TOUGH QUESTION, I know..


Cameo BROUGHT IT with :

KEEP IT HOT
I JUST WANT TO BE
CAMEOSIS
SHAKE YOUR PANTS
JUST BE YOURSELF
FLIRT
SINGLE LIFE
CANDY
(& a few others..)


while The Time has :
GET IT UP
THE STICK
777-9311
THE WALK
JUNGLE LOVE
THE BIRD
JERK OUT
(& I'll throw in Morris' "fishnet".. as that was basically a "Time" jam..)

I've always loved both groups. Cameo came out 1st, of course, & they brought the funk from DAY 1. The Time.. they were funky too.. but "cleaner"
(for lack of a better word)
& maybe "tighter" funk..

I also think the singing on the Cameo jams - especially Wayne Cooper - took those songs to another level. Morris could sing well enough, but the music was so good, it almost didn't matter.

maybe also the horns on some of those Cameo jams - KEEP IT HOT & SHAKE YOUR PANTS - added still more funk.
we know that the time used synthesizers to create a "brass sound" & it typically worked.. but I think having real horns really ADDS to the funk..

I think Cameo's funk is more "hard-driving" especially on jams like KEEP IT HOT & SHAKE YOUR PANTS.

I think that I have always preferred The Time overall.. but I think I would say that CAMEO is funkier than The Time. by a very thin hair.

what you think?

I'll give it to The Time, for a few reasons, one being that they knew how to thrown down a ballad like no other. "Why Have I Lost You", is a gem!! Plus they have a bigger catalog, though not every album is up to par. 1982 gave us two great albums from both groups. "Alligator Woman", and "What Time Is It"

Good thread. I hope it doesn't get hi-jacked.

ballad-wise, I think The Time had slightly better songs - e.g. "girl". Cameo's slow jams were mostly more "traditional r & b".. the best of those the ORIGINAL version of "why have I lost you"

i think they totally different never thought 2 compare em i like them both never really been a big cameo fan only reason i really dug the time was due 2 prince so if prince wasnt in the picture wouldnt really listen 2 the time

I think asking who's funkier is really an "apples and oranges" kinda thing, because the choice is based on the type of funk you prefer. It's like do you like your funk P-Funk/E.W.F./ Ohio Players/Tower Of Power style with big horns over a funky groove or do ya like yours spiked with hard rock ala Prince/Rick James/Mother's Finest/Slave? Personally, I'm closer to the style of The Time 'cause that's the era I was born and raised in and I can't wait 2 see Morris and the boys tonight in Columbia,SC at Carolina Colesium!!!!

diamondpearl1 said:

A friend of mine asked me about going to check it out but i said no i'm gonna
stay back and study for finals next week. I'll catch the next old school
funk fest. The last time i saw the Time was at the Three Rivers Music Festival
with ConFunkShun. A good festival that Columbia screwed up.

phunkdaddy said:

Man, I went to that festival in 03' and saw Ohio Players and Lakeside.I remember the promoters told Ludacris not to play "Move Bitch" but he came back at the end and did it anyway and the crowd went nuts.Y'know I still got the festival map and some mardi gras beads from that show too lol

WHAT?!? No Question: CAMEO! The Time are not even all that funky in my book, just an outlet for Prince's B-sides. They're entertaining as all Hell, and extremely tight, but not very funky at all. On the other hand, Cameo damn-nearly co-invented The Funk (post-Jazz era) along side Parliament/Funkadelic.

have they ever been on the same tour?? to my knowledge, they haven't. I think they would bring the best out of each other, if they ever did..
who could "outfunk" who..

...it's gettin' down on the C-Funk

mltijchr said:

I remember Jimmy Jam describing in a 90's issue of the UK Blues & Soul magazine that they were on the same bill with Cameo on either one seperate concertnight, or a festival or a tour.
Have to look it up sometime. Most of my magz are stored in the attic temporarily.
I dig both groups for their talent and power onstage, and can't place one above the other.
But to pick out one particualr thing which i admire about Cameo, is the transition they made from the bigband/horns sound to a more electronic sound.

Hands down - Cameo.

Cameo wins by default since all of the funky songs by The Time are of Prince's creation.

How is this even a contest?

I like The Time but Cameo wins

The sheer size, depth & quality of Cameo's catalog blows Morris & the boys AWAY.

Not even a close call from here.

Cameosis in my heart & the wind at my back forever.

Cameo without a question. I love The Time though!

mltijchr said:

It's always funny when people talk about Cameo's funk songs but leave out the funkiest ones.

Funk Funk
Rigor mortis
Post Mortem
C on the Funk
Soul Army
I'll be with you

I could go on but you get the picture...

StarMon said:

I gotta tell you, about a year ago, I was searching ALL OVER the web looking for a good copy of Cameo's logo, and this is about the best copy I've seen yet. Thanks for posting, this goes into the PDogz files, lol.

Now, if the OP had said "Cameo vs. Slave / Aurra"...or "Cameo vs. The Bar-Kays".....my brain woulda hurt for a fuckin WEEK.

Give the slight edge to Cameo.

She's Strange
Candy
Back and Forth
I Just Want To Be
Sparkle

PDogz said:

Awhile back, I was looking for one; a smaller scale, to use for a avatar.
I ran across this by goggling "cameo+logo" using the word "logo" with the word cameo and getting this as a result, was pure "happenstance".

StarMon said:

There's a real art to how to go about a "search", with Boolean phrases and such. Nevertheless, I'm happy you found it... for US, lol.

Cameo of course!!!

Cameo mainly because they were first and catalog
is deeper.

PDogz said:

If we're taking about live shows, The Time have this battle locked.

But if we're taking about funk tracks, Cameo wins!

Keep It Hot
Freaky Dancing
Flirt
Be Yourself
Style
I Just Want To Be
Shake Your Pants
I Want It Now
Insane

THIS^ is a lot of funk tracks! :

elem55 said:

I like Rigor Mortis. I just don't listen to it as often as I would I Just Want To Be OR Keep It Hot.

There are song funky grooves by Cameo that are comparable to The Time that I love to listen to, like "Cameosis"

CAMEO...

looks like Cameo has the edge - & with some solid reasoning.

I didn't think about comparing both groups as live performers.
I've seen both groups live over the years - The Time on the '81-'83 tours, when they were totally in their prime..
I also saw Cameo in their early-80s prime..

in terms of live shows, I give the overall edge to The Time.

comparing the last live shows I saw of each (circa mid 2000s) Cameo
was better.