Formed in 1974, Cameo started out as a 13-member group created by former Juilliard student and New York-area clubgoer Larry Blackmon, called the New York City Players. Signed by Casablanca Records to their Chocolate City imprint in 1976, the group soon changed its name to Cameo. Cameo started with a deep, funky sound, but it was obvious from the start 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 dance floor songs such as "Rigor Mortis", "I Just Want To Be" and "Find My Way," the latter which 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 Cameo had gained considerable momentum through singles such as "Shake Your Pants". Albums such as 1981's Knights of the Sound Table and 1982's Alligator Woman saw the band playing up their eclectic style.
However, by the time the mid-1980s approached, Larry Blackmon and crew were ready to move on. Cameo stripped down to a quartet that included Blackmon, Tomi Jenkins, Nathan Leftenant, and Charles Singleton (who left the group after She's Strange). Inspired by the edgy synthesizer arrangements being pushed forward by the new wave groups of the time, Blackmon moved the band into a hard-core "electronic funk" direction, utilising the new technology becoming available in the recording studios. He put his trademark "Ooow!" into the forefront of Cameo's mixes and markedly changed their sound.
1983's Style was the first disc to capitalize on Cameo's new sound. She's Strange came out in 1984 and its "12-inch mix" was a major smash in the R&B clubs. The title track and its follow-up "Talkin' Out the Side of Your Neck" were minor successes on the pop charts. 1985's Single Life was also an R&B hit that saw some crossover success.
"Word Up!" hit radio airwaves in mid-1986 and instantly became one of the biggest pop songs of the year. Critically acclaimed with large amounts of club and radio airtime, the resulting album Word Up! turned Cameo into superstars. The follow-up tracks "Candy" and "Back and Forth" were also huge hits for the funk trio. By the end of 1986 "Word Up!" seemed to be everywhere: radio, clubs, MTV, Coca-Cola commercials, and even in people's conversations as it became a national catch phrase. Some music critics have hailed "Word Up!" as the defining song of the 1980s.
Cameo had become one of the most well-known bands 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. Two years later Cameo would release Machismo to lukewarm pop response but favorable critical reviews and R&B success. 1991's Emotional Violence also did well critically, but didn't contain the "smash-hit" radio singles that Word Up had. 1994's 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 was over.
Tags: Cameo Megamix Soul Funk Blackmon Disco 80sFunk 70sFunk
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