Fat Larry's Band Explained

Fat Larry's Band
Background:	group_or_band
Origin:	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genre:	Funk, R&B
Years Active:	1976–1987
Label:	WMOT, Stax, Fantasy, Omni, Society Hill / EMG
Past Members:	"Fat" Larry James Art Capehart Doug Jones Jimmy Lee Ted Cohen Tony Middleton Freddie Campbell Terry Price Darryl Grant Larry La Bes Erskine Williams Alfonso Smith Bryan Hudson

Fat Larry's Band was an American R&B and funk band from Philadelphia, which enjoyed some commercial success in the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly in the United Kingdom.

Career

Formed by drummer and vocalist "Fat" Larry James (August 2, 1949 – December 5, 1987^[1]) in 1976, the band included trumpeter/flautist Art Capehart, guitarists Ted Cohen and Tony Middleton, vocalists Freddie Campbell (1952 – January 19, 2013) and Darryl Grant, keyboardist Terry Price, vocalist Alfonso Smith, saxophonist Doug Jones, bassist Larry La Bes, trombonist/alto saxophonist Jimmy Lee, and keyboardist Erskine Williams.^{[2] [3]}

The band's biggest hits were "Act Like You Know" (which appears on the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City soundtrack) and "Zoom", which peaked within the top ten of the charts in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. In the latter country, "Zoom" peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart in October 1982. The notable success of "Zoom" in the United Kingdom resulted in the song being featured on the Christmas 1982 episode of the British TV sitcom Only Fools and Horses titled "Diamonds Are for Heather".^[4] Fat Larry's Band had three other hits in the UK: "Center City", "Boogie Town", and "Lookin' for Love".^[5]

On December 5, 1987, James died from a heart attack at the age of 38.^[6] As a result, the band folded.

The opening drum break from "Down on the Avenue", from the band's first album, Feel It (WMOT Records, 1976), has been sampled by many musicians, including N.W.A, Ice-T, Jungle Brothers, Depeche Mode, and Run-D.M.C.^[7]

Discography

Albums

Year	Title	Peak chart positions
		US R&B ^[8]	UK
1976	Feel It	align=center	—	align=center	—
1977	Off the Wall	align=center	—	align=center	—
1978	Spacin' Out	align=center	—	align=center	—
1979	Lookin' for Love	align=center	—	align=center	—
1980	Stand Up	align=center	72	align=center	—
1982	Breakin' Out	align=center	—	align=center	58
1983	Straight from the Heart	align=center	—	align=center	—
1986	Nice	align=center	—	align=center	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Compilation albums

• The Best of Fat Larry's Band (1994)
• Greatest Hits (1995)

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions				Certifications
		US Dance ^[9]	US R&B	AUS ^[10]	UK
1976	"Center City"	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	―	align=center	31
	"Fascination"	align=center	39	align=center	—	align=center	―	align=center	―
1977	"Peaceful Journey"	align=center	—	align=center	94	align=center	—	align=center	—
1978	"We Just Can't Get It Together"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―
1979	"Boogie Town"	align=center	—	align=center	43	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Here Comes the Sun"	align=center	39	align=center	44	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Lookin' for Love Tonight"	align=center	27	align=center	47	align=center	—	align=center	46
1980	"Can't Keep My Hands to Myself"	align=center	―	align=center	—	align=center	—	align=center	―
	"How Good Is Love"	align=center	―	align=center	78	align=center	―	align=center	―
1982	"Act Like You Know"	align=center	24	align=center	67	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Be My Lady"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Traffic Stopper"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Zoom"	align=center	―	align=center	89	align=center	10	align=center	2	BPI: Silver^[11]
1983	"Stubborn Kind of Fellow"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	83
	"Straight from the Heart"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	88
	"Don't Let It Go to Your Head"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	93
1986	"Nice"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Sunrise Sunset"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	—
	"Teach Me (There Is Something About Love)"	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	―	align=center	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

See also

• List of disco artists (F-K)
• Post-disco
• Ultimate Breaks and Beats

Notes and References

1. Book: McAleer. Dave. Gregory. Andy. White. Matthew. The Virgin Book of British Hit Singles, Volume 2. November 15, 2010. Random House. 173. 9780753522455.
2. Web site: Wynn. Ron. Artist Biography. AllMusic. 12 November 2020.
3. Web site: Fat Larry's Band Page . Soulwalking.co.uk. 27 September 2021.
4. Web site: FAT LARRY'S BAND - full Official Chart History. Official Charts Company. 12 November 2020.
5. Book: Roberts, David. 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited. London. 1-904994-10-5. 196.
6. Web site: Fat Larry James. Brainyhistory.com. April 9, 2019.
7. Web site: Search Results for ""Down on the Avenue"" . Whosampled.com. April 9, 2019.
8. Web site: Fat Larry's Band - Awards. AllMusic. 25 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20160208165324/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/fat-larrys-band-mn0000179555/awards. February 8, 2016.
9. Web site: Fat Larry's Band Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography. Music VF. 12 November 2020.
10. Book: Kent, David. David Kent (historian)

    . David Kent (historian). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. illustrated. Australian Chart Book. St Ives, N.S.W.. 1993. 0-646-11917-6. 110.

11. Web site: Fat Larry's Band - Zoom. bpi.co.uk. 15 January 2022.