Shock - Waves (1982)

Shock was "the other" funk band from Portland, Oregon - Pleasure being the first. They released their first album Electrophonic Funk on the local Nebula Circle label in 1980. After that they were signed on Fantasy Records, where they released 3 more albums.

Shock's third album Waves starts off promising with 'Electrophonic Phunk', an aptly titled funk manifesto. Nothing really original here, and that goes for the rest of the album aswell (the George Clinton / p-funk influence is obvious, as it was on their earlier albums), but Shock manages throw in some nice funk jams to spice up your party. The Pleasure connection is also there, as Pleasure's Marlon McClain gives a helping hand on the guitar and production department.

After Shock keyboard player / leader Roger Sause, bassist Joe Plass and Marlon McClain teamed up to write songs, tour and record with smooth jazz criminal Kenny G. Some of the members united in 2000 for another Shock album called 'Retroman', which - despite it's title - sounds pretty contemporary.

The main core of Shock are still more or less involved with funk and r&b music; Roger Sause runs Perfect World Entertainment booking agency specialized in funk and disco, Joe Plass released a single last year, and singer Malcolm Noble is still performing live.

Personnel:

Roger Sause: keyboards, percussion

Billy Bradford: lead and background vocals

Johnny Riley: drums, percussion

Scott Boyd: guitar

Steve Snyder: saxophones

Steve Sause: keyboards

Malcolm Noble: lead and background vocals

Ricky Ollison: trumpet, flugelhorn, lead vocals

Steve Liddle: trombones

Joe Plass: bass, percussion

 Marlon McClain: guitar, percussion

Bruce Smith: percussion

Mike Demmers: bass, trombone

Brad Maracich: trumpet