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Famous Like Me > Actor > B > Larry Blackmon

Profile of Larry Blackmon on Famous Like Me

 
Name: Larry Blackmon  
   
Also Know As:
   
Date of Birth: 24th May 1956
   
Place of Birth: New York, New York, USA
   
Profession: Actor
 
 
From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia
Original UK 45 rpm single picture cover: Cameo - Word Up

Cameo

Although primarily known for their crossover smash hit Word Up!, Cameo has been scoring chart topping R&B and dance hits for almost thirty years. 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.

History

Formed in 1974, Cameo got their 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 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 "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-80's 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 song 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.

Of course, nothing could top the phenomenon of the Word Up! period, and Cameo has kept this all in perspective. Instead of infighting or collapse - which many bands experience after falling from superstardom - Cameo has stuck together. The trio has continued to tour the globe to this day.

Metal band KoЯn covers Cameo's Word Up on their Greatest Hits Vol. 1 album. "Candy" is sampled by both Tupac Shakur in his song "All About You," and Mariah Carey in her song "Loverboy".

Cameo discography

Year Album Label
1977 Cardiac Arrest Chocolate City
1978 We All Know Who We Are Chocolate City
1978 Ugly Ego Chocolate City
1979 Secret Omen Chocolate City
1980 Cameosis Chocolate City
1980 Feel Me Chocolate City
1981 Knights of the Sound Table Chocolate City
1982 Alligator Woman Chocolate City
1983 Style Atlanta Artists
1984 She's Strange Casablanca
1985 Single Life Casablanca
1986 Word Up! Casablanca
1988 Machismo Atlanta Artists
1990 Real Men Wear Black Casablanca
1991 Emotional Violence Warner Brothers
1993 The Best Of Cameo Mercury
1994 In the Face of Funk Way Too Funky
1996 Nasty Intersound
1999 12 Collection & More Mercury
2000 Sexy Sweet Thing Crash
2002 Anthology Mercury

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Larry Blackmon