ZAPP & ROGER
Another of the great groups that arguably made Ohio the funk capital of the US in the 80s, Zapp was one of the most popular bands of its era and also launched a notable solo career for its leader, Roger Troutman.
Formed in the late 70s in Dayton by brothers Roger, Lester, Larry and Tony Troutman, Zapp exploded out of the box with their 1980 self-titled debut album, which featured the #1 hit "More Bounce to the Ounce." Produced by funk legend Bootsy Collins, the song featured Roger Troutman's lead channeled through a "talk box," which twisted the vocals into a mechanized, computerized sound. It became a Zapp trademark sound, and was the vocal basis for a string of danceable hits that took the 70s Parliament/Bootsy sound to an even more aloof, futuristic level...Read full Zapp biography.
And watch the great Zapp episode of TV One's "Unsung," below.
