Cameo (band) Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Primarily known for their cross over smash hit "Word Up", Cameo has actually been scoring chart topping R&B and dance hits for almost thirty years. With remarkable consistency, Larry Blackmon and crew have been bringing the funk to the people through a range of styles, while retaining a trademark style all of their own. Still at the top of their game musically, this is a band that is a "must see" if they come to your town.
Formed in 1974, Cameo got their big start as part of George Clinton's group of funkateers. Blackmon formed a side funk group of his own and soon they were touring alongside Parliament Funkadelic. Cameo started with a deep, funky sound, but it was obvious from the start that that their sights were set on the dance floors. Their first albums (Cardiac Arrest, Ugly Ego, We All Know Who We Are and Secret Omen) contained serious disco flavored dance floor jams such as "I Just Want To Be" and "Find My Way". The soaring "Find My Way" was a major disco smash and was included on the soundtrack to Thank God It's Friday.
By the time Cameosis came out in 1980, the band had pumped up its horn section and had hit upon a formula of crafty tight funk jams that also worked on the dance floor. The playful "Shake Your Pants" was a R&B smash and the group had truly become rising stars in the world of funk. Knights of the Sound Table and Alligator Woman saw the band playing up their eclectic, quirky taste for freaky playfulness, and by the time the mid-80's approached, Larry Blackmon and crew were ready to move onto a new style. Cameo stripped down to a trio and decided that it was time for the band to make a serious move on the pop charts.
Inspired by the edgy synthesizer arrangements being pushed forward by the new wave groups of the time, Larry Blackmon wisely moved the band into a hard-core "electronic funk" direction. With his mastery of catchy song writing and the new technology becoming available in the recording studios, this was a match made in heaven. Larry Blackmon began putting his trademark "Ooow!" into the forefront of his mixes and the Cameo sound had truly evolved.
She's Strange came out in 1984 and its excellent 12 inch mix was a major smash in the R&B clubs. The title track and its follow-up "Talking Out The Side Of Your Neck" were minor successes on the pop charts. "Single Life" continued this electronic drum fueled robotic funk style and again, Cameo saw some cross over chart success. The twelve inch remixes from this era were simply incredible, fueling their heavy night club dance floor play. The world was being primed with the Cameo electro freak sound, but nothing could prepare them for what was to come next.
Word Up! hit radio airwaves in mid 1985 and instantly became the biggest pop song of year. Critics loved it, the clubs couldn't seem to play it enough, and Cameo became superstars. The follow-up tracks "Candy" and "Back and Forth" also were huge hits for the funk trio. By the end of 1985 "Word Up!" seemed to be everywhere: radio, clubs, MTV, Coca Cola commercials, and even in people's conversations as the phrase became a national catch phrase. Some music critics have hailed "Word Up!" as the defining song of the 80's. When you are as big as Cameo was in the mid 80's, let's face it, its impossible to stay on top.
Cameo had become the biggest group in the world, but the touring and fame that came from Word Up took its toll. The group became overexposed, and needed to take some time before releasing its follow-up. Three years later Cameo would release Machismo to luke warm pop response (but favorable critical reviews). Emotional Violence also did well critically, but didn't contain the smash radio singles that Word Up! had. 1994's underrated "In The Face of Funk" album contained an excellent cover of Slave's "Slide" that got some club play, but for the most part, Cameo's reign atop the pop charts was over.
Of course, nothing could top the phenomenon of the "Word Up" period, and Cameo has wisely kept this all in perspective. Instead of infighting or collapse (as many bands experience after falling from superstardom) Cameo has stuck together and just kept on blasting the electro-pop funk style that suits them so well. The trio has continued to tour the globe playing outstanding performances (again, go see these guys in concert if you can), and churning out records nonstop (all top quality).
Unfortunately, a revolving door of record labels has hurt their record promotion and support. However, Cameo has been resurfacing on radio airwaves lately and on video channels, so the group seems ready for a pop comeback. "Ooooww!!"
Nu-metal band Korn covers Cameo's "Word Up" on their Greatest Hits Vol. 1 album, along with Pink Floyd's Another Brick in The Wall.
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