Skull Snaps
Skull Snaps was a short-lived funk trio known for their raw, powerful sound and mysterious aura. Active primarily in the early 1970s, they gained cult status decades later due to heavy sampling in hip-hop.
Formed from the ashes of the soul group The Diplomats, Skull Snaps consisted of Samm Culley (bass, tenor vocals), Ervan "Erv" Waters (guitar, falsetto vocals), and George Bragg (drums, bass vocals). They started as The Diplomats in the 1960s, releasing singles with modest success before rebranding around 1970 to pursue a harder funk style.
The name "Skull Snaps" originated from R&B legend Lloyd Price, who remarked during a session that their dynamic music "made his skull snap." They gigged extensively as The Diplomats but performed rarely under the new name, limiting their visibility.
In 1973, they dropped their sole self-titled album on the obscure GSF Records label, featuring tracks like "It's a New Day" with its iconic breakbeat. The eerie skull artwork and lack of band photos fueled myths of anonymity, though the members were experienced Harlem and Bronx musicians. The record label GSF folded just six months later, derailing promotion and leading to their sudden disappearance from the scene.
Post-album, they recorded as All Dyrections ("Soul Makossa" cover) and released a 1975 single "Al's Razor Blade" / "Ain't That Lovin' You" on Grill Records. The original trio reunited in 2005 for Ten12 Records' release of "Snapped / I'm Your Pimp," a Northern Soul hit in the UK.
Though commercially overlooked, their breaks became hip-hop staples, sampled by artists like Wu-Tang Clan and DJ Premier. The trio's multi-instrumental prowess and vocal range made them sound massive despite being just three members.
Skull Snaps
Written-By – Wesaline Kerr
4:02
A2 Having You Around
Written-By – D. Smith
4:30
A3 Didn't I Do It To You
Written-By – E. Waters, S. Culley
3:15
A4 All Of A Sudden
Written-By – E. Waters, S. Culley
3:23
A5 It's A New Day
Written-By – I. Woods
3:04
B1 I'm Your Pimp
Written-By – G. Kerr
4:03
B2 I Turn My Back On Love
Written-By – E. Waters, S. Culley
2:45
B3 Trespassing
Written-By – Dutch Robinson
4:03
B4 I'm Falling Out Of Love
Written-By – E. Waters, S. Culley
2:46
Label: GSF Records – GSF-S-1011
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Funk
Skull Snaps (1973) is a legendary, high-energy funk/soul album renowned for its gritty, horn-heavy sound, intricate vocal harmonies, and iconic drumming, particularly on the opening break of "It’s a New Day". Though originally overlooked, this cult classic is now considered an essential, raw funk masterpiece with strong, consistent tracks.
The album is noted for its high-energy, tight, and polished production despite its "underground" feel, offering a blend of raw funk, soul, and proto-disco with "wannap" guitars, and strong brass/string arrangements. The opening drum break on "It’s a New Day" is one of the most sampled in hip-hop history.
It adeptly merges various styles, from "sizzling, blaxploitation-ready" tracks like "I'm Your Pimp" to softer, more relaxed American soul tunes. While some find the album to be an all-around classic, others note that it is not a "track-for-track masterpiece" and features a mix of great funk cuts and good pop songs.
Reviewers praise the band's excellent musicianship, particularly the crisp, in-the-pocket drums, funky guitars, and strong horn breaks. The vocals are noted for their "gruff, unpolished" quality and "gospel-soaked call and response dynamic". The album is considered a "lost" masterpiece that gained massive appreciation years after its release, often compared in quality to acts like Funkadelic or Curtis Mayfield.