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NAPPYHEAD FUNK ARMY

 BIO 

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It all started with an invitation to play at George Clinton's birthday party on July 22, 1998.  The brain child of Zack "#9" Roberson, this funky group of young men began this amazing trip together on the stage of the Lion's Den, in the East Village of New York City.  Who would have thought some 20 years later, we would still be funking it up!!  The band was born out of the Long Island & Queens, NY area during the heyday of the East Village where clubs like Wetlands, CBGB's, Tramps, The Lion's Den, The Elbow Room and many others were allowing the creativity of many great bands to showcase their talent and just plain rip it up!  Nappyhead was one of them!!  Having a direct Mothership Connection, it was easy to draw great crowds with electric energy at all of our shows.  The music was live, in-yo-face FUNK, with an emphasis on the sounds of Parliament-Funkadelic (P-FUNK), Prince, Jimi Hendrix, Sly & the Family Stone, Mother's Finest, and all of the other fathers of FUNK.  (1999, Village Voice)  Nappyhead is a direct seed of George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and the P-Funk Allstars; it's like they were waiting in the weeds to grow after P-Funk sowed the seeds...

 

 

Over the years, this New York-based band has performed at such venues as The Harry Chappen Theatre, Da Funky Phish, Port Jazz, Amsterdam Ave. Street Festival (in Harlem, NYC), Long Island Summer festivals, Largo MD, and every place in between that would allow us to funk.  The brand new website, which is under construction, will be up and running shortly, and it will be every bit as entertaining & informative as the original web page.

 

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The members of the Nappyhead Funk Army are:

• Zack "#9" Roberson:  lead vocals

• Eric "Pearl" Wilson:  keyboards, backing vocals

• William "Prez" Bush:  keyboards

• Kevin "The Technician" Harrington:  drums

• Ainsley Taylor: drums

• Gabe Gonzalez: drums

• John Purvis: guitar

• John "Groovalicious" Willis:  guitar

• Andre "The Flash" Lassalle:  guitar

• Carlton "The General" Collier:  bass

• Mark Bass:  bass

• Eric Jay:  vocals, percussion

• Tony Camm:  vocals  {ALUMNUS]

• Jacqui Camm: vocals  {ALUMNUS]

• Helena: vocals [ALUMNUS]

• Lorry:  vocals, percussion [ALUMNUS]

• Tanya Thillet:  lead and backing vocals

• Pat D'Auria: vocals

• David "Dr. Brookenstein" Brooks: web design specialist

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​The musicians that make up this futuristic funk throwback unit are all accomplished veteran musicians from New York City.  Many of them have been on tour with major artists worldwide, like Rick James, D-Train, Freddie Jackson, Blue Magic, George Clinton, Joe, Funk-Kin, Kim Styles, The Clones of Funk, and many other professional artists.  There is always a Nappyhead member somewhere on stage!  It's what we do.

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The Village Voice did a back-page spread in the summer of 2010 on the funkiest bands in the last decade and Nappyhead Funk Army was on the list, which was one of the greatest compliments bestowed on the band.  When 

the "Fly on the Wall" CD came out in the summer of 2004, it was considered by (2004, Albumnation) "A fresh musical funky trip with an interactive stage show, and the band looks as cool as they sound, It's a must have."  Like all musical groups, a change of direction is necessary sometimes--adding a spiritual, gospel-funk feel to a few new tunes which were broadcast on Youtube, via a digital company called Stream Ring Music Production was also a big success as the Nappyhead sound was heard around the world.

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As the band embarks on this new FUNK journey, all the players are pumped and primed to deliver the best live shows ever!!  (FUNK GETTING READY TO GO, FUNK GETTING READY TO ROLL!)

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