Their first 7" single was "Find my way", a funky disco track written by Johnny Melfi (who also wrote for Ja-Kki and Gentlemen and their Ladies). This track was used three years later on the soundtrack to the film "Thank God it's Friday". Shortly following this was "Funk funk", a more down-tempo item, in sure competition with George Clinton's Parliament team.
The next three years yielded to a successful formula writing, including the top funky disco tracks "Post mortem", "Rigor mortis", "It's serious", and "Macho". More funky tracks included "Insane". There was also a re-recording of "Find my way" in 1979, on the album "Secret Omen".
They found a whole new audience in the disco and funk devoid 1980's for tracks like "Candy" and "She's strange". But if you want to known about these... you'd better find a 1980's discography.
Rigor mortis/Find my way (Chocolate City 12" CCD-005, 1977) - one-sided 12" Post mortem/Good times (Chocolate City 12" CCD-20007, 1977) - one-sided 12" It's serious (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20013, 1978) - one-sided 12" Find my way (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20014, 1978) - one-sided 12" I just want to be (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20016, 1979) - one-sided 12" We're goin' out tonight (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20020, 1980) - one-sided 12" Shake your pants / (remix) (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20022, 1980) Keep it hot / Your love takes me out (Chocolate City 12" CCD 20028, 1980)
Cameo
This US soul/funk group, originally called the
New York City Players, was formed in 1974 by the core members Larry ‘Mr. B’
Blackmon (b. New York City, New York, USA; drums/vocals) and vocalists Thomas
Jenkins and Nathan Leftenant. Building up a strong following by undergoing
rigorous touring schedules, with their backing group at times numbering almost
a dozen members, they signed with the Casablanca subsidiary label, Chocolate
City, where they recorded their debut, Cardiac
Arrest, produced by Blackman. Touring alongside Parliament and Funkadelic
enhanced their reputation and subsequent album releases gained modest
positions in the US pop thart. In Britain, they enjoyed a loyal cult
following, but it was not until Cameo’s seventh release, Knights
Of The Sound Table, that they were afforded a UK release. However, in
1984, the single ‘She’s Strange’ crossed over from soul/funk into the
pop market and Cameo found themselves with their first UK Top 40 single. After
the success of the following year’s ‘Single Life’ (UK Top 20), ‘She’s
Strange’ was re-mixed and peaked at number 22. Three sell-
out shows at London’s Hammersmith Odeon
followed. Having won over the UK pop market, it was not until 1986 that they
finally broke into the US Top 40 chart. ‘Word Up’, having reached number 3
in the UK, and reaching number 1 in the US R&B chart and number 6 in the Billboard
pop chart. Having now trimmed the group down to the trio of Blackman,
Jenkins and Leftenant and only using additional session players when
necessary, Blackman attracted most of the media attention. His image was
helped in no small degree by the expansive, bright red cod-piece worn on
stage. Blackman’s own studio Atlanta Artists allowed him almost total
control over Cameo’s sound and enabled him to promote and nurture local
musical talent.
Albums:
Cardiac Arrest (1977), We
All Know Who We Are (1978), Ugly Ego
(1978), Secret Omen (1979), Cameosis (1980),
Feel Me (1980), Knights Of The Sound Table (1981), AlLigator Woman (1982), Style (1983),
She’s Strange (1984), Single
Lfe (1985), Word Up! (1986), Machismo (1988),
Real Men Wear Black (1990), Best
Of Cameo (1993).