percussionist in the band's early years and later retired from music to serve as his younger brother's manager, often collaborated on songs together. Roger and Zapp worked on both group albums and albums Roger released on his own merit. Within five years, the band scored more top ten R&B hits such as "Doo Wa Ditty", "I Can Make You Dance", "Heartbreaker", and ballads such as "Computer Love (R&B #8)" and a cover of The Miracles
' "Ooo Baby Baby
". Among the songs, only one of them - 1982's "Dance Floor, Part 1
" - managed to hit number-one on the R&B chart while two of Roger's solo numbers - a cover of Marvin Gaye
's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine
" and "I Want to Be Your Man
" - hit the top spot of that chart. By 1985's New Zapp IV U, the group had scored five gold records and had become a top concert draw all around the world.
". Roger was also featured in the remix to Sounds of Blackness
' 1998 hit, "Hold On (A Change Is Coming)", which sampled "Doo Wa Ditty".
committed by Larry on his younger brother happened though they agreed that the two brothers must have had a business dispute, and sources say that Larry had not slept in several days and was not in his normal state of mind at the time. It is also rumored by sources that Roger had informed Larry that he had selected a new manager, and Larry found this information hard to take after so many years successfully carrying out this role.
enthusiasts and the Chicano/"Cholo
" youth culture who appreciated Zapp's music. Their tracks are still being used today, without remix or any alterations and are commonly danced to by pop performers. "More Bounce To The Ounce" stands out as the most used sample in Chicano
rap and West Coast
rap, being sampled in countless songs. Their music is also popular amongst the widespread funk-style dance community.
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
band formed in 1978 by brothers Roger Troutman
Roger Troutman
Roger Troutman was the lead singer of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the Funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years...
, Larry Troutman
Larry Troutman
Larry Troutman was a musician and a founding member of the funk/R&B band Zapp alongside his younger brother, Roger Troutman...
, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]. Known for hits such as "More Bounce to the Ounce
More Bounce to the Ounce
"More Bounce to the Ounce" is an influential funk single recorded by the Ohio-based band Zapp, led by singer-songwriter Roger Troutman. Released in 1980 on the Warner Bros. Records label, the song was originally recorded in 1979 while Troutman's group was part of George Clinton's Uncle Jam Records....
", "Dance Floor
Dance Floor, Part 1
"Dance Floor, Part 1" is a 1982 single by the Dayton, Ohio-based, funk group, Zapp. The song spent two weeks at number one on the R&B in mid-1982, but failed to make the Hot 100.. The single was known for the use of a talk box, which became popular in the 1980s.-References:...
" and "Computer Love", the group was a partial source of inspiration to West Coast hip-hop and G-funk
G-funk
G-funk, or Gangsta-funk, is a sub-genre of hip hop music that emerged from Westcoast gangsta rap in the early 1990s. G-funk incorporates multi-layered and melodic synthesizers, slow hypnotic grooves, a deep bass, background female vocals, the extensive sampling of P-funk tunes, and a high-pitched...
, which came out of the hand clapped-drum beat styled funk of Zapp's records, with Roger's use of the talk box
Talk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...
becoming another reason for the group's impact and its success.
Early career and rise to fame
The nucleus of Zapp circled around two of the five Troutman brothers: Lester and RogerRoger Troutman
Roger Troutman was the lead singer of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the Funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years...
. The duo of Lester and Roger started several groups including Little Roger and the Vels. Larry eventually joined his brothers when their name became Roger and the Human Body, which also included youngest brother Terry, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]. Larry was then the road manager and the leader of the group in terms of all major decisions and connections.
Roger was also childhood friends with Cincinnati native Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
, who made a pact with Roger that whoever became famous first would reach back to help the other. True to his word, Bootsy brought Roger to the attention of Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic is a funk, soul and rock music collective headed by George Clinton. Their style has been dubbed P-Funk. Collectively the group has existed under various names since the 1960s and has been known for top-notch musicianship, politically charged lyrics, outlandish concept albums...
leader George Clinton
George Clinton (musician)
George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
. Bootsy introduced Roger to the public during the Parliament Motor Booty Affair
Motor Booty Affair
Motor Booty Affair is an album by funk band Parliament. Released in late 1978, it contains two of the group's most popular tracks, "Rumpofsteelskin" and "Aqua Boogie " which went to number one on the Billboard Black Singles chart. The album title refers to the music coming out of "Motor town"...
tour of 1979. Bootsy and George were instrumental in securing a record deal for Roger and Zapp with Warner Brothers Records in late 1979. Upon the release of the hit single "More Bounce to the Ounce" Roger formed a new band. The original members were: Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Gregory Jackson, Bobby Glover, Jannetta Boyce, Sherman Fleetwood, Jerome Derrickson, Eddie Barber, Michael Warren. Roger took the show on the road opening for many major acts, including Prince, the Commodores, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ashford and Simpson, Kool and the Gang and Cameo.
Released in the late summer of 1980, Zapp's seminal self-titled debut album
Zapp (album)
Zapp is the self-titled debut album of Ohio P-Funk band Zapp. Released on July 30, 1980, the album features the popular hit "More Bounce to the Ounce," which was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Soundtrack, and was sampled by EPMD, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G, Twiztid, Brotha Lynch...
became a gold-selling success peaking at the top twenty of the Billboard Top 200 and number one on the Soul album chart, thanks to the success of their leading single, the Roger composition, "More Bounce to the Ounce
More Bounce to the Ounce
"More Bounce to the Ounce" is an influential funk single recorded by the Ohio-based band Zapp, led by singer-songwriter Roger Troutman. Released in 1980 on the Warner Bros. Records label, the song was originally recorded in 1979 while Troutman's group was part of George Clinton's Uncle Jam Records....
", which reached number two on the Hot Soul Singles
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart.
Controversy
After the success of Zapp's debut album, Roger started work on a solo project that was slated to be released on George Clinton's newly formed Uncle Jam RecordsUncle Jam Records
Uncle Jam Records was a record label formed by Parliament-Funkadelic leader George Clinton and his personal manager Archie Ivy. The label was distributed nationally by CBS Records....
label. After finishing the recording, Roger was approached by Warner Bros. with an offer to release the album on their label instead of Uncle Jam, influenced by the success of the first Zapp album. Warner also offered Roger more money, which lead Roger to sell the recordings of what would eventually become, "The Many Facets of Roger
The Many Facets of Roger
The Many Facets of Roger was the debut solo project by Dayton, Ohio-based funk visionary Roger Troutman, released a year after the singer made his debut as lead frontman of his family-based funk group, Zapp, and the group had made their breakthrough with the funk hit "More Bounce to the Ounce"...
" to Warners. This move facilitated a lawsuit involving Warner Bros, Roger Troutman, and George Clinton, which ultimately resulted in Clinton and Funkadelic
Funkadelic
Funkadelic was an American band most prominent during the 1970s. The band and its sister act Parliament, both led by George Clinton, began the funk music culture of that decade.-History:...
leaving Warner Bros.
Continued success
Zapp's trek to fame continued within the Troutmans, who started Troutman Enterprises shortly after the Zapp album was released. Roger, who was the leader of the group and most famous for using the talk boxTalk box
A talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth...
in his recordings, was also the band's producer, chief writer, arranger, and composer. He and older brother Larry, who served as percussionist in the band's early years and later retired from music to serve as his younger brother's manager, often collaborated on songs together. Roger and Zapp worked on both group albums and albums Roger released on his own merit. Within five years, the band scored more top ten R&B hits such as "Doo Wa Ditty", "I Can Make You Dance", "Heartbreaker", and ballads such as "Computer Love (R&B #8)" and a cover of The Miracles
The Miracles
The Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature...
' "Ooo Baby Baby
Ooo Baby Baby
"Ooo Baby Baby" is a 1965 hit single by The Miracles for the Tamla label, today considered the group's signature song. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the song #262 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time....
". Among the songs, only one of them - 1982's "Dance Floor, Part 1
Dance Floor, Part 1
"Dance Floor, Part 1" is a 1982 single by the Dayton, Ohio-based, funk group, Zapp. The song spent two weeks at number one on the R&B in mid-1982, but failed to make the Hot 100.. The single was known for the use of a talk box, which became popular in the 1980s.-References:...
" - managed to hit number-one on the R&B chart while two of Roger's solo numbers - a cover of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine
I Heard It through the Grapevine
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles...
" and "I Want to Be Your Man
I Want to Be Your Man
"I Want to Be Your Man" is a 1987 hit single for late funk singer-songwriter Roger Troutman, from his Unlimited! album.Written by his brother, Larry Troutman, and produced by the Roger, who sung in both his natural tenor and his trademark talk box, it became his biggest solo hit to date reaching...
" - hit the top spot of that chart. By 1985's New Zapp IV U, the group had scored five gold records and had become a top concert draw all around the world.
Decline and career resurgence
By the release of Roger's solo album, 1991's Bridging the Gap, success had mostly dwindled for the group though their records were now being sampled constantly by hip-hop acts. The first of which, EPMD's "You Gots to Chill" famously sampled "More Bounce..." In 1993, Zapp scored their biggest-selling album with the platinum All the Greatest Hits, which included a top forty R&B hit with "Mega Medley" mixing the band's greatest hits and a top twenty R&B hit "Slow and Easy" (R&B #18). By 1996, Roger Troutman had regained success after he added his trademark talk box for 2Pac's comeback hit, "California LoveCalifornia Love
"California Love" is a hip hop song by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman. The song was released as 2Pac's comeback single upon his release from prison in 1995. A popular remix version of the song appeared on his 1996 double album All Eyez on Me...
". Roger was also featured in the remix to Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness
Sounds of Blackness is a Grammy Award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B chart and Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play...
' 1998 hit, "Hold On (A Change Is Coming)", which sampled "Doo Wa Ditty".
Deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman
The group became temporarily defunct after the April 25, 1999, deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman. To this day, family members can give no clear motive as to why the murder-suicideMurder-suicide
A murder–suicide is an act in which an individual kills one or more other persons before or at the same time as killing himself or herself. The combination of murder and suicide can take various forms, including:...
committed by Larry on his younger brother happened though they agreed that the two brothers must have had a business dispute, and sources say that Larry had not slept in several days and was not in his normal state of mind at the time. It is also rumored by sources that Roger had informed Larry that he had selected a new manager, and Larry found this information hard to take after so many years successfully carrying out this role.
Legacy
In the past two decades, the band's music had been very popular among lowriderLowrider
]A lowrider is a style of car originated by Chicano communities that sits lower to the ground than most other cars. Many lowriders have their suspension systems modified so that their ride can change height at the flip of a switch...
enthusiasts and the Chicano/"Cholo
Cholo
Cholo is an ethnic slur created by Hispanic criollos in the 16th century, and it has been applied to individuals of mixed or pure American Indian ancestry, or other racially mixed origin. The precise usage of "cholo" has varied widely in different times and places...
" youth culture who appreciated Zapp's music. Their tracks are still being used today, without remix or any alterations and are commonly danced to by pop performers. "More Bounce To The Ounce" stands out as the most used sample in Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
rap and West Coast
West Coast hip hop
West Coast hip hop is a hip hop music subgenre that encompasses any artists or music that originates in the westernmost region of the United States, as opposed to East Coast hip hop, based originally in New York alone...
rap, being sampled in countless songs. Their music is also popular amongst the widespread funk-style dance community.
Personnel
The main list of members of Zapp are featured here including those who joined the band either as additional members or touring members:Original principal lineup
- Roger TroutmanRoger TroutmanRoger Troutman was the lead singer of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the Funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years...
: vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, harmonica, vibraphone, percussion, talk boxTalk boxA talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth... - Larry TroutmanLarry TroutmanLarry Troutman was a musician and a founding member of the funk/R&B band Zapp alongside his younger brother, Roger Troutman...
: percussion - Lester Troutman: drums
- Terry Troutman: keyboards, bass, background vocals
- Greg Jackson: Keyboards, Lead and Background vocals, United States Trademark Owner of ZAPP!
Other members
- Bobby Glover
- Eddie Barber
- Jannetta Boyce
- Robert Jones
- Jerome Derrickson
- Sherman Fleetwood
- Gregory Jackson (Original and Current Member)
- Michael Warren
- Shirley MurdockShirley MurdockShirley Murdock is an American R&B singer, who is best known for her 1986 R&B hit single "As We Lay" and for her vocals on Zapp and Roger hit single Computer Love.-Career:...
- Nicole Cottom
- Dale DeGroat
- Bart Thomas
- Ricardo Bray
- Bigg Robb (from the early/mid 90's - 2009)
- Rhonda Stevens
- Ray DavisRay Davis (musician)Raymond "Ray" Davis was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, Parliament, and Funkadelic. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray Davis". Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the...
- Roger Troutman Jr. (died of head injury in 2003)
- Thomas Troutman
- Rufus Troutman III
- Davis Brown (sound man)
- Wanda Rash (vocalist)
Studio albums
- 1980: ZappZapp (album)Zapp is the self-titled debut album of Ohio P-Funk band Zapp. Released on July 30, 1980, the album features the popular hit "More Bounce to the Ounce," which was featured in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Soundtrack, and was sampled by EPMD, Snoop Dogg, The Notorious B.I.G, Twiztid, Brotha Lynch...
- 1982: Zapp II
- 1983: Zapp IIIZapp IIIZapp III is the third studio album by Ohio P-Funk band Zapp.The song "I Can Make You Dance" is featured on the fictional radio station Bounce FM in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.Heartbreaker was also used in Ice Cube's movie "Friday"...
- 1985: The New Zapp IV UThe New Zapp IV UThe New Zapp IV U is the fourth studio album by Ohio P-Funk band Zapp. The song "Computer Love" was the albums biggest hit, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song "Radio People" was featured in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off.-Track listing:...
- 1989: Zapp VibeZapp Vibe-Track listing:...
- 2002: Zapp VI: Back By Popular DemandZapp VI: Back By Popular DemandZapp VI: Back by Popular Demand is the sixth studio download-album by Ohio P-Funk band Zapp.-Track listing:...
Compilation albums
- 1993: Zapp & Roger: All The Greatest Hits
- 1996: Roger & Zapp: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 & More
External links
- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.geocities.com/rogerandzappuk&date=2009-10-26+01:46:56 Roger Troutman and Zapp fansite
- Terry "Zapp" Troutman's Myspace Profile
- Gregory Jackson
- http://www.soulandfunkmusic.com
- http://www.soultracks.com/zapp_and_roger.htm - Biography of Zapp and Roger at SoulTracks
- http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Zapp.html
- http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/zapp.htm
- http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rogerandzapp/ Yahoo group for Roger Troutman and Zapp
- SF Weekly article on Roger Troutman's death
- Band profile at VH1.com