The Fatback Band

The greasy beat

The Fatback Band was founded in New York City in 1970 (a North Carolina source says 1971) by drummer Bill Curtis, born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, in 1932. Curtis had played in an Army band and with Bill Doggett, King Curtis and Clyde McPhatter and in the Apollo Theater house band. He has said that guitarist Eric Gale asked for "that greasy beat," and the band's name came from that phrase: a calypso feel combined with a backbeat.

The first line-up had Curtis on drums, Johnny King on guitar, Johnny Flippin on bass, George Williams on trumpet, Earl Shelton on saxophone, George Adams on flute and Gerry Thomas on keyboards. Curtis began producing the records in 1972 with Thomas.

From Perception to Spring

The band's early records appeared on Perception, including the debut Let's Do It Again and the R&B hit "Street Dance" in 1973. In 1974 they moved to Event, a subsidiary of Spring Records, and made Keep On Steppin', whose two singles were the title track and "Wicky Wacky." Later hits were "(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop," "(Do the) Spanish Hustle" (R&B number 12 and UK number 10 in 1976), "I Like Girls" (1978, their first R&B top ten), "Backstrokin'" (1980, R&B number 3) and "I Found Lovin'" (UK 49 in 1984 and UK 7 on a 1987 reissue).

In 1979 they released "King Tim III (Personality Jock)," with rapper Timothy Washington, about a week ahead of "Rapper's Delight," and it is widely regarded as the first commercially released rap single. Curtis has said they did not invent rap, but takes pride in the credit.

Later years

The band shortened its name to Fatback in late 1977 and moved to Cotillion for Phoenix and So Delicious in the mid-1980s. They recorded a live album at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on October 12, 1986. The original members stopped around 1989; Curtis restarted the band with new players, recorded Second Generation (2004) for Ace, and has continued to tour, including London dates in 2025. Curtis owns his masters and publishing. Sample culture found the band too: Curtis and Thomas co-wrote "Bring It Here," which the Beastie Boys used in "Brass Monkey."