Breakwater (band)
# Breakwater (band)

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 in the intro for rapper Murs' album Murs 3:16: The 9th Edition, as well as in "Robot Rock" by electronic duo Daft Punk which appeared on the album Human After All.

## 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 'Garnel' Dutton, 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 four man horn section played Warmdaddy's on S Columbus Blvd in Philadelphia. It was announced that the band and fellow seventies act Pockets, an R&B funk band from Baltimore, would appear at London's Brooklyn Bowl on January 7, 2017.

## Discography

US singles :

| Title | Release info | Year |
| - | - | - |
| "Work It Out" / "Feel Your Way" | Arista AS 0404 | 1979 |
| "No Limit" / "Feel Your Way" | Arista AS 0424 | 1979 |
| "You Know I Love You" / "Unnecessary Business" | Arista AS 0457 | 1979 |
| "Splashdown Time" / "Let Love In" | Arista AS 0518 | 1980 |
| "Say You Love Me Girl" / "Time" | Arista AS 0542 | 1980 |
| "Release the Beast" / "Time" | Arista AS 0565 | 1980 |

US Albums :

| Title | Release info | Year | F | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Breakwater | Arista AB 4208 | 1978 | LP | |
| Splashdown | Arista AB 4264 | 1980 | LP | |
| Breakwater | Get On Down GET-51269 | 2010 | CD | |
| Splashdown | Get On Down GET-51268 | 2010 | CD | |
| Breakwater / Splashdown | Expansion EXP2CD 49 | 2016 | CD | Compilation |
