Record label Arista Records | ||
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Years active 1971–1980, 2010-present Albums Splashdown, Another Day, Breakwater Members Kae Williams Jr., Steve Green Genres Funk, Soul music, Rhythm and blues Similar Edwin Birdsong, Thomas Bangalter, Guy‑Manuel de Homem‑Christo, Mico Wave, Eddie Johns Profiles | ||
Breakwater is an American funk band from Philadelphia. The band released two albums: Breakwater in 1978, and Splashdown in 1980. The latter features the song "Release the Beast", which was sampled for the Murs track "Intro" in the album Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition. "Release the Beast" was later sampled by Daft Punk for the song "Robot Rock", which appeared on the album Human After All.
Contents
Background
The band, originally from Philadelphia was formed in 1971. The original members of Breakwater consisted of Gene Robinson, James Gee Jones, Lincoln 'Zay' Gilmore, Steve Green, Vince Garnell, Greg Scott, John 'Dutch' Braddock, and Kae Williams, Jr. They were signed to the Arista label in 1978. Their second album Splashdown, which was released in 1980 has been referred to by Tom Bowker of the Broward Palm Beach New Times as a funk masterpiece.
Releases
In September, 1979, their single "You Know I Love You", written by Greg Scott, and produced by Rick Chertoff was a Billboard top single pick.
For the week ending July 5, 1980, their Album Splashdown at its 8th week in the Billboard charts had moved up from 35 to 34. At its 13th week, it was sitting at 57, the position it was the previous week.
Sound
The sound of Breakwater's music is normally that of slow jams, but they have been known to incorporate rock music and funk styles into their songs, much like their song titled "You". "Release the Beast" is best known by non-funk music fans, and the band's sound can be closer compared to that of Con Funk Shun or Earth, Wind & Fire.
Later years
On October 16, 2014, the eleven-piece band with hits four man horn section played Warmdaddy's on S Columbus Blvd in Philadelphia. Since having, reformed, the band along with another seventies act Pockets, an R&B funk band from Baltimore, it has been announced that they will both appear in the UK at London's The Brooklyn Bowl on January 7, 2017.
Songs
Release the BeastSplashdown · 1980
Say You Love Me GirlSplashdown · 1980
Splashdown TimeSplashdown · 1980