Rock / new wave group formed in 1979 by bassist Tim Camp (Tim Camponeschi ex-Momma Max, Joshua), percussionist Howard Zizzi, along with guitarist Bob Fallin and keyboardist Tom Alonso both former members of Orange Wedge. Tim Camp had spent the previous couple of years as a staff writer for Motown Records. His first hit was a composition titled “Summer Days” as recorded by Angela Bofill. During an industry slump many artists and writers were dropped. Tim wrote some rock songs and shopped them around to Stiff Records, RCA and others. Stiff Records named the group Bootcamp but the group could not get a record deal with a major label and the record was eventually released independently. The 1980 single on Banzai Records (no release number) included the songs “I’m A Victim” b/w “Hold on To the Night.”
“Hold on to the Night” was made into a video, shot on The Block in Baltimore, which was one of the first videos aired on MTV.
Bootcamp released a self-titled 12” EP in 1982 on CES Records with the above lineup. Their song “Fire in The Hole” was included on the 1982 “98 Rock Vol. II” LP. By the time of their 1984 5-song LP titled “5 x 4,” Alonso had been replaced with Frank Grande (ex-Gyro, Joanne Dodds). The song “It’s Just Another Day” was included on “The 98 Rock Album, Vol. III” in 1984.
Bootcamp opened for Johnny Winter, Tubes, Split Enz, Squeeze, and others. They traveled to New York and made appearances at the Ritz, and Traxx clubs. Locally they were seen at the Barn, Maxwell’s, Girard’s, Network, …
The group placed second nationally in 1985 MTV “Basement Tapes” contest.
Camp also worked as a solo artist, seen frequently at The Horse You Came In On in Fells Point (including mid-‘90s side project the Scrappy Harris Blues Band), and he became known as Slim Man (see bio), forging a successful career performing jazz music. He and Zizzi also appeared on CD’s with Bona Fide, a group named “Best New Artist” at the 2001 Smooth Jazz Awards. Alonso also continued to release recordings as a solo artist. Zizzi also played with Tiffany, Slim Man…
Bootcamp discography:
1980 Banzai I’m A Victim / Hold on To the Night
1982(EP) CES 1714 Bootcamp
1984(LP) CES 1715 5 X 4
2007(CD) Banzai Back to The Shack: Greatest Hits 1980-1984
