Blam! (album)

Blam!
Studio album by the Brothers Johnson
Released	1978
Recorded	1978
Studio	Cherokee Recording Studios, Los Angeles; Westlake Audio, Los Angeles; A & R Recording, New York City
Genre	Funk [1]
Length	31:33
Label	A&M
Producer	Quincy Jones
The Brothers Johnson chronology
Right on Time (1977) Blam! (1978) Light Up the Night (1980)

Blam! is the third album by the Los Angeles-based duo the Brothers Johnson. ^[2] Released in 1978, the album topped the Billboard R&B albums chart and reached number seven on the pop albums chart. It was certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA. ^[3]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Record Mirror	[4]

Alex Henderson of AllMusic wrote that the album "demonstrates that funk can be sleek and gritty at the same time... Blam! is excellent from start to finish." ^[1]

Track listing

1. "Ain't We Funkin' Now" - (Alex Weir, Louis Johnson, Quincy Jones, Tom Bahler, Valerie Johnson) 5:36
2. "So Won't You Stay" - (David Foster, Harvey Mason) 3:20
3. "Blam!" - (Weir, Foster, George Johnson, L. Johnson, Jones, Bahler) 4:55
4. "Rocket Countdown / Blastoff" - (William Reichenbach, Jerry Hey) 0:51
5. "Ride-O-Rocket" - (Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson) 4:43
6. "Mista' Cool" - (Ed Eckstine, Larry Williams, L. Johnson) 3:27
7. "It's You Girl" - (G. Johnson, L. Johnson, Jones) 3:32
8. "Streetwave" - (Weir, Jerry Hey, L. Johnson, Wayne Vaughn) 5:05

Personnel

• George Johnson – lead guitar, lead and backing vocals
• Louis Johnson – bass, guitar, piano, synthesizer, lead and backing vocals
• Alex Weir – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on "It's You Girl"
• David Foster – synthesizer, electric piano
• Larry Carlton – guitar
• Steve Khan – guitar
• Harvey Mason – drums
• Steve Schaeffer – drums
• Wayne Vaughn – electric piano, backing vocals
• Richard Tee – electric piano, acoustic piano
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown – percussion
• Steve Porcaro – synthesizer
• Lawrence Williams – synthesizer, saxophone, flute, alto flute, clarinet
• Kim Hutchcroft – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto flute
• Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn, piccolo trumpet, French horn
• Gary Grant – trumpet, flugelhorn, slide trumpet, piccolo trumpet
• William Reichenbach – bass alto trombone
• Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone
• Steve Foreman – timpani
• Babi Floyd – backing vocals
• Bobby Rodriquez – backing vocals
• Frank Floyd – backing vocals
• Gwen Guthrie – backing vocals
• Kenny Pickens – backing vocals
• Patti Austin – backing vocals
• Raymond Simpson – backing vocals
• Richard Heath – backing vocals
• Tom Bahler – backing vocals
• Yollanda McCullough – backing vocals
• Vivian Cherry – backing vocals
• William Eaton – backing vocals
• Zachary Sanders – backing vocals

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (1978) Peak position US Billboard 200 [5] 7 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums ( Billboard ) [6] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1978) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [7] 4

Singles

Year	Single	Chart positions [8]
		US	US R&B
1978	"Ride-O-Rocket"	104	45
	"Ain't We Funkin' Now"	102	45

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [3]	Platinum	1,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Blam!! Review by Alex Henderson". AllMusic. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
2. "Rufus and Chaka Khan, the Brothers Johnson Appear at KOOL Jazz Festival". Oakland Post. No. 513. May 7, 1980. p. 10.
3. "The Brothers Johnson: Blam". riaa.com. RIAA.
4. Wishart, John (August 5, 1978). The Brothers Johnson "Blam". Record Mirror. p. 13.
5. "The Brothers Johnson, TLP" . Billboard . Retrieved November 14, 2021.
6. "The Brothers Johnson, BLP" . Billboard . Retrieved November 14, 2021.
7. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1978". Billboard. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
8. "The Brothers Johnson US singles chart history". allmusic.com. Retrieved August 27, 2011.

External links

• Brothers Johnson-Blam! at Discogs