| Tapps | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Toronto, Canada |
| Genres | Hi-NRG, Italo Disco |
| Years active | 1983–1986 2003–present |
| Labels | Power Records, Boulevard Records, Thump Records |
| Website | Official MySpace |
| Members | |
| Allan Coelho Tony DaCosta Maryam Zadeh |
|
| Past members | |
| Paul Silva (1983 - 1984) Candy Berthiaume (1983 - 1986)<b |
|
Tapps is the name of Canada's eurodance/Hi-NRG recording acts. Formed and based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the group's original line-up consisted of Allan Coelho, Tony DaCosta and Paul Silva. In the midst of composing their debut single which was to become "My Forbidden Lover", Silva exited the group due to severe medical complications. The name is an acronym composed of the initials of their first names: Tony Allan Paul, and then pluralized as Tapps. The original lead singer of the act was Toronto-based vocalist Barbara Doust, who never appeared live with the act. Candy Berthiaume, recommended by a club manager to Coelho, was then inserted as the group's longest tenured lead vocalist. Doust's vocal graces the original version of "Lover" and "Burning With Fire", with Bethiaume's vocal the centrepoint of the version featured on the group's debut Turn It On LP.
The group's initial recordings were released on the Power Record label, formed by DJ/writer Vincent Degiorgio, who later in his career signed artists such as N Sync. Three singles were released on the imprint: Lover, Burning With Fire and Runaway (With My Love), prior to the band parting company with Power and having the band move on to Boulevard Records. Before their departure, two solo projects "Take Me Now" by Persuasion (produced by DaCosta and sung by Barbara Doust) and "Starstruck Lover", produced by Coleho were also released on Power. Coelho also produced Humpty Dumpty by Rainbow on the Tamah label.
The group toured successfully in the Netherlands (where all of their singles were dance chart hits), the U.S. and especially in Mexico, where their club gigs are considered legendary.
Their first Boulevard release was the successful Turn It On CD was released in various international countries including Japan. Various versions of singles such as "Hurricane", "Don't Pretend To Know" and "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch" were also used on numerous compilations and continue to be amongst the band's most loved tracks. "Crazy For You" was the final Boulevard single release, and the group in its original form ceased to exist.
Allan Coelho was the band's most prolific music maker, recording a variety of tracks on the Boulevard label for studio artists such as Yoh-Yo, a cover version of Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba" and original tracks in an early house format such as "Jackin'" by the Homewreckers. His additional output includes various full length album productions for Tapps' mainstay label in Mexico, Discos Musart and for his own short-lived label Feed The Cat Productions for artist such as Story Structure and Click.
Tapps continues to do gigs with Coelho as its figurehead, having interchanged various vocalists in place of the departed Berthiaume. Candy is now married and lives in Seattle, Washington. Tony DaCosta lives in Toronto and is no longer in the music industry. Allan continues to be very active with fans of Tapps and in the studio. He is currently producing Shari Lynn, and is almost complete as he has spent these last few months in the studio. He lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. Barbara Doust is continuing to sing and make music in Toronto touring with a disco band and recording continuously.