The Breaks: Incredible Bongo Band 'Apache' (Part 1)

'Apache' by the Incredible Bongo Band is arguably the most important break in hip-hop music and beyond. In this two post arc, we'll cover the history of 'Apache', it's use in early hip-hop singles, it's reinvention in electronic music, and it's resurgence in hip-hop.

'Apache''s history begins over a decade before the Incredible Bongo Band's version. The song was written by Jerry Lordan and was originally recorded by Bert Weedon, which initially remained shelved. The first notable version of the song is the Shadows' recording of 'Apache', which utilized a new echo chamber and tremolo technique that gave it a distinct sound. As the version by the Shadows gained recognition, Weedon's was released to cash in, but both would be trumped by Jørgen Ingmann's version of 'Apache', which broke the American top 10.



A decade later, Michael Viner began work on a project to score music for the low budget B movie 'The Thing with Two Heads'. The music, billed as Michael Viner's Incredible Bongo Band, became an unlikely hit and Viner quickly went into the studio to record a full length album. The band, consisting of Viner and studio musicians, created one of the most sampled breaks of all time, not to mention a handful of other amazing tracks on the album 'Bongo Rock'. The long instrumental break in 'Apache' made it a sensation on dance floors and was adopted by early hip-hop DJs like Kool Herc and Afrika Bambaataa. When hip-hop broke into the mainstream, so did the 'Apache' break.

Perhaps the most notable early use of 'Apache' is the Sugarhill Gang's track 'Apache' from 1981's '8th Wonder'. The track was used again two years later by the West Street Mob, also on the Sugarhill label, for their classic b-boy track 'Break Dance - Electric Boogie'. As the use of samplers increased by the late 80s, so did the use of 'Apache' in hip-hop. Jazzy Jay's 1988 production 'Old School' by Busy Bee used the 'Apache' break, as did the Dust Brothers produced 1988 single 'Know How' by Young MC.

Check back for part 2 of the history of 'Apache', including its adaptation in electronic music and its rebirth in the 2000s.

The Lowdown:
Incredible Bongo Band 'Apache'
from 'Bongo Rock' (1973) (MP3/CD)
The Shadows 'Apache'
from 'Apache' (1960) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Jørgen Ingmann 'Apache'
from 'Apache' (1961) (MP3/CD)
Sugarhill Gang 'Apache'
from '8th Wonder' (1981) (MP3 not available/CD)
West Street Mob 'Break Dance - Electric Boogie'
from 'Break Dance - Electric Boogie' (1983) (MP3 not available/CD not available)
Busy Bee 'Old School'
from 'Running Thangs' (1988) (MP3/CD)
Young MC 'Know How'
from 'Stone Cold Rhymin'' (1988) (MP3/CD)