Time Zone (band)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Time Zone was a hip hop band headed by Afrika Bambaataa. Bambaataa worked with different musicians for each Time Zone project.
The first Time Zone single was the 1983 electro song "The Wildstyle" which featured music from a German project called Wunderwerke. Bambaataa was introduced to their music by Rusty Egan of Visage. The song became very popular among breakdancers at the time.
In 1984, Time Zone released their most best-known single, "World Destruction". A collaboration between Bambaataa, ex-Sex Pistol/Public Image Ltd. leader John Lydon, and producer/bassist Bill Laswell, this single is one of the first rapcore song; predating Run-DMC and Aerosmith's "Walk This Way".
The single featured the Bill Laswell entourage with musicians Bernie Worrell, Nicky Skopelitis & Aiyb Dieng, all of whom would later play on PiL's Album. Laswell also played bass and produced that album.
Although the song was critically acclaimed, Bambaataa put the Time Zone project on hold while he worked on other projects. In 1992, Bambaataa revived the project with the single "Zulu War Chant" which was well-received among fans of old school hip hop. Time Zone released a handful of singles in the early-1990s which were compiled in the 1992 album Thy Will B Funk. In 1995, the band released another album titled Warlocks and Witches, Computer Chips, Microchips and You. The album featured contributions from George Clinton and his P-Funk Horns. But neither album sold well and Bambaataa retired Time Zone.
In 2005, Bambaataa again revived the Time Zone moniker for an album of breakbeats titled Everyday People: The Breakbeat Party Album.
Singles
- 1983 "The Wild Style"
- 1984 "World Destruction" with John Lydon
- 1987 "Shake Frappe"
- 1992 "Zulu War Chant/Time To Get Open"
- 1992 "The 40 OZ Crew/Very Special"
- 1993 "What's The Name Of This Nation? Zulu!/Hold On I'm Comin'/Ghost"
- 1995 "Throw Ya Funky Hands Up/Down With The Nation"
- 1996 "Funky Beeper/Godfather"
- 2005 "Push/Shake Ya Bodys"
