Instant Funk

Instant Funk
Instant Funk
Origin	Trenton, New Jersey
Genres	Soul, disco, funk, post-disco, electro
Years active	1975–1985
Labels	Philadelphia International; Salsoul Records
Past members	Raymond Earl ; Scotty Miller ; Kim Miller

Instant Funk was an American 1970s and 1980s disco band, best known for their disco classic, "I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)".^[2]

History

Instant Funk came out of Trenton, New Jersey consisting of Raymond Earl, drummer Scotty Miller and guitarist Kim Miller.^[2] The group was then called The Music Machine and they were very successful as a back-up band for The Manhattans, Bunny Sigler and also the TNJs. Throughout their careers, Instant Funk would be the back-up band for many stars, including Lou Rawls, Loleatta Holloway, The O'Jays, MFSB, Curtis Mayfield and Evelyn Champagne King (they are the backing band on the hit single, "Shame").^[2]

The group relocated to Philadelphia in 1976 to release its first album, Get Down With the Philly Jump, as they started to formulate their own sound. The group followed this album up with a release for former MFSB guitarist Norman Harris' new record label Gold Mind, with front man Bunny Sigler entitled "Let Me Party With You".

The Gold Mind label folded, and Instant Funk's new cut "I Got My Mind Made Up" was transferred to the Salsoul label, which pushed the record heavily to all of the disco clubs. The remix of this song by club DJ Larry Levan and engineer Bob Blank quickly became the talk of Manhattan. "I Got My Mind Made Up" hit #1 on both the R&B and disco charts and #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1979.^[3] The group's eponymous first album on Salsoul was also a hit, reaching #1 R&B and being certified gold disc status.

Scotty Miller (born Steven Scott Miller on August 22, 1951 in Trenton, New Jersey) died on April 11, 2017, at the age of 65.^[4]

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Title	Peak chart positions			Certifications	Record label
Year	Title	US ^[3]	US R&B ^[3]	CAN ^[5]	Certifications	Record label
1976	Get Down with the Philly Jump	—	—	—		TSOP
1979	Instant Funk	12	1	14	US: Gold ^[6]	Salsoul
1979	Witch Doctor	129	23	—
1980	The Funk Is On	130	62	—
1982	Looks So Fine	147	43	—
1983	Instant Funk V	—	38	—
1983	Kinky	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

Greatest Hits (1996, The Right Stuff/Salsoul)
The Best of Instant Funk (1997, Charly UK)
The Anthology (2006, Salsoul)
I Got My Mind Made Up: The Best of Instant Funk (2006, Koch Records)
Greatest Hits (2008, JDC)

Singles

Year	Title	Peak chart positions
Year	Title	US ^[3]	US R&B ^[3]	US Dan ^[3]	BEL ^[7]	CAN ^[5]	NLD ^[8]	UK ^[9]
1975	"Float Like a Butterfly, Part I"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1976	"Philly Jump"	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
1976	"It Ain't Reggae (But It's Funky)"	—	—	24	—	—	—	—
1978	"I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)"	20	1	1	16	13	20	46
1979	"Crying"	—	41	—	—	—	—	—
1979	"Witch Doctor"	—	35	—	—	—	—	—
1980	"Bodyshine"	103	41	28	—	—	—	—
	"Slap, Slap, Lickedy Lap"	—	—	28	—	—	—	—
	"The Funk Is On"	—	87	22	—	—	—	—
	"Everybody"	—	—	22	—	—	—	—
1982	"Why Don't You Think About Me"	—	59	—	—	—	—	—
1983	"No Stoppin' That Rockin'"	—	32	—	—	—	—	—
	"Who Took Away the Funk"	—	70	—	—	—	—	—
	"(Just Because) You'll Be Mine"	—	71	21	—	—	—	—
1985	Tailspin" (featuring Yves Sterling)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

References

^ "Dexter Wansel Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Hogan, Ed. "Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "US Charts > Instant Funk". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
^ "Steven Scott "Scotty" Miller". Legacy.com. The Trentonian. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
^ ^a ^b "CAN Charts > Instant Funk". RPM. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
^ "US Certifications > Instant Funk". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
^ "BEL Charts > Instant Funk". Top 30. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
^ "NLD Charts > Instant Funk". MegaCharts. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
^ "UK Charts > Instant Funk". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

External links

Instant Funk at AllMusic
Instant Funk discography at Discogs

[1] "Dexter Wansel Page". Soulwalking.co.uk. Retrieved March 2, 2020.

[AllMusic-2] Hogan, Ed. "Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved February 20, 2022.

[allmusic-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "US Charts > Instant Funk". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 6, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[4] "Steven Scott "Scotty" Miller". Legacy.com. The Trentonian. Retrieved April 19, 2017.

[can-5] "CAN Charts > Instant Funk". RPM. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[riaa-6] "US Certifications > Instant Funk". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[bel-7] "BEL Charts > Instant Funk". Top 30. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[nld-8] "NLD Charts > Instant Funk". MegaCharts. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[uk-9] "UK Charts > Instant Funk". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 20, 2015.

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]