The band itself was formed by P-Funk bassist Bootsy Collins (one of very few to hold a candle to Funk bass pioneer Larry Graham) and had previously released records under the name Bootsy's Rubber Band but after losing the rights to the name Rubber Band to a folk music group of the same name Bootsy had to make a change and Sweat Band was born. Bootsy, having served his time initially in a group called the Houseguests with brother Phelps"Catfish" Collins (the group backed up James Brown for a time in the early seventies cutting such gems as "Talkin' Loud, Saying Nothing") he was invited to join the P-Funk revolution by Clinton and became an integral part of the movement and it's most famous face after Clinton due to his exuberant and infectious persona which backed up his incredible bass riffs.

The group also boasts arguably three of the greatest Funk musicians to have graced fans with their talent with Bernie Worrell on keyboards (Funkadelic) and horn players Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker
who were integral to the James Brown and P-Funk sounds.